Taking Courses at a Community College
This guide has been adapted from how-to materials written by the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences Student Success Center team.
Taking courses at a community college is an option for meeting your 30 units for the academic year or getting ahead on your lower-division requirements. Read below for the general steps to take in transferring supplemental transfer credit to CPP.Step 1: Find A Community College
Use the California Community Colleges' Find a College Tool to see a map. CPP students often take classes at Mt. Sac, Citrus College and Chaffey College.
Step 2: Find the Articulation Agreement
Articulation agreements show how courses/course sequences at the community college will be accepted in fulfillment of curricular requirements at CPP.
You can use Assist.org to look up the articulation agreement between the California Community Colleges and CPP. The simplest way to search is to pick your college and CPP, and then view by major, department or subject prefix.
Step 3: Apply to the Community College
You should review the community college's website for admission information.
Step 4: Register for the Course(s)
You should review the community college's website about important dates, registration deadlines and fees.
If you are taking the course as a prerequisite to a CPP course the following term, you should contact the department offering the CPP course to avoid being dropped for not meeting prerequisites.
Step 5: Send CPP Your Official Transcripts
Once you have your final grades, order an official transcript from the community college to be sent to CPP. You can review the community college's website for information about how to order transcripts. CPP accepts electronic transcripts and transcripts sent via National Student Clearinghouse or Credential Solutions. If you're sending PDF transcripts, indicate the recipient email as “verify@cpp.edu".
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to use financial aid to pay for these classes or use these classes to meet CPP financial aid eligibility requirements, you can under the official California Intersystem Cross-Enrollment process. More information about this policy is available in the University Catalog, in the Enrollment Services section under Intrasystem and Intersystem Enrollment Programs.
- If you are a California resident currently enrolled at Cal Poly Pomona, you may enroll in only one undergraduate course per academic term at a participating University of California campus or California Community College.
- You must meet the necessary course prerequisites and obtain approval from both Cal Poly Pomona and the campus you plan to attend.
- You will not be required to pay any additional tuition to the Community College. The host campus will charge a $10 fee and any material and laboratory fees associated with the class in which you cross-enroll.
- The course you take at the Community College will be factored into your enrollment status at Cal Poly Pomona.
- The course you take at the Community College will be factored into your overall financial aid eligibility at Cal Poly Pomona.
Visit the Financial Aid & Scholarships website for more detailed information, including eligibility requirements and additional steps. If you use this option, you will also need to submit the Application for Cross Enrollment to the Registrar's Office.
- You can only transfer in a maximum of 70 units from any community college.
- You can only transfer in lower-division (1000- and 2000-level) courses.
- For specific courses or GE requirements, check Assist.org for the correct articulation.
- For unrestricted electives, make sure the units are CSU transferable and that you haven't already taken the equivalent course at CPP or another institution. You won't earn double units.
The Bronco Advising Center advisors can help you navigate Assist.org and confirm if a course is transferrable.
Your academic advisor can answer any questions about your degree requirements and make recommendations.