Homeschool benefits and savings in San Francisco
City College of San Francisco (CCSF) lets high school and homeschooled students under 18 take up to 11 units each fall and spring and 8 units in summer with no enrollment fee, which is $46 a unit for other California residents, and no health, activities, or representation fee. A homeschooled student applies with a high school transcript and a copy of a current Private School Affidavit. Other options include transit fare savings and recreation and camp discounts.
Benefits in San Francisco
- City College of San Francisco homeschool concurrent enrollment
- San Francisco Free Muni for youth
- San Francisco Recreation Scholarship
City College of San Francisco homeschool concurrent enrollment
Who qualifies
Is a homeschooled student under 18
CCSF's board authorizes certain high school students under 18 to enroll in college courses, and its concurrent enrollment page names home-schooled students.
Sends a transcript and affidavit
Home school students submit a high school transcript and a copy of a current Private School Affidavit to hsenroll@ccsf.edu.
Gets the permission form signed
The High School Concurrent Enrollment Permission and Consent Form needs a signature from the principal, counselor, or school designee.
Is a California resident
Enrollment is free for California residents. Students who are not residents pay out-of-state tuition unless they qualify for a nonresident waiver.
What the exemption saves
High school students at CCSF are exempt from the California community college enrollment fee of $46 a unit.
- One 3-unit class
- $138
- Summer limit (8 units)
- $368
- Fall or spring limit (11 units)
- $506
- Fall and spring at the limit
- $1,012
- Fall, spring, and summer at the limit
- $1,380
Books and supplies are still your cost, and an older CCSF form limited students to two classes a term, so confirm the current limit with the high school programs office.
From applying to keeping it
- Before the term
Apply to CCSF
Follow CCSF's Steps to Apply for a credit high school student and submit the college application.
- With the application
Send your documents
Email the high school transcript, a copy of the current Private School Affidavit, and the signed permission and consent form to hsenroll@ccsf.edu.
- 5 to 8 business days
Wait for processing
CCSF may take 5 to 8 business days to process the permission form before your student can register.
- Each term
Register within the limit
Register for no more than 11 units in fall or spring, or 8 in summer, after meeting each course's prerequisites.
What it pays for
Covered
- The $46-a-unit enrollment fee
- Student health fee
- Student activities fee
- Student representation fee
Not covered
- Books and supplies
- Out-of-state tuition for nonresidents
- Units beyond the term limit
Who to contact
CCSF's high school enrollment office receives homeschool documents and answers concurrent enrollment questions.
hsenroll@ccsf.edu 415-452-5101 Concurrent enrollment page
San Francisco Free Muni for youth
Who qualifies
Is 18 or younger
Every rider 18 and under rides free, whatever the household income or where your family lives.
Carries ID at 16 and up
Riders 16 and older are encouraged to carry a student ID or other ID for age verification.
Requests a cable car pass
Cable cars are the exception: San Francisco youth ages 5-18 request a free cable car pass from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and children 4 and under always ride cable cars free.
What free rides save
These are SFMTA's current adult fares; riders 18 and under pay none of them on regular Muni service.
- Single ride with Clipper or MuniMobile
- $2.85
- Single ride in cash
- $3.00
- Day pass
- $5.70
- Adult monthly pass, Muni only
- $86
- Cable car single ride
- $9.00
The cable car fare is free only with the youth cable car pass, so request one before a cable car trip if your child is 5 or older.
How to ride free
- Any day
Get on and ride
Your child boards any Muni bus, train, or historic streetcar without paying or tapping a card.
- At Muni Metro stations
Use the agent gate
Enter at the gate closest to the station agent booth. If no agent is there, the gate opens automatically.
- Before riding a cable car
Request the cable car pass
San Francisco youth ages 5-18 fill out SFMTA's online cable car pass request. Current program participants can keep using their Clipper card for free cable car fares.
