College Admission
Administrative Procedure 4.101
The following procedure applies to students seeking admission to Elgin Community College’s credit programs and courses.
United States Residents
ECC has an open-door admission policy, as governed by the Illinois Community College Act. This means students may enroll in any class – as long as space for effective instruction is available - provided they meet the college’s minimum competency requirements demonstrating they are college-ready (refer to Administrative Procedure 1.104 Minimum Competencies and Placement Testing), course prerequisites, and departmental admission requirements, if applicable.
To enroll, students must submit an application for admission. Depending on the applicant’s program of study, the applicant may also need to submit:
- Appropriate school transcript(s); and
- College readiness indicators: ACT, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, PARCC, SAT, HiSET, GED, or ECC placement test scores.
There is no application deadline or fee. Refer to the college catalog and enrollment materials for specific enrollment steps on the website Apply page. Some academic programs have additional departmental admission requirements and registration dates that students must meet. Refer to the college catalog for specific program requirements at ECC Catalog.
Applicants without high school diplomas who are younger than 18 and have severed connection with their high school may be admitted. The applicant must provide written evidence of the high school separation to the ECC Admission Office. The written evidence must be from the chief executive officer (or designee) of the high school district in which the student has legal residence.
Current Secondary and Home-Schooled Students
Students currently enrolled in high school and home-schooled students who are college-ready may enroll in classes but must follow the Secondary/Home-School Student Admission procedure available at elgin.edu/apply to enroll in college-level classes. Decisions for student admission and enrollment are made on a case-by-case basis. Students should discuss their interest in attending ECC with their high school counselor and parent(s) or guardian(s) prior to beginning the application process, as their approval is required. Secondary and home-schooled students will be limited to registering for a maximum of six credit hours per semester.
If a student is under 16 years of age, including middle school students, additional approval must be acquired from the appropriate academic dean and from the Associate Vice President of Student Services and Development/Dean of Students. For specific admission details, refer to elgin.edu/highschool.
International Students
Students who are not U.S. citizens and are interested in attending ECC on a visa are considered international students. Full-time international students on an F-1 visa must meet additional admission requirements as outlined in 8CFR214.2(f) (refer to elgin.edu/international), including English language proficiency, evidence of financial support, and the minimum competency for placement into college-level credit classes. Students without English language proficiency must enroll full-time in the Intensive English Program. F-1 international students must be at least 17 years of age by the program start date listed on Form I-20.
Undocumented Students
Undocumented students, who have neither U.S. citizenship nor a visa allowing them to enroll in college coursework, are not considered international students and may apply according to the regular admission process regardless of resident status.
Dual Credit Students
Students who are enrolling in a Dual Credit program must follow the Dual Credit Admission process and are exempt from the Secondary/Home-School Student Admission process and restrictions. In partnership with the high school district, as defined in the intergovernmental agreement, students must meet the institution’s minimum prerequisites as stated in the ECC catalog. Additional requirements for admission to the program may be set at the discretion of the high school district. Final admission and enrollment decisions will be made by the college and approved by the high school district.
Students who enroll in a Dual Credit program are eligible to concurrently enroll in an additional course through the Dual Enrollment, secondary, and/or home-school application process. The student must receive approval from the Dual Credit Student Readiness Coordinator, their high school counselor, and parent or guardian to ensure the proposed coursework does not interfere with their high school schedule. Upon completion of the Secondary/Home-School Student application and subsequent satisfaction of course prerequisites, the student will be eligible to register and is responsible for payment.