Getting Started
Welcome to the Seattle Colleges, the first step to your new career!
If you are a new student, there are factors and resources you should consider before registering for a class:
- Residency/International Student Status
- Financial Aid
- Selecting a Home College
- Placement Tests
- Registration
We’re here to help you.
Contact Advising Services for help in considering your options.
Residency/International Student Status
Your residency status (whether living inside or outside the U.S. or residing in Washington State) may affect your tuition, financial aid eligibility, placement testing
and/or visa requirements. For more information, click on the appropriate link below:
View residency information.
View international student information.
Financial Aid
View Financial Aid for more information.
Apply for aid through only one of the Seattle Colleges, which will become your home college if you receive financial aid.
Selecting a Home College
While the Seattle Colleges offer a coordinated program of study through our three colleges, your A.A. or A.B. degree will be awarded by only one college.
There are advantages to considering your options early and applying for admission to your chosen college.
View more information on Selecting Home College.
Select a Home College
The Seattle College District offers a coordinated program of study, providing courses offered by our three fully accredited community colleges:
Seattle Central College, North Seattle College and South Seattle College, giving you the advantage of a multitude of course options.
Although you may take courses at all of our colleges, to fulfill your degree requirements, you will need to choose one to serve as your home college.
Your home college is the institution that will award your Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate in Business (A.B.) degree.
Your home college is also where you will send your previous college transcripts, placement test scores, requests for official transcript evaluation, and graduation application.
You must be certain to complete at least 15 college credits toward your degree at this college.
There are advantages to considering your options early:
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There are A.A. degree options with emphasis in specific disciplines, which are offered at select colleges.
The degree you choose must be offered at your home college;
- You will become familiar with your chosen college’s degree requirements;
- Financial aid applications must be made to your home college;
- Returning degree-seeking students who have completed the admissions procedure at their chosen college are provided earlier registration dates than
new students each quarter.
All three colleges offer a transfer degree that fulfills the general education requirements for most four-year degrees in arts and sciences.
Other transfer degrees which currently can be earned fully through eLearning include:
the A.A. degree with business emphasis offered through Seattle Central Community College and the A.B. degree offered through North Seattle Community College.
To consider the full range of options, consult with Advising Services; or you may follow your chosen college’s admissions requirements:
Placement Tests
You may be required to take placement tests prior to registration. View more information on Placement Tests.
Placement Tests
New students seeking a degree or those students wishing to enroll in most English or mathematics classes may be required to take placement tests prior to registration.
These tests allow the student and advisor to select appropriate classes.
Contact Advising Services for assistance in determining which tests you may need.
Currently the Seattle Colleges does not offer online testing.
To fulfill placement test requirements, look for a testing location in your local area that offers the ASSET/COMPASS or SLEP placement test.
The SLEP test is offered (on campus only) at Seattle Central College.
If you have established your home college and are able to visit the campus, you may wish to contact their testing office directly:
Seattle Central Testing Center
North Seattle Testing Center
South Seattle Student Assessment Services
Registration
If you are enrolling concurrently in classes at more than one of the colleges within the Seattle College District, registration priority is based upon
total cumulative credits earned within the District.
If any of the following circumstances apply, contact Advising Services:
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You are currently enrolled at one campus and would like to add a course offered at another campus
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You are receiving financial aid or are in the military
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If You are an F-1 international student,notify the International Students Office where your I-20 was issued of concurrent enrollment.
North Seattle College International Students
Seattle Central College International Students
South Seattle College International Students