The College Student Fast Lane at San Ysidro and Otay

The Coordinated Access Program, or CAP, gives approved students at three San Diego institutions access to designated pedestrian processing lanes when they cross from Mexico for school.

CAP is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection pilot program. It does not give students a new immigration status, eliminate inspection, or guarantee a shorter wait. It gives eligible students a designated pedestrian lane and a more predictable way to reach school.

Who may qualify

As of July 2026, CAP is available to eligible students at:

• Southwestern College
• San Diego State University
• University of California San Diego

You must be currently enrolled, cross for an educational purpose, carry valid travel and immigration documents, and receive final approval from CBP. A student at a different school cannot join merely because they commute across the border.

The precise academic requirement depends on the institution. Southwestern and SDSU tell applicants they need an in-person or hybrid class requiring physical attendance. UC San Diego also describes eligible educational travel as including in-person classes, research, and service projects. Follow your own school's criteria rather than another college's checklist.

CAP is for pedestrian crossings only. It does not provide a student vehicle lane.

Southwestern College

Southwestern has the most detailed school-specific process:

• Obtain a Southwestern student ID and a validation sticker for the current term
• Request a Southwestern Binational Student Enrollment Verification Letter, which contains the authorization code used in the CAP application
• Apply through the CBP Link mobile app and wait for CBP's decision

Access is tied to active enrollment and the dates of the current term. Check the Southwestern CAP page for the current semester before traveling.

San Diego State University

SDSU students request an institutional authorization code through the form linked from the university's CAP page, then apply in the CBP Link app. SDSU does not list the Southwestern enrollment letter or semester sticker as requirements for its students.

SDSU's published hours are internally inconsistent. The main section of its CAP page lists San Ysidro and Otay Mesa from 6 AM to 10 PM, while the FAQ on the same page says CAP operates weekdays from 6 AM to 7 PM. Do not build a commute around either number without checking the CBP Link app and the SDSU CAP page.

UC San Diego

UC San Diego students first request an authorization code from Global Initiatives, then submit their application through CBP Link.

UC San Diego does not publish a fixed hours table. It directs students to the CBP Link app for the current days and times. Its CAP page also warns that procedures may change while CBP refines the pilot.

What to carry

Every approved student, at all three schools, must have three things at the crossing:

• A valid travel or entry document appropriate to their immigration status
• A current student ID from their school
• Proof of CAP approval in the CBP Link app

Southwestern students must carry two additional items:

• A Southwestern Binational Student Enrollment Verification Letter, printed or on a phone
• A student ID bearing the current semester sticker

Neither SDSU nor UC San Diego lists an enrollment letter or a semester sticker for its own students. UC San Diego does add one condition to the entry document: it specifies that the document must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements.

Published hours

• Southwestern College: weekdays, 6 AM to 10 AM at San Ysidro and 6 AM to 10 PM at Otay Mesa
• San Diego State University: 6 AM to 10 PM at both ports according to the main section of its CAP page, or 6 AM to 7 PM according to the FAQ on that same page
• UC San Diego: no published hours; the school directs students to the CBP Link app

Treat every figure above as a starting point, not a schedule. The CBP Link app is the authority on the days and times a lane is actually operating.

Using CAP correctly

CAP may be used only for educational travel related to your enrollment. It is not for shopping, social trips, or unrelated weekend travel. Failure to follow the program rules can result in loss of access.

Follow the CAP signs on the Mexican side of the port and present the documents required by your school at the international boundary. You will still proceed through CBP inspection.

Before each term:

• Confirm that your school still participates
• Renew any school document or approval that has expired
• Check the CBP Link app for the port and hours you plan to use
• Recheck your school's CAP page for institution-specific changes

Program details in this guide were last verified July 27, 2026, against the official CAP pages from Southwestern College, San Diego State University, and UC San Diego.