Distance Ed. Frequently Asked Questions

Access to your campus account can expire if you have not been actively enrolled and completing courses.  If you are returning to take classes,You can do this here:  https://sbcc.edu/apply/index.php  Account access to the portal is usually restored within 1-2 days after submitting an application for admission.

Former student just looking for a transcript or history of courses taken?  Portal access is not needed.  Order transcripts here: https://sbcc.edu/transcript/

Former student just needing to pay a bill?  Please contact the Cashier's Office for options here: https://sbcc.edu/fiscalservices/cashier/

Campus accounts and all associated school resources are to be used only for school related business.  Your campus account will be fully active and available to you while you are actively enrolled in courses. If you are not enrolled in courses, restrictions may apply.  Below are scenarios.

New, or returning former student: Once you initially open or re-open a campus account by applying to the college, you are given access to most features, but full access won’t be granted until you enroll in a course.  Until then, the following restrictions apply:

• Campus email: Sending and receiving email to SBCC email accounts only (xxx@sbcc.edu or xxx@pipeline.sbcc.edu) Email to and from non-SBCC email accounts will not be sent or received.
• Campus Google Apps: No access to google drive, docs, sheets, forms, and slides.

The day after you enroll in a course, those restrictions are lifted and you will have full access.

If you do not enroll and complete a course within two regular semesters (Spring or Fall) the limited access account will be subjected to deprovisioning and eventually deleted. (Note: academic records, personal information, transcripts, ect., will not be deleted and are kept in Admissions and Records.)

Solution: Regardless of age, college officials will only assist the student with access to a campus account, which contains records covered under FERPA.   Please have your student call Enrollment Services (805) 730-4450 for assistance.  Additionally, students at SBCC are expected to act on their own behalf, not only out of respect for student privacy, but also to fully engage students in college administrative processes that are essential for their success in college.

Calls to Enrollment Services will be returned in a timely manner.  Additionally, visit the Admissions Frequently Asked Questions Page

Solution: The information you entered into the lookup form (first name, last name, date-of-birth, and approved ID (usually your SSN) did not match your account on file with Admissions. Please contact Admissions to verify your personal information is correct.

• Phone: (805) 730-4450
• On Campus: Student Services Building - Cliff Campus
• Website: sbcc.edu/admissions

Solution: Contact IT User Support and request that it be *reset. You will need to provide some personal information for verification of your account.
*Security Questions are reset at scheduled times*

• Phone: (805) 965-0581 ext 4215
• On Campus: CC 225 Campus Center.
• Online: support.sbcc.edu/contact

Solution: You were assigned a temporary SSN number sometimes called a "999" number when you applied to the college. You will need to retrieve this number in order to lookup your campus login information. Please contact Admissions if you are not able to locate this number.

• Phone: (805) 730-4450
• On Campus: Student Services Building - Cliff Campus
• Website: sbcc.edu/admissions

Solution:  Unofficial transcripts are available through campus accounts for current students only.  Former students can only obtain official transcripts.  Please go to sbcc.edu/transcripts for ordering information.

Solution: Approved IDs include any from the following list:   Please contact Admissions if you are not able to locate this number.

• Social Security Number (SSN) Most common
  
• Social Security Alternate Number (SSAN)  Sometimes called a "999" number
• California Community College ID (CCCID)  Number assigned when you applied to the college through OpenCCC
• Tax ID
• Lumens ID (number used when registering in School of Extended Learning fee-based courses)

If you require additional assistance or have further questions, please fill out the
ONLINE SUPPORT FORM.

If you have never attended SBCC before OR have skipped a semester (except for Summer semester), then you need to submit an application.

• Apply Online
• On Campus: Visit the Admissions and Records located in the Student Services building.

If you are a currently enrolled student at SBCC, you do not need to resubmit an application.

If you are a student with a disability, you may contact our DSPS office to make an appointment with a specialist at (805) 965-0581 x4164.

If you are a new student, or have not attended SBCC for at least one semester (excluding Summer), you must complete an application to SBCC. This can be accomplished using the online application form, by mail, or in person at the Admissions & Records office.

For step by step instructions on the online enrollment process, please visit our Steps for Enrollment In Online Courses Checklist.

If you are a new student, you will receive a letter once your Application has been processed inviting you to come for English and/or Math Assessment tests and the dates those tests are scheduled to be given. Please read the Assessment information carefully and decide whether you need to take these tests. You may disregard the dates for enrollment, as those are not applicable to online students enrolling online.

