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ctcLink for Prospective and New Students

Apply for Admission

Prospective students use the statewide ctcLink admissions portal (opens in new tab) to apply to North Seattle, South Seattle, and Seattle Central Colleges.

To learn more about admissions to our colleges and to get assistance, please visit our admissions team web pages:

Note: the username and password you create as a prospective student to apply in the ctcLink admissions portal is separate and different from your ctcLink ID number and password you will receive when you are admitted as a new student. You will want to copy these usernames and passwords and keep them in a safe place for reference.

  • If you already have a ctcLink account from a different community or technical college in Washington state, you can log in to the admissions application with your existing ctcLink ID and password to submit a new admissions application for South Seattle College.
  • We recommend applying for the next available academic quarter for quicker admissions application processing (even if you plan to start classes in a later quarter). You will get your ctcLink ID sooner and can get an early start on your additional steps to enroll. View our Academic Calendar for quarter start dates and additional timelines.
  • Students applying for financial aid should select a degree or certificate program on the admissions application. If you select “Undecided – Academic,” this will automatically place a hold on your financial aid account until you update your program of study with Advising and Financial Aid offices. You can always change your degree or certificate path in the future.
  • We are open access colleges, and you are welcome regardless of citizenship or residency status. If you do have a social security number (SSN) or ITIN, including that number on your application will reduce paperwork required to complete the application process for admission and financial aid.
  • Once a quarter begins, the deadline to submit an admissions application for that current quarter is the 10th day of the quarter at end of business day. For example, if Spring Quarter begins on April 7, the last day to submit an admission application for that Spring Quarter would be the 10th day of the quarter or April 18.

Activate Your Account as a New Student

After you submit your application, your college admissions office will review and process your application and send you an email. Your admissions email will include your unique ctcLink ID number.

You will use your ctcLink ID number to activate your account. (You only need to activate once.)

  1. Go to the ctcLink Gateway page (new tab).
  2. Select “Activate Your Account”.
  3. Use your first name, last name, date of birth, and ctcLink ID number to activate your account.
  4. Follow these steps to activate your account (new tab).

Before Registration: Student Financial Responsibility Agreement (SFRA)

The SFRA is an important agreement that outlines financial obligations and responsibilities for attendance at any of our Seattle Colleges. You will be asked to review and accept the SFRA once each academic year before registering for classes. By signing it, you acknowledge that you understand your financial responsibilities.

Note: Students who are under the age of 18, as well as Department of Corrections and Continuing Education students, are excluded from this requirement.

The SFRA is located in your student account in ctcLink, where you manage your college-related tasks.

Learn more about the SFRA at the links below:

Registration Tips

We've developed a list of important tips that will help you get the most out of ctcLink when registering for classes.

  • Do I really need a permission number for every class? (No, not for every class.)
  • Make sure to select the appropriate academic term.
  • You must be logged in to enroll in a class or add a class to your Shopping Cart or Planner.
  • Remember to include Common Course Numbered (CCN) classes in your search.
  • Don't forget to check the “See Open Classes Only” box if you only want to see open classes.
  • Learn how to enroll by your program's degree requirements
  • Your search layout depends on the size of your screen.

Learn more at the Registration Tips for ctcLink web page.

Review the full help guide: How to Browse and Search for Classes.

Navigating and Using ctcLink

Your ctcLink account gives you access to the following applications:

  • "Manage Classes": Class Enrollments and registrations
  • "Financial Aid": Manage financial aid awards and applications.
  • "Academic Records": View past classes with grades and get unofficial transcripts.
  • "Profile": View or update personal information.
  • Your ctcLink ID and password are also the credentials to access your Canvas course management system account (but note that Canvas is a separate application).

For step-by-step guide on using and navigating ctcLink, visit the ctcLink Resources for Students web page.

Still Have Questions?

If you still have questions, refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Students web page.