San Mateo, CA – As enrollment rises, the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) has effectively prevented the disbursement of federal financial aid to fraudulent applicants across its institutions in recent years.
Since 2020, SMCCCD has been proactively addressing the surge in fake applications—often referred to as “ghost” registrations—designed to obtain financial aid illegally. Thanks to early detection and prevention efforts, the district has stayed ahead of this trend, which escalated during the pandemic and reached unprecedented levels. In 2024 alone, 80% of all applications received by SMCCCD were identified as fraudulent.
Despite this, the district reports a nominal loss of less than one-twentieth of one percent (<0.04%) between 2020 and 2023. Since 2023, no federal financial aid has been disbursed to fraudulent applicants. These outcomes reflect SMCCCD’s commitment to maintaining a fair and transparent admissions process.
Students apply to California Community Colleges through the statewide CCCApply platform. At SMCCCD, applicants must also appear in person to complete registration, a critical step that has enabled staff to detect and block fraudulent activity. The district is now implementing additional identity verification tools with enhanced detection capabilities to strengthen its defenses further. This could reduce the burden, particularly for online students, who are required to come in person for verification.
Chancellor Melissa Moreno, J.D., emphasized the importance of these efforts, “The unprecedented influx of fraudulent applications poses a significant challenge to our mission of providing accessible education. At SMCCCD, we implemented a simple analog solution to a sophisticated and ever-evolving online fraud network—and it has worked. We remain committed to protecting the integrity of our admissions process and ensuring that financial aid reaches the students who need it most.”
While combating fraud, SMCCCD has also seen steady enrollment growth, largely due to the implementation of SB 893, a California bill that allows the district to offer free community college to local residents. This pilot program, in effect through July 1, 2028, enables the use of local funds to reduce or eliminate tuition and fees.
By combining efforts to expand access, streamline enrollment, and prevent fraud, SMCCCD and its three colleges—Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College—continue to reduce financial barriers and support educational advancement in the community.
Media Contact: Alexandra Céspedes Kent, (510) 413-8445, alexandra@volersa.com
About San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD): SMCCCD operates three colleges, Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College, that provide community college educational services to the residents of San Mateo County. The District’s colleges serve over 30,000 students annually and offer the first two years of college-level instruction in various transfer and career-technical programs. The District is governed by a six-member Board of Trustees, with five voting members elected by voters from designated areas of the County and one nonvoting student member elected by students. Learn more at: https://smccd.edu