Your username will usually have the format: lastname_firstname##@student.smc.edu
## stands for a sequence number.
You may find your actual username on the SMC Account Info email that SMC sent you when you first enrolled. Check your personal email and search for the keywords "Setup your SMC Account" (use quotes if necessary). The email would be sent from SMC's Admissions office.
1. Log in to the Change Password Form.
2. Enter your full SMC email and captcha
3. Authenticate
4. Provide a new password, and confirm it
Note: Your password must:
- Be at least 12 characters long
- Not include your name or parts of your name
- Use 3 of these 4 character types:
- Uppercase letters (A–Z)
- Lowercase letters (a–z)
- Numbers (0–9)
- Special characters (like !, $, @)
Keep in mind SMC's account policies:
- If you have not taken an SMC class within the last two years. Your network account has been disabled or deleted. You must reapply for admission.
- You filed an admission application more than six months ago but have not enrolled in a class since. Your network account has been disabled or deleted. You must reapply for admission.
1. Log in to the Change Password Form.
2. Enter your full SMC email and captcha
3. Authenticate
4. Provide a new password, and confirm it
Note: Your password must:
- Be at least 12 characters long
- Not include your name or parts of your name
- Use 3 of these 4 character types:
- Uppercase letters (A–Z)
- Lowercase letters (a–z)
- Numbers (0–9)
- Special characters (like !, $, @)
A locked account will automatically unlock after approximately 15 minutes. Accounts are temporarily locked when multiple consecutive login attempts with an incorrect password occur within a short period of time.
If you believe you are using the correct password, please wait 15 minutes before attempting to log in again. Before retrying, ensure that Caps Lock is turned off and that all keyboard inputs are functioning as expected.
If your account becomes locked after only one login attempt, this may indicate that another device is attempting to access your account using an outdated password. In this case, please verify that all of your devices (such as your cellphone, tablet, or computer) are updated with your current password. Additionally, ensure that you are signed out of any shared or public devices, including loaner or lab computers.
If your account remains locked after following these steps, please contact IT support at StudentITHelp@smc.edu for further assistance.
Contact Canvas Help Desk at (844) 303-0352.
New students:
If you're a new student and are having trouble logging in to Canvas, your Canvas account may not have been created yet.
An SMC Canvas account is created for each new student:
- two weeks before the student’s first scheduled SMC course starts
OR
- one day after a student adds their first class if the class has already started
If you try to access Canvas before then, Canvas will correctly say that you do not have a Canvas account yet.
Continuing Students:
If you're an continuing student and were able to access Canvas before, it's possible your account was renamed. If that's the case you'll have to wait overnight for your SMC account sync with Canvas.
Note:
Your instructor must publish the class before you can view it on Canvas. If it doesn't show up 24 hours after you added the class contact your instructor.
Email your instructor from your SMC student email account if you have questions about the class content, tests, quizzes, or any material within Canvas. The directory of SMC employee email addresses is at:
You cannot get a head start on the class unless the instructor allows it. Instructors almost always add more material to their Canvas class pages during the semester.
"Students: Course access will be the FIRST official day of the class." according to the SMC Canvas login web page at:
SMC pays the private company that owns Canvas to answer questions from students about any problems inside Canvas. Once your account is created, here is how to contact the Canvas Help Desk or review its self‑help resources:
- Log in to Canvas
- Click on the menu's "i" symbol for "Help & Academic Resources"
- Select "Contact Canvas Support (Student)"
- Choose the kind of help you want: look at web pages yourself, chat, phone, or email
Once your SMC Canvas account is created, it is possible to get familiar with the Canvas system. However, there is a short Canvas introductory video (4.5 minutes long) that you can watch anytime. A few things in the video are generic, so SMC’s version of Canvas will look a little different in places, but not much:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Video-Guide/Canvas-Overview-Students/ta-p/383771
Canvas Help Desk: (844) 303-0352
Follow the instructions on this link: Activate your SMC account
Keep in mind SMC's account policies:
- If you have not taken an SMC class within the last two years. Your network account has been disabled or deleted. You must reapply for admission.
- You filed an admission application more than six months ago but have not enrolled in a class since. Your network account has been disabled or deleted. You must reapply for admission.
Log in to https://myaccount.microsoft.com/smc.edu to view or change your SMC account authentication options
If you have not been admitted to SMC, please contact the Welcome Center (the College's general information desk).
If you have questions about classes in computing or computer science, please contact the Computer Science and Information Systems Department.
If you have technical questions about Canvas, please log in to Canvas and contact the Canvas Help Desk: (844) 303-0352
If you have questions about something posted on your class's Canvas webpage, contact your instructor.
For other technical issues with your email or SMC provided software or hardware contact StudentITHelp@smc.edu or call (310) 434-3111