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Open Campus: Two students talking in a campus plaza surrounded by redwood trees

Open Campus / Concurrent Enrollment

Challenge yourself: Take courses on the UC Santa Cruz campus

  • University-level credits for UC-bound students
  • The opportunity to experience University of California
  • Transfer requisites
  • Undergrad and graduate courses
  • Professional skills courses

The Open Campus program gives community members the opportunity to explore an exciting topic. It also allows UCSC students the chance to finish a degree without being formally admitted to a degree program.

 

Last day to enroll: April 14

Featured Online UC Santa Cruz Courses

Open Campus Fee & Schedule for 2024-25

Open Campus Parent Consent Form.docx

   

3 steps to enroll

  • TWO: Register & Pay Application Fee
    Register for section UCSC.1000 and pay a one-time application fee. If you are a returning Open Campus student, please email opencampus@ucsc.edu and we will register you for the next session.

  • THREE: Submit Open Campus Form
    Submit a completed Open Campus Enrollment Form to opencampus@ucsc.edu and pay your tuition by the deadlines indicated in the fee schedule. All required signatures must be on the completed forms.
Note: Enrollment is handled differently depending on your student status and which quarter you choose to enroll.
   

   

Open enrollment meets different needs

 

Taking a class to complete your undergraduate degree?

If so, you are in a special category and will be required to meet certain Open Campus requirements.

Outstanding campus debt

  • All campus debts must be paid in full. Failure to report outstanding balances on campus may result in application denial.

Academic standing

  • You must be in good academic standing with your college.
    • If you are currently on academic warning, academic probation, or have a hold on your account, you must present written approval from your college with your Open Campus application form.

Senior residency

  • Open Campus courses count towards senior residency.

Current student status

  • If you are a current student and are planning to withdraw or take a leave from the main campus to attend through Open Campus, you are subject to the Withdrawal/ Leave of Absence policy and Refund Schedule and may be responsible for all or a portion of the UC Santa Cruz Registration fees.

Credit Limit

  • Students can only take seven credits per quarter through Open Campus. If you would like to appeal to take more units, please contact opencampus@ucsc.edu.

200 courses

  • All graduate-level courses (numbered 200 and above) require the signature of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Instructor approval required

  • You must have an unofficial transcript to show the instructors to get approval to enroll in the course. Since registered UCSC students have enrollment priority, if you withdraw from UCSC to enroll in Open Campus you may lose your seat in the course. It is important to confirm that it is fine to enroll in the course through Open Campus with the instructor.

Final course

  • If this is your last class for graduation, the signature of the Department Assistant is also required
  • Want to get a head start on your UCSC degree?
  • Complete a few UCSC classes before transferring?
  • Complete degree requirements from another UC or CSU campus?

Get a headstart on your university journey, enhance your academic skills for postsecondary studies, or earn credit toward your degree with Transfer Credit Courses.

Enrolling through UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, these courses gives you the opportunity to complete general education requirements while experiencing the teaching style and academic expectations of university-level courses in the United States.

Strengthen your college applications and explore a variety of subjects, with credits that may be transferable to accredited institutions nationwide, including all University of California and California State University campuses.

If you have not yet graduated from high school, you may be approved to enroll with the submission of a letter of recommendation from your high school counselor or principal.

The letter must state that you have the academic readiness and maturity to do well in a college-level course.

For students who are homeschooled, your letter must be signed by your contact in your local school district.

Letters of recommendation must be signed by a school official on school letterhead, and uploaded into your application, or, emailed from the individual to opencampus@ucsc.edu.

We are unable to accept letters signed by your parent/guardian, even if the parent/guardian is your teacher and/or school administrator.

A letter of recommendation is required every quarter a student enrolls through Open Campus (Concurrent Enrollment).

UCSC departments may require a review of your high school unofficial transcript or AP test scores to verify eligibility before approving your course request.

Parents | Guardians | Individuals who are not the applicant/student

Any student who enrolls through UCSC Silicon Valley (even minors) has the right to privacy of their student record under FERPA. UCSC Silicon Valley will not be able to release student information including schedule, status of their course request, or payment information. Visit FERPA (Student Records) for more information.

  1. Choose an online course or in person course from the website
  2. Reach out to the course instructor and sign the Open Campus form.
  3. Register for section UCSC.1000 to pay the application fee
  4. Submit a signed Parent Consent Form.
  5. Submit the completed Open Campus Form and pay the tuition fee

Interested in taking courses you did not get a chance to take while completing your degree?

Are you interested in taking a fun professional development course as part of your HR education credits?

