Degree-seeking students must have adequate knowledge of the English language to study at Valencia College. English language proficiency will be determined through entry testing.
You may be admitted to Valencia College as a degree-seeking student if you satisfy any of the following criteria:
- You have a standard diploma from a high school that meets the criteria of the State of Florida Department of Education or a standard diploma from a state-recognized high school.
- You attended secondary school outside of the U.S. and attained a level of education equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma. Official secondary school records such as transcripts, diplomas and/or standardized exam results, must be submitted in English or accompanied with an official English translation.
- You have a Certificate of Completion (College Placement Test Eligible) from a Florida public high school. This Certificate means that you have taken a college preparatory curriculum, but did not successfully complete all portions of the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test).
- You have completed a home school program pursuant to the requirements in F.S. 232.0201. Please submit the following documents to the Answer Center to be deemed degree seeking:
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Notice of Intent - The official letter on letterhead received by the parent or guardian from the school district acknowledging receipt of notification to withdraw the student from school to be home schooled. (Florida Home School Students: Notice of Intent forms are submitted to the school district by the parent or guardian within 30 days of the establishment of the home education program.)
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A completed Home School Verification Affidavit. (Affidavits are available in the Answer Centers and online at valenciacollege.edu/admissions/.) Valencia College reserves the right to require a transcript if the college feels that the home school requires further research.
- You have completed the GED through a state department of education, have been issued a high school equivalency diploma and submit an official state-issued score report (English or Spanish acceptable).
- You have completed course work at another postsecondary institution (college or university). You must request that each post-secondary institution you previously attended send an official transcript of your record directly to Valencia College's Admissions & Records Office for evaluation, or you may hand deliver them in a sealed envelope from the sending institution to any campus Answer Center. Transcripts should contain no in-progress courses. If Valencia College learns that you have attended another institution that you did not declare on your application, the college will require you to provide the official transcript even if no transfer credit is being sought. Having official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions is both an admissions and a graduation requirement.
If you have attended an institution of higher education outside of the U.S., its territories or commonwealths, you must obtain a “course by course” evaluation of your transcripts from a professional credential evaluation company at your expense. Transcripts issued by foreign institutions recognized by U.S. regional accreditation bodies do not need to be evaluated by an outside agency. Additional information about the evaluation process can be found in the Foreign Credential Evaluation section.
As a transfer student you will be required to submit an official high school transcript only if you applied for financial aid or need to verify a course prerequisite, or if you are pursuing an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree, Associate of Science (A.S.) degree, or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and want to verify that you earned two years in one foreign language in high school, or if no course work is accepted by Valencia College from your previous institution(s).
Being on academic suspension from another college or university does not prevent you from being admitted to Valencia College.
You may be admitted to Valencia College as a non-degree-seeking student if you satisfy any of the following criteria:
- You wish to enroll at Valencia College for personal interest, job improvement, teacher recertification, an applied technology diploma or a certificate program. Valencia College transcripts will indicate your special status at the college.
- You are a Dual Enrollment student. Dual Enrollment is the opportunity for qualified students in grades 6-12 to enroll in Valencia College courses while concurrently enrolled in grades 6-12. Eligibility for Dual Enrollment is determined by the requirements of the specific school board and Valencia College based upon test scores, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 unweighted scale in courses taken for high school credit, and permission from the student’s school guidance counselor and parent or legal guardian.
o apply for admission into the Dual Enrollment program, all prospective students in grades 6-12 must complete a free online Dual Enrollment application completed with all required approval signatures. For more information regarding the steps to apply, application deadline dates, and test score placement requirements, please visit https://valenciacollege.edu/dual. Important dates, deadlines and campus closure information can be found at https://catalog.valenciacollege.edu/importantdatesdeadlines/. Dual Enrollment students are required to submit their application online complete with required approval signatures for initial processing. A prospective student’s application will not move to initial processing until it complete with all required approvals and application portions submitted.
Students must provide college placement test scores (ACT, PERT or SAT) in English, reading, and mathematics. All scores must be at college level to be admitted to the Dual Enrollment Program.
A former Dual Enrollment student may continue studying at Valencia College following high school graduation. Former Dual Enrollment students must submit an official high school transcript that reflects the high school graduation date. It is also encouraged that students prove Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes via the Residency Statement. Students who do not submit a Florida residency statement will be classified as a non-Florida resident and charged out-of-state tuition and fees. When applicable, students must submit a FASFA application for Financial Aid. International former Dual Enrollment students must meet the admission requirements for international students presented below.
For further information you may refer to the Educational Enhancement Opportunities section of this catalog or speak with the guidance counselor at your school.
- You are seeking a degree from another institution and desire to take a course at Valencia College, as a transient student, for transfer credit. Although you are not required to submit a transcript of your other college records in order to attend Valencia College, you must have written permission (Transient Student Form) from your “home” college or university and complete the Valencia Application for Admission form. You must submit a Transient Student Form for each term you enroll as a transient student at Valencia College. If your “home” institution is a Florida public institution, you must electronically process a Transient Student Form for Valencia College through FloridaShines; you do not need to complete the Valencia Application for Admission form .
- You have a Certificate of Completion (Attendance) from a Florida high school. You will be admitted as a non-degree-seeking Provisional Student; your enrollment will be limited to developmental courses and other selected courses; and you will not be eligible to earn an applied technology diploma, a technical certificate or a degree. You will remain classified as a non-degree-seeking Provisional Student until you provide a GED score report after completing the GED through a state department of education.
- You are out of high school, and without a standard high school diploma or a Certificate of Completion (CPT Eligible) or a GED. You will be admitted as a non-degree-seeking Provisional Student; your enrollment will be limited to developmental courses and other selected courses; and you will not be eligible to earn an applied technology diploma, a technical certificate or a degree. You will remain classified as a non-degree-seeking Provisional Student until you provide a GED score report after completing the GED through a state department of education, or until you successfully complete 15 credits of college level courses with a grade of C or higher. At that time, you may request a change of status to be admitted as a degree-seeking student. Note that Provisional students who achieve degree-seeking status by completing 15 credit hours will remain ineligible for federal financial aid under Title IV programs, as eligibility for these programs requires a standard high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
Students who have pursued secondary school studies outside of the U.S. must submit official records such as transcripts, diplomas and/or standardized exam results that are equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma. Secondary school records that are not issued in English must be accompanied by an official English translation.
Students who have completed college/university coursework at an institution outside of the U.S. must have their transcripts/diplomas evaluated by an affiliated member of NACES. Students are required to obtain “course by course” evaluations. The evaluations may be used for transfer credit consideration, fulfillment of Valencia College pre-requisites, or waiving of the foreign language requirement. Students are responsible for paying any fees associated with the credential evaluation process. Students coming from foreign institutions recognized by U.S. regional accreditation bodies do not need to have their credentials evaluated.