NOTE: If you are unable to come to campus for assessment testing, please mark your Educational Goal on your application as “undecided” or “15”. This will bypass the assessment testing.

Online courses cost the same as regular courses. Please see the Tuition and Fees page for more information on current tuition costs.

Students taking only online classes are not eligible for the bus pass and therefore do not pay the transportation fee.

If you enroll in an online course that requires you to attend an on-campus lab, your enrollment will be subject to the standard on-campus Student Health Fee and the Transportation Fee. Please see the Tuition and Fees page for more information on current tuition costs.

You have a few options for registering for your online classes:

• Register online through the Campus Portal: Please visit our Steps for Enrollment In Online Courses Checklist.
• Register on Campus: Visit Admissions and Records located in the Student Services building.

If you are a student with a disability, you may contact our DSPS office to make an appointment with a specialist at (805) 965-0581 x4164.

Visit the continually updated schedule provided by Admissions and Records.

You can drop your courses through your campus portal account. If applicable, you may apply to have your course fees refunded to you by filling out and submitting the Student Request for Refund Form.

If you wish to switch from one section to another, drop the original section, and re-register in the course you wish to switch to.

Currently only a portion of the College's classes are offered online. If the class you want to take isn't being offered online this semester, it might be offered in an upcoming semester. However, you may want to enroll in an on-campus section of the course as there is no guarantee that the class you want to take will be offered online in the near future.

Please visit the Admissions and Records "Help for Common Registration Problems" page for options.

Finalized course grades (unofficial transcripts) can be found by logging to the Campus Portal. To order official transcripts, Visit the Admissions website for more information.

Yes. The course is the same credit as a traditional course and your transcript will not distinguish it as being an online course.

Email your instructor and inform them you want to take the class for credit/no credit. Your instructor will then send your request to the Admissions office to be processed. Please pay close attention to the deadlines to request credit/no credit!

You can obtain verification of online coursework the same way you would receive verification of any coursework, by contacting your instructor if your instructor makes that information available at the end of the course, or by contacting the Admissions Office.

You can request an official or unofficial transcript in writing from the Admissions Office. Please visit the Admissions website for more information on requesting transcripts.

As an online student, you are entitled to many excellent resources and services from the SBCC Luria Library.

Library Services for Online Students

• If you're new to the Internet & E-mail, COMP 103 may be just the class for you. This 1-unit course provides an introduction to the web and electronic communication.  View the course description for more details.
• The Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides Computer Tutoring.  Find out more here:  https://www.sbcc.edu/clrc/

Yes. Your instructors are available to help you and want you to succeed in your course. You can normally contact them via e-mail through your campus account or visit them during their office hours. If you have a question for a particular instructor, you can find a listing of e-mail addresses by searching the campus directory. If the instructor you wish to contact is unlisted, or you are unsure how to direct your question, fill out the ONLINE SUPPORT FORM and your message will be forwarded to the correct party.

There are several ways you will be using the Internet for your online education. You will be using the Internet when you open a browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) to view your course instructions and assignments, meet classmates for a discussion and chat on a bulletin board specifically set up for your course, and sometimes to read your instructor's lecture notes. Then, depending on what the assignment is and how your particular instructor has designed the course, you may be searching the Web for information or photos, examples, or research on a particular topic. You may be asked to print information off the Web and use it in a classroom situation or in a group presentation. Some courses will be using e-mail as their principle method of communication between student and instructor. This will sometimes require you to 'attach' documents to e-mail messages to turn in your assignments. Visit the Learning Resource Center for help in preparing for your individual computer tutoring.

When you're visiting our website, click on the Course Schedule , and then on the CRN for the course in which you are interested in taking. You will then be linked to information about that particular course, its attendance and other requirements. For additional information, please contact that department.  To search for contact information, click the magnifying glass icon located on the all page of the SBCC website.

All online courses are taught by regular SBCC faculty.

You should have basic computer skills including the ability to access the Internet using an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or through the College Library or Learning Resource Center, be proficient using a web browser and sending and receiving e-mail, and have basic Word Processing skills. You should know how to create a file, open an existing file, save a file, print a file and basic editing functions such as typing text, inserting and deleting text and moving text. 

If you are a student with a disability and this is your first time taking an online class it is advisable to contact the Assistive technology specialist to discuss accommodation needs and technical requirements if you are using assistive technology.

If you have any more questions, please contact Online Student Support via the ONLINE SUPPORT FORM.