Homeschool benefits: MiraCosta Community College District

MiraCosta College charges no tuition ($46 per unit for other students) to high school concurrent enrollment students, including homeschoolers, for up to 11 units each fall and spring term and 8 units in summer, worth up to $506 a semester. A homeschooled student qualifies with a Private School Affidavit for the current school year or approval from the local public high school. Other options include transit fare savings.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Benefits in the MiraCosta Community College District service area

1. MiraCosta College homeschool concurrent enrollment
2. San Diego County PRONTO Youth Opportunity Pass
3. MTS and NCTD Youth Opportunity Pass

MiraCosta College homeschool concurrent enrollment

Who qualifies

1. Finished 8th grade or is 15

   High school students who have finished 8th grade, or are 15, can take classes with permission from their high school and a parent or guardian.

2. Files a Private School Affidavit

   Email your Private School Affidavit for the current school year to dualenroll@miracosta.edu. One affidavit covers the whole school year.

3. Or has public school approval

   Instead of an affidavit, the public high school your student would normally attend can approve, agreeing that homeschooling counts as school attendance and that your student is ready for college classes.

4. Submits the Early College Credit Form

   Submit the form through Adobe e-Sign, or print, sign, and email it to the dual enrollment office.

What it is worth

MiraCosta's enrollment fee is $46 per unit, and tuition is free for concurrent enrollment students.

One 3-unit class

$138

8 units (summer limit)

$368

11 units (fall or spring limit)

$506

Fall, spring, and summer at the limits

$1,380

You buy books and required materials. The $2 Student Representation Fee can be waived by opting out in SURF; ask whether the $22 health fee or student center fee applies.

From applying to registering

1. Step 1

   Apply to MiraCosta

   Submit the MiraCosta application through CCCApply; processing takes 2-3 business days. Email dualenroll@miracosta.edu if no welcome email arrives in 3 business days.

2. Step 2

   Activate SURF

   Use the welcome email to set up your student's SURF account password and multi-factor authentication.

3. Step 3

   Submit the form and affidavit

   Complete the Early College Credit Form and email the current Private School Affidavit. Processing usually takes 1-3 business days.

4. Every semester

   Do the pre-registration survey

   Complete the required survey in the SURF To Do List each semester, then register for classes in SURF.

5. After two terms off

   Reapply

   A student who skips two or more semesters in a row, not counting summer, must apply again.

What it pays for

Covered

• Tuition of $46 per unit
• Up to 11 units in fall and spring
• Up to 8 units in summer
• In-person, online, and hybrid classes

Not covered

• Books
• Required course materials
• The $2 Student Representation Fee unless you opt out

Who to contact

The dual enrollment office receives affidavits and Early College Credit Forms and answers concurrent enrollment questions.

dualenroll@miracosta.edu Concurrent enrollment page

San Diego County PRONTO Youth Opportunity Pass

Who qualifies

1. Is 18 or younger

   Anyone 18 and under qualifies, and your child keeps the same Youth pass until their 19th birthday. No school enrollment or income is required.

2. Has their own PRONTO account

   Each child needs a separate PRONTO app account or PRONTO card. The age check site verifies only one card at a time.

3. Uploads proof of age

   A birth certificate, photo ID with birthdate such as a passport, school ID, or a screenshot of the platform your child uses to turn in homework that shows their name and school all work.

4. Adds a profile photo

   The online application asks for a profile picture or a live selfie that shows your child's face.

What the pass gives you

SANDAG's and MTS's Youth Opportunity Pass pages list these terms; adult one-way fares on MTS and NCTD rose to $3 on October 1, 2026.

Rides for riders 18 and under

Unlimited

PRONTO app account

Free

Plastic PRONTO card

$2

Youth photo ID PRONTO card

$7

Approval at a customer service center

Same day

Pass good until

19th birthday

Since spring 2025 every youth pass needs an age check, so a pass from before then must be reactivated by uploading proof of age.

How to get the pass

1. Before you apply

   Set up PRONTO

   Download the PRONTO San Diego app and create an account, or buy a $2 PRONTO card and register it online.

