Admission Classifications & Eligibility Information

First-Time College Student: A student who has not previously attended any college after high school graduation or completion of a GED is considered a first-time freshman.

For unconditional admission and to be classified as degree eligible, applicants must have on file at the institution a completed application for admission, in-state residency certification, and one of the following:

First-time college students may be conditionally admitted pending receipt of official final high school transcripts. Failure to submit official transcript with posted graduation date by the end of the first semester of enrollment will prevent future registration and release of official Calhoun transcripts. First-time students with a conditional admission status will not receive federal financial aid.

Non-Degree Seeking Student: A non-degree seeking student is a student who wishes to attend Calhoun Community College but does not wish to pursue a degree or certificate.

For unconditional admission and to be classified as a non-degree seeking student, applicants must have on file at the institution a completed application for admission, in-state residency certification, an official high school transcript or GED certificate, and official transcripts from all previously attending institutions.

Non-degree seeking students may be conditionally admitted pending receipt of official transcripts. Failure to submit official transcripts by the end of first semester of enrollment will prevent future registration and release of official Calhoun transcripts. Non-degree seeking students will not receive federal funding for aid. Non-degree seeking students who would like to change their enrollment status to degree seeking must meet with an academic advisor and complete a Request for Change of Program of Study.

A non-degree student who has earned a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university is only required to submit an official transcript form the degree granting institution. If a student with a Bachelor’s degree wishes to have the transcript evaluated for transfer credit, official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records prior to the evaluation.

Transient Student: A student who is currently enrolled at another college or university and seeks credit that will transfer back to his or her home institution is considered a transient student. Transient students are temporary students who generally only attend Calhoun Community College for one semester.
For admission, applicants must have on file at the institution a completed application for admission and a transient letter of permission listing approved courses. Transient letters and all other requirements listed must be submitted to our Admissions Office prior to registration for each semester a student attends Calhoun Community College. Any transient student failing to provide appropriate information may be administratively withdrawn.
Transient students are considered non-degree seeking and are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Visiting Student: A cooperative arrangement exists with Oakwood University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Calhoun Community College. Under this arrangement, a student at any of the participating institutions may request permission to attend a class at one of the other schools. Conditions governing the granting of permission include the following:

  1. The student must be a full-time student.
  2. The student must have an overall “C” average.
  3. The course desired must be unavailable at the student’s home institution but be included in the student’s home institution catalog.
  4. The student’s request must be approved by the student’s advisor and other appropriate personnel.
  5. Permission of the institution teaching the course is after its own students are accommodated.
  6. Distance Education and CIS courses are restricted enrollment and are not normally available to visiting students.
  7. Enrollment in courses is subject to appropriate prerequisite and/ or placement testing.

Any student interested in participating in the Visiting Student Program should contact the Office of Admissions at the parent institution for additional information.

Transfer Student: A student who has attended another college or university prior to enrolling at Calhoun is considered a transfer student.

For unconditional admission and to be classified as degree eligible, applicants must have on file at the institution a completed application for admission, in-state residency certification, official high school transcript or GED certificate, and official transcripts from all previously attended post-secondary institutions.

Transfer students may be conditionally admitted pending receipt of official transcripts. Failure to submit official transcripts by the end of the first semester of enrollment will prevent future registration and release of official Calhoun transcripts. Transfer students with a conditional admission status will not receive federal financial aid.

A transfer student who is not seeking a degree from Calhoun Community College and has earned an Associate's or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university is only required to submit an official transcript from the degree granting institution. If a student with an Associate's or higher degree wishes to have the transcript evaluated for transfer credit, official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records prior to the evaluation.

