College of San Mateo is located at the northern corridor of Silicon Valley and situated on a beautiful 153-acre site in the San Mateo hills that provides a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay. Since 1922, CSM has been a gateway to higher education leading to university transfer, career preparation and advancement, and professional and personal development.

The College currently serves approximately 10,000 day, evening and weekend students each fall and spring semester. CSM students reflect the diversity of the Bay Area and have a range of educational goals. To best serve our students, the curriculum offers a wealth of programs that include traditional, semester-length and short courses in addition to distance education.

Students can experience a vibrant campus life to complement classroom learning that includes leadership development, student government, more than 30 student clubs and educational and cultural activities. CSM is proud of its championship intercollegiate athletic teams which compete at the highest community college level. Many student-athletes receive scholarships and continue at four-year institutions and numerous CSM athletes have gone on to professional careers.

Why the College of San Mateo

• Campus life: The College of San Mateo provides an exceptional educational opportunity to residents of San Mateo County and the Greater Bay Area Region. The college is an open-access, student-centered institution that serves the diverse educational, economic, social, and cultural needs of its students and the community.

• Enhanced teaching environment: College of San Mateo fosters a culture of excellence and success that engages and challenges students through a comprehensive curriculum of basic skills, career and technical programs, and transfer preparation. It uses analysis of quantitative and qualitative data and information, collaborative integrated institutional planning, and assessment to inform decision-making and ensure continuous improvement. Its programs and services are structured, delivered, and evaluated to prepare students to be informed and engaged citizens in an increasingly global community. To achieve this mission, the college has adopted the following Strategic Goals:
  • Improve Student Success
  • Promote Academic Excellence
  • Develop Responsive, High-Quality Programs and Services
  • Support Professional Development
  • Implement the Integrated Planning Cycle and Ensure Fiscal Stability and the Efficient Use of Resources
  • Enhance Institutional Dialog