What it includes
Included
- Muni buses
- Muni Metro trains
- Historic streetcars
- Cable cars with the youth cable car pass
Not included
- Cable cars without the youth pass, for ages 5-18
- Riders 19 and older
Who to contact about Free Muni for Youth
SF 311 answers questions about Muni fares and the Free Muni for Youth program; inside San Francisco, dial 311.
415-701-2311 Free Muni for Youth page
San Francisco Recreation Scholarship
Who qualifies
Lives in San Francisco
Prove residency with a photo ID whose name matches the name on a utility bill. The program asks nothing about where or whether your child attends school.
Meets the income limit
Household income must be at or below 250% of the federal poverty level or 50% of San Francisco's Area Median Income. Under the 2025 table that is $66,625 for a household of three and $80,375 for four.
Shows income proof
For the 50% level, send the prior year's tax return or a current Supplemental Security Income (SSI) statement, or let Rec and Park staff check with the Human Services Agency.
Two programs for 100% off
A child under 18 gets the full cost covered when the household is enrolled in two government-subsidized programs, shown by two Notice of Action letters from Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, or CalFresh, a public housing rent receipt, or a foster care court order.
What the discount covers
San Francisco Recreation and Parks sets three scholarship levels and applies them to the household's registration account.
- Household at or below the income limit
- 50%
- Adult in a household with two subsidized programs
- 75%
- Child under 18 in a household with two subsidized programs
- 100%
- Youth up to 21 in foster care, or a family in public housing
- 100%
- Pool swim passes
- Eligible
The scholarship can be taken away for no-shows, too many absences, or too many late withdrawals, so drop a class early if your plans change.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Gather proof
Collect a photo ID, a utility bill in the same name, and either last year's tax return or your benefit Notice of Action letters.
- Any time
Apply online
Fill in the online scholarship application for every family member and sign the scholarship agreement, which comes in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
- Within two weeks
Wait for approval
Processing can take up to two weeks, and the scholarship does not cover anything you registered for before approval.
- After approval
Register for programs
The discount shows on your household account when you sign up through Rec and Park registration.
- Every two years
Re-verify
Eligibility lasts two years from the approval date, then you prove residency and income again.
What it pays for
Covered
- Cultural arts classes
- Athletics programs
- Aquatics, including pool swim passes
- Outdoor recreation
- Tiny Tots and other community service programs
Not covered
- Camp Mather camping reservations
- Facility rentals
- Point-of-sale items
- Programs you registered for before approval
The discount applies to fee-based Rec and Park programs for children, youth, adults, and seniors, and the city says no applicant is turned away for lack of funds.
Who to contact
Program registration answers questions about scholarships and signing up, with translation available.
rpdinfo@sfgov.org 415-831-6800 Scholarship application
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
Questions parents ask
- Who signs the CCSF permission form for a home school?
- It is unclear. The form calls for the principal, counselor, or school designee, and CCSF does not say who fills that role for a home school, so ask hsenroll@ccsf.edu before you sign as the principal of your private school.
- What if my student is not a California resident? Can they still take CCSF classes?
- Yes, but nonresident high school students pay out-of-state tuition unless they qualify for a nonresident tuition waiver. Undocumented and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) high school students can apply to have that tuition waived.
- Do we have to live in San Francisco for Free Muni for Youth?
- No, not for regular Muni service. SFMTA offers free rides regardless of residency, though the cable car pass is for San Francisco youth.
- What should my teenager carry on Muni?
- A student ID or another ID that shows their age, which SFMTA encourages riders 16 and older to carry. A homeschooled teen can carry a state ID or passport.
- Will a San Francisco Rec and Parks scholarship make classes completely free?
- Only at the 100% level: children under 18 in a household with two subsidized programs, in foster care, unhoused, or in public housing. Households that qualify on income alone pay half.
- Can San Francisco Rec and Parks refund a class we already paid for?
- No. Scholarships are not retroactive, so apply and wait for approval before you register.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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