Spring 2024 - General Information (2024)

Drop-in and remote services available. Please go to smc.edu/admissions for updates.

Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday & Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Hours subject to change without notice.

Monday – Sunday: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Web (Corsair Connect): smc.edu/cc

You may enroll at Santa Monica College if you:

• Have graduated from high school, or
• Are 18 years of age or older, or
• Possess either (1) a high school diploma from a U.S. regionally accredited high school or from a foreign high school; or (2) a GED, California High School Certificate of Proficiency (CHSPE), or the equivalent (e.g., a HiSET score report; a TASC [Test Assessing Secondary Completion] score report), or
  
• Are 16 years of age or older and submit an official “Student Score Report” for passing the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) or equivalent, or
• Are a qualifying younger student who has completed 8th grade, and is participating in SMC’s Concurrent Enrollment program (see smc.edu/hsce for details), and
• You meet the residency requirements, and can profit from the program.

Please Note:
All official communication from Santa Monica College will be sent to students at their SMC student email address (last name_first name@student.smc.edu). You can check your student email account by logging into Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc and clicking on the SMC Mail icon. Be sure to check your SMC student email often!

Continuing students do NOT have to reapply for admission. If you have never attended Santa Monica College (new student), or have been away for two or more consecutive semesters (returning student), or applied to SMC but did not actually enroll in a class, you must first:

• File an application for admission online (go to smc.edu/apply and click on “New Students,” then click on “Apply to SMC” to get started);
• At least four weeks before the start of the session, arrange for transcripts of previous college work (or high school work, if no college work was completed) to be sent directly to the Admissions Office. Copies issued to a student (even if in a sealed envelope) will NOT be accepted.

You will be emailed an admission letter. Please review it for information on resident status for tuition/fee purposes, any outstanding admission issues, orientation, placement, education planning/counseling, and enrollment.

All regularly admitted first-time SMC students are required to complete the math and English placement process (or the ESL placement process), complete the online college orientation, and prepare an education plan (see smc.edu/myedplan for details). Once done, you will be able to enroll for classes through Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc on the date and time of your enrollment.

Santa Monica College defines an “international student” as a student attending the College while in F-1 or F-2 visa status. The international student application is available online (go to smc.edu/iapp). Please visit smc.edu/international for additional information about the application process and deadline dates, tuition and fees, and support services for F-1 and F-2 students. For the spring 2024 semester, applications for out-of-country applicants must be submitted by January 5, 2024; and applications for in-country applicants who already have an F-1 or F-2 visa must be submitted by January 15, 2024.

• If you have F-1 status from another school, you may enroll at SMC on a limited basis. Please consult with the International Education Center.
• If you have another type of visa status (not F-1 or F-2), you may enroll through the Admissions Office. However, if you are currently on a B visa, you cannot enroll until you change status to a visa with education privileges. Please contact the International Education Center for details.

Santa Monica College is approved as an institution for higher learning for veterans and veterans’ dependents entitled to education assistance from the Veterans Administration (VA). SMC cooperates with the VA in helping veterans, and offers academic, career, and transfer counseling, as well as priority enrollment, tutoring, and other services to support veterans in achieving their education goals.

If you wish to attend SMC under one of the veterans’ assistance bills, please see the information and instructions at smc.edu/vet or consult a counselor in the Veterans Success Center.

Eligible nonresident veterans may qualify to pay resident fees. Consult with a Veterans Success Center counselor or with the Admissions and Records Office for details.

If you wish to use the special counseling services provided through the Center for Students with Disabilities, call 310-434-4265.

Printed SMC materials are available in alternate media upon request. To request publications in alternate formats for disability accommodation, send email to DSCcontact@smc.edu or call 310-434-4265. This Schedule of Classes is also available online (see smc.edu/schedules).

If you were dismissed from a previous college, OR were disqualified from Santa Monica College AND have been away from SMC for two consecutive semesters (one year) or longer, you are required take certain steps to qualify for readmission. Go to smc.edu/apply and click on the “Returning Students” link for details.

