Santa Monica College is your destination for a world-class education and endless possibilities.
We are the #1 transfer college to UCLA, USC, the University of California system and Loyola Marymount University.
We have an academic reputation as one of the best community colleges in the nation.
We have modern buildings that have won architectural awards, "smart classrooms" and the latest technology.
We have an active student life that includes sports, dozens of student clubs and much more.
We offer hundreds of classes online.
We offer top professional training programs in nursing, computer technology, new media, early childhood education, graphic design and many more high-paying occupations.
We are located less than two miles from the beach on the Westside, a hub of culture.
We have a roster of distinguished alumni in virtually every profession, including actor Dustin Hoffman, astronaut Walter Cunningham, Appellate Judge Miriam Vogel, and NFL player Isaac Bruce.
All this and our fees are very low, making SMC a fabulous bargain.
Read about Santa Monica College's latest achievements in the SMC News Room.
Santa Monica College has transferred more students to the University of California campuses than any other college in the country—for 28 years straight. SMC also tops in transfers to USC and Loyola Marymount University and is the top feeder west of the Mississippi to the Ivy League Columbia University.
SMC offers the same lower-division courses as UC, California State University, and other four-year campuses at a fraction of the cost. Students who start at SMC can save thousands of dollars while benefitting from rigorous smaller classes, personalized counseling, and great professors whose focus is teaching—not research.
Santa Monica College's academic excellence is driven by professors with distinguished credentials, representing the best in their fields: award-winning artists, scholars, authors, scientists…you name it. They teach at SMC because they believe in the power of the student-teacher connection.
Counselors and staff in 55 offices and programs at SMC form the largest student support network in California to meet your needs, and ensure that you get to your goal of transfer or a career, ASAP. From the Veterans Resource Center to Guardian Scholars, EOPS, Black Collegians, Latino Center and many more—SMC is here to help you succeed.
SMC's 110+ Career Technical Education degrees and certificates are the launchpad for your future. Through strong industry partnerships, exceptional faculty with professional expertise, and dynamic programs, we train our students to excel in their dream careers. From traditional fields like Business, Early Childhood Education, & Health Sciences to 21st century fields like Computer Science & Information Systems, Technical Theatre, Sustainable Technologies, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interaction Design & so much more!
SMC's hallmark program for older adults, Emeritus College offers free specially designed classes and workshops to about 3,000 senior adults. And there is a plethora of continuing education, professional development, and personal interest classes offered through SMC's Community Education division.
Around 70 student-run clubs are at Santa Monica College in any given year. Astronomy, jazz, ballroom dancing, robotics or agriculture—whatever their interest, students are bound to find other kindred souls on campus. SMC has 17 athletic teams which have won championships and produced renowned athletes and Olympians like Isaac Bruce, Lenny Krayzelburg, and Evan Lysacek. An award-winning student newspaper The Corsair highlights stories of interest to the SMC community. The Associated Students of SMC is one of the most robust in California, and organize a wide variety of events and activities in addition to representing student interests; members also benefit from discount tickets at College theatre productions and at local vendors, free Big Blue Bus ridership, study abroad opportunities, and much more. A truly global campus, SMC attracts over 3,000 international students from more than 110 countries.
SMC offers hundreds of classes online, and is a leader among California Community Colleges for the sheer number and breadth of online courses. New in-demand classes are constantly being modified for online delivery.
The Promo Pathway program for entertainment promotion/marketing production. The Science & Research Initiative for STEM careers and transfer. LA HI-TECH for current and future SMC students interested in high-demand Information and Communications Technology jobs. The Law School Pathways Project for those who want an edge when they apply to law school. All these—and many more in the works!—provide SMC students a fast track to highly-desired careers and universities.
Santa Monica College's beautiful campuses are a stone's throw away from the Pacific Ocean, the world-famous Santa Monica Beach & the Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, and more. We're located in the gorgeous city of Santa Monica—a top destination for tourists worldwide. Need we say more?