Admissions Information

Admissions Policy

Cowley College welcomes students from across the United States and around the world.

Admission to Cowley College is open to all individuals who can academically benefit from its educational programs. However, Cowley College reserves the right to deny a student admission or readmission if it is determined to be in the best interests of the college community to do so or if the college is unable to provide the services, courses or program(s) needed to assist the student in meeting educational objectives.

New Students

Before full admission can be granted, students must:

1. Complete a free Application for Admission. To Apply Online, go to www.cowley.edu/apply/index.html.
2. Submit final high school transcript or GED results to the Admissions Office.
3. Provide ACT scores, if available.
4. Unless exempt from assessment based on ACT scores, take course placement assessment at one of Cowley’s Students Services’ location prior to enrolling at any of our campus/center locations. Contact Students Services for time and location of testing.
   If you are an online students and unable to visit a Cowley College campus/center in person, special arrangements can be made if placement assessment testing is necessary.
   Contact us to make other arrangements. Email admissions@cowley.edu or call 620.441.6335.
5. Enroll with an Admissions Representative at any of our locations. Locations information is listed above. Instructions for enrolling are below in the ENROLLMENT section.
6. Applicants may be provisionally admitted for a maximum of twelve (12) credit hours pending submission of the required documents.

Returning Cowley Students

If your last date of attendance at Cowley College was prior to the fall 2016, you must complete a new Online Application. Please contact the admissions staff if you have questions.

Transfer Students

In addition to completing all required steps for New Students, Transfer Students should submit official transcripts for all college coursework.

Guest Students

Students of other colleges and universities and other applicants not seeking a degree from Cowley College should submit the Online Application. Guest students may earn a maximum of twelve (12) credit hours. To enroll in additional hours, the student must first be fully admitted by following the steps for New Students. Guest students who have completed a college degree will be exempt from the credit hour limit.

Students in this category are considered non-degree seeking and will not declare a major.

High School Students

High School students who wish to be concurrently enrolled with Cowley College will need to complete the on-line application as well as a Fast Track (high school permission) form, which includes written permission from their high school principal and parent/guardian.

Two categories of high school students can take college-level courses at Cowley College prior to graduating from high school:

1. High school sophomores, juniors, seniors, or other students who are classified as educationally “gifted” and who have a current Individual Education Plan (IEP) may qualify for concurrent enrollment.
2. High school juniors and seniors that are interested in a Career and Technical Education program may qualify for the tuition-free program.

For more information regarding High School concurrent enrollment and the requirements of the program, go to www.cowley.edu/admissions/hspartner.

International Students

Cowley College welcomes and accepts for admission students from around the world that are able to meet certain academic, language, financial requirements, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requirements.

An international student (new or transfer) must successfully complete all steps for Admissions to Cowley College, including:

1. Complete an Application for Admission
2. Arrange for approved payment terms
3. Provide Transcripts, Diploma
4. Demonstrate English Proficiency
5. Submit a Cowley College Affidavit of Sponsorship
6. Carry Current Health Insurance

When an international student (new or transfer) arrives at Cowley College, the student must complete these steps:

1. Present their I-20
2. Present their I-94 Departure Record
3. Show their Passport
4. Give payment of tuition and fees
5. Complete a Course Assessment Placement test in Math and English
6. Take a Quantiferon TB test with the campus nurse

All International Students, including those students that have attended another college in the USA, should go to www.cowley.edu/international for step-by-step procedures for gaining admission to Cowley College.

International students interested in attending Cowley College, please email international@cowley.edu.

NOTICE: Please be aware, Cowley College is an open admission college, and we have NO FORMAL agreements with any outside organization or individuals to assist you with gaining admission.

Course Placement Assessment

Cowley County Community College offers many programs, services, and classroom activities to promote and support student connections and success in the learning process. Mandatory assessment and placement in basic skills courses is an important first step.

Ensuring that students begin academic courses at the appropriate level is critical in helping students become involved in the learning process. Such placement allows students to connect with other students with common academic challenges and abilities as well as build the necessary academic skills to move forward.

