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Admissions

The college offers credit and non-credit courses. Credit courses are designed to apply toward a degree; however, students may enroll in credit courses without seeking a degree. Non-credit courses are designed to meet the needs of citizens in the community.

CREDIT

1. Complete an application and an affidavit of residency.
2. Order high school, GED, and/or previous college transcript(s).
3. Take the placement test. ACT and SAT scores may also be used for placement purposes within two years. Students may have their scores sent to the Testing Office at GCCC.
4. Meet with an academic adviser.
5. Register for courses.

Degree Seeking. No student is officially accepted into the college until all transcripts are on file. All transcripts should be on file by the end of the first term. A student will be placed on a registration restriction if transcripts are not received by the end of the first term of enrollment. A student who has not been officially accepted into the college is not eligible for financial aid.

1. High School Graduates (see "First Time in College Students").
2. Transfer Students. A student who has been registered at another college or university is classified as a transfer student (see "Transfer Students").
3. Limited access programs (example: nursing) may have special entrance requirements.

Non-Degree Seeking. Students may enroll in credit courses without seeking a degree.

1. Non-High School Graduates (see "Non-High School Graduates").
2. Special students may accumulate 15 credit hours in this classification. Special students are not eligible for financial aid.
3. Transient Students (see "Transient Students").

NON-CREDIT

1. Enrollment in non-credit Continuing Workforce Education courses is restricted to those 18 years of age and older.
2. Complete a non-credit registration form and register for courses.

ADMISSIONS POLICIES

Student Social Security Numbers. In compliance with FI Statue 119.071 (5), GCCC collects and uses student social security numbers for state and federal reporting requirements. You are not required to disclose your SSN, however the SSN is required of all students seeking federal financial aid and must be provided in order to obtain the IRS deduction for college attendance. All SSNs are protected by federal regulations (FERPA) and are never released to unauthorized parties. GCCC provides each student a unique GCCC Student Identification Number that is NOT the SSN. The GCCC Student Identification Number is to be used for all transactions at the college.

Official high school transcript, official GED scores, or college transcript from each institution attended must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records.

Please note: An official transcript is mailed from a high school or college directly to Gulf Coast Community College. Hand carried transcripts are not official. All transcripts become part of the student's permanent record and may not be returned.

First Time in College Students. Students who meet one of the following requirements may enroll in Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Science degree, Associate in Applied Science degree, or certificate programs.

1. Students who graduated with a Standard High School Diploma, an equivalency diploma (GED), a certificate of completion—CPT eligible, or previously demonstrated competency in college credit postsecondary course work.
2. Students who are home educated, with a signed affidavit submitted by the student's parent or legal guardian attesting that the student has completed a home education program pursuant to the requirements of Florida Statute 1002.41.
3. Students are provisionally admitted on the basis of their application. Graduation status must be officially verified within the student's first term of enrollment.
4. Special diplomas and certificates of attendance are not accepted for admission into degree or certificate programs.

Non-High School Graduates.

1. Individuals under the age of 18 without a standard high school diploma, GED, certificate of completion—CPT eligible, or home school affidavit will not be able to enroll in advanced and professional, postsecondary, vocational, and/or postsecondary adult vocational courses. The exception is for students enrolled in one of the dual enrollment categories.
2. Individuals 18 years of age or older can enroll in advanced and professional, postsecondary vocational, and/or postsecondary adult vocational courses as non-degree seeking students (special students). Students cannot enroll in programs until they receive a high school diploma or GED (exceptions listed in #3). Students are encouraged to obtain a high school diploma or GED.
3. All non-high school graduates 18 years or older may enroll in certain PSAV programs with permission of the PSAV program manager. Non-high school graduates may also enroll in designated non-credit courses and GED preparation courses. The exception is for PSAV programs, which require a high school diploma. The non-graduate must earn the diploma by the end of the first term of enrollment.

Dual Enrollment. Dual enrollment is authorized under Florida Statute 1007.271 as an articulated accelerated mechanism. It is intended to shorten the time necessary for students to complete the requirements associated with the conference of a degree, broaden the scope of curricular options available to students, and increase the depth of study available for a particular subject.

Dual enrollment provides the opportunity for qualified high school students to enroll in college-level work at Gulf Coast Community College while concurrently enrolled in high school. Students receive both high school and college credit for these courses. This program is open to students from public high schools, accredited private schools, or approved home education programs. Students must have an unweighted GPA of 3.0 and demonstrate readiness for college coursework through scores on the Common Placement Test to participate in college credit dual enrollment. Participation in vocational dual enrollment requires a 2.0 unweighted GPA.

