College Admissions

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 admission policy governed by the Illinois Community College Act. Students may enroll in any class provided space for effective instruction is available and they meet the college’s minimum competency requirements demonstrating they are college-ready, course prerequisites, and departmental admission requirements, if applicable.

There is no application deadline or fee. Refer to the college catalog and enrollment materials for specific enrollment steps. Some academic programs have additional departmental admission requirements and registration dates that students must meet. Refer to the college catalog for specific program requirements.

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 Admissions Office. The written evidence must be from the high school district's chief executive officer (or designee) 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. Still, they must follow the Secondary/Home-School Student Admission procedure 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) before 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 the Dean of Students.

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 outlined in 8CFR214.2(f), 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 the Form I-20.

Undocumented Students

Undocumented students with neither U.S. citizenship nor a visa allowing them to enroll in college coursework are not considered international students. They may apply according to the regular admission process regardless of resident status.

Dual Credit Students

Students 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 memorandums of understanding, 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 can 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 Coordinator, their high school counselor, and their parent or guardian to ensure the proposed coursework does not interfere with their high school schedule. Upon completing the Secondary/Home-School Student application and subsequent satisfaction with course prerequisites, the student will be eligible to register and be responsible for payment.