Admissions and Enrollment Services

Admissions and Enrollment Services

• Admissions Requirements
  • Assessment
  • Writing Placement
  • Mathematics Placement
  • Mandatory Student Orientation
  • New to Distance Learning Students at GRCC
  • Class Standing
  • Transfer Students
  • Former Students
  • Guest Students
• Dual Enrollment
• Health Programs
  • Health Admissions Requirements and Procedures
• International Student

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Admissions and Enrollment Center
(616) 234-3300
grcc.edu/admissions

Admission Requirements

Admission to Grand Rapids Community College is open to all high school graduates, or those who have satisfactorily completed the General Education Development (GED) test or individuals 18 years or older. Grand Rapids Community College requires degree-seeking students to submit high school transcripts with a cumulative GPA and American College Test (ACT) scores or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores.

Students who enter Grand Rapids Community College intending to earn a degree or certificate will be required to take a placement test if their high school grade point average is less than 2.0, or their ACT score is 17 or lower in the areas of math, reading, or English, or SAT scores are 24 or lower in the areas of math, reading, and writing/language. (See Assessment below.)

Degree seeking students transferring in from another College need to provide a transcript showing at least 12 completed credits with a 2.0 GPA or higher; those students transferring in who do not have 12 completed credits with a 2.0 GPA or higher need to meet the same admissions requirements as high school graduates or GED recipients.

GRCC does not offer or accept any reward or remuneration from a secondary school, college, university, agency, or organization for placement or recruitment of military students.

Applicants seeking degrees/certificates or planning to transfer to another college must:

1. Submit an application online at grcc.edu/apply.
2. Request an official high school transcript (college transcript if transferring from another institution) and/or test scores be sent to the Admissions and Enrollment Center.
3. A student must be in a degree/certificate program to receive financial aid.

Applicants wishing to take classes for personal interest (non-degree) must:

1. Submit an application online at grcc.edu.

Application Deadlines:

1. Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible prior to the beginning of the semester.
2. Applications are processed as they are received, with the upcoming semester given priority.
3. Deadlines will be posted each semester for degree/certificate-seeking applicants.

Assessment
(616) 234-3300

Incoming GRCC students who do not meet the minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score requirement, General Education Development (GED) recipients, and students holding a Community Education Diploma or Certificate of Completion, will be required to take the placement test.

The College requires students to take the specific courses they test into. Students who place into pre-college English, reading, or mathematics will take Academic Foundations Program (AFP) courses in the corresponding area(s) to prepare for college-level course work. Students may be required to enroll in PY 100 if they test into certain AFP classes.

AFP classes will not receive credit toward degree requirements.

Writing Placement

Student placement into composition courses will be determined by test scores on the SAT/ACT Test battery or writing placement test score on the WritePlacer test from ACCUPLACER. If the assessment test score in composition is not satisfactory, the student will be assigned to Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW). If the assessment test score in English is acceptable, the student will be assigned to English Composition (EN 101 ).

Exceptions to this criterion are allowed only after the student has taken the ACCUPLACER twice and then can appealed the placement with the Associate Dean of Student Success.  English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are also available for students with limited English proficiency.

**Please note that GRCC is temporarily using SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing for English placement as outlined on the Admissions & Enrollment Center Placement Testing webpage due to the transition to remote operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mathematics Placement

Student placement in mathematics courses will be determined by previous courses taken at the college level and math placement scores. Any student who wants to take a mathematics course, and who does not have a valid pre-requisite or a valid math placement score, must take the placement assessment.  To register in a course, placement scores must be within 18 months of registration, pre-requisite course grade of C or better must have been earned within 3 years of course start date.  Students with AP Calculus credit or course credit (C or higher) for MA 133  , MA 134  , or MA 255  or MA 257  are exempt from the math placement assessment.                   

The Mathematics placement assessment will help you and your advisor determine the right mathematics course for you. 

Any person with a disability who would like to request an accommodation for the ALEKS assessment should visit Disability Support Services or call the Office at (616) 234-4140.

Please visit the GRCC Math Department website for a placement guide.

Mandatory Student Orientation

Students who enter Grand Rapids Community College in a degree seeking program must complete an orientation program. Students who transfer in 12 credits with a 2.0 cumulative grade point average are exempt.

