Dual Enrollment

Enrollment Options

What is Dual Enrollment?

Dual Enrollment allows high-achieving students to meet the requirements for high school graduation while simultaneously earning college credit from Southside Virginia Community College.

According to the US Department of Education, college credits earned prior to high school graduation reduce the average time-to-degree and increase the likelihood of graduation for the students who participate in dual enrollment programs. For parents, it is a chance to reduce future college expenses by shortening the time to college graduation.

Courses are taught by full or part-time faculty who meet VCCS credentialing requirements and credit for dual enrollment course is generally accepted at all Virginia private and public colleges.

It’s important that students and their parents understand that the amount of work necessary to succeed in dual enrollment courses is greater than in high school courses. In addition, dual enrollment courses become part of permanent college transcripts so it’s essential that students do well in these courses to realize all the benefits of dual enrollment which include:

  • A quality, affordable education close to home
  • Enriched course opportunities for outstanding high school students both in academic coursework and in career and technical education
  • Students enter college with credits applicable to their degree program
  • Students gain an understanding of the rigor of college work as well as college faculty expectations
  • Access to college resources, facilities, and services such as advising and career counseling

Locations

In addition to the high schools listed here, Southside Virginia Community College offers some dual enrollment courses and special programs for high school students at its locations including the following. 

Students may take any college course offered by SVCC for which they are qualified at any of our locations, however, the high school principal must grant permission for the course to be used to meet a high school requirement.

 Amelia Nottoway Technical Center

  • Nurse Aide

 Christanna Campus

 Estes Center

  • Cosmetology
  • Coming Soon (Fall 2025)
    • EMS

 John H. Daniel Campus

 Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center

  • Electrical / HVAC
  • Center for Information Technology Excellence (CITE)
  • Welding 

 Southside Virginia Educational Center (Emporia)

  • Cosmetology
  • IT Academy
  • Welding 

 Southern Virginia Higher Education Center  

  • HVAC
  • Energy
  • IT Academy
  • Welding 

Criteria for Participation in Dual Enrollment

Admissions and eligibility will vary by program. Dual enrollment is restricted to high school juniors and seniors and home school* students studying at the high school junior or senior levels. Documentation of parental permission is required for all dual enrollment students. Admitting freshmen and sophomores is considered exceptional, the college-ready status of each prospective freshman and sophomore student will be treated on a case-by-case basis. Formal approval by the college president is required for admitting freshmen or sophomores. All students admitted under this section must demonstrate readiness for college by meeting the criteria below. Students enrolling in a dual enrollment course must meet all course prerequisites. Colleges shall not enroll public or private high school students or homeschooled students in developmental courses.

Home school students must also provide a copy of a home school agreement approved by the school district or a letter from the local school board or a copy of the letter filed by the parent or legal guardian declaring home school for religious purposes.

Private, Public, and Homeschool juniors and seniors who meet each of the following criteria may register in college-level credit-bearing courses:  

  1. The student submits an Application for Admission.
     
  2. The student is a rising public or private high school junior or senior, or homeschool student studying at the high school junior or senior level.
    1. The high school student has permission of the principal or designee, and the parent.
    2. The homeschool student has permission of the parent. 
       
  3. The student demonstrates readiness for each college-level credit-bearing course in which they want to enroll. High school and homeschool students are not eligible to enroll in developmental or direct placement co-requisite English and Math courses.  In demonstrating readiness, a student must meet one of the criteria established for each type of course in which they want to be registered:

Requirements

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria above, a dual enrollment student must meet all course pre/corequisites as listed in the VCCS Master Course File and established by the college at which the student is enrolled in the course. 

Dual enrollment is restricted to rising high school juniors and seniors and home school students studying at the high school junior or senior levels. Admitting high school or home school students below the junior or senior level is considered exceptional.  The college-ready status of each prospective student below the junior or senior high school level shall be assessed on a case-by-case basis.  Such students must meet the above eligibility criteria and any other criteria as may be established by the college for participation of students below the junior or senior level in dual enrollment.  Colleges shall have criteria and procedures for the case-by-case assessment of such students.  Formal approval by the college president, or designee, is required for applicants who are below the junior or senior high school level to participate in dual enrollment.

  • Student Resources

    How to Request a Transcript 

    Library Resources

    Student Activities

    Support Services

    Helpful Video on Student Resources

  • Faculty Resources

    Instructor Resources

    Accessing MySVCC

    Accessing MySVCC (Login required) You will need to contact the Helpdesk to get your credentials to log in, or if you were a student and remember your credentials it would be the same as your student login.