  • Make sure to check in with your HR department to find out how to utilize the education units that come with your benefits package!
  • Enrollment is the same three-step process listed above, please let us know if any additional forms are needed by your employer.

University Access Program

Participate in undergraduate and graduate classes on a space-available basis and study innovative courses alongside U.S. students to enhance your academic journey. You will learn from renowned professors who are recognized experts in their academic and research fields and study at a vibrant, culturally diverse campus nestled in the redwood forest, overlooking the Monterey Bay.

Introducing the Visiting Student Access Program

The Visiting Student Access Program serves international students who are enrolled in a degree program at an institution outside the U.S.

  • Broaden your academic experience by spending one, two, or up to three quarters–a full academic year–studying abroad at the University of California, Santa Cruz, a global research university that is part of the world’s most celebrated system of public higher education.
  • Enroll in undergraduate and/or graduate classes on a non-degree, space-available basis
  • Study alongside matriculated UC Santa Cruz degree students and earn academic credits that may be applied toward your degree program at home.
  • Receive an official transcript from UC Santa Cruz Extension upon successful completion of your program.

Students may be nominated by their home university or apply independently to the Access Program.

Students may take courses in a range of academic fields that align with or complement their majors at home universities.

Why UC Santa Cruz?

A world class campus

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the intimacy of a small liberal arts college setting and a distinctive undergraduate experience. Our residential college system has the facilities and resources of a world-class research university.

A cross-disciplinary approach

UC Santa Cruz offers rigorous academics from award-winning faculty who teach students how to think, not what to think. Our unique, cross-disciplinary approach has resulted in paradigm-changing discovery since our founding in 1965. Known as a major research center for marine and coastal sciences, astronomy and astrophysics, and genomics, to name a few, UC Santa Cruz is recognized among the most influential research universities in the world.

Location

The campus rests among redwood forests on a hill overlooking the coastal city of Santa Cruz and the Pacific Ocean—both of which provide tremendous opportunities for study, research, and recreation.

We invite you to learn from distinguished professors, highly esteemed in their fields, on a naturally beautiful and culturally diverse campus. Come find your voice at UC Santa Cruz—which is not just a place, but a community of learning that spans the globe.

Highlights of the Access Program

With the Access Program, you can:

  • Earn transferable UC credit
  • Take courses not offered at your university
  • Immerse yourself in a U.S. university campus
  • Explore the central California coast and the San Francisco Bay Area
  • Acquire new intercultural and professional skills
  • Discover new passions

Advance your academic journey and fulfill graduate program prerequisites with Open Campus courses at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension.

Whether you're preparing for an MBA, or other advanced studies, our flexible, high-quality courses allow you to complete essential prerequisites while gaining experience in a rigorous university setting. Earn academic credit that may be transferable to accredited institutions, strengthen your graduate applications, and build the foundational knowledge needed to excel in your chosen field. Explore a wide range of subjects and take the next step toward your graduate education today.

Make sure to send the course syllabus to your institution and get approval!

We cannot guarantee transfer of credit to any other college or university. We recommend consulting with your institution before enrolling, as transfer and articulation of course credit is always up to the receiving institution.

Preparing for a health professions school?

Fulfill prerequisites or boost your GPA with our Premed Postbaccalaureate program. Take courses to change careers or enhance your academic record to maximize your graduation admissions opportunities.

   

   

Summer quarter enrollment

The Open Campus program is available during the fall, winter, and spring quarters only.

In the summer quarter, Open Campus is handled differently. Courses are available through UCSC Summer Session. For more information regarding UCSC Summer Session courses, enrollment process, fee structure, and deadlines, please contact the Summer Session office at (831) 459-5373, or visit their website at https://summer.ucsc.edu/.

Open Campus students who participate in courses taught at the main campus in Santa Cruz must contact the UCSC Disability Resource Center for services at opencmps@ucsc.edu.

Resources for UCSC Instructors/Advisors

Checking prerequisites before signing the form

When a student requests enrollment into a course, the Silicon Valley Extension Open Campus Registrar will reach out to the instructor and/or the department. If prerequisites are needed, Extension can request that students provide transcripts and send them to the instructor or department.

Priority goes to matriculated students

Please note that priority for enrollment into the courses goes to matriculated, degree-seeking students. It is up to the discretion of the instructor and department to allow Open Campus students into the courses on an available basis.

No registration codes needed

Open Campus students don’t need registration codes and they do not show on the roster so they cannot take up seats or join waitlists. So if, for example, a course has five openings and one is given to an Open Campus student, that won’t be reflected in the roster.

Submitting grades

UCSC Extension will send a DocuSign form to submit grades, please look in your email for the form at the end of the quarter.