How to Take a Class in the Virginia Community College System and Transfer Credit to JMU

1. Choose the class or classes you want to take. 

• Review the Registrar’s Offices website for Transfer Credit policies and procedures. 
• Current students who plan to take a course to satisfy a General Education requirement should review the General Transfer Policies for currently enrolled students. 
• Students wishing to take courses outside of General Education or for elective credit should review the Transfer Equivalency Guide.
• After deciding on which course(s) to take, students should complete either the Intent to Transfer Credit Form or the Transfer Credit Approval Form (find out which form you should submit). 

2. Complete the community college’s online application.

• For application and instruction, go to https://apply.vccs.edu.   The application is free and should take about 15-20 minutes to complete. Be sure to indicate that you plan to take credit classes, that you will be studying as a transient student from a 4 year university, and you are not planning to complete a degree at the college.
• At the end of the application, you will be given a student ID number (also called SIS ID or EMPLID) and a username and password. Write this information down and keep it in a safe place.
• If you have ever attended a Virginia community college prior to enrolling in JMU, use the same SIS ID or EMPLID when you enroll for a summer course. This includes dual and concurrent enrollment as a high school student, even if it was at a different community college than the one you want to enroll in now.

3. Download or print a copy of your unofficial transcript from MyMadison. 

• If needed, review the tutorial on how to View an Unofficial Transcript. Your unofficial transcript will demonstrate that you:
  • are a JMU student in good academic standing,
  • have completed any pre-requisites needed to enroll in the course.

4. Submit all required documents to the community college Admissions and Records office. 

• Some community colleges will require a copy of the signed "Permission to Take Courses for Transfer Credit" form, or they may ask you to complete their school's "transient student" form signed by a school official (often the registrar's office, or your advisor).
• Depending on the course or courses you want to take, you may need to send a copy of your JMU transcript to show you have completed the course prerequisite(s), or waive placement testing. Review the college’s website or contact an academic advisor there to find out about any additional requirements.

5.  Enroll in the class.

• Use the community college's enrollment system to enroll in the class(es) you wish to take.

6. Pay tuition at the community college.

• Current tuition rates will be published on the college’s website. 
• Be sure to check the tuition payment deadline.  Depending on the timing of when you enroll, it can sometimes be as soon as one business day after the day you enroll. 

7. Take the class. 

• If you are taking the class in person, make sure you have transportation there and back.
• If you are taking an online class, be sure to check and make sure you have reliable internet connection and you are able to take the exam. 
• If you can’t be on campus to take the exam in person, find out about exam proctoring procedures before you enroll in the course. 

8. Request a copy of your transcript from the community college.

• After your final grade for the class has been posted on your transcript, request the college send a copy of your transcript to JMU’s Office of the Registrar.    
• The credit will appear on your Transfer Credit Report in MyMadison and on your official transcript.  

Questions:

Contact the Transfer Advising Coordinator for the community college where you wish to study or visit the Madison Advising Peers.