Contact Information

It is critical the University has accurate address, phone, and emergency contact information in the event the University needs to contact you, a family member, or other designated individuals. It is important that students update their contact information whenever there is a change in order to receive timely information from the University. Updates can be made in their Student Center via access through the Portal. Students may also inform the University of changes to their contact information by completing a Student Information Update form.

Email Communication

California State University, Chico considers email to be an official method for communicating University business with students. Each student is provided with a campus WildcatMail account. We strongly urge you to review the contents of your WildcatMail account on a frequent and regular basis. Critical notifications from the University related to enrollment, academic status, fees, holds, and financial aid will only be sent to your WildcatMail account. Students may forward messages from this account to an address used regularly.

Student ID Number

You will be assigned a nine-digit Chico State ID Number that will be used as an identifier for all of your student records. These records may include

1. Application and admission records;
2. Registration records;
3. Enrollment/transcript records;
4. Financial aid records;
5. Alumni records; and
6. Records maintained by other University programs.

Applicants are required to include their correct Social Security numbers in designated places on applications for admission pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, and Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 6109).

The university uses the Social Security number to identify students and their records including identification for purposes of financial aid eligibility and disbursement and the repayment of financial aid and other debts payable to the institution. Also, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires the university to file information returns that include the student’s Social Security number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses, and interest on educational loans. This information is used by the IRS to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will also use it to report Federal Work-Study earnings to the Federal Department of Education.

Students who do not have a Social Security number at the time of enrollment will be required to obtain a Social Security number and submit it to the University within 60 days. Failure to furnish a correct Social Security number may result in the imposition of a penalty by the Internal Revenue Service.

Enrollment Verification

Student Records and Registration verifies enrollment for insurance companies, banks, scholarships, employment, etc. The Financial Aid and Scholarship Office verifies enrollment for students applying for its financial aid programs.

Most verifications of enrollment require a certification for full-time or part-time student status. You are a full-time undergraduate student if you are enrolled in at least 12 semester units. You are considered half-time if you enroll in 6–11.9 units, and part-time if enrolled in 1–5.9 units. If you enroll in extension course work at Chico State, you must inform Student Records and Registration of this fact when requesting an enrollment verification if you plan to use the extension units in determining full-time or part-time status.

You are a full-time graduate student if you are enrolled in at least eight graduate-level semester units (courses numbered 400–699). Courses numbered 100 through 399 do not count full value towards the eight graduate-level semester units required for full-time status for graduate students. Regularly enrolled graduate students employed half-time or more as graduate assistants, research assistants, or part-time faculty may use the employment as the equivalent of up to four semester hours in determining full-time status. Verification of this must be obtained through the Office of Graduate Studies.

Enrollment verification requires your written consent before it will be released and should be requested two weeks before needed.

Proof of Immunization

To avoid a hold being placed on your registration that may result in delays or denial of access to registration, you must secure proof of immunity and be prepared to present it as required to the Wellcat Health Center. Proof of immunizations may be obtained from your high school records, personal physician, your county health department, or the WellCat Health Center on campus. See CSU Immunization Requirements for more details.

Privacy Rights of Students in Education Records

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) (FERPA) and regulations adopted thereunder (34 C.F.R. 99) set out requirements designed to protect students' privacy in their educational records maintained by the university. The statute and regulations govern access to certain student records maintained by the university and the release of those records. FERPA provides that the university must give a student access to most records directly related to the student and must also provide an opportunity to correct the records if the student believes the records are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate. The right to petition to correct a record under FERPA does not include the right to challenge the appropriateness of a grade determined by the instructor. In addition, FERPA generally requires the university obtain a student's written consent before releasing personally identifiable data pertaining to the student. The university has adopted a set of policies and procedures governing the implementation of FERPA and its regulations. Copies of these policies and procedures may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar, SSC 110, or
Office of the Registrar
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929–0720

Among the information included in the university statement of policies and procedures is:

1. The student records maintained and the information they contain.
2. The university official responsible for maintaining each record.
3. The location of access lists identifying persons requesting or receiving information from the record.
4. Policies for reviewing and expunging records.
5. Student access rights to their records.
6. Procedure for challenging the content of student records, and
7. The student's right to file a complaint with the Department of Education, which enforces FERPA. The Department of Education has established an office and review board to investigate complaints and adjudicate potential FERPA violations. The designated office is: Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-5920.

