Enrollment Services

Eligibility

Skagit Valley College admits students on a quarterly first come, first served basis. If you are a high school graduate and you apply to the college, you are eligible for admission. If you are not a high school graduate, and you are 18 years of age or older, you may be admitted if:

1. Your high school class has graduated; or
2. Your high school district has released you; or
3. You have successfully completed the General Educational Development (GED®) (or other high school equivalency) test

If you are under the age of 18 and a high school junior or senior, you may apply to participate in the Running Start Program.  If you are not a high school junior or senior, you may seek to be conditionally admitted after receiving permission to enroll from the high school district in which you reside and the Skagit Valley College Associate Dean of Enrollment Services.

Students are admitted to SVC in the order applications are received, as well as the quarter in which they want to begin. During registration, if a course fills, students who could not enroll in the course may place themselves on a course wait list. As vacancies occur, students on the course wait list will be enrolled in the order in which they appear on the wait list.  See additional information about wait list procedures on the SVC website.

How to Apply

Submit a Skagit Valley College Application, available online through the SVC website. Learn more about your steps to becoming a Cardinal here: www.skagit.edu/getstarted.

Nuestros empleados que hablan en español están disponibles para responder tus preguntas acerca de Skagit Valley College. Por favor llama a la línea directa en español al 360.416.7740. También puedes llamar al 360.416.7600 y marcar 8.

Running Start

To become a Running Start student, students should speak with their high school counselor and review the website www.skagit.edu/runningstart. Students must submit an admissions application and a current high school transcript as part of the enrollment process.  A signed Running Start Enrollment Verification Form is required each quarter at the time a Running Start student registers.

How to Apply as a Drop-in Student

If you would like to attend SVC but are not seeking a degree or certificate, you may register as a “drop-in” student. Go to www.skagit.edu/drop-in-students for more information and current registration dates.

Veterans and Dependents of Veterans

Mount Vernon Campus: 360.416.7610
Whidbey Island Campus: 360.679.5389

If you are a veteran, or a dependent of a veteran, you may be eligible to utilize Veterans Education benefits. For more information on Veterans benefits opportunities, see the Veterans Education Services section located in the Support Services section of this catalog, or contact one of our Veterans Education Offices.

Skagit Valley College complies with the Department of Veterans Affairs 85/15 rule for benefit enrollment purposes.

Selected programs of study at Skagit Valley College are approved by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board’s State Approving Agency (WTECB/SAA) for enrollment of those eligible to receive benefits under Title 38 and Title 10, USC.

International Students

Mount Vernon Campus: 360.416.7891

The International Programs and Study Abroad Office provides services to international students attending Skagit Valley College.

If you choose to study at Skagit Valley College, you are sure to have the opportunity to receive an excellent education. You will find many qualities that may meet your needs: a family-like atmosphere where everyone is welcome, an appreciation of diversity and a desire to enrich the education we provide with a global perspective.

Students from throughout the world choose Skagit Valley College for many reasons including:

• Safer, smaller town environment
• Family-like atmosphere
• No TOEFL test is required for admission
• Dynamic Conversation Partner Program
• Peer Mentor Program
• Small classes, personal attention
• One-to-one attention through an international student office with staff members to help you with all your needs
• Excellent transfer record to 4-year institutions
• Academic English as a Second Language Program, if needed
• SVC International Homestay program
• Convenient on-campus student housing (dormitories)
• Access to personal academic and transfer advisors
• English tutoring services through the Tutoring Center
• Excellent technical programs for career training
• Active clubs & student organizations
• Close to Seattle and Vancouver, Canada
• Conveniently located to year-round recreation (skiing, hiking, scuba diving, golfing and kayaking)
• Public transportation and airport pickup upon first arrival

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

International students may apply with or without TOEFL scores.

APPLICANTS WITHOUT TOEFL SCORES

Strong skills in English help ensure success in other classes. Students without TOEFL scores will be given a placement test before registering for classes. Students whose test results show skills adequate for college work will be excused from the Academic Intensive English Program (AIEP). Others will be required to take AESL classes within the AIEP until the language requirement has been met.

APPLICANTS WITH TOEFL SCORES

• TOEFL scores below iBT 45, CBT 133, or PBT 450: Students will be required to take Intensive English courses until they are adequately prepared for Bridge Levels. Students at Bridge Levels are considered matriculated college students.
• TOEFL scores iBT 45-52, CBT 133-150, or PBT 450-473: Students will be accepted into Bridge 1, which allows students to begin their college degree program with support from the AIEP.
• TOEFL scores iBT 53-60, CBT 153-170, or PBT 477-497: Students will be accepted into Bridge 2, which allows students to begin their college degree program with support from the AIEP.
• TOEFL scores iBT 61, CBT 173, or PBT 500 and above: Students are waived from the AIEP and will begin to work directly on their degree.