Students entering with a high school cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher may complete their orientation online. Students with a GPA of 2.99 or less, or have a GED, or certificate of completion must attend orientation in person.

Students must complete their respective orientations program prior to enrollment in a course. For more information see Mandatory Student Orientation Policy.

New to Distance Learning Students at GRCC

All students who are new to distance learning at GRCC are required to complete an Introduction to Distance Learning tutorial before they can enroll in an online or hybrid class.

Class Standing

Freshman: A student who has not yet earned twenty-four (24) credit hours.

Sophomore: A student who has earned twenty-four (24) or more credit hours but has not completed an associate’s degree program.

Post-Graduate: A student who has already completed a degree program.

Full-Time Student: A student who is enrolled for 12 or more credit hours each semester is considered to be full-time. Students (except music majors) wanting to enroll for more than 18 hours in a semester must get permission from the appropriate Dean. Because of the preparatory requirements of applied music majors who will transfer to four-year colleges and universities, music majors must enroll for 19 or 20 credit hours in some semesters.  Students using VA benefits should consult with the GRCC Veteran Services department for VA requirements.

Transfer Students

Students who have attended another college or university or served in the military must provide an official transcript from that institution to the Admissions and Enrollment Center if they wish to have transfer credit evaluated in addition to completing the general requirements for admission. In general, courses completed at accredited institutions are transferable to GRCC; however, this College reserves the right to evaluate such credit according to its own standards. Credits for grades lower than “C” in any course are not accepted for transfer and will not be entered into the permanent record.  A student’s GPA is calculated only from the courses taken at GRCC.

Former Students

Grand Rapids Community College welcomes former students to return to continue their education. Students who have attended another college or university or served in the military must provide an official transcript from that institution to the Admissions and Enrollment Center if they wish to have transfer credit evaluated. Students returning after an extended absence greater than two years (six consecutive semesters including Summer) from the College and who desire a certificate or associate’s degree will be required to fulfill the graduation requirements for the re-enrollment semester. Students returning after a two year absence should complete the declaration of Academic Program.

Students who have been placed on Academic Suspension may complete an Academic Suspension Return form for readmission after a period of two semesters or after one semester with the early return option. For more information see the Academic Standing Policy, or academic-suspension.

Guest Students

Students currently enrolled at other Michigan colleges or universities who wish to take Grand Rapids Community College courses under Guest Student status should complete Part I of the Michigan Uniform Undergraduate Guest Application (available at the student’s current institution). GRCC requires a new Guest Application for each semester a student enrolls. Students should ask the Registrar’s office at their current college to complete Part II and to forward it to GRCC’s Enrollment Center. Guest Students must request that an Official Transcript be sent to their home institution once final grades are posted. Guest students are responsible for meeting the prerequisite requirements for selected classes.

Dual Enrollment

Office of Academic Outreach
(616) 234-3007
Early/Middle College

The Dual Enrollment Programs at Grand Rapids Community College provide collegiate education opportunities via dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and/or early/middle college for high school students who meet both the State of Michigan and college admission criteria.

Dual Enrollment applicants must:

1. Be enrolled in at least one (1) high school class and pursuing a high school diploma in a public school district, state approved nonpublic school, or home school.

2. Cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher (freshman students without this cumulative GPA are evaluated on a case-by-case status)

3. Approval from student’s high school administration and parent/guardian

4. Meet GRCC prerequisites for courses

Students are required to meet with their high school counselor to discuss class selection and get approval.

First-time students must receive required approvals and signatures on the Dual Enrollment application, then submit the application along with a current high school transcript. An Early College Application may be obtained online, the student’s high school counseling office or Academic Outreach office.

In some cases, the college may request a student to take a college approved assessment to determine course selection approval.

Course selection and approval:

Dual Enrollment students are restricted from taking some classes. 

Prerequisites are courses or other activities (such as taking a placement test or getting department consent) that must be completed before a student can enroll in a class. GRCC may prevent a student from taking a class if the prerequisites have not been met.  Course prerequisites, if any, are listed with each course description in the College Catalog.

