Admission Requirements
General Admission to the College
Readmission
Admission to Specific Plan of Study
Residence Requirements
Admissions - Senior Citizens
Admissions - High School Students
Admissions - International Students

General Admission to the College    TOP

Any person who has a high school diploma or the equivalent, or who is 18 years of age and is able to benefit from a program at the College may be admitted to the College as a program plan or non-program plan student. The College reserves the right to evaluate special cases and to refuse admission to applicants when considered advisable in the best interest of the College. Students may be denied admission to the College if there is sufficient reason to believe they present a danger to themselves or to other students and/or faculty.

For acceptance to the College all program plan and non-program plan students must send to the Office of Admissions and Records:

For students who wish to be admitted to a plan of study the following information is expected to be sent to the Office of Admissions and Records:

Persons admitted to the College are encouraged to utilize counseling services to explore educational interests and plans, degree requirements and the enrollment process. Placement test results are discussed with the student by a counselor and are used for course placement. High school transcripts are also used for academic advisement to enhance student success.

Persons wishing to apply for the non-credit community service program should contact the College for additional information. It is the policy of the College to maintain and promote educational opportunity without regard to race, color, sex or age (except where sex or age is a bona fide occupational qualification), religion, handicap, national origin, or other non-merit factors.

Readmission    TOP

Former students who have not been enrolled for a period of three years and wish to enroll must submit an Application for Admission/Readmission to the Office of Admissions and Records. Students not enrolled for a period of 1 year, must submit an application for In-State Tuition to the Office of Admissions and Records in order to enroll. Name and address changes should be reported at the time of enrollment. A delay in enrollment may be experienced if the readmission form is presented at the time of enrollment rather than ahead of time..

Admission to Specific Plan of Study    TOP

In addition to the general admission requirements listed above, students will be admitted to the College into the plan of study as stated on their Application for Admission with the exception of students applying to Allied Health programs. These students will be placed into the General Studies plan until such time as the specific requirements for the Allied Health programs have been met.

All program plan and non-program plan students entering the College, whether full-time or part-time, will be required to take the placement test before enrolling in English or mathematics courses unless they have acceptable English and mathematics transfer credit from another college. The Placement test results are discussed with the students by a counselor and are used for course placement. The Placement test battery is administered at the College.

Persons applying for admission to an associate degree (Associate in Arts and Sciences or Associate in Applied Science) program must be high school graduates or the equivalent, have completed an approved developmental (preparatory) program, or otherwise be considered eligible by the College.

Residence Requirements    TOP
(for determining in-state or out-of-state tuition)

Applicants will be required to complete the Application for In-State Tuition to determine eligibility for in-state rates. Students 23 years of age, or younger, who do not qualify as an independent student in Part A of the form, must have their parent or legal guardian complete Part B of the form. Domicile for these students is based on their parents’ or legal guardians’ domicile. A Virginia in-state resident is one who has been domiciled in, and is and has been an actual bona fide legal resident of Virginia, for a period of at least one year prior to the commencement of the term or semester for which enrollment is planned.

When enrollment must be limited, first priority will be given to qualified students who are residents of the political subdivisions (the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, and the cities of Bedford and Lynchburg) supporting the College, provided such students apply for admission a reasonable length of time prior to registration. For each fall semester, the priority list is as follows: (1) residents of the political subdivisions supporting the College; (2) other Virginia residents; (3) out-of-state and international students.

Admissions - Senior Citizens    TOP

The Virginia Senior Citizens Higher Education Act of 1974, and amendments, provide educational benefits for senior citizens. Senior citizens, age 60 or over before the beginning of the term, with legal domicile in Virginia for one year, and with Federal taxable income for the year preceding enrollment not exceeding $15,000, may enroll in courses for credit without charge. Regardless of income, senior citizens may enroll in credit courses for audit (receive no credit) without charge. There is a charge for enrollment in non-credit continuing education courses.

Senior citizens must complete an Application for Admission/Readmission and be admitted to the College. Senior citizens may begin registering on the first day of classes. However, if they have completed seventy-five percent of their degree requirements, senior citizens may register at the same time as tuition-paying students.

Admissions - High School Students    TOP

Based on the guidelines developed and approved by the State Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System, CVCC provides opportunities for qualified high school students to enroll in courses at the College.