    • Accessing Canvas
    • MyClassEvaluation (IOTA/360 Evaluations) - Class evaluations are released by class session and are found inside each Canvas course. To have your students complete the evaluation, they will simply log in, navigate to your course (must be available to students), and complete the evaluation.
    • SIS

     

  • Parent Resources

    Parental Consent Form

    FERPA Explanation

    High School Permission to Enroll

     

  • Role Of The Student, Parent, SVCC And The High School

    Role of Students and Parents

    • Complete college application, including parent portion with signatures, and schedule to take the placement test at your high school
    • Select course(s) with high school guidance counselor
    • Sign the registration form for each class and rent/purchase necessary textbooks if not provided by the high school
    • Visit the local community college to see what campus support services or activities are available
    • Participate in class; do assignments on time
    • SVCC Dual Enrollment Handbook

    Role of Southside Virginia Community College

    • Work with school administration to determine which dual enrollment courses will be taught at the high school
    • Hire or evaluate adjunct faculty that meet community college credentialing requirements
    • Ensure that course content and textbook are the same as the course offered on the community college campus
    • Identify coordinators of Dual Enrollment to work with the high schools
    • Facilitate meetings between college and high school stakeholders to discuss logistics
    • Administer the placement test
    • Assist the high school in getting the student registered
    • SVCC Dual Enrollment Instructor Handbook

    Role of the High School

    • Support the offering of Dual Enrollment with the high school staff, students, and parents
    • Identify a single point of contact at the high school to work with the college coordinator for Dual Enrollment
    • Recommend potential courses and students
    • Assist all students in completing the admissions and registration processes and in obtaining necessary instructional materials
    • Identify students that will need to take the placement test
    • Identify students who have indicated pursuit of specific certificates of degrees

  • COVID-19's Impact on Dual Enrollment

    Dual Enrollment COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Students - Click here for the living document of FAQs for Spring 2020 DE Students

    Instructors - Click here for the living document of FAQs for Spring 2020 DE Faculty

     

    COVID-19 Emergency Admissions and Placement Procedures 

    In response to the 2020 COVID-19 emergency, the Chancellor has temporarily approved a modification to VCCS Policy 6.6.3, Dual Enrollment Student Admissions, that adds flexibility to use additional measures for dual enrollment admission and placement.  This is only effective for the 2020 summer and fall terms.

    What does this mean for your students?   For rising high school juniors and seniors who have not already taken the VPT or who do not have access to other test scores (Compass, Asset, PSAT, SAT, ACT, SOL) as notated in the  Dual Enrollment Admissions Criteria below, colleges are able to use the Dual Enrollment COVID-19 Emergency Admission and Placement Procedures for enrolling students in summer and fall 2020 terms.  

     

    VCCS Policy 6.6.3 Dual Enrollment Admissions Criteria:

    Dual Enrollment VCCS Policy 

    Dual Enrollment COVID-19 Emergency Admissions and Placement Criteria:

    Dual Enrollment Emergency Admissions Placement Criteria

    Course Placement Guidance:

     

     ENGLISH Placement

    • If a student has a Writing/Reading PSAT score of 390 or greater, he/she may enroll in ENG 111.
    • If a student has an unweighted High School GPA of 3.0 or greater, he/she may enroll in ENG 111.

    MATH Placement

    • If a student has a PSAT Mathematics score of 500 or greater, he/she may enroll in MTH 161 (PreCalculus I).
    • If a student has an unweighted High School GPA of 3.0 or greater with successful completion of Algebra 2, he/she may enroll in MTH 161 (PreCalculus I). 

    CTE Placement

    • If a student has an unweighted High School GPA of 2.0 or greater, he/she may enroll in Dual Enrollment CTE courses.

    Per Policy 6.6.3, admitting freshman and sophomores is considered exceptional. The college-ready status of each prospective freshman and sophomore student will be treated on a case-by-case basis. 

     

     

  • Transfer VA DE Guide

    Transfer VA DE Guide

    Transfer VA DE Flyer

    Our Resources

  • Passport

    Passport Policy & Course List

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the advantages of dual enrollment?

    • Save money - Courses through Southside Virginia Community College are much less expensive than through any 4-year college or university. Contact your high school to find out if there is a charge for dual enrollment courses.
    • Save time - Dual Enrollment courses accelerate a student's college career and provides quality, affordable education close to home
    • Provides students access to the same course content and curriculum that is offered on the community college campus
    • Provides highly qualified teaching faculty who meet the criteria set by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges
    • Provides access to college resources, facilities and services such as advising, career counseling and mentoring

    How does a dual enrollment course differ from an Advanced Placement (AP) course?