All new students are required to complete an Dual Enrollment online orientation prior to registering for a second semester.

After completing their first semester, Dual Enrollment students are not required to reapply.

Dual Enrollment students who wish to continue as degree seeking students after high school graduation, should update their academic program in their online center.   

Health Programs

(616) 234-4348

Individuals new to the college who are interested in enrolling in any Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) Health programs must first apply to GRCC through the Enrollment Center.

Entrance into the following Health programs also requires formal acceptance from the Health Admissions Office:

• Associate Degree in Nursing
• Dental Assisting
• Dental Hygiene
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Certificate
• Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Practical Nursing
• Radiologic Technology

See program description for specific program entrance requirements.

Health Admissions Requirements and Procedures

General admissions requirements to our health programs may change at the time of publication of this catalog. Therefore, interested applicants should check with the Health Admissions Coordinator for confirmation of individual health program admissions criteria. All new students must meet the requirements for admission to the College before being considered for any of the Health programs. Students should contact the Enrollment Center at (616) 234-4000 to request application information or should visit see the Admission Requirements above. Following acceptance to the College, acceptance from the Health Admissions Office is required. The Health programs offered at GRCC are:

• Dental Assisting
• Dental Hygiene
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Nursing: Associate Degree Nursing
• Nursing: Practical Nursing Certificate
• Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Radiologic Technology

Students who choose to enroll in any of GRCC’s health programs (Associates Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Dental Assisting, and Dental Hygiene), must apply by completing the online health admissions application.  This application can be accessed through the Health Programs Page.  Please note that your enrollment code will remain unchanged until you begin your program courses. This is a general transfer code that will allow you to complete pre-requisite courses for your chosen health program while complying with financial aid eligibility regulations.

It is important for interested student applicants to know that completed applications are ranked for order of admission into the program. Student applicants are first ranked according to the date that they complete all the specific program entrance requirements. (See individual program requirements.) Therefore, applicants should complete these items first and as soon as possible. When there is more than one student who completes the admission procedures on any given date, then those students are ranked according to the date of their original application to the particular health program. In the rare instance where students have identical ready and application dates, they are ranked alphabetically.

After program requirements have been met, the Health Admissions Coordinator assigns a ready date for the respective program. A letter announcing acceptance to the chosen health program is sent and students are invited to meet with program staff to develop an Educational Development Plan (EDP). In programs with waiting lists, there may be some time (a year or more) between the original acceptance letter and the EDP meeting. Failure to meet program entrance requirements within two years will result in the removal of the student from the health plan code, and the student file will be inactivated.

To ensure successful progress and completion of entrance requirements for a health program, students must confirm that all records, transcripts, and any other documents are received by the Health Admissions office by calling (616) 234-4348 or by e-mailing healthprograms@grcc.edu. Students are responsible for maintaining and updating current phone number and address changes online.

If you are interested in enrolling in a Health program, you should be aware of special considerations and clinical requirements that affect health students that must be met for graduation, including a grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0 in both GRCC courses and Health Program courses. Please check for individual Health Programs requirements. Prospective students may apply for entry into Health Programs at the completion of their junior year in high school.

All GRCC Health Programs have specific clinical requirements that must be met as well for graduation. The following will prevent you from completing the clinical requirements and also from completing a health program:

• If you elect not to have the hepatitis B vaccination series or do not provide proof of current immunizations.
• If you have a history of chemical, latex, or other sensitivities and/or allergies which occur in the work or clinical environment.
• Students entering GRCC’s Health, Criminal Justice, Pre-School and Education Programs must be fingerprinted for admission to these programs. The admission process for these programs includes a full criminal background check. Students must provide a social security number in order for this process to be completed.
  
  If a student cannot provide a social security number, the student will not be admitted to the program. False information is illegal and may be investigated as a criminal offense.
  
  Please note: Many of the professions associated with education, health and criminal justice require criminal history checks for licensure or certification. Students who enter these professions will be required to demonstrate proof of ability to work in the United States. Students who cannot provide proof of ability to work in the United States will be unable to obtain the required license or certification and should consider entering different programs of study.
   
• Prior to application, please check the GRCC Web site for additional instructions. Students will be responsible for any related fees.
• If you test positive or negative on a drug screening test as required by a clinical facility, you must release findings to GRCC and the health care facility, as required.