If you have been dismissed from SMC more than once, you will be required to take a break from attending SMC for up to a maximum of one year.

For further information, please see an SMC counselor.

Assembly Bill 1705 requires California Community Colleges to help students enroll in and complete transfer-level coursework in English or ESL and math, which is within one year for English and math, and within three years if the student starts with ESL. You will be placed in English (or ESL) and math based on either your prior work or a guided self-placement, depending on when and where you completed your prior work.

If you have graduated from a United States high school or earned a GED® in the United States:

• You will be placed using multiple measures that include your high school GPA, courses, and grades reported on your CCCApply admission application.
• You may check your placement once you have activated your Corsair Connect account at smc.edu/cc. Just log in, click the “Placement” badge (under the “Success Steps” card), and review your placement. If you do not see courses listed, your SMC admission application is missing some necessary information. Follow the instructions on the screen, enter the information requested. Once done, you will see your placement.

If you did not graduate from a United States high school or did not receive their GED® in the United States, or graduated high school in another country:

• You will be placed using “guided self-placement,” a set of online tools that help evaluate how prepared you are with the skills you are expected to have before starting a particular math, English, or credit ESL class. To be guided to the best class for your needs, it is important that you read everything presented to you carefully, and that you answer honestly.
• To access the guided self-placement tools, log on to Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc. Then click the “Placement” badge (under the “Success Steps” card) and follow the instructions on the screen.
• Plan on completing your English and math placements together. You may take each guided self-placement only one time.
• Please note: The math self-placement presents six (6) options based on your academic and career path (major) or the course you are interested in taking. If you are not sure which option to choose, check with a counselor. You may take any of the math guided self-placements only one time.

For English, depending on your placement, you will start in one of two ways: (a) directly in English 1, a transfer-level course; or (b) directly in English 1 paired with English 28, a supporting course. In some instances, you may also be encouraged to take another reading or grammar supporting course.

Some students may need to be placed in selected ESL courses. Depending on your placement, you will start with one of the following courses: ESL 10G and ESL 10W, ESL 11A, ESL 19A, ESL 19B, or English 1. ESL 19A, ESL 19B, and English 1 are CSU/UC transferable courses.

For math, depending on your placement, you will start in one of two ways: (a) directly in a transfer-level math course, or (b) directly in a transfer-level math course paired with one supporting course. According to AB 1705, students may not be required to repeat courses they completed in high school with a C- or higher grade. If your English or math placement in Corsair Connect places you into a class you already completed, please meet with a counselor to discuss your case. A counselor may issue you a waiver and place you into the appropriate course for your program of study. See the Mathematics Course Sequence.

Assembly Bill 1805 permits students to view annual placement statistics for English, ESL, and mathematics. These are available at smc.edu/successcenter.

Santa Monica College will continue to offer limited assessment services for the Chemistry 10 challenge exam and math proficiency for graduation. You must have already applied for SMC admission, and must present a valid government-issued photo identification (e.g., driver license, passport, military ID). Test preparation materials are available online at smc.edu/placement.

The Success & Engagement Center (formerly the Assessment Center) is located in Student Services Center S145. The Center offers limited testing services on a walk-in, first-arrival basis. Please check our website (smc.edu/successcenter) or call 310-434-8040 for up-to-date information on office and testing hours.

Completing the placement process in English or ESL and in math is mandatory if you are:

• A first-time college student enrolling in more than six units during your first semester at SMC; or
• A continuing student who has not completed the placement process; or
• Enrolling in an English, ESL, or math course for the first time (even if not a first-time college student); or
• Enrolling in courses with required English or math preparation (prerequisites).

Based upon your placement results, you will receive an English, ESL, or math placement recommendation.

You may be exempt from the placement requirement if you meet certain qualifications. You may also be granted placement and prerequisite waivers — as well as credit — for selected English, ESL, math, and chemistry courses under specific circ*mstances. Please see our webpage (smc.edu/waivers) for an overview, then consult with a counselor in General Counseling & Transfer Services for details.

