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Admission

Applying for Admission

A student enrolling at a KCTCS college for the first time must submit an application for admission. Students who are re-entering a KCTCS college after being out for one or more semesters should complete an application for readmission. Students may be admitted to a KCTCS college as freshmen, as students with transfer credit from other institutions, as visiting students, or as non-degree students. KCTCS colleges admit students who have graduated from high school, who have earned a high school general equivalency diploma, who are eligible to pursue a GED, or who are dually enrolled in high school and the college.

Admission and Registration Procedures

Prospective students visit the college’s website to complete an online application or contact the admission office of the college they wish to attend and request an admission application.

The full and proper name of the student and KCTCS student ID number must be used in registration and for all other official purposes.

Freshmen entering a college for the first time will be required to send an official copy of their high school transcript, GED, or state approved high school equivalency to the admission office of the college they plan to attend. Official high school transcripts submitted to KCTCS may be shared with all KCTCS colleges.

Applicants entering with transfer credit must have an official transcript from each college attended forwarded to the admission office of the college they plan to attend. Official transcripts submitted to KCTCS may be shared with all KCTCS colleges.

Applicants should submit evidence of college readiness as established by the KY Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) http://cpe.ky.gov/policies/collegereadiness.html which includes results of the American College Test® (ACT), KYOTE, Scholastic Aptitude Test® (SAT), ALEKS, EdReady, and GED College Readiness scores. Applicants who have not achieved college readiness based on one of the CPE recognized readiness assessments must complete a placement examination recognized in the KCTCS Assessment and Placement Policy and administered by any KCTCS college. For specific information regarding course placement, students should refer to the KCTCS Assessment and Placement Policy, which is available on the website at https://policies.kctcs.edu/administrative-policies/4-13.aspx.

Admission to a college does not guarantee admission to a specific program. Applicants seeking admission to an occupational/technical program at any KCTCS college should contact the admission office of the college of interest for information regarding any special requirements for program admission.

Applicants must submit an application for admission and supporting documents prior to the first day of classes of the term or session for which the student plans to enroll. Some colleges, however, may have an earlier deadline date. Students should check with the admission office of the college they plan to attend for registration/application deadlines.

A student who applies for admission to a KCTCS college will receive instructions to establish access to Student Self-Service. Student Self-Service allows a student access to many services such as registration, grades, class schedule, financial aid awards, bill payment and many other services.

All enrolled KCTCS students will be given access to a KCTCS-assigned email account. Official communication from faculty and student service personnel will be sent to this address. Students will continue to have access to this account as long as they are enrolled.

After receiving the completed application and other documents, the admission office will notify the applicant of his or her admission status. It is expected that all students will submit all required documents in order to be eligible to register for classes. In the event this is not possible, students should contact the Admissions Office of the KCTCS college they wish to attend for instructions or assistance. While provisions may be provided, students will not be permitted to register for subsequent semesters without all official required documents.

Non-Degree/Non-Credential Students

At the discretion of the institution, persons who desire instruction without wishing to earn a credential may be admitted as non-degree/non-credential seeking students. These students are exempt from the college readiness Assessment and Placement Policy; however, all students must meet individual course and program pre-requisites such as those for entry-level English and mathematics courses. Non-degree/non-credential students are not eligible for Federal or state Financial Aid programs.

Students may declare credential seeking status after meeting regular admission requirements. The college may review and reclassify credential-seeking status in accordance with policies established at each individual college.

Credit earned before a student meets admission requirements will be counted toward a credential.

High School Students

High school students can enroll in college level courses either as dual credit student or dual enrolled students as non-degree/non-credential seeking students.

Dual Credit

Dual Credit

A dual credit course is a college-level course that gives students credit both at their high school and the KCTCS College for the same course. College credits are awarded for courses taken upon the completion of the course requirements and will become part of the student’s official college transcript.

To enroll and obtain college credit in a dual credit course student must:

  • complete the KCTCS College’s application for admission.
  • be admitted to the KCTCS College as a dual credit student.
  • meet the requirements for enrollment in the General Education and/or Technical Education Courses per the KCTCS Assessment &Placement of Dual Credit High School Students.