The purpose of enrolling high school students in college classes is to provide a wider range of course options for high school students and to avoid unnecessary duplication of programs. Students must be high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years of age and who are prepared for the demands of college work and can benefit from the opportunity. Basic skill testing in math and English may be required for course approval.

CVCC has developed the following programs and procedures in order to accommodate qualified high school students in college classes:

Admissions - International Students    TOP

In addition to the general admission requirements of the College, the following applies to international students.

Students at Central Virginia Community College are taught in English; therefore, the international student should be proficient in the English language prior to enrollment in college courses. International students who apply for admission to the College must submit educational records and a “Test of English as a Foreign Language” (TOEFL) score as documentation of English language proficiency. The applicant is responsible for making early arrangements for taking the test and should address all inquiries to: TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08504, United States of America. The applicant can request information about the TOEFL, including a description of the test, application fees, reports of test results, and locations of examination centers and dates of the examinations by writing directly to the Educational Testing Service or by visiting the TOEFL website at http://www.toefl.org. In applying for the test, the student should specify that TOEFL scores be sent to: Office of Admissions and Records, Central Virginia Community College, 3506 Wards Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502.

The Office of Admissions and Records must receive the TOEFL score at least two months in advance of the semester for which the applicant seeks admission to the College. International students with TOEFL scores of 550 or greater will generally be admitted to regular credit courses with no special restrictions. Students with scores ranging from 500-549 may be admitted with some restrictions on their academic load. Applicants with scores below 500 will not be admitted but will be encouraged to pursue further English language training and to retake the TOEFL examination after the training is completed.

All international students must have sufficient funds to pay full College matriculation and tuition fees, text books, living expenses, transportation expenses, etc., while attending Central Virginia Community College. Unless international students can meet the expenses financially, Central Virginia Community College will not be able to offer admission. The College provides no housing facilities for students.

Upon arrival at the College, all international students will be tested for skills in English grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension in order to determine the student’s appropriate placement in courses within an approved academic program..

Below is a checklist of admission requirements for international students:

Students Transferring from Other Colleges    TOP

Normally, transfer students who are eligible for re-entrance at the last college of attendance are also eligible for admission to Central Virginia Community College.

Students transferring from another college should consult the Coordinator of Admissions and Records at CVCC for an assessment of credits to determine their standing before registering for classes. Generally no credit shall be given for courses with grades lower than “C”. Transfer students may be advised to repeat courses if it would clearly be advantageous to their curriculum advancement.

Credits may be transferred from an institution accredited by the Commission on Colleges of its regional Association of Colleges and Schools or its state university. Credit from non-regionally accredited colleges and universities may be transferred according to the recommendations in the current issue of the Higher Education Directory, or in the current issue of the AACRAO Transfer Guide, and/or if the college or university has been certified by its state approving agency.

Credit may be allowed for military service schools if this credit is recommended in A Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services and if work is applicable to the program being pursued.

Students Transferring to Other Colleges    TOP

Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university are responsible for determining the transfer admission policies and requirements of the department or program at the intended institution. The four-year institution’s policies and requirements should guide a student in choosing a course of study and appropriate electives at CVCC. Catalogs and transfer guides for colleges and universities are available in the Counseling Center. Counselors will provide assistance to students in designing an appropriate CVCC program of study. Central Virginia Community College has five college parallel transfer programs leading to the Associate in Arts and Sciences (AA&S) degrees. These five transfer programs are designed so that students can parallel CVCC course work with four-year college requirements. Because of the changing academic requirements of the many Virginia schools, students are encouraged to have direct contact with the institution to which they plan to transfer. The Transfer Guide of that college should be utilized to plan the program. The College Tour, which features representatives from four-year institutions, is held on campus each year during the fall semester and provides an opportunity for students to speak directly with college representatives and obtain additional information.

The Joint Committee on Transfer recommended a statewide policy to facilitate transfer between state supported community colleges and senior colleges and universities. The State Policy on Transfer provides a mechanism for community college students to transfer to a four-year institution. Although community colleges typically recommend that students complete the associate’s degree prior to transfer, some students choose to transfer before graduating.

