College of San MateoStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for College of San Mateo. Free for students.

College in San Mateo, CA. Operating on a semester system.

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7K+

Total Enrollment

College

Institution Type

1

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Fall 2026 Semester

The semester, explained for College of San Mateo

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Fall 2026 Semester
Campus terms
12
Local details
15

Academic calendar

Fall 2026 Semester runs Aug 13, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

5 entries
  1. Fall 2026 SemesterRelevant now
  2. Spring 2027 Semester
  3. Summer 2027 Six-Week Session
  4. Summer 2027 Seven-Week Session
  5. Summer 2027 Eight-Week Session

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

12 terms

A

AGS
Alpha Gamma Sigma, the California Community College Honor Society chapter on campus.
ASCSM
Associated Students of College of San Mateo, the official student government body.

B

Bulldog Grill
The quick-service grill station within the Terrace dining hall.
Bulldogs
The official mascot and collective name for CSM's athletic teams.

E

EOPS
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, a state-funded program providing support for students facing barriers.

M

MCC
The Multicultural Center, a hub for diversity programs and student support.

P

Paws
Short for Paws for Coffee, the campus coffee shop located in the College Center.
Paws for Coffee
The campus coffee shop located on the second floor of Building 10.
PTK
Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students.

T

The 10
Student shorthand for Building 10, the central meeting and social spot on campus.
The Hill
The common nickname for the CSM campus, referring to its physical location on the San Mateo hills.
The Terrace
The main food court and dining area located in Building 10 (College Center).

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

15 details
Building 1
The Administration Building, housing the President's office and business services.
Building 10
The College Center; the primary hub for student services, the bookstore, and dining.
Building 3
The Theater building, used for performing arts and large lectures.
Building 5
The Health and Wellness Center, which houses the gym, pool, and fitness classes.
Building 9
The Library and Learning Center, used for studying and tutoring.
Canvas
The learning management system where students access course materials and submit assignments.
Degree Works
The online tool within WebSMART used to track progress toward a degree or transfer requirements.
G-Number
The unique student identification number (starting with a 'G') used for all official records.
Late Start
Short-term classes that begin mid-semester rather than during the first week.
le_bulldog
Le Bulldog
paws_for_coffee
Paws for Coffee
SamTrans
The local bus system (specifically routes like the 250) that provides transit to the campus.
terrace_grill
Terrace Grill
the_market
The Market
WebSMART
The online student portal used for registration, checking grades, and managing financial aid.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Fall 2026 Semester runs Aug 13, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
12 approved campus terms and 15 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at College of San Mateo

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed
Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for College of San Mateo.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Using DormWay at College of San Mateo

What the product handles for students.

Syllabus to schedule

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Workload planning

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Free student access

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College of San Mateo on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

2

Active Students

DormWay integrates with College of San Mateo's LMS

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Canvas

Supported

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Life in San Mateo for College of San Mateo Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in San Mateo.

Timezone

Pacific Time (PT)

Median Rent

$3,200

Cost of Living Index

210

Student Population

22,000

City Transportation

Walkability

74

Bikeability

70

Public Transit

Caltrain, SamTrans bus network, BART (regional access via Millbrae and San Francisco), Local shuttles and employer buses

Nearest Airports

San Francisco International Airport, San Carlos Airport, Oakland International Airport (regional)

Climate Averages

Climate

Mediterranean (warm-summer coastal)

Avg Annual Temp

58°F

Avg Snowfall

0 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Student Lots (A, B, D, E, F, H, J, K, N, P, Q, V, W, X)

surface_lot • First-come, first-served

No permit required for students or visitors during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Staff Lots (C, F, L, M, R, S, T, U)

surface_lot • First-come, first-served

Staff permit required; students may not park in these lots.

Campus News

Latest updates from College of San Mateo

CSM Volleyball Ranked No. 12 in State; Football Unanimous No. 1

The CSM volleyball team entered the state top 25 rankings at No. 12, while the football team remains the unanimous top-ranked team in the state.

Sep 3, 2026

Read More

CSM Named One of Nation's Top 15 Community Colleges

WalletHub's 2026 study ranked College of San Mateo as the 15th best community college in the nation and 3rd in California.

Aug 19, 2026

Read More

New Pathways and Stronger Momentum for 2026-27 Academic Year

CSM launched new academic programs including the Certificate of Achievement in PEACS and an Associate in Science in Allied Health.

Aug 18, 2026

Read More

Canvas Outage and Phishing Alert: ITS restored access following an extortion message incident; users advised to stay alert for phishing attempts.

Canvas Outage and Phishing Alert: ITS restored access following an extortion message incident; users advised to stay alert for phishing attempts.

Read More

Upcoming Events

What's happening at College of San Mateo

Transfer Day

September 23, 2026

College Center Building 10

An opportunity for students to meet with representatives from various four-year universities to discuss transfer requirements and opportunities.

Family Science Day

September 26, 2026

CSM Campus (Library, Science Building, Theatre)

Annual community event featuring hands-on experiments, planetarium shows, firefighter demonstrations, and a keynote presentation by a NASA scientist.

Community Hour with VPI Lauren Servais

September 30, 2026

College Center Building 10

An open hour for students and staff to engage with the Vice President of Instruction.

Portland State University Outreach Table

September 30, 2026

College Center Building 10

Information session and outreach table for students interested in transferring to Portland State University.

Last Day to Apply for Degree – Certificate

October 2, 2026

Online/Admissions & Records

The final deadline for students to submit applications for degrees or certificates for the current term.

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at College of San Mateo

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

1 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

Districtwide Student Housing at College of San Mateo

Capacity: 316

Room types: semi-suite shared bedroom, studio, four-bedroom apartment

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Email Domain

@collegeofsanmateo.edu

Plan your semester at College of San Mateo

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