Eligibility for Admission

The right of any person to attend any college in the Ventura County Community College District is conditioned by certain admission and residency qualifications as provided by state and federal law.

Ventura County Community College District has an Open Enrollment Policy. You are eligible to attend if you meet any of the following requirements:

• You are 18 years of age on or before the first day of instruction of the term for which you are applying.
• You are a high school graduate.
• You have the equivalent of a high school diploma. i.e. you have passed the General Education Development test (GED) or a state's high school proficiency examination.

Please note that other factors may determine eligibility. Contact Admissions and Records for more details. 

Open Enrollment Policy

It is the policy of Ventura County Community College District that, unless specifically exempted by statute or regulation, every course—course section or class—reported for state apportionment, wherever offered and maintained by Ventura County Community College District, shall be fully open to enrollment and participation by any person who has been admitted to Ventura County Community College District and who meets such prerequisites and/or corequisites as may be established pursuant to regulations commensurate with Section 58050 (a)(3) of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations as related to limitations on the receipt of state apportionment. 

For admission to the Ventura County Community College District, student self-certification may serve as proof of high school attendance and graduation or its equivalent. Students may be required to provide verification of high school graduation; or in the case of homeschooled students, verification from an accredited high school district that the home school curriculum completed meets the criteria for exemption from California’s Compulsory Attendance Laws, for financial aid eligibility or other purposes.

Students enrolled in a K-12 school may be eligible for admission under dual enrollment provisions noted under the Admissions of Minors/Dual Enrollment section of this catalog. The intent is to provide K-12 students access to college-level courses that are not available through their primary school or other alternatives so they can benefit from advanced scholastic and vocational education the opportunity. 

Students entering any of the public community colleges of California are subject to the residency requirements as determined by the state of California. Students whose legal residence is determined to be in another state (nonresidents) or in a foreign country (International students) may be admitted under conditions stipulated by the governing board upon payment of specified tuition and fees. Additional information regarding residency requirements may be found under the “Residency Requirements” section in this Catalog, on the College website, or by contacting the campus Admissions and Records Office.

General Admissions Procedures

Prior to being eligible for priority registration, new students to the Ventura County Community College District:

• Must complete an application for admission
• Must complete orientation
• Assessment through multiple measures, including but not limited to:
  • Evaluation of other college coursework
  • High school courses and grades
  • Informed self-placement which results in course placement recommendations for Math, English, and English as a Second Language.
• Must complete an educational plan with a counselor
• Submit transcripts from high school and/or any college/ universities previously attended

The application for admission is available online at http://www.oxnardcollege.edu/apply. Printed copies of the application for admission can be downloaded from the College website. Consult the college website for application dates and deadlines. An admission application must be on file before students can register. There is no cost to apply.

Upon admission to the college, new students will be directed to set up their MyVCCCD portal MyVCCCD (https://my.vcccd.edu) to gain access to many self-service options.

Returning Students who have not attended one of the Ventura County Community Colleges in the last year:

• Must reapply for admission at www.oxnardcollege.edu/apply.
• Must reactivate their MyVCCCD Student Portal if necessary (https://my.vcccd.edu).
• May be required to complete orientation, assessment, and counseling to develop a new educational plan.
• Returning students who have attended other colleges should make a counseling appointment to have their other college transcripts evaluated for the educational plan.
• All requirements must be completed before returning students can register for classes.

Applications for admission to the colleges of the Ventura County Community College District become the property of the colleges once they are submitted. Applications are submitted under penalty of perjury, whether submitted online or in written form. Falsification of information provided therein may result in disciplinary measures up to and including dismissal, termination of eligibility for programs and/or services as appropriate, and/or the retroactive assessment of nonresident tuition charges if warranted. Falsification of information that results in fraud or other crimes may result in legal penalties.

Oxnard College participates in an array of federal and state financial aid programs. All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov.

Students who qualify under AB 540 are encouraged to complete the California Dream Act Application at https://dream.csac.ca.gov/. Apply early as some funds may be limited. For further information and deadlines, please visit the Financial Aid Office website at http://www.oxnardcollege.edu/finaid.

Admission of Minors / Dual Enrollment

Pursuant to California Education Code section 76001, minors may be permitted to take college courses under very specific circumstances. The intent is to provide minors who can benefit from advanced scholastic and vocational education the opportunity to take college-level courses that are not available through their primary school or other alternatives.

The term “Dual Enrollment Student” refers to concurrently enrolled K-12 students who have been recommended by their principal and have parental permission to attend a community college during any session or term. Parental permission may not be required for dual enrollment students who are 18 years of age or older.

Students admitted as Dual Enrollment Students are limited to a maximum of 11 units per semester or term unless the student (either part-time or full-time) is enrolled under the terms of an existing AB 288 College and Career Access Pathway (CCAP) Partnership Agreement effective at the time of enrollment.

Enrollment fees are waived for Dual Enrollment Students enrolled in 11 units or less. Students under an AB 288 College and Career Access Pathways Partnership (CCAP) dual enrollment agreement with a school district who enroll in up to 15 units (no more than 4 college courses) are exempt from enrollment fees. All other fees apply.