Dual credit tuition is 1/2 of the KCTCS in-state rate.

Several people are available to assist students with information and assistance for dual credit at each KCTCS college. Their contact information is available at https://kctcs.edu/dual-credit/contacts/.

Dual Enrollment

Students who want to take a course that is not eligible for or offered dual credit may do so as a dually enrolled student. For these courses, students must adhere to the admission requirements required of non-degree/non-credential student. Tuition for a dual enrollment course is the standard KCTCS tuition.

Freshmen Entering College for the First Time

A student who has graduated from high school or who has earned a high school equivalency diploma will be required to send an official copy of their high school transcript, GED, or state approved high school equivalency to the admission office of the college they plan to attend. Official high school transcripts submitted to KCTCS may be shared with all KCTCS colleges.

Second Chance Students

A student who has previously attended a college or university – other than a college in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System – and who has less than an overall grade-point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in all course work attempted, may be considered for admission on probation provided the applicant demonstrates both of the following:

  • has not enrolled at a college or university for at least one 16-week semester, and
  • can demonstrate potential for success.

Transient/Visiting Students

A student may be admitted as a transient or visiting student. However, the student’s parent college must certify each term that the student is enrolled or eligible to enroll at parent institution. For admission as a visiting student, a student may provide an official transcript or letter of good standing from their parent/home institution. For registration purposes, a transcript may be required to demonstrate completion of pre-requisite courses.

International Students

Some KCTCS colleges are authorized under Federal law to enroll non-immigrant students. Consult the admission office of your college for details.

Readmission after Two or More Years: Academic Bankruptcy

A student who has been readmitted after having remained out of a KCTCS college for a period of two or more years and who has completed at least 12 credit hours in college-level courses with a grade point average of 2.0 or better after readmission, may choose to have his/her previous KCTCS course work removed from the computation of the grade point average. This procedure is commonly called “academic bankruptcy.”

A student who declares academic bankruptcy will continue to receive credit for those courses in which a grade of A, B, C, D, or P was earned prior to readmission without including those grades in the GPA computation. A student who has completed a credential and re-enrolls may not apply the academic bankruptcy rule to courses taken for the credential already completed.

The academic bankruptcy option may be used only once.

Students with Previous College Work

An applicant who has previously attended an accredited college or university which awards degrees at the associate level or higher and who has an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in all course work attempted will be accepted for admission. For specific information on course placement, applicants should refer to the KCTCS Assessment and Placement Policy, which is available on the website at https://policies.kctcs.edu/administrative-policies/4-13.aspx.

An official transcript of all previous college work must be submitted. The Council on Postsecondary Education’s (CPE’s) general education transfer policy provides the basis for an institution’s policy on the acceptance of transfer credit. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ “Transfer Credit Practices of Educational Institutions” shall serve as a reference for admission of transfer students to an institution and for the acceptance of transfer credit. Official post-secondary transcripts submitted to KCTCS may be shared with all KCTCS colleges.

KCTCS colleges shall provide academic counseling concerning the transfer of credit to transferring students. KCTCS colleges shall accept a student’s college credit earned when a course is taken both for high school credit and for college credit. Credit earned through a dual credit or dual enrollment arrangement shall be treated the same as credit earned in any other college course.

Degree credit work is recognized credit hour for credit hour if taken on the semester system. Quarter hours are recognized as two-thirds (2/3) of a semester hour. Recognition of credit earned at a non-accredited college or university may be obtained by special subject examinations or may be validated upon the completion of 12 credit hours, excluding transitional courses, with a grade point average of at least 2.0.

Change of Program

When students enroll in a KCTCS college they select a program of study in which they wish to “major” or receive a credential. Students enrolled in any KCTCS college may request a program change through the student affairs office of their local college. These students are instructed to seek appropriate advisement and financial aid counseling.

