Students eligible for regular admission to Santa Monica College must be 18 years of age or older or must possess either: (1) a high school diploma from a U.S. regionally accredited or from a foreign high school; (2) a GED; (3) a California High School Certificate of Proficiency (CHSPE); or the equivalent (i.e., a HiSET score report; a TASC [Test Assessing Secondary Completion] score report). Any apprentice, as defined in Labor Code Section 3077, or any other person who is over 18 years of age who, in the judgment of the Dean of Enrollment Services, is capable of profiting from the instruction offered at the College may also be admitted.
A student under the age of 18 who has completed high school from a U.S. regionally accredited or foreign high school or who possesses a GED or a California High School Certificate of Proficiency or the equivalent, may be admitted as regular students, but must submit official proof of completion to Admissions & Records in order to remove the “Under 18” years of age hold from the student’s record.
SMC will not accept the CHSPE, HiSET, TASC, or GED diploma without the score report.
Students who have completed 8th grade and are at least 13 years of age or who are currently attending high school may be admitted to Santa Monica College as part of the High School Concurrent Enrollment program and receive credit for SMC courses. Students may only attend on a less than full-time basis. For further information, refer to smc.edu/hsce or visit the Admissions Office.
Each student applying for admission or enrollment is classified as a “resident” or a “nonresident” for purposes of admission and/or tuition. Please see the Residency information below for important details regarding California residency requirements and how they apply to students attending Santa Monica College.