Post‑Secondary Education
CDCR offers students the opportunity to enroll in college and earn a degree from the California Community Colleges, the California State University (CSU), the University of California (UC), and private non-profit accredited college and universities. CDCR partners with more than 30 different colleges and universities. Incarcerated students are fully matriculated with the same enrollment status as students in the community. Courses have the same rigor and standards as courses on campus, and all credits are fully transferrable so a student who leaves CDCR prior to degree completion can continue working towards their degree in the community.
Students may be eligible to earn Milestone Completion Credit(s) and Education Merit Credit in accordance with the California Code of Regulations Title 15.
Locations
Every CDCR institution has at least two different community colleges offering associate degree pathways in that institution. Twenty-nine institutions have face-to-face community college programs, and all 30 institutions have community college programs by distance or correspondence. Face-to-face bachelor’s degree completion programs are offered in both women’s institutions (CCWF and CIW) as well as CEN, CIM, CMF, FSP, MCSP, PBSP, RJD, SQRC, and VSP. ISP offers a hybrid program with both face-to-face and synchronous online.
Program Length
Completion of a community college associate degree varies, as incarcerated students determine their own pace. Students who transfer into a bachelor’s degree completion program can expect to earn their degree in two to three years.
Eligibility/Enrollment
Enrollment in post-secondary education is voluntary. Students must have earned their High School Diploma or Equivalency to enroll in a college or university. All students with a verified High School Diploma or Equivalency are eligible for community college. For the bachelor’s degree completion programs, academic qualifications for admission are set by the university.
Contact Information
(279) 223-1500