Apply & Register for Credit Courses

Application Process

Before you can register for credit courses, you must complete a CCCApply college application to Southwestern College. A link to the application, along with step-by-step instructions, and important information are below.

WARNING: Choosing "Verify Later" or opting out of ID.me could delay the verification process up to 2-4 weeks. Speed up your enrollment, verify your identity with ID.me! See steps below and important information at the bottom of this page to ensure your application is processed quickly.

Steps to apply for admission to Southwestern College:

1. Open the CCCApply website
2. Create a CCCApply account with your valid email address or mobile phone number.
3. Verify your identity using ID.me verification.
4. Select the "Apply to Southwestern College here" link in the first card.
5. Complete all fields on the Southwestern College application - skipping a field may cause delays.
6. Submit your application by selecting the "Submit" button.
7. At the confirmation page, select the "Continue" button.
8. Once your application is reviewed and accepted, you will receive a welcome email that contains your SWC ID number and other important information.

If you do not receive a welcome email within 3 business days (not including weekends/holidays) or if you encounter errors, please contact Admissions & Records at admissions@swccd.edu or (619) 482-6488.

About ID.me

ID.me provides a trusted pathway for students to securely verify and protect their identity information in accordance with federal standards. Southwestern College, in partnership with the California Community College's Tech Center, uses ID.me to validate and verify the information you provided on your application.

As part of the verification process, you may be asked to provide valid documentation confirming your identity. Acceptable documents for identity verification include (may require more than one of the following):

• Government-issued ID (such as a current Driver License or State ID card)
• Passport or Passport Card
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card
• Employment Authorization Document

You may also be asked to provide secondary documents, such as:

• Social Security Card or TIN (if applicable)
• Paystub
• Electric Bill
• W-2 (Employer Wage & Tax Statement)
• Financial Institution Statement (banking or loan accounts)
• United States Birth Certificate (with official seal)

Unacceptable documents include digital/electronic driver license or state IDs, expired or invalid documents, employee ID cards/badges, letters from banks, unemployment documentation, and unofficial student records.

Please note the following students may not be able to complete the ID.me process and may opt-out:

• No valid identity documentation from country of origin
• No permanent address (housing insecure/homeless)
• No Internet access or a smartphone
• Justice Involved (incarcerated, foster youth, juvenile detention)
• Minors (Under the age of 18)

For students unable to use ID.me, connect with the 24/7 student support live chat to verify your identity. For assistance with ID.me, please contact the CCC helpdesk.

ID.me Help

Please follow the links below for help with the CCCApply ID.me verification process:

• View the CCC ID.me Verification Step-by-Step Guide
• View the CCC ID.me Verification Step-by-Step Infographic
• View the CCC ID.me Troubleshooting Guide

For assistance with ID.me, please contact the CCC helpdesk.