Please note: Although you may be exempt from the placement process, you still must successfully complete — or receive waivers for — any prerequisite courses that are required for classes in English (or ESL), math, Anatomy 1, Biology 21/22/23, Chemistry 11/12/21/22/24, Film 31/32/33/34, Microbiology 1, Nursing 17, Physics 7/9/22/23/24, and Physiology 3 (among other courses). For further information, please consult with a counselor in General Counseling & Transfer Services.

Many students use Santa Monica College as the freshman and sophom*ore years of a four-year college plan. SMC is a leader in transferring students to their junior year at four-year colleges and universities, including the UC and CSU systems. Each of these institutions has a list of courses that must be completed to:

• satisfy general education requirements,
• satisfy lower-division pre-major requirements, and
• satisfy elective requirements.

How credit for an SMC course transfers to your future school depends on how that school will accept the course, and how clearly defined your transfer goal is.

To make things easier for SMC students to transfer successfully, Santa Monica College has worked out transfer agreements — called articulation agreements — with most local colleges and universities on how your units of credit transfer or meet graduation or other requirements. You can look up transfer information yourself (go to assist.org for details), but you will find it much easier to talk to a counselor in the Counseling Department. To schedule an appointment with a counselor, please call 310-434-4210.

Student-Athletes Please Note: If you plan to transfer with an athletic scholarship, please see an athletic counselor for a list of requirements and to arrange for continuous counseling while enrolled at SMC.

To the best of our knowledge, SMC does not schedule courses in inaccessible locations. However, some locations may not be accessible to students with specific disability-related access needs. SMC will relocate classes to accommodate individual students. To initiate this process, please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities at 310-434-4265 (voice) or 310-434-4272 (fax).

The path of travel from the public bus stops on Centinela to the Bundy and Airport Arts campuses is a steep grade that may be inaccessible for some with mobility limitations. However, the Sunset Ride — an accessible public bus line — which transfers from Big Blue Bus Line #14, stops inside the Bundy Campus.

In addition, the following rooms have access restrictions:

Art building: Accessible restrooms require an access key.*

Access keys are required for elevators when classes are not in session in the Business, Art, and Student Activities buildings, as well as for the Gym basem*nt elevator.

*For restroom access-key copies, go to the Center for Students with Disabilities (Student Services Center S155) or call 310-434-4265.

You are strongly encouraged to enroll as close to your assigned date and time as possible, since students who come after you in priority will quickly fill the classes you need if you wait too long.

State and local regulations, combined with other factors, determine the order in which your enrollment date and time are assigned. It is important complete the SMC placement process, online orientation, and education plan requirements as soon as possible — especially if you are pursuing a degree, certificate, or transfer, or you are a first-time college student — because the sooner you do so, the sooner you will receive your enrollment appointment.

Santa Monica College uses Google Gmail to provide each SMC student with a FREE email address. Go to smc.edu/google for more information. Check your Gmail account often, as this is where SMC will send all official communication from the College to you. SMC email addresses may be restricted at the College’s discretion at anytime.

Note: Your @student.smc.edu email address is not permanent, and will be disabled after a period of nonenrollment. Do not link or associate your SMC student email address with personal and non-SMC related services, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., as well as your bank account(s) and ATM and credit cards. Also, Do not use your SMC student email address for purchased apps/services.

• Enrollment Fee$46/unit
• Upper-Division Courses$84/unit
• SMC Health Services Fee$26
• Student Benefits Fee (Optional)$22.50
• Associated Students Resource Fee (Optional)$10
• Student Representation Fee (Optional)$2

• Enrollment Fee$46/unit
• Upper-Division Courses$84/unit
• Nonresident Tuition$340/unit
• AB 947 Exemption$316/unit
• SMC Health Services Fee$26
• Student Benefits Fee (Optional)$22.50
• Associated Students Resource Fee (Optional)$10
• Student Representation Fee (Optional)$2

A virtual on-campus parking permit does NOT guarantee you a parking space. What a virtual parking permit does is entitle you to use on-campus student parking areas on a space-available, first-arrival basis. NOTE: Your virtual parking permit is for ON-CAMPUS PARKING ONLY — it is NOT a residential (street) parking permit.