Initial Academic Status of Transfer Students

  1. An initial academic status will be determined once all official transcripts are received and reviewed by Admissions and Records staff. Reporting of incomplete or false information on the application for admission may result in the immediate removal from classes and forfeiture of all tuition, fees, and other monies.
  2. A transfer student whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the transfer institution(s) is at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale will be admitted on clear academic status.
  3. A transfer student whose cumulative GPA at the transfer institution(s) is less than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale but has not been placed on Academic Suspension or Academic Dismissal will be admitted on Academic Probation. The Calhoun transcript will be annotated to read ADMITTED ON ACADEMIC PROBATION.
  4. A transfer student who has been academically suspended or dismissed from another regionally accredited post-secondary institution may be admitted only after following the appeal process established for “native” students. Calhoun Community College requires that the applicant submit a written appeal to the College Admissions Committee along with all official transcripts. No appeals will be considered on or after the first official class day for the term in which a student is applying. Transfer students admitted on appeal will be placed on Academic Probation. The Calhoun transcript will be annotated to read ADMITTED UPON APPEAL – ACADEMIC PROBATION.
  5. Transfer students admitted on academic probation retain that status until 12 credit hours have been attempted at Calhoun Community College. If the cumulative GPA at Calhoun is below 1.50 at the conclusion of 12 attempted hours, the student will be placed on academic suspension for at least one semester. More stringent guidelines may be placed on students by the College Admissions Committee when written appeals are approved.

General Principles for Transfer of Credit

  1. Transfer credit will be evaluated and recorded only upon receipt of all official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities. Students will be notified through email communication from the Office of Admissions and Records once the official evaluation is complete. A review of records by advisors, faculty, or other staff for advising purposes does not constitute an official evaluation.
  2. Coursework transferred or accepted for credit toward an undergraduate program must represent collegiate coursework relevant to the formal award with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in the institution’s own undergraduate formal award programs.
  3. A course completed at other regionally accredited post-secondary institutions with a passing grade (C minimum required in Composition courses) will be accepted for transfer as potentially creditable toward graduation requirements.
  4. A transfer student from a collegiate institution not accredited by the appropriate regional association may request an evaluation of transfer credit after completing 15 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above at Calhoun Community College.
  5. A transfer grade of “D” will only be accepted when the transfer student’s cumulative transfer GPA is 2.0 or above. Please consult with your academic or program advisor for transferability of a grade of "D" in English Composition. A grade of “D” in English Composition courses may or may not be accepted as transfer credit, depending on the student's program of study. Please note that some programs/courses require minimum grades of “C”, thus a “D” will not transfer.
  6. Transfer course grades are not calculated into a student’s grade point average for any purpose, including graduation or honors consideration.
  7. Credit may be extended based on a comprehensive evaluation of demonstrated and documented competencies and previous formal training. Please refer to the section on Credit from Nontraditional Sources in this catalog for additional information.
  8. The criteria for awarding credit for work completed in foreign colleges and universities will be the same as for other institutions within the United States. Students wishing to receive transfer credit for such foreign study must provide an English translation and a detailed course-by-course evaluation report. The reports must outline recommendations for awarding specific credit for specific courses. Students must request an official course-by-course evaluation from a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) approved agency. For a comprehensive list of approved agencies, please visit www.naces.org.

High School Student: A secondary education student who is earning college credit while still in high school is considered either a Dual Enrollment or Accelerated student. Please see the Dual Enrollment and Accelerated High School section of this catalog for further information.

International Student: A student who is a citizen of another country.

Calhoun Community College accepts international students. International students holding an F-1 visa must meet specific academic, linguistic, and financial requirements necessary for admission into the College.

Non-citizens of the United States who have been granted permanent residency status, deferred action status for childhood arrivals, or possess a valid United States Visa that permits post-secondary study as approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are eligible to be considered for admission to the College as well. Students not seeking a F-1 visa are exempt from the financial documentation requirement. Students holding an F-1 visa are required to pay the out-of-state tuition rate.

For unconditional admission and to be classified as degree eligible, applicants must have on file at the institution a completed paper application for admission, primary form of identification, and the following documents:

In addition to the official foreign transcripts, all documents must be translated and evaluated (course-by-course for college transcripts) by a NACES approved evaluation agency. For a comprehensive list of agencies, please visit: www.naces.org.