How to Create a New OpenCCC Account
- Patricia Donohue
- Amy Snyder
This page provides a step-by-step guide for creating a new student account using OpenCCC 2.0.
Last update: April 4, 2022
Sections:
About Account Creation
What is an OpenCCC account and why do users need one?
OpenCCC is the California Community Colleges federated identity initiative, which includes a student account system that assigns each user a unique California Community Colleges ID number (CCCID) and allows access to systemwide online technology applications via one unique single-sign-on account.
What information do users need to create their account?
To create an account students need a unique email address or mobile phone number, whichever they prefer, to receive a time-sensitive verification code to validate their identity. Once validated, only a few other details are required to complete the account creation process, including:
Name & Address
Birthdate
Secure password
These are the only data required to create a new OpenCCC account. Additional information may be needed to submit an application for admission or a financial aid application.
Where do users go to create their account?
Students must have an OpenCCC account before they can apply to a California Community College using CCCApply, therefore most students create their account the first time they apply for admission. All current and prospective students, including high school and lower grade students exploring careers with Career Coach, or submitting a financial aid application, will encounter the Create an Account link on the OpenCCC Sign In page as they begin their CCCApply application for college.
How long does it take to create an account?
The simple, mobile-friendly account creation process redesign focuses on the student experience first. Using a clean interface style and clear instructions, users can create & validate a new account, and complete their Profile, in under 7 minutes.
The new account creation process has been greatly streamlined; nevertheless, time-to-creation will vary depending on the user.
Steps for Creating a New Account
A new account can be created in just three easy steps:
Enter your unique email address (or mobile phone number) & validate your identity
Provide a few additional details required for your record
Create a password to ensure security and to assist with account recovery, if needed.
That’s it!
Step 1: Create & Verify Your Account
Create Your Account
Start on the Sign In page.
Select the Create An Account link below the Sign In input field.
Next: The Create Your Account page will display.
By default, the system will prompt the user to use a unique email address for their preferred method of validation.
3. Enter a unique email address in the Email input field.
4. Click the Email My Verification Code button to begin the process of validating your identity.
Below: Screenshot of the Create Your Account page with the Mobile Phone input field displayed.
Next: Validate your identity
To validate that the preferred sign in credential used is unique, a security code is sent to the user’s email account (or mobile phone device). The message is sent from the California Community Colleges and includes a time-sensitive six-digit code which must be obtained and entered on the Verify Your Account page within 10 minutes to continue the account creation process.
Verify Your Account
5. Retrieve the six-digit security code from your email account (or mobile device).
6. Enter the code in the Verification Code input field on the Verify Your Account page.
7. Click the Verify Email button to validate the code.
Next: The Create Profile section is displayed
The user’s validated email address will be pre-filled in the Profile with the Preferred Method of Contact indicator set to that method. You’re almost done!
Step 2: Create Your Profile
The Create Profile page is divided into three workflows:
Enter and confirm your Contact Information
Provide required Personal Information, and
Create a secure Password
Contact Information Section
The Contact Information section collects the information that helps your college(s) and other systemwide technology applications (as needed) contact you and verify your identity. It’s a short section and includes the following required fields:
Email Address (required, must be unique for security reasons)
Confirm Email Address
Primary Phone Number (mobile phone or landline accepted)
Phone Type
Are you currently homeless? (required)
If you are homeless currently, no further address information will be collected at this time.
If you are NOT currently homeless, the following address fields will display. Required fields will display an asterisk.
Country
State/Province
Street Address 1 & 2
Zip Code/Postal Code
Terms of Use Statement (required)
Steps:
1. Enter a unique email address in the Email input field. Confirm the email address in the Confirm Email field. (This is a required field.)
2. Enter your Primary Phone Number and select the Phone Type.
3. Read and acknowledge the Terms of Use statement by putting a checkmark in the adjacent checkbox. This acknowledges you understand the terms and use of your preferred method of contact.
4. If you are homeless and do not currently have a home address, select the Yes button under Are you currently homeless? With this response, no additional address fields will be displayed and you will be prompted to continue to the Personal Information section.
5. If you are not homeless, select the No button under “Are you currently homeless?” and prepare to provide your current home address. The Country field will display.
a. Select your Country from the menu. By default, United States will appear at the top; however if your home address is outside the United States, select your country from the Country menu. This is a required field.
b. Select your State or Province from the menu. (Required)
c. Type in the first line of your Street Address in the input field: (Required)
d. Enter additional street address information in the Street Address 2 field. (Optional)
d. Enter your Zip Code (US) or Postal Code (non-US). (Required) to complete your address.
6. Click Next when all required fields are filled to advance to the Personal Information section.
Next: The Personal Information section is displayed.
