West Virginia State Community and Technical College (WVSCTC) is an open-door admissions institute. This policy is based upon the recognized mission of the College. Based upon this mission, the following policies and practices are maintained.
General Admission
WVSCTC admits, as regular students, those individuals with a high school diploma or GED. WVSCTC admits as "conditional students" other persons who believe they can benefit from a college education. (Note: "conditional students" will be evaluated individually by the Registrar and informed of the information required for admission to WVSCTC.) All applicants who have graduated from high school or completed GED requirements and registering in a certificate or associate degree program, must submit a high school transcript or GED score report. The high school transcript or GED Report must be submitted prior to the end of the first semester of attendance. Those degree-seeking students planning to enroll for 12 or more credit hours or those who have successfully completed 30 hours or less from an accredited institution must submit ACT score reports to the Admissions Office. Admission to WVSCTC does not imply eligibility for, nor admission to, any specific program for which more stringent entrance requirements are established. (NOTE: Please see additional information in ACT section.)
Re-Entry Students
A student who interrupts his/her studies by failing to register and attend classes during a fall or spring semester is required to re-submit transcripts if he/she has earned additional credits at another institution.
Non-Degree Seeking Students
Students who wish to take credit courses for personal enrichment, job improvement, or some reason other than seeking a degree or certificate are permitted to enroll as special students. These students must submit a completed application form and official academic transcripts from any college attended.
A student who wishes to change his status from non-degree to a degree or certificate program, must complete the necessary forms in the Registrar's Office to change his/her admission status. The student must then complete the degree-seeking admission requirements.
Transfer Students
Students may transfer to WVSCTC from other accredited post-secondary institutions. The transfer student must submit a completed application for admission and present an official transcript of all previous college work to the Registrar's Office. An evaluation will be made of each transcript and the student will be notified by the Registrar of those courses transferable. Students who transfer must complete fifteen of the last twenty-three hours of the certificate or associate degree program at WVSCTC. A student who fails to acknowledge attendance at any college or university in which he/she has been registered is subject to immediate dismissal.
Early Entry High School Students
High school students with junior or senior standing may enroll in courses at WVSCTC provided they meet course prerequisites and the following requirements:
1. Completion of a consent form signed by the high school principal or counselor and parent.
2. The student must have a 3.0 (B) average.
3. Juniors may take classes totaling no more than 4 credit hours per semester.
4. Seniors may enroll for no more than 7 credit hours per semester unless otherwise approved by the Dean for Academic Affairs or his/her designee.
5. Early entry students must meet prerequisite test scores before registering for college-level English and/or math courses.
Conditional Admission
Other persons 18 years of age or older may be admitted on a conditional basis but shall be evaluated at the conclusion of each semester of enrollment to determine whether college-level academic performance indicates an ability to continue their studies. Neither regular nor conditional admission shall ensure the entry of applicants into specific programs.
Conditional admission may be granted in instances where institutional officials have determined that the student has the potential to successfully complete college-level work. Such student must complete all needed developmental courses and pass the GED before being admitted as a regular degree-seeking student. A maximum of 12 semester hours may be taken as a conditionally admitted student. Conditionally admitted students are not eligible to receive financial aid.
International Students
Foreign nationals who wish to attend WVSCTC as non-immigrant aliens must comply with the following policy:
1. Each applicant must satisfy the general admission requirements.
2. Each applicant must provide a transcript of all previous secondary and post-secondary work completed.
3. Each applicant must provide evidence of satisfactory command of the English language as evidenced by composite TOEFL score of 450 or better or through demonstration to a WVSCTC English faculty member that English proficiency has been achieved. (NOTE: Information on TOEFL may be secured by writing TOEFL, 1755 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036.)
4. Each applicant who plans to enter the country to attend WVSCTC must indicate that he or she has sufficient funds for tuition, fees, books, and living expenses through a notarized affidavit of support. Before an I-20 form is issued, the applicant must submit to the Business Office proof of availability of tuition for one academic year.
5. Applicants who plan to transfer to WVSCTC from other post-secondary institutions, must supply documentation of satisfactory academic progress and have not had disciplinary actions brought against them.
If any applicant completes the procedures above but does not register or registers for less than full-time (12 hours or more) the Registrar's Office will notify the Immigration Office immediately.
American College Test (ACT) Requirement
The American College Test (ACT) is required of all degree seeking students enrolling at WVSCTC. This requirement does not apply to those students who graduated from high school or completed GED requirements five or more years prior to entering college.
WVSCTC participates in the ACT national test dates. In addition, residual (on-campus) tests are scheduled as needed. In order to take the residual test, a student must have applied for admission or must currently be attending WVSCTC. For additional information, contact the Career Services Office.
Residency Determination
Students enrolling in a West Virginia public institution of higher education shall be classified as resident or non-resident for admission, tuition, and fee purposes by the institutional officer designated by the President of the College. The decision shall be based upon information furnished by the student and all other relevant information. The Registrar's Office is authorized to require such written documents, affidavits, verifications, or other evidence as are deemed necessary to establish the domicile of a student. The burden of establishing residency for tuition and fee purposes is upon the student.
