Tools for Parents

CaliforniaColleges.edu is a one-stop resource to help your child prepare for life after high school.

As the State of California’s official college and career planning platform, CaliforniaColleges.edu empowers students by providing them with a one-stop shop for all the tools they need to set goals for life after high school and make plans to achieve them.

College, career, and financial aid planning can be complicated, and parents often have a lot of questions. CaliforniaColleges.edu is here to help guide your family through the process.

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About the Tools

With an account on CaliforniaColleges.edu, your child can:

  • Complete grade-level activities designed to guide them toward a college and career plan that matches their goals and interests.
  • Find and favorite (♥) careers, colleges, and majors.
  • Plan high school courses using the Academic Planner.
  • Apply to California Community Colleges, CSUs, and UCs, as well as monitor the status of their applications.
  • Launch the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
  • Store resumes, college application essays, and other important documents.

Read more about the tools we provide to students at Tools for Students.

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CaliforniaColleges.edu can help you better support your child through their career, college, and financial aid activities. With an account, you can:

View your child’s activity on CaliforniaColleges.edu and monitor their progress.

African American mother and daughter smiling at each other in front of desktop computer

Learn valuable information to support your child through the career exploration, college and financial aid planning, and application processes.

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Hear What Students and Educators Are Saying


How to Get a Parent Account

Once your child has registered their account on CaliforniaColleges.edu, you can also register a free account and link it to your child’s account.

Teacher helping two female students in the classroom with something on a laptop

  • Ask your child if they registered their Student Account.
  • If your child does not know whether they registered their Student Account, please contact their school counselor to confirm.
  • If you’re still unable to confirm whether your child has registered their Student Account, please Contact Us.

Once you’ve determined that your child has registered their Student Account, it’s time to register your Parent Account.

2. Click “Register” in the top-right corner of the screen.

Screenshot of CaliforniaColleges.edu homepage with Register button highlighted

3. Select “I am a Parent/Guardian,” enter the names of your child’s school district and school, then click “Next.”

Screenshot of CaliforniaColleges.edu homepage with Registration popup box

4. Enter your child’s name, student ID number, and date of birth. Click on the checkbox, then click “Next.”

Screenshot of CaliforniaColleges.edu homepage with Registration - Child's Information popup box

5. For the student ID number, you can enter your child’s Statewide Student Identifier (SSID), which is located in your child’s transcript, or their local ID.

If you need help finding your child’s ID number, contact your child’s counselor.

Screenshot of CaliforniaColleges.edu homepage with Registration - Parent's Information popup box

6. Enter your first and last name. Click “Next.”

7. Enter and confirm your email address and password or click “Sign Up With Google,” and follow the instructions.

8. Click “Register” to complete the process.

If you’re not able to register your Parent Account, please Contact Us.


What if my child doesn’t have an account on CaliforniaColleges.edu?

If your child is not able to register a Student Account on CaliforniaColleges.edu, it may mean that your child’s school district isn’t currently using CaliforniaColleges.edu.

Can my child make an account even if their district doesn’t use it?

While any student, parent, or educator in California can make a free account on CaliforniaColleges.edu, we don’t recommend making an account unless your child’s district is officially a Partner District or district using Basic Accounts. This is because CCGI is actively working to bring CaliforniaColleges.edu to all public school districts in California so that all students are able to access the platform.

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If your child’s district becomes a Partner District or starts using Basic Accounts in the future, your child might end up with a duplicate account. Your child’s duplicate account will have to be merged with the account their district makes for them. Most likely, the information your child has saved on their original account will not carry over to their new account, meaning they’ll have to start over from scratch.

How can I get my child’s district to start using CaliforniaColleges.edu?

The best way to bring CaliforniaColleges.edu to your child’s school district is to talk to their school counselor or someone from the school district and share the information you’ve learned with them.

We recommend sharing the How to Bring CaliforniaColleges.edu to Your School District webpage, which outlines the steps they can take to get the process started. You can even print out the page by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking the “Print” button.