    • A dual enrollment course is a college class taught by an instructor who has the degree and credentials to teach at a community college.  Upon successful completion of a dual enrollment course, a student is awarded college credit as well as high school credit.  A high school transcript and a college transcript are separately generated for each school. AP prepares students to pass an exam to prove their mastery of college-level curriculum. Dual credit in effect enrolls students in college courses while they are still in high school, allowing them to earn credit for both.

    Who is eligible for Dual Enrollment programs?

    All high school students can benefit from college coursework, particularly—

    • High school students attending a public or private school; but students must meet Southside Virginia Community College's requirements for taking classes
    • Homeschooled students are also eligible and students should contact their local community college to discuss options

    What if my goal is to get a bachelor's degree at a four-year college or university?

    • SVCC offers Dual Enrollment credit for college general education courses, which are required for most two-year and four-year degrees. These Dual Enrollment courses begin your Associate of Arts and Sciences degree at SVCC or you can transfer directly to a four-year college or university. More information on individual school agreements can be found on the VCCS website's Transfer tab.

    What if my goal is to get a one-year certificate or two-year degree in a career technical field and then get a job?

    • SVCC offers Dual Enrollment credit for career technical courses as well as transfer courses.  These Dual Enrollment courses begin your Certificate or Associate of Applied Sciences degree at SVCC.

    What if I just want to take a course offered by SVCC for personal interest or to acquire a skill?

    • Some of SVCC's courses are not part of the Dual Enrollment program, but may be taken by high school students to gain a skill or for their personal interest.  These courses do not count towards high school course requirements unless specifically approved by the high school principal. Students interested in these courses should contact their high school guidance office.

    Who may enroll in Dual Enrollment courses, and is there a minimum age to participate in the program?

    • Dual Enrollment students are admitted according to the provisions in the current Virginia Plan for Dual Enrollment. Generally, any high school students may enroll in a class if (1) they obtain their principal's permission and (2) meet eligibility requirements. Individuals below the age of 14 or below high school freshman level may apply to the college for special consideration for admittance which requires an interview with the parent and the student.

    What is the cost of dual enrollment classes?

    • Each school division or private school makes its own policy regarding how much of the dual enrollment tuition it pays on behalf of the students. Please consult with your guidance department to determine the cost for your school.

    Is financial aid available for dual enrollment students?

    • Federal financial aid regulations prohibit a student from receiving federal financial assistance while still enrolled in secondary school.  However, because of special agreements between the College and the secondary school divisions, the student generally pays a much reduced amount of the tuition cost for overall dual enrollment courses.  Usually, this is a greater savings of the tuition cost than the student would normally have received from regular financial aid programs.  In addition, students and parents should also consider the low cost of community college classes as compared to 4-year schools. Please Note: Although students are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid, any course in which college credit is earned will count towards the students allowable Federal Financial Aid eligibility. 

    How do we know which courses are approved for dual credit?

    • The high school guidance office can help the student select the courses approved by the individual school district for dual enrollment. You may also see the College Catalog Course Descriptions page for further information. 

    Are there prerequisite courses that must be taken by students before enrolling in SVCC dual enrollment courses?

    • Dual Enrollment courses have the same prerequisites as their non-Dual Enrollment counterparts.  Specific course prerequisites are stated for individual courses in the Online College Catalog under Course Descriptions.  

    What is the enrollment process for Dual Enrollment courses which transfer to colleges and universities?

    • For the student, the process begins at the high school by talking with the counselor to determine which dual enrollment courses are offered at the high school or on the SVCC campus. 

    How do students get their grade report at the end of the semester?

    • Shortly after the exam period each semester the final grade for the course is posted to the College's Student Information System - MySVCC.  To view or print a copy of the grades, students login to MySVCC using their user id and password. Paper grade reports are not mailed to the home address.

    How do students get a grade transcript sent to the high school or another college?

    • To request that an official grade transcript be mailed to your high school or another college, the student may login to MySVCC and request the transcript or submit the request in writing by completing a 'Transcript Request Form' and sending it to the Registrar's Office on either campus. The request should include the name and address of the specific office where the transcript should be mailed as well as the student's name and either social security number or student user id. Written requests must be signed by the student. Transcripts are generally mailed within three days after the request is received. Bear in mind that for a student over the age of eighteen, a parent or guardian cannot conduct any business for the student without the student's approval. Filling out a FERPA form in the admissions office will address this.
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