KCTCS Assessment and Placement Policy

The KCTCS Assessment and Placement Policy (KCTCS Policy No: 4.13 as found at https://policies.kctcs.edu/administrative-policies/4-13.aspx) specifically applies to all credential-seeking students, students who transition from non-credential seeking to credential seeking, and students who are undecided about their choice of program as of Fall 2022, except students identified under 3.5 B Certificate and Diploma-Assessment and Placement Exemptions. Assessment and Placement Guidelines specific to dual credit high school students are found in this policy 4.13 Appendix I.

General Provisions

  1. Students enrolling in a college credit course for the purpose of earning credit applicable toward an educational credential who meet the college readiness benchmarks as identified by the Council on Postsecondary Education’s (CPE) College Readiness (see 4.13 APPENDIX III) Indicators may enroll in college-level coursework.
  2. A credential-seeking student who does not meet the College Readiness standards established by CPE may be required to enroll in no more than one (1) developmental course in each curriculum pathway (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) in areas for which the student has not met the academic readiness standards. A developmental course means a course that prepares a student for college-level study and does not award credit toward a credential or degree (13 KAR 2:020).
  3. A student shall have access to a corequisite or credit-bearing content course in the curriculum pathway (English or mathematics) within the first academic year of enrollment. Corequisite course is defined as a course that includes enhanced academic supports, such as additional hours of instruction, tutoring, mentoring, or advising that awards credit toward a credential or degree (13 KAR 2:020).
  4. Students with 12 or more credit hours at the 100 level or above in general education courses with a 2.0 GPA are exempt from reading placement requirements and are considered college ready in reading. However, all students must meet individual course pre-requisites such as those for entry-level English and mathematics courses.
  5. Primary subject-level placement charts for reading, English and mathematics shall state the minimum score on the subject-specific domain for common tests used within KCTCS. Placement scores indicate minimum academic levels required for placement into KCTCS developmental courses, corequisite courses, entry-level reading, English and mathematics courses, and some programs. Colleges shall not require higher than the KCTCS placement scores listed. Placement charts do not indicate course sequences.
  6. All exam scores remain an indicator of academic readiness for a minimum of twelve (12) months from the date of administration. An institution shall not determine academic readiness using scores received from exams taken more than four (4) years prior. Administered placement tests, specific course selection, and course sequences may differ by college insofar as this policy allows. Students should refer to their respective colleges for details.
  7. Approved methods of assessment and placement are:
    • ACT
    • Accuplacer
    • ALEKS
    • Cumulative Unweighted high school GPA
    • EdReady Diagnostic
    • EdReady Study Path
    • GED College Readiness
    • KYOTE
    • SAT
    • TABE 9/10-A (Accepted through December 31, 2025)
    • Wonderlic

Special Provisions

  1. College Discretion One-Level Advancement or “One-Up”
    KCTCS colleges, at their discretion, may place credential-seeking students who score within one placement level below the system-wide standard into an entry-level college corequisite course or pathway-appropriate developmental course.
  2. Change in Quantitative Reasoning/Math Pathway
    KCTCS colleges may establish procedures to address developmental or prerequisite math needs for students who change programs and consequently QR/Math pathways. Placement into a corequisite course in the new pathway is strongly recommended.
  3. Alternative Remediation
    Students scoring below the college readiness standards may be eligible for high quality basic skills instruction through KY Adult Education. Students with college readiness scores below the benchmark can take the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) at the local KY Adult Education Center to determine eligibility. Additionally, students may take advantage of various pre-enrollment interventions available at many KCTCS colleges.
  4. Accommodations
    Students with disabilities may request accommodations consistent with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. High School and Home-Schooled Students Assessment and Placement Guidelines specific to dual credit students are in 4.13 Appendix I. Home-Schooled students will follow these same guidelines.
  5. Waivers
    A college may establish procedures to exempt students from assessment and placement criteria. The procedure must include the conditions under which a waiver will be granted, including clearly identifying the students being granted a waiver and the reason for the waiver. The college’s waiver policy must be on file at the college and in the KCTCS Provost and Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs' Office.

    The Covid Pandemic assessment and placement  waivers have expired and the updated KCTCS Assessment and Placement Policy (https://policies.kctcs.edu/administrative-policies/4-13.aspx) dated 3/1/2022 is in place effective Fall 2022.