Registration Procedures

Registration is the process of becoming officially enrolled in college. At Santa Barbara City College, registration for new, transfer and returning students consists of the following steps: 

1. Submit an Application for Admission

Applications may be submitted online several months before you intend to register. All new, transfer and returning students must submit an application for admission and be admitted to the college before they may register in classes. Refer to the Steps to Enrollment website for more information.

High school students participating in dual enrollment have a separate application process, please visit the Dual Enrollment website for more information. 

Official transcripts of all high school and college work are important documents to have on file for proper counseling/advisement, prerequisite and corequisite review and are required for awarding of degrees. International transcripts must be submitted with an official translation in English.

The following programs ALSO require separate applications or have special admission procedures and/or enrollment deadlines:

• Cosmetology/Esthetician
• Honors Program
• Marine Diving Technologies
• Nursing: Associate Degree Nursing, Vocational Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant, Home Health Aide
• Radiographic and Imaging Sciences
• Dual Enrollment and Middle College
• School of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management
• Special Admit Students^*

For information on:

• Cosmetology, Esthetician Programs, (805) 683-4191
• School of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management, (805) 730-4258
• Marine Diving Technologies Program, (805) 730-4226
• Radiographic and Imaging Sciences/Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Nursing Programs, (805) 730-4166
• Dual Enrollment Program, (805) 730-3020
• Middle College, (805) 897-3561
• Special Admit Student Status, (805) 730-4001

Refer to the Admissions and Records website for more information. 

When students file their applications with Admissions & Records, they will be given information about the Placement, Orientation and Class Planning. These steps to enrollment are provided to help students succeed in reaching their educational goals.

2. Apply for Financial Aid

All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid. Santa Barbara City College offers several types of financial aid, which are funded through federal, state and local agencies and the college itself. Refer to the Financial Aid website, as well as the Financial Aid section of this Catalog.

3. Create your Student Portal Account

Log on to the student portal. The student portal allows students to manage various college transactions, including but not limited to: checking your pre-registration requirements, viewing your registration appointment day/time, registering, finding your SBCC I.D., adding and dropping classes, paying fees, seeing grades, activating campus card, and checking your financial aid status and your SBCC email account. All official college correspondence will be sent to your SBCC email account. Refer to the Steps to Enrollment website for more information.

4. Orientation

Orientation is required for all new and new transfer students who have a goal of earning an Associate Degree, Certificate of Achievement, developing basic English/reading or math skills, or transferring to a four-year college or university. All other students are strongly urged to participate in Orientation. By participating in Orientation, students will learn about college services, programs and enrollment procedures. Options for completing Orientation may be found by visiting the Orientation website.

5. Placement and Prerequisites

SBCC uses multiple measures, including high school grade point average, coursework, and specific grades for placement into math and English courses that are not English as a Second Language courses. This information is collected when students apply to the college. 

After submitting an application for admission to the college, students will receive information regarding English and math placement and prerequisite requirements.

Prerequisites, Prerequisites Verification and Corequisites

Many courses at Santa Barbara City College have enforced prerequisites or corequisites, which are noted in the Schedule of Classes. All students are required to meet prerequisite and corequisite standards prior to registering in such courses. Prerequisites and corequisites satisfied by SBCC coursework or SBCC assessment will be checked automatically at point of registration. Satisfaction of prerequisites through external course work and/or other means requires submission of official transcripts and a Prerequisite Verification Form. Satisfactory completion of prerequisites and corequisites by internal and external coursework requires a “satisfactory grade”. Satisfactory grades are defined as A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C or P (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Chapter 6, 55000(l).

Verification forms and instructions may be accessed by visiting the Transcript Evaluation Office website.

Skills Advisory Recommendations

In addition to prerequisites, many Santa Barbara City College courses have recommended minimum math and/or English advisories, which are noted in the Schedule of Classes. Advisories have been established as a means of alerting students to the minimum standards recommended for class success. Enrollment in such courses is recommended for students who have met the eligibility level prescribed.

6. Class Planning

Class Planning is required of all students who have never attended college or attended while in high school, and who plan to earn an Associate Degree, a certificate or transfer to a four-year college. Class Planning is also strongly recommended for returning students and students transferring to SBCC from another college. Class Planning will assist you in:

• Learning about SBCC degree requirements
• Learning about transfer requirements
• Choosing appropriate courses to meet your educational goals
• Interpreting English and math placement 
• Understanding prerequisites and skills advisories
• Understanding registration procedures
• Developing a Student Education Plan based on your educational goals, study skills, work and personal responsibilities

If you are transferring from other colleges or universities you should confirm that your official college transcripts are on file with Admissions & Records, by reviewing your Student Portal account prior to meeting with a counselor. Alternatively, you may bring unofficial copies to the advising session.

Visit Academic Counseling for more information: https://sbcc.edu/counselingcenter/classplanning.php

7. Register in Classes

Following Assessment, Orientation and Class Planning, students will have sufficient information to register in classes. Registration is available online and in person in Admissions & Records (SS-110). Priority registration requires an assigned appointment, which is visible in the student portal. No appointment is required during open registration. Visit the Admissions and Records website for more information about class registration. 