1. Students who are seeking a degree or certificate or are registering for 12 or more credit hours are required to complete placement tests in English reading, English writing, and mathematics. Students registering for fewer than 12 credit hours are required to complete placement tests in English reading, English writing, and mathematics prior to registering for English composition or math courses, or after attempting 12 credit hours. Once the student has attempted 12 credit hours, they will be put on “Assessment Hold” and not allowed to enroll until assessment requirements are fulfilled. All or part of testing may be waived by providing documentation of one of the following:
   • For English writing: An ACT English score of 20.
   • For English reading: An ACT Reading score of 18.
   • For Mathematics: An ACT Mathematics score of 19.
   • A college degree from an accredited institution. Appropriate mathematics and English courses must have been taken.
   • An official college transcript from the last three years listing the writing, math, or reading prerequisite courses completed with a grade of a “C” or better.
   • Assessment results within the last three years from another institution.
2. After students are assessed they are placed into the appropriate course. Students must successfully complete the required course(s) to move to the next level of coursework. Once a student begins a math course sequence, they cannot retest or skip a course level. Placement is enforced through the student registration system. It is also monitored after grades are posted at the end of each semester. Students who do not complete required coursework with a grade of “C” or better are notified and required to re-register for the course.
3. Cowley County Community College provides students with the opportunity to retest one time at the beginning of their course sequence if they feel their initial assessment results do not adequately reflect their ability. The fee for retesting is $5. If the student still feels the placement is inaccurate, they may appeal to the Student Affairs Committee. This committee will review any evidence submitted by the student and make a final decision regarding the student’s appropriate placement. The decisions made by the Student Affairs Committee will be final.
4. To ensure you have the most accurate information, go to Cowley College Policy & Procedures.

Programs With Selective Admission

Career and Technical Education:
Accommodations cannot be made for students who are colorblind.

Cosmetology:
The clinical experience may require prolonged standing and walking, lifting, carrying, stooping and kneeling; fine motor skills using the wrists, hands and fingers; occasional exposure to chemicals.

Home Health Aide:
Kansas law requires that students enrolling in a medication aide course hold current CNA certification and read at or above the eighth grade level as assessed by TABE. Accommodations cannot be made for students assessing.

Medication Aide:
Kansas law requires that students enrolling in a medication aide course hold current CNA certification, be 18 years of age and read at or above the eighth grade level as assessed by TABE. Accommodations cannot be made for students assessing.

Mobile Intensive Care Technician:
The paramedic program has a limited number of openings for each class and has specific entry- level admission requirements that must be met before selection for the program. Three classes must be completed before entering the program: (1) Composition I, (2) Anatomy & Physiology, and (3) EMT. It is highly recommended that all Associate of Applied Science degree pre-requisites be completed prior to entry. Students must contact the program Web site for online application submission.

Music Department:
Auditions required for Concert Choir, Cowley College Singers, Cowley College Singers/Dance, Cowley College Jazz Band, Drum Line, Guitar Ensemble, and Applied Music Lessons.

Proof of Residency

Students applying for admission to Cowley College must identify their proper residence classification.

Different tuition rates apply to residents of Cowley County, other Kansas counties, Oklahoma, other USA states, and International that take courses on the main campus and/or any of Cowley’s Academic Centers.

Residency status is determined by procedures consistent with Kansas statutes. Generally, residency is determined by length of residence in the state and proof of intent to remain in the state. To be classified as a Kansas resident, a student must have lived in the state for a minimum of six months prior to the first day of classes and must produce three of the following:

1. Receipt for purchase of Kansas license tags dated at least six months prior to the first day of the term.
2. Receipt for payment of Kansas property taxes, dated at least six months prior to the first day of the term.
3. Employment verification or payroll check stubs (6 monthly stubs or 12 stubs if paid bi-weekly) from a Kansas employer or school attendance at a Kansas community college commencing six months prior to the first day of the term.
4. Copy of voter registration in the state of Kansas dated six months prior to the first day of the term.
5. Copy of Kansas driver’s license dated at least six months prior to the first day of the term.
6. Consecutive utility receipts and/or rent receipts for the six months prior to the first day of the term. (Receipts for each of the six months.)
7. Verification (must be notarized) from a Kansas resident that the student has resided with him/her/them for at least six consecutive months prior to the first day of the term.

Note: Students who were recruited for employment purposes should contact the Registrar’s office for further information.

The following persons and their spouses and dependents may be considered residents of the state of Kansas for tuition purposes:

1. Persons who are in active military service of the United States.
2. Persons who are current military personnel, National Guard personnel, veterans, military spouses, and dependents who are attending post-secondary education institutions and are eligible to receive educational assistance under federal law granting such assistance to veterans, regardless of their length of residency in Kansas. The person must be continuously enrolled and file a letter of intent to establish residency in Kansas.
3. Persons who are full-time employees of a community college and their dependents.

Resident aliens are international students who have been granted permanent resident status by the USCIS. To qualify for in-state tuition, a student must present their resident alien card at the time of application for admission. Students who cannot provide this documentation will be classified as non- residents and will be required to pay out-of state tuition until the resident alien card is presented.

Resident aliens may enroll part-time or full-time and are not governed by the regulations for F-1 international students.

Students who disagree with their classification as a non-resident for tuition costs may file a written appeal within two weeks of the date of enrollment with the Registrar’s office. The payment of tuition as originally assessed shall be a condition of the right to appeal residency classification. Failure to file an appeal within the time and in the manner specified makes classification by the Registrar final.