Parking at any SMC campus is FREE for the SPRING SEMESTER, but REQUIRES A VIRTUAL PARKING PERMIT. The virtual parking permit provides access to parking lots at ALL SMC campuses.

You may request virtual parking permits online through Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc.

Please Note: Student virtual parking permits are not valid for faculty/staff parking areas.

Accessible Parking: The display of a DMV accessible placard and registration for an SMC virtual parking permit entitles you to park in any accessible, student, or staff parking space.

An important caution: Car alarms are disruptive to other students and our neighbors. Cars with activated alarms in the SMC parking areas will be towed immediately at your expense.

Please Note: You may be eligible to receive some form of financial aid. Call the Financial Aid Office at 310-434-4343 as soon as possible. Work Study funds and the California College Promise Grant (CCPG) are available for the spring semester (go to smc.edu/financialaid for details). Please note: The California College Promise Grant and SMC Promise Program do not cover upper-division coursework fees.

You can pay your fees by using a MasterCard, Visa, or Discover credit card at the same site where you enroll. For other payment options, see the “How to Pay” information.

Payments of enrollment and related fees for courses you enroll in are due by the deadline dates published on the fees webpage and in your Corsair Connect account. The spring 2024 payment deadline is Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 7 p.m. Starting Thursday, January 18, 2024, you must pay for any new class you add before midnight on the day you add the class, or you will be dropped for nonpayment. Please see smc.edu/fees for payment deadline dates and other related information. It is YOUR responsibility to drop any courses you do not wish to continue. If you do not drop the courses by the refund deadline — even if you never went to class — you will be responsible for paying the fees and will not be able to enroll in future terms until all fees are paid. A hold will also be placed on your records, which prevents you from receiving enrollment verification, diplomas, etc. See smc.edu/fees for the latest details.

SMC offers students several payment options.

• You may pay fees in cash or by check, money order, cashier’s check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.
• Nonresident tuition may be paid in cash or by money order, cashier’s check, or a personal check drawn on a California bank.

You may pay:

• By web using a MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card ONLY (web enrollment takes place on a certified secured site, and all data transactions are encrypted; to pay fees online, log onto Corsair Connect at smc.edu/cc and make sure the correct “school semester” is selected, then select “Pay Fees Online” from the menu on the left);
• By mailing your check, money order, or cashier’s check (no cash) to Santa Monica College, Cashier’s Office, 1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405.
• By phone by calling the Cashier’s Office during business hours at 310-434-4664.

If you have a credit for any prior transaction(s), the amount will be applied to any owed balance.

Financial aid is used to pay for mandatory fees, books, transportation, room and board, and other education-related costs. Before starting enrollment procedures, contact the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office is open Monday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Hours for the Financial Aid Office’s Q-less online phone system are Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Hours are subject to change without notice. For additional information, please see smc.edu/financialaid or call 310-434-4343.

SMC offers various types of financial aid:

• Grants (Pell Grant, SEOG, Cal Grant B, C, ACG): Need-based assistance that does not need to be repaid.
• California College Promise Grant (CCPG): Need-based enrollment fee waivers for eligible California residents.
• Santa Monica College Promise: Free enrollment and fee waivers for students who graduate from a California high school or complete a high school equivalency test (e.g., GED^® or HiSET^® or CPP) and go directly to SMC as full-time students (see smc.edu/freetuition for details).
• Federal Work-Study (FWS) funds: Federally funded program that provides wages to eligible students for employment.
• Loans: Federally administered, low-interest funds that must be repaid.
• Scholarships: Awards from foundations and private endowments or individuals.