For full-term length classes, during the first two weeks of the semester (first week in Summer) students may make changes and/or add courses to their schedule with permission from the instructor. Please see each course reference number (CRN) listed in the Schedule of Classes for deadlines.

Late Registration

Once a class closes or the course start date begins, classes may only be added by obtaining an add authorization code from the instructor through the last day to add deadline.

1. Full semester-length Fall/Spring classes must be added with instructor permission and add authorization code by the end of the second week of the semester.
2. Fall/Spring courses less than full semester in length and all Summer courses must be added prior to the 20% length of the class. Find the “last day to add” deadline by clicking on the course reference number (CRN) listed in the Schedule of Classes.

An instructor may refuse to admit a late registrant when the total number of class hours missed by the student exceeds the number of hours the class meets in one week; when the work missed cannot be made up; when the class is full; or when normal progress in the course would be impossible or unsafe. Special instructions for late registration are available from Admissions & Records.

Students who miss the last day to add deadline for a course due to extenuating circumstances may submit a Petition for Late Add to Admissions & Records. In order to be eligible for consideration of a late add, a student must have begun attending the course prior to the last day to add deadline. Instructor approval and signature is required for consideration. The final deadline to submit a Petition for Late Add is the end of the 4th week of the semester for full semester-length classes (25% length of the class for classes less than full semester in length).

Throughout the enrollment process (including class adds, drops and withdrawals), certain deadlines are established. These deadlines are necessary in order to comply with State of California attendance regulations and must be complied with by all students. Failure to comply with these deadlines may mean that the student will not be registered and will not receive credit for, or be allowed to attend, classes.  

8. Final Steps

Paying Fees

Students are encouraged to pay fees at time of registration. Payment must be received within seven (7) days of registration or students may be dropped for non-payment. Students will not be dropped for non-payment after instruction has begun. Students finding it difficult to pay enrollment fees should visit the Financial Aid Office at (SS-210) or visit the Financial Aid website before registering for classes. All fees are subject to change without notice. Refer to the Fees and Refunds section of this Catalog.

Secure Student Identification Card and Arrange Transportation, Parking and Housing

The SBCC Campus ID Card provides access to college services, including computer labs, library and learning resources center, and serves as a student MTD bus pass for those taking credit classes on the SBCC campus or living within the SBCC district. Additionally, you may select to use your SBCC Campus ID Card as a Campus Card, which may be used as a cash card for select campus services. For more information on how to obtain your SBCC Campus ID Card, visit the Office of Student Life website. Photo I.D. is required prior to issuance of the SBCC Campus ID Card.

The Office of Student Life (Campus Center, Room 217) maintains listings of available rooms, apartments, and room and board situations in the community. For housing information, visit the Housing website.

Parking permits are required in order to park vehicles on campus, with the exception of Pershing Park. Parking fines will be issued for parking violations. For parking and transportation information, visit the Business Services website. 

Purchase Books

Students are expected to purchase all textbooks, supplies and uniforms, as needed for instruction. Most materials may be purchased through the Campus Store. Textbooks may be purchased or reserved for pickup by visiting the Campus Store website. 

Class Attendance

The last step of enrollment will be completed upon attendance at the first class meeting. Students who are not in attendance at the first class meeting are considered “no-shows” and the instructor may drop such persons in order to give their seats to non-registered students seeking to enroll. Also, an instructor may withdraw a student from semester-length courses at any time for excessive absence through the 9th week of the Fall/Spring Semesters, and 60% point of the class for Summer and courses less than a semester in length. As a guideline, absence is considered excessive if a student misses three (3) class meetings or the equivalent of one week of class attendance, or according to absence guidelines as published in the course syllabus.

Absence due to a verified illness may be accepted as an excused absence for a limited period of time. Students are expected to notify their instructor by e-mail and/or phone message if they are absent for a medical reason. Students are expected to make appointments for medical and dental treatments at times other than when classes are scheduled. Students anticipating or encountering extended absences due to medical, personal or family emergencies who are unable to secure accommodations directly with their instructors should contact the Dean, Student Affairs, Room SS-260, (805) 730-4037.

It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw by stated deadlines either online through the student portal or in person in Admissions & Records. Students failing to officially withdraw by the deadline may receive an “F”, “FW” of “NP” grade.

Dropping a Class

It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw by stated deadlines either online or in person in Admissions & Records. Students failing to officially withdraw by the deadline may receive an “F”, “FW” of “NP” grade. Please follow the instructions on the Admissions and Records website for dropping a class.

Noncredit Course Registration

For detailed information regarding the steps to enrollment for SBCC Noncredit Educational Programs, visit the Apply and Enroll page and select School of Extended Learning.

*

Persons less than 18 years of age who do not plan to be enrolled in a secondary school program, and who are eligible to enter ninth (9th) grade or higher.