diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/notifications/admin.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/notifications/admin.py
index 52a758b97b03..82524e4b08b2 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/notifications/admin.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/notifications/admin.py
@@ -66,13 +66,47 @@ class CourseNotificationPreferenceAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
     """
     model = CourseNotificationPreference
     raw_id_fields = ('user',)
-    list_display = ('get_username', 'course_id', 'notification_preference_config')
+    list_display = ('get_username', 'course_id')
     search_fields = ('course_id', 'user__username')
+    search_help_text = _('Search by username, course_id. '
+                         'Specify fields with username: or course_id: prefixes. '
+                         'If no prefix is specified, search will be done on username. \n'
+                         'Examples: \n'
+                         ' - testuser (default username search) \n'
+                         ' - username:testuser (username keyword search) \n'
+                         ' - course_id:course-v1:edX+DemoX+Demo_Course (course_id keyword search) \n'
+                         ' - username:testuser, course_id:course-v1:edX+DemoX+Demo_Course (combined keyword search) \n'
+                         )
 
     @admin.display(description='Username', ordering='user__username')
     def get_username(self, obj):
         return obj.user.username
 
+    def get_search_results(self, request, queryset, search_term):
+        """
+        Custom search for CourseNotificationPreference model
+        """
+        if search_term:
+            criteria = search_term.split(',')
+
+            for criterion in criteria:
+                criterion = criterion.strip()
+                if criterion.startswith('username:'):
+                    queryset = queryset.filter(user__username=criterion.split(':')[1])
+
+                elif criterion.startswith('course_id:'):
+                    criteria = criterion.split(':')
+                    course_id = ':'.join(criteria[1:]).strip()
+                    queryset = queryset.filter(course_id=course_id)
+
+                else:
+                    queryset = queryset.filter(user__username=search_term)
+
+        else:
+            queryset = queryset.all()
+
+        return queryset, True
+
 
 admin.site.register(Notification, NotificationAdmin)
 admin.site.register(CourseNotificationPreference, CourseNotificationPreferenceAdmin)