• FAFSA application availableDecember
• FAFSA and Cal Grant priority deadlineMarch 2
• Extended Cal Grant deadlineSeptember 2

1. You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
2. Possess a Social Security Number (SSN)
3. Demonstrate financial need (except for SMC Promise and many scholarships)
4. Have a high school diploma, GED, California High School Proficiency Certificate, or demonstrate an ability to benefit from post-secondary education
5. Comply with Selective Service registration (if required)

You can apply as early as December, and you do not need to wait to be admitted to SMC to apply. To be given full consideration, you must apply by March 2.

1. Create your FSA ID username and password at fsaid.ed.gov. To expedite the financial aid process, have your parent create one also.
2. Once you receive your PIN, go to the Federal Student Aid website to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Santa Monica College’s Federal School Code is 001286.
3. When the FAFSA is sent to the Federal Processor, this information is put through the eligibility-determining formula and an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated. A Student Aid Report (SAR) on financial aid eligibility will be mailed to you.

• Adelante Program
• Ambassador Program
• Black Collegians/Umoja Community
• CalWORKs
• CARE (Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education)
• Career Education (CE)
• Center for Students with Disabilities (DSPS)
• Corsair Intercollegiate Athletics
• Distance Education/Online Classes
• DREAM Program
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• EOPS (Extended Opportunity Program and Services)
• Food Security Programs
• Foster Student Support Programs (FSSP)
• High School Programs
• International Education Center (IEC)
• Internship Program
• Latino Center
• Noncredit Initiatives/Programs
• Online Program
• Peer Navigator Program
• Pico Partnership Program
• RISING Program
• Santa Monica College Promise Program
• Scholars Program
• STEM/MÁS Program
• Student Employment Program
• Study Abroad Programs
• Supplemental Instruction Program
• Sustainability Center
• Teacher Academy at SMC
• Veterans Success Center (VSC)

• Athletics Counseling
• Basic Needs
• Campus Police and Student/Staff Escort Service
• Campus Store (formerly SMC Bookstore)
• Career Services Center
• Center for Wellness & Wellbeing
• Child Care Services
• Computer Labs and Services
• Corsair Newspaper
• Counseling & Transfer Services
• Education and Early Childhood Counseling
• Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Food Services
• Gateway to Persistence and Success (GPS)
• Health Sciences Counseling
• Health Services Center
• Library
• Office of Student Life
• Ombudsperson
• SMC John Drescher Planetarium
• SMC Pete and Susan Barrett Art Gallery
• SMC Photography Gallery
• Student Equity Center (SEC)
• Tutoring Services
• Welcome Center

If you are planning to re-enter the workforce, prepare for college, or become fluent in English, SMC offers free, flexible, online noncredit certificate programs and supportive services to help you plan your next chapter.

• Short-term vocational and workforce preparation courses and certificates
• English as a second language (ESL)
• Chromebook Loans

Visit smc.edu/noncredit or call 310-434-3399 for details.

• More than 450 low-cost classes, seminars, and workshops each semester
• Classes in everything from watercolor techniques to writing to piano
• Professional certificate and continuing education programs

To enroll, visit commed.smc.edu. For questions, please email us at commed@smc.edu
or call 310-434-3400.

Free noncredit adult education courses — in Health and Conditioning, Art, Music, Writing, Literature, Theater, Computers and Software, Current Events, and more — specifically oriented to the interests of older adults. All currently offered online, along with free art and literary events and receptions.

To enroll, see smc.edu/emeritus. For questions, please call 310-434-4306.

SMC’s Workforce and Economic Development Office (W&ED) helps develop the skilled workforce the region needs to compete successfully in today’s global market.

• Customized training programs and services
• Pre-employment training in basic and job-specific skills
• Post-employment training to upgrade employee skill levels
• Concurrent employment training to update and expand employee professional and managerial skills

For more information, see smc.edu/workforcedevelopment or call 310-434-4199.