Quick Take
Cabrillo College students return to the Watsonville and Aptos campuses Monday for their first day of classes. Officials say they're launching new programs and are progressing on construction of the school's new student housing complex.
More than 8,000 Cabrillo College students are starting their fall semester Monday, as the institution launches several new programs and continues building its first student housing project.
Cabrillo President Jenn Capps said it’s not too late for students to register at both of the college campuses: Aptos and Watsonville.
“I’m excited to welcome our new students to the fall semester,” she said. “We have new wonderful programs and services to help our students succeed.
Cabrillo College, which offers certificates and two-year associate degrees, serves a broad range of students, including those who are dually enrolled in high school, recent high school graduates transferring to a four-year college, older students switching careers or community members picking up a new skill like horticulture or photography.
Responding to shifting interests, Cabrillo College often adds new programs and certificates to its offerings. This year, the college is adding new certificates, including certified nursing assistant, early childhood education professional pathways, Python programming and others. Cabrillo is also starting a new heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) program.
The new housing project, called Costa Vista, will provide 624 beds for Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz students starting in fall 2027. Costa Vista is located on the Aptos campus, near its athletic fields. College officials encourage students to sign up for Costa Vista housing updates on the housing website.
The college encourages any interested students in signing up for its courses that are still open and for the school’s many free classes. Cabrillo has open courses in kinesiology, accounting, business, construction energy & management, geology and more.
It also has a significant offering of free classes and certificates, including construction, electronic music production, Mexican mariachi & banda ensemble, global wine and lifeguard training.
As Cabrillo kicks off its school year, Santa Cruz County’s K-12 public schools have already started classes, while UC Santa Cruz students have their first day of instruction Sept. 24.
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