Degree & Certificate Applications
SBCC Degree and Certificate Application
You may apply for an Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement once all requirements have been fulfilled or if all requirements will be fulfilled
by the end of the current term (fall/spring/summer).
Option 1: If all your coursework has been completed at SBCC, you can fill out the certificate and/or degree application. If you need assistance completing your application, staff is available at the Academic
Counseling Center's front desk in the Student Services Building Monday-Thursday during open hours.
How to submit the application if all your coursework has been completed at SBCC. If you attended other colleges, see Option 2 below:
- (Preferred) Email the application as a PDF attachment to the SBCC Degree Analyst at diplomas@sbcc.edu.
- In person to: Admissions & Records in the Student Services Building
- Mail to:
Admissions & Records
721 Cliff Dr
Santa Barbara, CA 93109 - Fax to (805) 962-0497
Option 2: If you have AP/IB scores, outside transcripts, or you need assistance in filling out the application, then make an appointment via Starfish with a counselor who works with your major. If you have attended other colleges, official transcripts from all colleges previously attended need to be on file with SBCC Admissions & Records. Your academic counselor will assist you in evaluating your coursework and with filing the degree and/or certificate application(s).
If you already applied, do not fill out the application again. To confirm the status
of your degree, check your Academic Transcript in the My.SBCC portal. If you already earned a degree, it will state “Awarded." It will state “Pending”
if your application has been received and is still in progress.
The 2026 Commencement will be held on Friday, May 22, 2026.
Click here for commencement information. Please contact the Office of Student Life with questions about the event. You do not need to register to participate.
Final processing of degree and certificate applications does not begin until grades
have been certified by Admissions & Records, approximately one week after the end
of a term. Depending on the volume of applications and holiday closures, processing
may take three to four weeks after grade certification. You can view the status of
your application on your Academic Transcript in the My.SBCC portal. As thousands of applications are received every year, students will not receive
individual emails about their application status. After processing, the status will
change from "pending" to "awarded" or "denied." Only awarded degrees and certificates
will appear on official transcripts.
Click here for diploma information. Diplomas are issued through Parchment and are not distributed at Commencement.
Catalog rights refer to a student’s ability to meet the graduation requirements in effect at the time of their initial enrollment at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) or any other accredited college or university, provided they maintain continuous enrollment. Students may also choose to meet graduation requirements from any subsequent catalog published during their period of continuous enrollment. Catalog rights apply solely to graduation requirements and do not extend to college policies, procedures, or other regulations.
Continuous enrollment is defined as attendance in at least one term—fall, winter, spring, or summer—during each calendar year. Any academic record symbol posted to a transcript under the provisions of BPAP 4230 (Grading and Academic Record Symbols), including A–F, P, NP, SP, I, IP, RD, W, MW, EW, FW, and prior to Fall 2009: CR and NC, constitutes enrollment. Both credit and noncredit coursework qualify for meeting this requirement. Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment are subject to the graduation requirements in effect at the time of their re-enrollment or any time thereafter provided they maintain continuous enrollment. For purposes of determining catalog rights, the catalog year begins with the Fall and goes through the following Summer.
A student who requests an exception to this policy may submit a Petition to Reinstate Catalog Rights for consideration. Exceptions may include an interruption or loss of catalog rights due to extenuating circumstances and/or hardship. Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accidents, illnesses, or other circumstances beyond the control of the student.
Complete the SCA application. Do not use this form for Associate Degrees or Certificates of Achievement.
Note: Skills Competency Awards do not appear on SBCC transcripts and are not included
in Commencement.
Contact the individual department. Admissions & Records does not process or provide these awards and they do not appear on SBCC transcripts.