Students who have transcripts from foreign institutions are required to submit their educational records to a professional foreign credentials evaluation service to assist in the determination of the acceptability of their credits at CVCC. Therefore, it is necessary to send all foreign scholastic records to one of the following foreign credentials evaluation organizations for a course-by-course evaluation.

After the agency completes the evaluation, please have the results sent directly to the CVCC Office of Admissions and Records. The following agencies perform foreign credential evaluation services:

EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS EVALUATORS
P O Box 92970
Milwaukee WI 53202
Phone: (414) 289-3400
Fee: $120.00 (detailed evaluation)
Rush Service: Additional $65.00

AACRAO
Office of International Education Services
One DuPont Circle, N W
Suite 520
Washington, DC 20036-1135

WORLD EDUCATION SERVICES, INC.
P O Box 745
Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 966-6311
Fee: $125.00 (course-by-course evaluation)
(Fee must be paid by check or money order and accompanied by an application and stamped, self-addressed envelope.)

Expenses (2003-2004)    TOP
General and Technology Fees
Books and Materials
Tuition Refunds

Tuition - Subject to change pending General Assembly action.

The State Board for Community Colleges has established tuition for all credit courses, effective Fall Semester, 2003, as follows:

Per Credit Tuition
Virginia Resident          $ 59.60 per credit
Out-of-State Resident   $205.55 per credit

The per credit tuition rate is charged for all credits taken in a given semester. The tuition due is obtained by multiplying the credits taken times the amount per credit. For example:

  3 credits x $59.60 per credit = $178.80
10 credits x $59.60 per credit = $596.00
15 credits x $59.60 per credit = $894.00
18 credits x $59.60 per credit = $1072.80

Tuition and fees are due and payable on the scheduled registration days. Personal checks are acceptable in the amount of the tuition and fees due. There is a $20.00 charge for returned checks. Payment of tuition also enables the student to use the library, bookstore, parking lot, student center, and other facilities of the College. There are no special laboratory or library fees, but students are expected to pay charges for any College property which they damage or lose (such as laboratory or shop equipment, supplies, library books and materials).

Students enrolling in special short sessions not offered as part of the regular session or for courses extending beyond one full semester shall pay the per credit tuition rate for such special sessions or courses regardless of the number of credit hours for which they might be registered. Students enrolling in a regular semester or summer session program made up of a combination of short-session and/or full-session courses must pay for the number of credits taken. Students enrolling in two or more community colleges simultaneously shall pay tuition at each college based on the number of credits enrolled.

General and Technology Fees    TOP

The College charges all students a $3.15 per credit technology fee. On-campus, Altavista and Brookneal students also pay an additional $1.50 per credit Activity Fee. Out-of-State students pay the above fees plus a $1.50 per credit capital fee. These fees are to cover on-campus parking, lighting, parking lot maintenance, various student activities, and student publications.

Effective with the Spring 2004 semester, the Virginia Community College System implemented an e-rate for courses offered over the web. The following tuition and fees apply to all web courses. In-State students are charged the regular in-state rate plus the $3.15 per credit technology fee. Out-of-State students will pay $125.00 per credit hour which includes a $29.00 indirect cost fee that will go to the System’s Office to defray related expenses. In addition out-of-state students pay the $3.15 per credit technology fee and the $1.50 per credit capital fee.

Books and Materials

Students are expected to obtain their own books, supplies, and consumable materials needed in their studies. The estimated cost of these items will average $600.00 per year for a full-time student.

Tuition Refunds

Students shall be eligible for a refund for those credit hours dropped during the drop for refund period. There will be no refund after this period.

To be eligible for refund under any of the circumstances set forth in the foregoing paragraphs, a student must complete an Enrollment Change Form and turn it in to the Office of Admissions and Records or go to the college website and logon to CVCC OnLine to drop a course. Official resignation for a student shall become effective on the date that written notification of intent to resign is received by the Office of Admissions and Records or completed OnLine and not the date of the last class attended unless the two days coincide. Course withdrawals should be presented in person or by the student’s instructors except for the most serious reasons.

All services will be withheld from a student who owes money to the College for any reason or who has books or materials outstanding from the Learning Resource Center. This means that no transcripts will be issued.

