Our newest Pilot Program is now open for enrollment!
Project Management is designed to help you develop in-demand skills that translate across virtually every industry. Space is limited for this initial cohort, so the time is now!
Join us: Learn about Calbright programs at our next Info Session
Next Session: Wednesday, November 20, 4:00pm PT

Start Here, Succeed Anywhere

With programs geared to help you develop skills for in-demand jobs, Calbright prepares you for a better career, on your timeline, with tuition and fees currently free for adult Californians. A proud member of the California Community Colleges system.

Play Video
free online degree
online degree programs in california

Designed For You

Get personalized support, from career coaching to academic counseling, when you need it. Connect with faculty when and how you want.

online colleges in california

Start Your Next Chapter

Calbright helps you build on the skills you already have and prepares you to earn industry-valued certifications in growing fields.

free online college degree

Study On Your Schedule

Our programs are online, self-paced, and can be accessed anywhere, anytime. Work as fast as you want while taking the time you need.

Study On Your Schedule

Join us

Learn about Calbright programs with a Virtual Info Session

Next Session: Wednesday, November 20, 4:00pm PT
Location: Online

Some of Our Partners

ca-gov
california community colleges
national-education-associationnational education association
teachers-college-columbia-university
uci
kresge foundation
james irvine foundation
ecmc foundation
Calbright

Calbright students are working adults from all across California.

Jimmy
From Los Angeles
IT Support graduate

“I love that it’s self-paced, but also that unlike a lot of programs where they say it’s self-paced – there’s guidance attached with that at Calbright. You get to decide your schedule, but they work out a plan with you that fits your life.”

Jeremy
From Southern California
IT Support student

“I know a lot of people are planning to get through their programs fast, they like how quickly they can do everything, but I’m taking it slow. I tell anybody who will listen that I’m here to learn the material, not just to pass the test. I really want to understand computers. Calbright doesn’t just let me take all the time I need, they let me take all the time I want.”

Leonard
Data Analysis student

“What’s good about Calbright is that they provide this path, where you know what you need to do. And they offer a lot of support. That’s the most important thing.”

Randall
From Los Angeles
Data Analysis graduate

“I didn’t need much help. The program is so seamless and straightforward. I read the documentation that was provided to me, I read the emails, I read what I was supposed to do, and the interface is really user friendly. I didn’t need to reach out to anybody because it was all there.”

Alicia
From San Francisco Bay Area
IT Support student

“I got in and then I felt like my life changed, I did a 180. Everybody was reaching out to me. I was getting all these Slack messages telling me things I could sign up for and do. Even though it’s remote it made me feel like I was doing a lot of things with people. It really made me feel fulfilled after two years of not doing anything.”

Our Programs

Find The Perfect Path For You

Develop the core skills necessary to succeed in a new technology career and prepare to pass the CompTIA A+ exam.
Learn the principles and best practices of information technology security and risk management.
Our program helps you master the skills needed to begin a successful career as a CRM administrator.
Gain valuable knowledge and skills in data synthesis, visualization, and real-world application. Serves as a springboard to the Google Professional Data Analytics Certification.
Calbright’s Project Management program will help you learn to manage projects from inception to completion, an in-demand skill set that translates across virtually every business discipline in every industry. Pilot program - currently closed to new enrollees.
Calbright’s Network Technology (Network+) program will help you learn specific networking skills, how to support networks on any platform, and design and implement functional networks to develop your IT career. Pilot program - currently closed to new enrollees.

The Calbright Model

An Education That Fits Your Life

Calbright classes are online and flexibly paced, so you can move ahead at any time, from anywhere. Speed up when you want to, slow down when you need to, and earn your certificate on your terms.

Personal Support

You’ll have your own student support staff who work with you, personally. Your own career counselor, your own academic coach, and faculty who are just a click away. You have a team personally dedicated to your success.

Competency-Based Education

We focus on what you can do rather than how long you spend in a classroom. The skills you already have count towards your certificate, and you can move ahead on things you already know, and take all the time you need when something’s difficult.

Career Focused

Our programs prepare you for success with skills to get industry-valued credentials. We work with California companies to make sure you’re studying what you need to get a good job, and our Career Services staff and Career Readiness program help get you hired.

FAQs

online colleges in california
Who can be a student at Calbright?

Calbright is open to all California residents aged 18 years or older who have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

All Californians — regardless of immigration status — are welcome to enroll.

Yes! All of our programs are currently free thanks to public funding from the State of California. That includes program tuition, testing costs, and technology resources like laptops and WiFi devices from our lending library.

Because our programs are free, we don’t need to offer financial aid. 

First, our training programs prepare you to earn industry-recognized certifications (via exams offered by third-party providers like CompTIA and Salesforce), proof to employers that you’re ready to succeed in a new career on day one of employment.

Second, every student that completes a program also gets a dedicated team of professional experts that will coach you to be the best version of yourself during your job search.

Third, all of our courses are flexibly-paced and 100% online — designed around your own unique life circumstances so school never gets in the way of other priorities.

Plus, Calbright comes at no out-of-pocket cost to you. Even the cost of the exams to receive industry-recognized certifications (such as the CompTIA A+, Security+, and Salesforce Certified Administrator exams) in your program of choice are covered. 

We also offer resources that include (but are not limited to) technology support through our Chromebook and WiFi hotspot lending library; career counseling; and mental health services. All this and more make Calbright a great choice if you’re looking to level up your skillset.

We currently have four online, flexibly-paced training programs: IT Support, Medical Coding*, Cybersecurity, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platform Administration.

These programs are the first of many, with each fitting into wraparound services designed to prepare you for success in the job market.

*Please note that we are currently not accepting new applications into the Medical Coding program.

That depends on you and the pace you want to set, but all of our courses are designed to be completed in the shortest time possible — generally under a year. Your specific estimated time of completion will be determined when you meet with your Academic Success Counselor to develop your Comprehensive Student Education Plan (CSEP).

You can expect to complete a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) certificate in less than six months with an average weekly commitment of 6-12 hours.

For our IT and Cybersecurity programs, expect to complete your certificate in eight to ten months, assuming the same weekly commitment of 6-12 hours.

Starting an application is easy! If you’re ready to begin your journey with us, click here. If you still have questions or would like to get in contact another way, you’ve got plenty of options.

You can always reach out to success@calbright.org and someone from our team will get back with you via email ASAP.

You can also use the webchat function on our homepage, call us at 1-833-956-0225, or text us at (510) 330-1817.

Calbright
Portrait of woman smiling, holding pen to chin.

A new kind of community college

Calbright online free college

Designed for
Californians

Calbright California free college
Calbright online college

How It Works

Determine your path

Calbright's programs can fit your schedule and accelerate your career with new skills.

Enroll as a student

Complete your application in less than 15 minutes and begin the onboarding process right away.

Earn your certificate

Learn important concepts for workplace success and develop in-demand skills for today's workforce.

Get the job you love

Prepare your job search strategy with tools and techniques informed by industry experts. Go get it!

Request More Information

Learn how Calbright can unlock a brighter future

stars

Calbright News

Calbright College’s primary mission is to increase economic mobility and close equity gaps for working...

It’s Calbright’s five year student enrollment anniversary, and we have a lot to celebrate! Five...

Cybersecurity is the stable, prosperous, career that Hai spent 15 years looking for. But he...