If there is a question of residence, the matter must be brought to the attention of the Registrar and decided upon prior to registration. False or misleading statements concerning residence shall be subject to disciplinary action and the person involved will be charged the non-resident fees for each session previously attended.
Domicile within the State means adoption of the State as a fixed permanent home and involves personal presence within the State with no intent on the part of the person to return to another state or country. West Virginia domicile may be established upon the completion of at least twelve months of continued residence within the State prior to the date of registration, provided that such twelve months residency is not primarily for the purpose of attendance at any institution of learning in West Virginia.
Establishment of West Virginia domicile with less than twelve months residence, prior to the date of registration, must be supported by proof of positive and unequivocal action, such as, but not limited to, purchasing a West Virginia home, paying West Virginia property tax, filing West Virginia income tax returns, registering to vote in West Virginia and the actual exercising of such rights, registering of motor vehicles in West Virginia, possessing a valid West Virginia driver's license, and full-time employment within the State.
Minors are defined by the West Virginia Code (2-2-10) as persons under eighteen years of age. The residence of a minor shall follow that of the parents at all times, except in extremely rare cases where emancipation can be proved beyond question. The residence of the father, or the residence of the mother, if the father is deceased, is the residence of the unmarried or emancipated minor. If the father and the mother have separate places of residence, the minor takes the residence of the parent with whom he or she lives or to whom he or she has been assigned by court order. The parents of a minor will be considered residents of West Virginia if their domicile is within the State.
An emancipated minor may be considered as an adult in determining residence, provided satisfactory evidence is presented that neither of his/her parents, if living, contribute to his/her support nor claim him/her as a dependent for federal or state income tax purposes.
In the event that the fact of emancipation is established, the emancipated minor assumes all of the responsibilities of an adult to establish residence for tuition and fee purposes. Proof must be provided that emancipation was not achieved principally for the purpose of establishing residence for attendance at an institution of higher education.
A student eighteen years of age or over may be classified as a resident if (1) the parents were domiciled in the State at the time the student reached majority and such student has not acquired a domicile in another state, or (2) as an adult the student has established a bona fide domicile in the State of West Virginia. Bona fide domicile in West Virginia means that the student must not be in the State primarily to attend an educational institution and must be the State for purposes other than to attempt to qualify for resident status.
A non-resident student, who reaches the age of eighteen while a student in any West Virginia educational institution, by virtue of such fact alone, does not attain residence in this State for admission or tuition and fee payment purpose.
An adult student who has been classified as an out-of-state resident and who seeks resident status in West Virginia must assume the burden of proving conclusively that he/she has established domicile in West Virginia with the intention of making his/her permanent home in the State. The intent to remain indefinitely in West Virginia is evidenced not only by a person's statements but also by his or her actions.
The residence of a married person is determined by the same rules of domicile which would apply if he or she were not married.
An individual who is on active military service or an employee of the federal government may be classified as a resident for the purpose of payment of tuition and fees and provided that he/she established a domicile in West Virginia prior to entrance into federal service, entered the federal service from West Virginia, and has at no time in federal service claimed or established a domicile in another state.
An alien in the United States on a resident visa who has filed a petition for naturalization in the naturalization court, and who has established a bona fide comicile in West Virginia may be eligible for resident classification, provided he or she is in the State for any purpose other than to attempt to qualify for residency status as a student.
A person who was formerly domiciled in the State of West Virginia and who would have been eligible for an in-state residency classification at the time of his/her departure from the state may be immediately eligible for classification as a West Virginia resident provided such person returns to West Virginia within a one year period of time and satisfies the conditions of Section 2 regarding proof of domicile and intent to remain permanently in West Virginia.
The decision of the designated institutional officer charged with the determination of residency classification may be appealed to the Institutional Committee on Residency Appeals. The decision of the Institutional Committee on Residency Appeals may also be appealed to the Provost. The decision of the Provost is final.
Immunization Policy
Students of the state system of higher education under the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors who were born on or after January 1, 1957, are required to provide proof of immunity to measles and rubella. This immunity requirement applies to all undergraduates who are enrolling for the first-time and are classified as full-time students.
Acceptable proof of compliance will be a document completed and signed by a licensed physician or health care professional. The document must include the month, day, and year the immunization was given.
In lieu of an immunization record signed by a physician, this requirement is satisfied if the College received an official copy of the permanent health record with report of immunization transmitted to it from a high school located in West Virginia.
Compliance with Military Selective Service Act
State law provides that a male person who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years may not enroll in a state-supported institution of postsecondary education unless he is in compliance with the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S. Code, Appendix 451, et seq. And the amendments thereto). Also, a male person may not receive a loan, grant, scholarship, or other financial assistance for postsecondary higher education funded by state revenue, including a federal funds or gifts and grants accepted by this State, or receive a student loan guaranteed by the State unless he is in compliance with the Military Selective Service Act. Selective Service Act registration information should be available at all U.S. Postal Service facilities and may be available at some high schools. The Selective Service System also provides information through a web site at http://www.sss.gov