Financial Aid    TOP
Cost of Attending CVCC
Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements
How Financial Aid Eligibility is Determined
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Ability to Benefit
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients
Return of Title IV Funds

It is the desire of the College that no qualified student be denied the privilege of attendance because of financial need. Students wishing to apply for financial aid may obtain an application package from the CVCC Financial Aid Office. Financial Aid is available to both full-time and part-time students.

Cost of Attending CVCC    TOP

Each year, the Office of Financial Aid develops student cost budgets based on local and national educational costs data. These costs are designed to reflect student expenses faced by the student and their family during a typical nine month academic year. Although paying for a college education is primarily the responsibility of students and their families, assistance is available through a variety of federal, state, and institutional programs for those students who demonstrate a financial need. The cost of education minus the family contribution equals the student’s financial need.

Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements    TOP

To be eligible for financial aid at CVCC, a student must:

How Financial Aid Eligibility is Determined    TOP

Eligibility for student financial aid is determined by subtracting the student’s and their family’s expected financial contribution (EFC) from the cost of attendance (COA) budget. For example:

COA Budget	$8,020
Expected Family Contribution	– $2,000
Financial Aid Eligibility	$6,020

Funds from various student aid programs are packaged in an attempt to meet a major portion of the student’s eligibility. Although CVCC seeks funding from a variety of federal, state, and local sources, funds are generally never sufficient to meet the total eligibility for all students.

How to Apply for Financial Aid    TOP

The following items are required each year to complete your application for student financial aid:

NOTE: If your application is selected for verification, you must submit signed copies of parent/student/ spouse federal income tax returns and other documents as requested. Verification is the review and confirmation of the accuracy of the applicant's data.

Ability to Benefit   TOP

A student who does not have a high school diploma or a GED may establish eligibility for financial aid by demonstrating the “Ability to Benefit” from a post-secondary program by achieving a passing score on an Ed-approved test. Please contact the CVCC Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients    TOP

Federal regulations require that students receiving federal financial aid make satisfactory academic progress in accordance with the standards set by the College. Exclusive of developmental studies, students may receive financial aid for no more than 150 percent of the published length of their academic program. This limitation includes all terms of enrollment, not only those terms that aid was awarded and received. Developmental studies courses are limited to one academic year, 30 semester hours, of enrollment.

Student aid recipients are also required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) and credit completion rates. GPA requirements will be evaluated after each semester and credit completion rates will be evaluated after each academic year. A copy of the CVCC Financial Aid Policy of Satisfactory Academic Progress may be obtained by contacting the CVCC Office of Financial Aid.

Return of Title IV Funds    TOP

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 require all institutions to calculate the percentage of Title IV funds to be returned when a student withdraws before completing more than 60% of the semester for which he or she received funds. As a result, the institutions must return some or all of the unearned Title IV funds that had been disbursed, and, when a student's Title IV aid exceeds institutional charges, the student must also return a portion of unearned funds. The amount a student has earned is directly related to the length of time the student has remained enrolled during the semester.

Financial Aid Programs Available    TOP

CVCC does not participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Programs, however, the College does participate in the following grant, work, and scholarship programs:

Federal Pell Gant-This grant program provides a foundation of financial aid to which aid from other sources may be added.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)-Students with exceptional financial need and have eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant may qualify for this program.

College Scholarship Assistance Program (CSAP)-This need-based state grant program is available for eligible Virginia residents. Recipients must be enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester. Commonwealth Award (COMA)- Recipients of this need-based state program must be domiciled in Virginia and must be enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester.

Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP)-Recipients of this need-based state program must be first-time college students who have graduated from a Virginia High School with a high school GPA of at least a 2.5. VGAP recipients must also be full-time dependent students and maintain a College GPA of a 2.0. Students may renew their VGAP award for the next academic year by remaining financially eligible, maintaining a 2.0 GPA, and successfully completing 24 credit hours during the previous academic year.

Part-Time Tuition Assistance Program (PTAP)-This need-based state community college program is designed to provide tuition assistance for qualifying Virginia residents who are working toward a degree or certificate program one class at a time. This grant will pay the tuition amount for 3 to 5 credit hours only.

Federal College Work-Study Program (CWSP)-This federal need-based employment program enables qualifying students to work part-time while attending college. Hours of employment normally will range between 10-15 hours a week.

