Beginning spring 2026, all Columbia students will receive both Columbia College and Modesto Junior College registration appointments. Your MJC appointment will not be the same level that you recieve at Columbia. In order to receive the same level at MJC, you will need to complete their matriculation steps.
Check the Important Dates and Deadlines page for the date you will receive your registration dates. Your appointment will show in connectColumbia on your Registration Date and Time "card," or click on Registration Date and Time to see your appointments in Self-Service. If you have not completed steps to earn priority registration, you will register during open registration. In open registration, you will not have a date and time.
Check to see if your steps are completed! Priority Registration Date/Time/Steps
Columbia has adopted statewide Common Course Numbering. You will start to see changes in the way courses are numbered to align with all California Community Colleges. Columbia is using the new CalGETC general education pathway for all incoming students. There have also been changes to our local general education pattern. Please meet with your counselor to go over these changes. You can click on the links on the left side of this page to learn more.
Before registering for courses please review the information for new, returning, and continuing students.
If this is your first time taking a class at Columbia College (or you have attended in the past but it has been a year or longer), start by completing the Admissions Application. Click the Apply button at the top right of this screen.
Once you submit your online admissions application, you will receive an email from CC Admissions confirming your acceptance and providing you with your student identification / "W" number.
If you have taken classes at Columbia College in the past three semesters, you may register for classes on or after your registration date and time.
Students may add full-term, open sections of courses through the registration period; short-term courses have individual deadlines. Once the semester begins, students must contact the instructor for "add authorization." See below for more information.
If you need further help learning how to add courses, you can call the Welcome Center at 209-588-2194, to speak with a Student Ambassador and they can help you with that process.
When a course section (class) fills, you can place yourself on the waitlist as long as you have satisfied any prerequisites. However, you cannot be enrolled in a class section and also be on a waitlist for the same course that meets at a different time, so choose your course sections carefully!
You are not guaranteed a seat in the class when you are on a waitlist. The process is not automatic. If a seat becomes available during registration, you will be notified via your student email. Once you receive this email notification, you will have 3 days to register for the class. If you do not register within 3 days, you will be dropped from the waitlist.
If you do not receive a waitlist notification email to add the class before it begins, reach out to the instructor using your student email for "add authorization." See below.
The waitlist system stops sending permission to add emails 3 days before a class begins. If you are on a waitlist and decide not to add the class, please drop yourself from the waitlist.
Please note: If you put your name on a waitlist while the prerequisite class is in progress and don't pass the class, you will not be permitted to add the next level class.
Add Authorization is requested when a class is full and the student has not received an email from the waitlist to add the course. The student sends an email to the instructor for permission to add the course on the first day of the course. Faculty may or may not grant permission in the Self-Service portal. If you emailed your instructor and received permission to add the course you may register on the first day of the course.
Check the course section on your semester plan in the Self-Service portal to see if the instructor has given permission for you to add. There will be a light blue "Authorized for Add" message showing in the section on the Register and Drop page. If your added class does not show on your student schedule, you are not registered and won't be able to receive a grade.
Columbia students must have a zero-dollar balance before their registration date and time for the upcoming semester or they will not be able to register for classes. If any fees are owed after the term begins, a hold will be placed on the students record preventing future registration.
How to avoid a registration hold:
Columbia students will be dropped from classes prior to the start of the semester if they have a balance. See the Important Dates and Deadlines page for Drop for Non-payment dates.
How to avoid being dropped for non-payment:
For more information regarding tuition and fees, please visit Business Services or call 209-588-5113
To learn about your financial aid options contact Columbia College Financial Aid by calling 209-588-5105 for last names A-L and 209-588-5272 for last names M-Z.
For detailed account information log into ConnectColumbia and click on "Financial Information" and then click on "Account Summary."
You can find your current balance by logging into connectColumbia from the Columbia College home web page. Click on the yellow box with three lines in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Under Account Information click on "Account Summary" to see your balance and payment options.
If you owe fees when the semester begins, you will have a hold placed on your account until you have a zero-dollar balance.
You will be blocked from registering for the next semester. Once you reach a zero-dollar balance, the hold will be removed, and you will be able to register for your next semester classes.
Until your account reflects a zero-dollar balance, the hold will continue to block you from registration. Having a payment plan will not release the hold. Be sure to pay your full tuition prior to your upcoming registration date and time to avoid a registration hold.
Courses that will count toward Columbia College certificate or degree programs.
When students are not in good academic standing, they are placed on Probation.
Three consecutive semesters on probation will lead to dismissal status. Students on probation level 2 lose priority registration. Students who are dismissed are blocked from registering for classes for three terms.
Priority registration allows you to register early, helping you get the classes you need to achieve your goals. To be eligible for priority registration you must complete all core steps, be in good academic standing, and remain below the 100-degree applicable unit cut-off. There are six different priority levels for registration. Each student is allocated into one of the following levels depending upon eligibility.
Check to make sure that you have completed your core steps. Follow the link to connectColumbia and check your Priority Registration Date/Time/Steps
Priority registration is lost when a student has earned over 100 degree applicable units (courses numbered 1-199 or 1000-2999) at Columbia College.
To remain in good academic standing, students need to have a Grade Point Average (GPA) above 2.0, and progress needs to be at least 50% (i.e. the student must complete 50% of the units they attempt).
When a student's GPA falls below 2.0, or their minimum progress requirements fall below 50%, they will be placed on either academic or progress probation. Standings are based on the prior semester.
Priority registration is lost when students have earned a 2nd semester Probation or Dismissal Status.
Should you lose your priority registration and feel there is an error, you may complete
a Loss of Priority Registration Appeal Form for consideration by the Vice President of Student Services.
Still have questions? Contact Counseling either by calling 209-588-5109 or drop in to the Counseling Office located in upper Manzanita Building to book an appointment with a counselor.