2. When you apply

   Request the Youth fare

   Log in on a web browser, choose "Apply for Youth, Senior, Disabled Pass," select Youth, and enter your child's name and birthdate. Confirm with the code sent to your email, then upload proof of age and a photo.

3. Within 2-10 days

   Get approved

   Some applications are approved automatically; others wait for MTS staff. The virtual card reads "Youth" at the top once it is verified, or bring proof of age to an MTS or NCTD customer service center for same-day approval.

4. Every ride

   Scan or tap

   Scan the app or tap the card every time your child boards, including on a transfer to another bus, Trolley, or train.

What it includes

Included

• MTS buses and Trolley
• Transfers between lines

Not included

• NCTD LIFT paratransit
• Riders 19 and older
• Bulk passes handed out through schools or groups

SANDAG and the County of San Diego fund the pilot, and the SANDAG Board has approved funding only through June 2027.

Who to contact about the Youth Opportunity Pass

SANDAG answers questions about the program by email, and PRONTO Support at this phone number helps with Youth accounts and cards.

youthopportunitypass@sandag.org 619-595-5636 Youth Opportunity Pass page

MTS and NCTD Youth Opportunity Pass

Who qualifies

1. Is 18 or younger

   Your child can use the pass until their 19th birthday. Children 5 and under ride MTS and NCTD free at all times without a card or proof of age.

2. Has a Youth PRONTO account

   Free rides work only on a PRONTO app account or PRONTO card set to the Youth fare type. Each child needs their own card or app account.

3. Proves their birthdate

   A birth certificate or a government-issued photo ID with birthdate, such as a passport, verifies a homeschooled child without a school ID. Verify online, at the MTS Transit Store, or at an NCTD Customer Service Center.

What the pass saves

These are the MTS and NCTD fares that took effect October 1, 2026; a rider with the Youth Opportunity Pass pays none of them.

Adult one-way, most MTS and NCTD service

$3.00

Adult day pass earned with PRONTO

$7.00

Adult regional monthly pass

$85

Adult COASTER one-way

$6.50

Adult COASTER monthly pass

$185

Youth with the pass

Free

A rider without a Youth PRONTO card or app pays the one-way cash fare, which includes no transfers, so set up the account before the first trip.

How to get free rides

1. Before you apply

   Get a PRONTO card or app

   Download the free PRONTO app and create a virtual card, or buy a PRONTO card at a Trolley ticket machine or retail outlet for a one-time $2 fee plus a minimum load.

2. When you apply

   Change it to Youth

   Request the Youth fare type online at RidePRONTO.com, by phone at 619-595-5636, or in person. Online requests are processed the next business day; phone requests give temporary Youth status until you verify eligibility.

3. Every ride

   Tap or scan

   Tap the card or scan the app at the validator on the Trolley platform or at the front of the bus, and carry proof of age.

4. By June 30, 2027

   Watch the end date

   The pilot is funded through June 30, 2027. Your child can keep the same Youth pass until their 19th birthday while the program runs.

What it includes

Included

• All fixed-route MTS buses and Trolley
• NCTD BREEZE, SPRINTER, COASTER, and FLEX
• Transfers when you tap each time

Not included

• NCTD LIFT paratransit
• Riders 19 and older
• Sharing one card or app between children
• Refunds of cash already loaded on a Youth card

Who to contact about the Youth Opportunity Pass

The PRONTO Support Center sets up Youth accounts and answers questions about MTS and NCTD fare products.

youthopportunitypass@sandag.org 619-595-5636 MTS Youth Opportunity Pass page

Homeschool rules and statewide help in California

For the home-based private-school pathway, file the Private School Affidavit during the October 1–15 annual filing period. New schools may use the online filing system during its separate August 1–June 30 opening window. Other legal pathways have their own rules.

California sets these rules:

• Subjects: The private-school pathway must provide instruction in English in the branches of study required for public schools; the parent chooses the materials and course sequence.
• Testing: California does not impose a statewide standardized-testing requirement on private-school students.
• Records: Private schools must keep the records required by California law, including attendance and faculty information.
• Teachers: Private-school instructors must be capable of teaching; California does not issue a separate homeschool-parent credential.

Read the California homeschooling guide See statewide programs in California

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