TRANSFER CREDITS

Many students receive transfer credits from their previous institutions which are located overseas. In some cases, students have received between 50 and 60 transfer credits. Students will need to go through a two-step process of having foreign transcripts evaluated. First, submit transcripts for initial evaluation by one of the member organizations from the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) (www.naces.org). Second, after receiving the official evaluation from the NACES member organization, submit official evaluation results along with original transcripts and the SVC transcript request form to Enrollment Services for an official credit evaluation (Please note that all transcripts should be in English or accompanied by an official English translation). It is recommended that students start this process as soon as possible.

Application Process

All documents should be written in English or accompanied by an official English translation. Original documents are required with all applications. It is your responsibility to make copies before submitting. We will not make copies for you. An admission decision will be made after all documents have been submitted and evaluated.

STEPS

1. Complete the on-line international Student Application
2. Submit official bank statement and complete Certificate of Financial Responsibility (sponsor letter), located on the back of the application. (See www.skagit.edu/international for current costs.)
3. Submit official transcripts from high school and any previous colleges, including any ESL training.
4. Copy of picture page in passport
5. If applicable, include a TOEFL score.** The SVC code for your TOEFL score is 4699.
6. $50 (U.S.) application fee.

In addition to the above application process, international students already attending school in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa and who plan to transfer to Skagit Valley College should also submit:

• Copy of I-94
• Copy of all previous I-20s issued.
• Transfer student information sheet completed by your current International Student Advisor
• Copy of passport pages that contain photograph and VISA information.

Determination of Residence

Residency status is determined at the time your application for admission or class registration is processed. The presumption is that before domicile is established, an individual must do everything a resident of Washington is required to do as stated below:

1. Students must prove conclusively that they have not come to Washington State primarily for educational purposes.

2. Have a domicile in Washington State for at least one year immediately before their term begins.  The term Domicile is a legal term used to describe a person’s true, fixed and permanent home. A person can only have one legal domicile in the U.S. at a time. To establish a domicile in Washington a person must prove physical presence in the state plus the intent to permanently remain in the state.

3. Establish domicile:
   • Permanent employment of 30+ hours/week will be a factor (if taking more than 6 credits a quarter during the first year of being present in Washington State).
   • Driver’s license/state ID. Students must obtain a Washington State Driver’s License or Washington State Identification Card within 30 days of arrival if they have a current out-of-state driver’s license
   • All motor vehicles, RV, boat, trailer registrations. All registrations must be registered in Washington. Students who own or drive a vehicle in Washington must be registered in Washington within 30 days of arrival.
   • Voter registration. Students who have a current out-of-state voter’s registration must register to vote in Washington within 30 days of arrival. If an individual has previously registered to vote in another state, they must register to vote in Washington. If the student does not register to vote in Washington, this means that s/he may still vote absentee in the prior state of residency
   • Update all financial institutions with the current Washington State address.
   • Be financially independent for the current and prior calendar years or students under 25 years of age, not financially independent, will have residency determined based on domicile of at least one parent.
   • Financially independent students under 25 years of age must prove independence.

A student may be eligible for in-state tuition 12 months from the date they began to establish domicile in Washington State This is because the Washington statute says that domicile must be in existence for one year immediately prior to the first day of the quarter for which the student wants to be classified as a resident.

The determination for residency can be complicated and other factors may help students establish proof of domicile. After filling out the residency questionnaire, a residency expert will review it and may request additional documentation.

PROOF OF RESIDENCY

No single factor or specific combination of factors provide a guarantee that a student will be eligible for residency status. A student can begin to establish and document residency in the state of Washington by completing the following:

• Obtain a Washington State driver license or identification card.
• Register all motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, boat, and trailers in the state of Washington.
• Register to vote in the state of Washington.
• Provide copies of your rent receipts (or lease agreements or home purchase papers).
• Open (or transfer) your checking/savings account to a bank branch in Washington State.
• Submission of a copy of the Federal Tax return.
• Keep receipts from Immigration and Naturalization Service that show the date your application for Permanent Resident Status was filed (if applicable).

After you have established domicile in the state of Washington for the required period, it is your responsibility to request a change in residency status. Applications for a change in classification will be accepted up to the thirtieth calendar day following the first day of the quarter for which application is made.

RESIDENCY FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL

If you are active duty military, stationed in the state of Washington, you, your spouse and dependents qualify for in-state resident tuition. In order to receive the resident tuition rate, you, your spouse or dependent family members must provide documentation such as a copy of your military ID card or other appropriate documents, at the time of application for admission to Skagit Valley College.

Student Eligibility to Pay In-State Tuition

RCW 28B.15.012(e) (commonly referred to as HB 1079) which took effect July 1, 2003 allows people who are not documented as citizens to attend college paying in-state tuition. Eligibility: People who have resided in Washington State for the three years immediately prior to receiving a high school diploma and completed the full senior year at a Washington high school or who have completed the equivalent of a high school diploma and resided in Washington State for the three years immediately before receiving the equivalent of the diploma and who have continuously resided in the state since earning the high school diploma or its equivalent.  For more information please contact Enrollment Services, 360.416.7700.

Students wanting to establish in state residency must fill out a residency questionnaire, provide documentation, and set up an appointment with the residency officer.