Costs: In addition to tuition, fees and books, you should expect to pay for various other program-related expenses; for example, uniforms, testing, transportation, and supplies. Details and estimates of these expenses are available at each Health program office.

Personal Health Care costs: All Health program students are encouraged to maintain personal health insurance and must be aware that should an incident occur within a respective course, all related health care costs incurred are the responsibility of the student.

Time limit: To be eligible for graduation, after taking the first course in a designated Health program, the student must complete a two-year program within five years, the PN program within 5 years, and all other one-year programs within 3 years.

Sciences: In order to be acceptable as transfer courses into Health programs, science courses must have been completed within eight years of graduation/completion of the specific GRCC Health program.

International Students

Please note: GRCC’s English as a Second Language program is not intended for students on an F-1 Visa.

Office of Admissions and Enrollment Center
(616) 234-3300
International Students

Grand Rapids Community College is authorized by law to enroll non-immigrant alien students.

1. An International Student is any non-immigrant in possession of or seeking a current F-1 Student Visa. The student must complete a Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) International Student Admission Application.
2. Completed applications are due June 1 for Fall semester and October 1 for Winter semester. GRCC does not admit international students to its Summer semester.
3. The student must present proof that he or she is a graduate of an accredited secondary school before an I-20 document will be issued. This should include a record of any high school or post-secondary schooling the student has had in the United States as well. All information must be translated into English.
4. The student must provide scores to prove adequate proficiency in the English language unless English is his or her native language. Admission may be granted to a student who has:
   1. Scored a minimum score of 525 on the written version of the TOEFL.
   2. Scored a minimum score of 197 on the computerized version of the TOEFL.
   3. Scored a minimum score of 71 on the Internet-based version of the TOEFL.
   4. Scored a minimum score of 5.5 on the IELTS exam.
   5. GRCC also accepts proof of completion of Level 109 at ELS Institute.
   6. International students are exempt from the English proficiency requirement if they have completed one full academic year at a U.S. school (high school or college/university). English as a Second Language programs are excluded from this exemption.
5. All international students are required to pay the GRCC Out-of-State tuition rate for the entire duration of their studies.  Financial Aid is not available to international students.
6. The student must show proof of adequate financial resources for one year. Details are available in the International Student Application.
7. GRCC requires international students to have health insurance coverage. Students may obtain information regarding health insurance from the International Student Advisor (Primary Designated School Official).
8. The student must attend an International Student Orientation at the beginning of the first semester of his or her enrollment at GRCC.
9. GRCC does not assist students in finding housing in the area. Students must have housing arrangements prior to their arrival in the United States.
10. International students who will be transferring to GRCC must have their current international advisor complete the Transfer In Form.
11. GRCC does not provide assistance in securing host families.

Academic Regulations

1. International students must carry no fewer than 12 credit hours per semester. Taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester is considered a violation of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations. To avoid penalties, international students may not withdraw from any classes without the International Student Advisor’s approval.
2. Before international students may register for their first semester, they must take a placement test and meet with a GRCC Academic Advisor.
3. International students are subject to the satisfactory academic progress policy of the College. See Academic Standing policy for details. Failure to comply with academic standing requirements can result in the student losing status and being dismissed from the College.
4. Students on F-1 status are permitted to work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the Fall and Winter semesters. GRCC has a limited number of on-campus student work positions, therefore the international student should not plan on work positions being available while attending the College.
5. GRCC considers international students’ enrollment as their acceptance of the preceding policies. Any irregular academic or personal behavior will be brought before the Associate Dean of Enrollment Management. The student may appeal any decision that he or she believes to be unjust. This appeal may be made to the Associate Dean.

Enrollment Procedures

International students maintain their F-1 visa status if they:

1. Successfully complete 12 credits per semester.
2. Maintain no less than a 2.0 grade point average.
3. Make continuous progress toward their degree.
4. Pay all tuition and College bills when due.
5. Exhibit good citizenship.

The I-20 form will stay in effect through the enrollment period. It will, however, need to be endorsed no more than five days in advance of the departure date each time the student leaves the country.