CVCC Educational Foundation, Inc. - The CVCC Educational Foundation, Inc. assists the College in providing academic as well as need-based scholarships. The Foundation is a charitable, non-profit corporation which provides a venue for individuals, organizations, business and industry to contribute to the College. Active scholarships supported by the Foundation include: Academic Merit Scholarships, Alumni Association Scholarships, Alvin W. Singleton Scholarship, Beverly W. and Hampton O. Powell Foundation Scholarships, Carson and Drinkard Scholarship, Craddock-Terry Scholarships, Ericsson, Inc. Scholarship, GE Financial Assurance Scholarships, Grayson Wireless Scholarships, Habitat for Humanity Scholarships, Intermet Employee Retraining Fund Scholarship, John E. Freese Scholarship, R.R. Donnelley Scholarship Endowment, Schewel for Women Scholarship, Stroobants Technology Scholarship, The Foundation Grant, Wachovia Bank N.A. Scholarships, and Weyerhaeuser Foundation Scholarships.

Job Information    TOP

The College maintains a job information service for off-campus jobs. The working student is advised to adjust work or class load to accommodate both work and studies. Employment opportunities may be available while attending CVCC, during vacations, and even after graduation.

Veterans Services - G. I. Bill Benefits    TOP
Chapter 30
Veterans Tutorial Assistance Program
Virginia War Orphans Education Program

Chapter 30    TOP

Veterans may be entitled to Veterans Administration Educational Assistance. In order to be eligible for this educational assistance program, individuals entering military service on or after July 1, 1985, have their basic military pay reduced by $100 a month for the first twelve months of their service. As of December 31, 1989, individuals eligible for the old GI Bill (Chapter 34), who meet certain eligibility criteria, may also be eligible but do not have their basic pay reduced. Persons on active duty must have served a minimum of two years continuous active duty before becoming eligible to receive benefits under Chapter 30.

Application forms for VA benefits are available in the Office of Admissions and Records. Veterans should bring their DD-214 (member 4 copy). Applications for VA Benefits should be received at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the semester.

Veterans Tutorial Assistance Program    TOP

In addition to regular monthly benefits the VA will pay for tutorial assistance for veterans.

Virginia War Orphans Education Program    TOP

The Virginia War Orphans Education Program provides educational assistance for children, or surviving children, of certain veterans or service personnel that are permanently and totally disabled due to war or armed conflict, deceased, or parent listed as POW. The applicant’s parent, on which eligibility is based, must have been a resident of Virginia at the time of entry into active military service; or must have been a resident of Virginia for at least 10 consecutive years immediately prior to the date of application or death; or must have been a citizen of Virginia for at least 10 years prior to marrying the deceased parent, and must have been a citizen of Virginia for at least 10 consecutive years prior to the date on which application was submitted by or on behalf of such child for admission to any education or training institution in Virginia. Eligible individuals are entitled to a maximum of 48 months of tuition free education at any state supported secondary or post-secondary educational institution. The cost of tuition is provided by the program. Students may verify eligibility and request applications by contacting the CVCC Office of Admissions and Records. If possible, applications should be submitted at least six (6) months before the expected date of matriculation. For continuation of benefits students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average for each semester.

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges    TOP

Central Virginia Community College has been designated as an institutional member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of over 400 colleges and universities providing voluntary post secondary education to members of the military throughout the world. As a SOC member, Central Virginia Community College recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences. SOC has been developed jointly by educational representatives of each of the Armed Services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a consortium of thirteen leading national higher education associations; it is sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

Dependent Children Tuition Waiver    TOP

Any child between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five whose parent or any person whose spouse has been killed in the line of duty while employed or serving as a law-enforcement officer, a firefighter, a member of a rescue squad, a sworn law-enforcement officer, an agent employed by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and vested with police powers comparable to powers vested in sheriffs and local police officers to enforce the alcoholic beverage control laws and the criminal laws of the Commonwealth, a state correctional, regional or local jail officer, a sheriff, a deputy sheriff, or a member of the Virginia National Guard while such member is serving in the Virginia National Guard or as a member of the United States Armed Forces, shall be entitled to free undergraduate tuition and required fees at any public institution of higher education in Virginia.

The amount of tuition and required fees shall be waived for persons in the above categories. User fees, such as room and board charges, shall not be included in the tuition waiver.