FERPA authorizes that the university may release "directory information" pertaining to students. "Directory information" may include the student's name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status, degrees, honors, and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution the student attended. The university may release this "directory information" unless the university has received prior written objection from the student specifying the information the student requests not be released. Written objections must be sent to:

Office of the Registrar
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929–0720

FERPA authorizes the university to provide access to student records without prior student consent to university officials, employees and others who have legitimate educational interests in such access. These persons include those with legitimate reasons to access student records to perform the university's academic, administrative or service functions, and those with a reason for accessing student records associated with their university or other related academic responsibilities. Student records will also be disclosed to the CSU Chancellor's Office to conduct research, to analyze trends, or to provide other administrative services. Student records may also be disclosed without prior student consent to other persons or organizations under certain conditions (e.g., as part of the accreditation or program evaluation, in response to a court order or subpoena, in connection with financial aid, or to other institutions to which the student is transferring).

Records Security

The security of your academic record is our highest concern. Therefore, it is extremely important for you to properly exit your student information on the web by using the “Logout” button. Do not walk away from a public computer while still logged in to your personal records without logging out.

Planning Your Degree

Registration consists of two major activities: planning your overall degree program and registering each semester for the courses you want.

Carefully identifying the courses you need is the most important thing you can do to graduate on time. Advising assistance is available to you throughout your college career through New Student Orientation and Transition Programs, in group advising sessions, and from your major department advisor, Graduation Advising, and Academic Advising Programs. Your advisors are your best resource—plan to see your advisors every semester.

Degree Planner. You can also use Degree Planner to plan your career at California State University, Chico. This interactive tool found in your Student Center allows you to view academic requirements and develop a semester-by-semester plan of specific courses to meet these requirements. Once your Degree Planner is completed you can run a Degree Progress Report with planned courses to ensure you have planned appropriately for all degree completion requirements and import this plan into Schedule Builder to assist with registration.

The Class Schedule. The online Class Schedule is your principal guide to registration procedures each academic year. A list of each term’s course offerings may be found in the Class Schedule.

Academic Calendar. The Academic Calendar contains an outline of all important dates, activities and deadlines related to the registration, tuition fee payment, and financial aid process, and provides detailed registration instructions, notices, and other information important to your successful registration.

Online Registration

Registration at Chico State is real-time and online through your Student Center via the Chico State Portal. Students may use their Student Center to add or drop classes through the end of the second week of classes in the fall and spring semesters. Changes to your class schedule are immediate.

Each semester students are assigned an enrollment appointment for building their class schedule. Enrollment appointments are in order by special groups and then by class level. Students who receive priority registration opportunities include disabled students, veterans, students participating in NCAA athletic teams, honors students, foster youth, and others as determined by University policy.

Once you are allowed access to registration you may continue to make changes to your schedule until the end of that registration period. (See the Class Schedule for specific dates).

During open registration and add/drop periods your access to registration is on first-come, first-serve basis. Consequently, it is important to prepare for your registration session early and to plan your class requests carefully in order to make progress toward your degree. Before your enrollment appointment begins, meet with your advisor to plan your schedule. Additionally, use your Student Center to identify any registration holds or To Do Items you may need to clear before being allowed to access the registration system.

New/Transfer Student Orientation Registration Period

New students are highly encouraged to attend an orientation session before registering for classes. During orientation students are assigned an appointment time period for registration which is aligned with the date of their orientation session. Students are notified via New Student Orientation and Transition Programs when enrollment appointments are established for an upcoming term. 