A student may take dual enrollment courses during school hours, after school hours, and during the summer term. Students in dual enrollment classes do not pay registration, matriculation, or lab fees. For additional information, please call (850) 747-3207.

Transfer Students. Freshman and sophomore courses will be accepted in transfer. Transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended for students enrolled in Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Science degree, Associate in Applied Science, and certificate programs are required. All transfer courses from regionally accredited institutions will be evaluated and placed on the GCCC transcript.

Students enrolled in postsecondary adult vocational certificate programs are not required to request transcripts from institutions of higher education. Students enrolled in postsecondary adult vocational certificate programs who request a transfer course be accepted are required to have transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended.

Credits, excluding college preparatory work from out-of-state institutions, will be accepted if earned at colleges or universities fully accredited by regional accrediting agencies (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, for example) provided the courses meet academic standards and are relevant to the college's instructional program.

Credit from vocational and occupational institutions will be awarded provided the credits meet academic standards and are relevant to the college's instructional program. Students must provide course for evaluation by division chairs.

Credit from non-regionally accredited institutions will be awarded on an individual basis provided the credits meet academic standards and are relevant to the college's instructional program. Students must provide course syllabi and faculty credentials for evaluation by division chairs.

Credits with grades "P" or "S" from Florida public institutions are considered transferable. Institutions outside the State of Florida are transferable if documentation indicates comparable course content and grade equivalence.

To maintain degree-seeking status, students are required to have transcripts evaluated no later than the end of the first academic term of enrollment. A student will be placed on registration restriction if transcripts are not received within thirty days from the beginning of the term. Degree-seeking students will receive a transcript evaluation once all transcripts have been received by the Office of Admissions and Records. Students will be able to view their evaluated transcript on www.gulfcoast.edu.

An applicant suspended from another institution for disciplinary reasons will not be admitted to Gulf Coast until eligible for readmission to the suspending institution.

Students transferring to Gulf Coast with a Bachelor's Degree or higher and who wish to pursue an Associate in Applied Science degree or certificate must:

1. Verify previous degrees by providing official transcripts.
2. Obtain a certified credit evaluation from the Office of Admissions and Records (to be mailed to the applicant).
3. Take the evaluation package to the appropriate program manager for program evaluation.

Only courses with "C" or better will be accepted. The notation, "Bachelor's Degree," will be placed on the
transcript, along with specific courses posted as external credits, as in the following example:

ENC 1101 BACH DEGREE

The student's cumulative grade point average for the degree will include only those courses completed at Gulf Coast.

Transient Students. A transient student is a student seeking a degree from another college. To enroll, students must furnish written permission from the registrar of the home school. This permission must list Gulf Coast Community College courses, which may be taken. Transient students are non-degree-seeking students; therefore, transcripts are not required. Florida students may access an electronic transient student form by going to www.facts.org and selecting the "Admissions" link and then "Transient Student Form."

International Students. Students requiring the F-1 Student Visa, including those who are transferring their F-1 Student Visa from another U.S. institution, must meet the following admission requirements:

1. Complete an admissions application.
2. Students from non-English speaking countries are required to submit an official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score report with achieved minimum total scores as follows (visit www.ets.org for testing details):
   
   • 550 on the paper-based test
   • 213 on the computer-based test
   • 79 on the internet-based test
3. Provide proof of U.S. high school equivalency through an external service (e.g. World Education Services). Visit www.wes.org for details.
4. Submit official transcripts from any U.S. college or university the student has attended. Transcripts from foreign institutions must be evaluated by an external service. It is the responsibility of the student to bear all associated costs and fees. All evaluations must be in English. Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC) will determine transferable credits.
5. Submit Financial Statement of Responsibility. Students must be able to bear the cost of study and living expenses. A minimum guarantee of funding for two years is $30,000 (U.S. dollars). The college assumes no responsibility for financial assistance.
6. On-campus housing is not available at GCCC; international students are responsible for making their own housing arrangement.
   
7. Submit proof of health insurance coverage valid in the U.S. Insurance must be maintained while attending GCCC.

Upon the student's completion of all admissions requirements, a Certificate of Eligibility (form I-20) will be issued to the student. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be notified of the student's admission the Gulf Coast Community College.

International Students must register as a full-time student for a minimum of 12 semester credit hours during fall and spring semesters and remain a full-time student in order to maintain status.

Please note: No off-campus employment is permitted unless first approved by Immigration and Naturalization Services. Please see the International Student Representative for approval and procedures for on campus employment.

For additional assistance, please call (850) 769-7557 exp. 4864 or (800) 311-3685 ext. 4894, or visit our web site at www.gulfcoast.edu.

This information is for International Students only. If you are a Permanent Resident Alien, please follow the standard application process.

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