Dual Enrollment Students determined to be nonresidents may be admitted and classified as nonresidents but exempt from paying additional nonresident tuition per California Ed. Code, Section 76141. Please note the following conditions:

• This exemption only applies to dual enrollment students enrolled in 11 or fewer units per semester. The exemption does not apply to full-time dual enrollment students unless the student (either part-time or full-time) is enrolled under the terms of an existing AB 288 College and Career Access Pathway (CCAP) Partnership Agreement effective at the time of enrollment.
• This exemption does not apply to categories of students who would not qualify for AB 540 nonresident tuition exemption; i.e., a) students who reside outside of California and enroll via Distance Education and b) students on most non-immigrant visas.
• Students with T or U visas are eligible for this exemption.
• Students receiving this exemption do not receive resident status for the purposes of tuition or financial aid. Rather, they are exempt from nonresident tuition under this law.

To qualify and register for Dual Enrollment, all students must apply for admission. After the initial application, Dual Enrollment students must present the following documents each semester they register at the college:

• A completed Recommendation for Dual Enrollment and Memorandum of Understanding form signed by their school principal or counselor and a one-time parent or guardian consent (consent obtained by parent or guardian shall apply to all community college dual enrollment courses attempted by the student until parental or guardian consent is withdrawn in writing).
• In addition, students in 8th grade or below must meet with the Vice President of Academic Affairs, or their designee to determine if the student has the abilities and sufficient preparation to benefit from instruction at a community college, and that the student's safety and that of others will not be affected. The decision of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, or their designee shall be final. Once a decision has been made, the student, their parent or guardian, and the school principal shall be informed of the decision. Refer to the dual enrollment webpage for more information. 
• Homeschooled students must present the completed Private School Affidavit. For more information, visit: www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ps/affidavit.asp

All Dual Enrollment forms are available online at www.oxnardcollege.edu/dualenrollment. Detailed information on clearing prerequisites is available online and in this catalog.

Parents and students applying for Special Full-time Admission status must contact the Admissions and Records Office. Petitions for Special Full-Time Admission will be considered only after the parent and student have exhausted all alternatives available through the secondary school district that the student would be attending. The decision to admit a minor as a special full-time admission student may be subject to the availability of classes. Special full-time admission students are required to complete at least 12 units in each primary term and to maintain continuous enrollment until reaching the age of 18.

Important Note: Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), once a student is attending an institution of postsecondary education, all rights pertaining to the inspection, review, and release of his/her educational records belong to the student without regard to the student’s age. Therefore, all students, regardless of age, must provide written consent for the release of their college transcripts and/ or college records. For more information, please refer to “Privacy Rights Regarding Student Records” in the appendices of this catalog.

MyVCCCD Online Services - Portal

My.VCCCD.edu (https://my.vcccd.edu) is the portal to online services, providing college and district information for current students. New applicants and reapplying returning students will be provided a link to the portal setup in their acceptance email from the college. MyVCCCD provides access to the following online services and features:

• Registration status appointments and calendars
• Request official transcripts
• Registration, add, and drop classes
• Pay fees
• Purchase parking permits (can only be done online!)
• Sign up for a payment plan (can only be done online!)
• Financial aid: Track and manage awards
• Check progress toward a degree, certificate, or transfer requirements using DegreeWorks
• Access online classes
• View/Print Class Schedule
• View/Print Unofficial transcript
• Print official enrollment verification
• Search for classes using the registration planner or the “searchable” schedule of classes (find drop deadlines, prerequisites, and more!)
• Update personal information (address, phone, emergency contact numbers, major, program of study, educational goal)
• Forward college email to a personal email account (REQUIRED if you want to receive college emails to your personal account)
• Change portal password

Updating Student Records

Once an application has been submitted, any necessary communication with the student is conducted through the contact information provided (phone or text) and through the VCCCD e-mail account the college creates for all students, or through the MyVCCCD Student Portal (https://my.vcccd.edu). It is important to keep address, phone, and alternate e-mail address updated and corrections be recorded in student academic records as soon as possible. Students may update this information at any time by logging into the MyVCCCD Student Portal.

Requests for name changes can be completed online; the petition must be verified using the student's my.vcccd email, or in person at the Admissions and Records Office on campus, and the student must present a picture ID (driver's license or California ID card).

Student ID numbers (also called 900 numbers) are assigned to replace social security numbers as the student‘s primary identifier used by the college. The assigned ID number will appear once the student’s MyVCCCD portal account (https://my.vcccd.edu) once it has been logged into. It will also appear on printed mailers and notices from the College and on faculty attendance, drop, and grade rosters.

Social security numbers will still be collected for such purposes as statistical reporting, financial aid, and Hope Scholarship Tax Credit reporting. 

Students are strongly encouraged to use only their Student ID numbers in all College related business as it provides them with additional security and confidentiality.

The primary goal of Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Program is to assist all students in attaining academic success. It is a partnership between the College and the student for the purposes of defining and realizing the student’s educational goal. This agreement includes responsibilities for both the College and the student, who work together combining several activities and processes to develop a Student Educational Plan (SEP). The SEP is a schedule of recommended courses the student must take to achieve their educational goals.

In order to earn priority enrollment all students must complete the following:

1. Complete a college orientation in person or online through the MyVCCCD student portal.
2. Assessment through multiple measures, including but not limited to evaluation of other college coursework, high school courses and grades, and informed self-placement which result in course placement recommendations for math, English and English as a Second Language.
3. Counseling advisement resulting in the development of a Student Educational Plan.

Exceptions may apply. Consult the appendices at the end of this catalog for full policy and procedures regarding the Student Equity and Achievement Program (Appendix XII).