Admissions

South Puget Sound Community College maintains an open-door admissions policy and accepts anyone who may benefit from our educational programs, regardless of academic background. This policy also provides standards and consistent practices regarding the admission and readmission of service members and reservists to South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC).

Admission does not guarantee the applicant the unrestricted right to enroll in any specific class, course or program if in the judgment of the President or Designee, reasonable enrollment limits for such class, course or program have been achieved or if the applicant does not meet reasonable pre-requisites for such enrollment. Applicants who are high school graduates or 18 years of age or older are eligible for admissions. Applicants under 18 and not a high school graduate may be admitted under the Running Start program or the Underage Admission Process.

The Craft Brewing & Distilling, Expanded Function Dental Assisting, Dental Assisting Technology, and Nursing programs require a special admission and application process.

Applicants who are returning to the college but did not attend within the last two quarters from the term of application, will need to re-apply to the college to update residency and demographic information.

Military Readmission Requirements

Service Members and their Family Members wishing to reenroll at the college after a leave of absence due to Military Service (a “Military Readmission”) must notify the college of their intention to resume their course of study. Subject to the criteria set forth below, the college will promptly readmit such students with the same academic status as the student had when the student last attended the college or was last admitted but was unable to attend due to Military Service.

Service Members and their Family Members wishing to reenroll at the college after a leave of absence due to Military Service (a “Military Readmission”) must notify the college of their intention to resume their course of study. Subject to the criteria set forth below, the college will promptly readmit such students with the same academic status as the student had when the student last attended the college or was last admitted but was unable to attend due to Military Service.

1. Notice of Intent to Return.
   1. Except as otherwise provided herein, notice of intent to return must be provided to the college:
      1. Within 3 years from the time the student is discharged from Military Service or is placed on inactive duty following the period of Military Service that required the leave of absence; or
      2. For students who are hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness or injury incurred or aggravated during the performance of Military Service notice must be provided to the college within 2 years after the end of the period needed for recovery from the illness or injury. ii. Notice should be provided orally or in writing to the academic dean and the Office of Military and Veteran Services.
   2. Cumulative Length of Absence.
      1. With limited exceptions, the cumulative length of all leaves of absence due to Military Service from the college has not exceeded 5 years. Only the time the student spends actually performing Military Service is counted.
2. Documentation. At the time of application for a Military Readmission the student must provide Documentation establishing that: 1) The student has not exceeded the cumulative length of absence. 2)  Student eligibility for readmission has not terminated due to:
   1. Separation from the Armed Forces with a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge;
      1. Dismissal of a commissioned officer by sentence of a general court-martial; or
      2. Separation of a commissioned officer from the Armed Forces by reason of a sentence to confinement adjudged by a court-martial or a sentence to confinement in a Federal or State penitentiary or correctional institution.
      3. Students who did not provide written or oral notice to the college of their leave of absence due to Military Service prior to their withdrawal must, at the time they seek a Military Readmission, submit Documentation attesting that they served in a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces that required their absence from the college.
3. Failure to Meet Military Readmission Criteria.
   1. Students who fail to meet the criteria set forth above may still be eligible for readmission to the college but are subject to the college’s established leave of absence policy and general practices.
   2. Students who choose, at the conclusion of Military Service, to enroll in different courses of study/programs than those they were enrolled in at the time of withdrawal from the college must complete the regular admission and enrollment process.
   3. Students who have been away from the college on Military Service for more than 5 years (including all previous absences for military service requirements after initial enrollment but including only time spent performing Military Service) and who are not otherwise eligible for Military Readmission may petition their academic deans for consideration of a Military Readmission.
4. Military Readmission Benefits
   1. Students will have access to the same or substantially similar course of study/program as they were enrolled in at the time of the withdrawal due to Military Service.
   2. Students will be granted the same enrollment status, credit hours and academic standing that they had at the time of the withdrawal due to Military Service.
   3. Students will be charged the same amount of tuition and fees for their first academic year after Military Readmission as they were charged in the academic year during which the student left the college due to Military Service obligations.
      1. However, if military or Veteran Education Benefits will cover the difference between the tuition and fee amounts currently charged to other students and the amount charged during the term of withdrawal, the college may charge the amounts currently charged to other students.