Personal Information Section
The Personal Information section collects the minimal amount of required information needed for your college(s) and other systemwide technology applications to ensure your educational records are complete across your educational journey in the California Community Colleges system. This section includes required fields, shown below, which are denoted with an asterisk:
Legal Name (first, middle, and last)
Preferred Name
Date of Birth / Confirm Date of Birth
Steps:
Enter your legal name:
First name (optional)
Middle name (optional)
Last name (required).
Suffix, such as Jr., Sr., or III (optional)
Enter a preferred name (optional).
Enter your date of birth manually or select the date from the calendar picker (required)
Confirm your date of birth (required and both dates must match.)
Click Next to advance to the Credentials section.
Next: The Credentials section is displayed
Credentials Section
The final step in the Create Profile section is to set up a secure Password that meets the security criteria requirements.
Your secure password must meet the following requirements:
be at least 8 characters in length
contain at least one uppercase letter
contain at least one lowercase letter
contain at least one number
contain at least one of the following special characters ( !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, or *)
must NOT contain your name
Steps:
Enter a string of letters, numbers, and special characters into the Password input field. The combination must meet the criteria requirements listed on the left, adjacent to the input fields.
Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password field to ensure it matches the Password field exactly (both fields must match).
Click the Create Account button to submit your password and finish creating your account.
Account Confirmation & Next Steps
When you’ve completed all the steps required in the account creation process (outlined above) and clicked the Submit button, the following happens:
The Account Confirmation screen will display with a button to continue to your destination application.
An Account Confirmation email or text message is sent to your preferred method (mobile phone or email address).
A unique CCCID is generated for you and stored with your account profile data. This data is also sent to the college with your CCCApply admission application or CC Promise Grant fee waiver application.
You will be auto-directed and/or auto-logged in to your destination URL or application.
To edit your OpenCCC account information:
Click on the Edit Your Account link in the header of any CCC Student Success Suite application, including CCCApply (Standard, Noncredit, or International applications for admission to college), MyPath student onboarding portal, or the CC Promise Grant application (fee waiver grant), to display the Edit Account page. The Sign In page will display.
Enter your email address or the mobile phone number you used to create & verify your account, initially.
If you forgot which email address or mobile phone number was used, click on the Recover Account link on the Sign In page. Follow the prompts to recover your verified sign in credentials.
User Flow: Create & Verify Account
Common Issues & Error Messages
Below are some common issues that may arise during account creation with ways to fix them and keep going. If you encounter other issues not listed here, please contact a Support Representative at the CCC Technology Center.
I didn’t receive a confirmation email or text message. What do I do?
First, confirm that you are logging into the right email account or using the correct mobile phone number. If you are sure you are using the correct email address or mobile phone number, contact CCCTC Support Representative for user support.
Why do I keep seeing the Session Expiration message?
If you are seeing the Session Expiration message, the system is saying it has not had any user activity in the past 10 minutes. This is standard functionality in web applications that are concerned about security and privacy of personal information.
To keep that message from appearing, continue to move through the account creation process and complete the set up of your account. If you are seeing this message - even if you have been active in the account creation process - check your internet connection and, if necessary, refresh the page for a more stable connection.
I keep getting a message that my account already exists. Why is this happening and what should I do now?
if you are seeing this message during account creation, it means that an account has already been created using more than one piece of personal information associated with you.
Stop creating a new account and return to the Sign In page. Click on the Recover Account link to see if you already have an account and attempt to recover your sign in credentials.
The system is not accepting my mobile phone number. Why is this happening and what do I do now?
It is possible that your mobile phone number is a duplicate in the system and has already been validated by another user. This could happen in error, or if you shared your mobile phone number with a family member, they may have validated the number before you.
We recommend using your unique email address to validate your account. From the Verify Your Account page, click on the Use email instead link to use your email address to validate your identity.
I didn’t receive a validation (security) code. What do I do now?
Request a new security code. Return to the Sign In page (during account creation) or if your account is already created, follow the Account Recovery process to request a new validation code.
Why am I getting a message telling me to verify my US address?
Domestic (US) addresses are run through a USPS validation service to ensure the address is valid. If the system detects an invalid address, the Verify Address message will display with a suggested address and the following message: “To ensure an accurate address, we suggest the one below. Would you like to use this suggested address?”
The continue, the user is required to make a “Yes or No” selection. Selecting Yes will prompt the system to override the original address and replace with the suggested address. Selecting No will prompt the system to maintain the original address, or the user can return and edit the original address provided.
Is customer support available if I get stuck during account creation?
Yes! User support is available 24/7 through the Helpdesk phone center (877) 247-4836 , by email support@openccc.net, or online through the self-support community site, CCCHelp.info.
I am more comfortable reading Spanish. Is there any way to translate the onscreen text to Spanish?
Yes! Every page of the OpenCCC account system, including account creation, recovery and edit profile, is available in English and Spanish. All onscreen text, error messages, help text, and confirmation emails and text messages, can be viewed in either language by selecting the Switch to Spanish/English link found in the header of every page.