Continuing Student Registration Period

Approximately two weeks prior to the beginning of the continuing student registration period, the Office of the Registrar will send you an email directing you to your Student Center via the Portal where you will find your registration appointment. You may begin to access the registration system on your assigned day and time through the end of the registration period.

Open Registration Periods

Two weeks before the start of the fall and spring semesters, Open Registration begins. This period grants all eligible students who have paid their fees access to finalize their course selections before the semester officially begins.

Add/Drop Registration Periods

At the beginning of both the fall and spring semesters, all eligible students who have paid their fees are permitted to adjust their schedules by adding or dropping courses. This option remains available until the Friday of the second week of the semester.

Manual Registration

The Class Add/Update Request form is used to register students into courses that are not accessible via online registration. Non-accessible courses may include Independent Study, Internships, Master’s Study, and those designated by the department as requiring faculty or department permission. These forms are available to students in person at the Office of the Registrar (SSC 110) and online at Student Records and Registration Forms. Courses requiring manual registration or the Class Add and Drop Request Process will be indicated in the Class Schedule.

Late Registration: After the second week of classes during the fall and spring semesters, all adds and drops are processed in the academic department offices or by using the Class Add and/or Drop Request forms. After the fourth week of classes all adds/drops are processed through the Office of the Registrar (SSC 110).

Registration Fee Payment

If you fail to pay your tuition fees and/or accept financial aid by the University’s established Registration and Tuition Fee Payment Deadline, you may lose the classes in which you are enrolled. You will also be assessed a late fee and will be unable to add classes until registration and tuition fees are paid or financial aid confirmed. The most recent information on registration and tuition fees can be obtained from Student Financial Services. For information regarding electronic deposits, financial aid awards, and/or eligibility visit the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.

Registration Holds

Registration holds may be placed on your academic record for various reasons. A registration hold will prevent you from registering for classes.

Check for any holds or other messages that may adversely affect your registration in your Student Center. Holds may be placed anytime and will bar your registration if not cleared prior to the start of your registration period. Students are normally notified before a hold is placed.

Access to Grades

Students may access their grades through their Student Center. Courses taken prior to fall 1993 are not available online. Alumni and former students who no longer have a Portal account may access their academic records by requesting an official transcript.

Transcript Requests

A California State University, Chico transcript shows only the academic work attempted at Chico State.

Ordering options are online at Chico State Transcript Ordering. Please note that transcript processing can take up to 14 business days. Unofficial transcripts are available in the Chico State Portal for students enrolled after summer 2004.

Copies of transcripts from high schools and other colleges become part of your permanent record at Chico State and cannot be returned to you. If additional official copies are needed, you must make arrangements directly with the institutions involved.

Transcript and Documents Fees

Costs associated with ordering official transcripts of your Chico State academic record and other Office of the Registrar services are listed below. For further information, visit or call the Office of the Registrar, Student Services Center (SSC) 110, 530-898-5142.

Note: The fees listed are subject to change. The most up-to-date information may be obtained from Student Records and Registration or Graduation Advising.

Official Transcript Request Fees

Transcripts Fees

Number of Official Chico Transcripts You Request	Amount You Pay
Each Transcript	$4
National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Fee	$2.90
NSC Electronic Delivery Fee	$1
NSC Paper Delivery Fee	$.50
Rush (2-5 business days)	$8
Express, US	$17
Express, International	$33

Unofficial Transcript Request Fees

Unofficial Transcripts Fees

Number of Unofficial Chico Transcripts You Request	Amount You Pay
First transcript	$2
Each additional transcript	each @ $2

Other Documents Service Fees

Service Fees

Type of Request	Amount You Pay
Application for graduation	$68
Refiling for graduation	$8
Replacing a diploma	$20
Submitting documents after a published deadline (e.g., graduation application, Class Add or Drop Request forms or CR/NC petition)	$10
Rush Services (e.g., certification of graduation, verification of enrollment, petition to repeat with academic forgiveness, transcripts, etc.)	$8