Admissions

Academic Load

The normal load for a student expecting to graduate in two years with an Associate of Arts Degree in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Division is 15-16 credit hours per semester. Students in career programs are required to follow the offerings of their programs. Students who have a marginal academic background may be limited in the number of hours they may carry. This limitation is to help students succeed and is explained during enrollment. If they show good progress, an increased load will be suggested in subsequent semesters. Iowa Central Community College calculates student enrollment according to the following credit load for Fall and Spring:

These are commonly accepted credit load counts for reporting purposes for accrediting and state agencies.

Admission

Iowa Central Community College is a comprehensive college with an open-door admission policy. There is no application fee for admission to the College.

Ways to Apply

• Apply online at www.iowacentral.edu/admissions
• Request paper application by phone, 800-362-2793 ext. 1008 or 515-574-1008

A student may be accepted by the College, however, some academic programs have additional admissions requirements to be considered for acceptance into those programs including academic qualifications and other criteria. Academic programs that have additional requirements are Associate Degree Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Emergency Medical Services, Medical Assistant, Medical Laboratory Technician, Practical Nursing, Radiologic Technology, and Professional Semi-Truck Driving program. To learn about these additional requirements, refer to the Applied Science and Technology Programs section of this catalog.

To Complete Enrollment Process:

1. Submit Placement Test Scores
   Iowa Central uses exam results to determine placement in reading, writing, and math courses. Iowa Central will accept test scores from ACT, SAT, ACCUPLACER and ALEKS. The ACCUPLACER and ALEKS tests may be taken free of charge (first time) at all Iowa Central Campuses. Call 800-362-2793 for testing times.
2. Submit Official College Transcripts
   Send official college transcript(s) from prior Colleges (including College credit courses taken while attending high school) to the Student Records Office to be evaluated. Official transcripts are important to the advising process and should be mailed prior to starting classes.
3. Apply for Financial Aid
   Start early - the financial aid process can take time. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1. File online at www.fafsa.ed.gov with Iowa Central’s school code (004597). It is necessary to reapply each year.
4. Apply for Scholarships
   Iowa Central Community College and Iowa Central Community College Foundation offer a variety of scholarships to students. These scholarships are based on academic achievement, program interest, or activity involvement. Scholarships available can be viewed at http://www.iowacentral.edu/financial_aid/scholarships.asp.
5. Apply for Housing
   Fully furnished apartment living is provided at Iowa Central. Students can fill out the housing application online at www.iowacentral.edu/housing. This application will not be processed until the Housing Office receives the non-refundable application fee ($125 Iowa Resident/$300 Non-Resident). Send application fee to Director of Housing or contact the Housing Office at 800-362-2793 ext. 1086 to pay by phone.
6. Enroll for Classes and Complete Registration
   Students may enroll by phone, 800-362-2793, in person, or fill out the enrollment form on our website at www.iowacentral.edu/admissions/admissions_application.asp. Confirm intent to attend by completing the registration form. Registration will not be final until the student’s minimum balance due is zero.

Admission - International

Prospective international students applying for Admission to Iowa Central must:

1. Complete an International Student Application,
2. Show evidence of their English proficiency by providing one of the following:
   1. TOEFL Score of 450 or higher (CBT 133 or higher), or
   2. An official transcript showing a satisfactory grade (C or better) of a freshman level English course at an approved U.S. college or university, or
   3. A high school transcript from a country where English language is the basic language taught, and
3. Submit a Statement of Financial Support to provide evidence of ability to meet educational and living expenses while a student.

International Students are not eligible for Federal or State-of-lowa Financial Aid. Note: All F-1 international students must be enrolled full-time (12 hours or more) to be in compliance with Federal Immigration Laws.

TOEFL

1. Iowa Central Community College requires all prospective international students from non-English speaking countries to submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score.
2. International students are expected to score at least 450 for acceptance.
3. Students who score below 500 in the TOEFL must enroll in English as a Second Language or Fundamentals of Writing.
4. International students must stay enrolled in English as a Second Language until they pass the course with a C grade or better.

Advisors

All students are assigned an advisor at the time of the first enrollment. The advisor assists the student in the proper selection of courses and with program and transfer advice. Students are encouraged to consult with their assigned advisor continuously throughout their time of study at Iowa Central. Advisors meet with each student a minimum of twice a year for this purpose.

Financial Aid

The purpose of the Financial Aid Program is to provide assistance to students who might find it difficult to attend college. The need for financial assistance is determined by subtracting the expected family contribution from the estimated cost of attending Iowa Central Community College. The dollar amount of the expected family contribution is determined by the Federal Government through the Financial Aid application process. The Financial Aid Office then subtracts the expected contribution from the total estimated cost for the year and the difference is the financial need. Available financial aid is then awarded to the student. The total financial aid award may not exceed the total estimated cost.

Financial aid is awarded to students contingent of the student attending and successfully completing coursework. Therefore, if a student decides withdraw or to stop attending, students may be required to repay part of the financial aid to Iowa Central or the Department of Education. This policy applies to recipients who are receiving Federal Title IV funds which consist of Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, and Direct Loans. Students may obtain information on this policy from the Financial Aid Office.

See the Return of Title IV Funds Policy (R2T4) for more information.

Sources of Financial Aid

Federal Pell Grant

• Federally funded gift aid.
• Students must demonstrate need.
• Student must be an undergraduate.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

• Federally funded gift aid administered by Iowa Central.
• Students must demonstrate need.
• Students must be undergraduate.
• Awards limited to funds available.

Work Study

• Part-time work opportunities.
• Federally or State funded, Iowa Central administered.
• Students must demonstrate need.
• Awards limited to funds available.

Iowa Vocational-Technical Grant

• Iowa resident students.
• Enrollment in Career or Career Option programs.
• Students must demonstrate need.

Iowa Kibbie Grant

• Iowa resident students.
• Enrollment in Career technical or career option programs.
• Students must demonstrate need.
• Awards limited to funds available.

Federal Direct Student Loan

• Fixed interest loans
• Students must demonstrate need for subsidized Direct loan.
• Maximum loan $5,500 for first year, $6,500 for second year (dependent student).

Federal Plus Loan

• Loans available to parents of dependent students.
• Financial need is not required.

Private Student Loans

• Private student loans may be available to students who meet Lender criteria.
• May require creditworthiness and/or co-signer.
• Please visit https://choice.fastproducts.org/FastChoice/home/186500.

Scholarships

Various businesses, organizations and individuals donate money to Iowa Central for the purpose of Financial Aid to students. These awards are made by Iowa Central or the donating organizations. Some awards may be based on need or specific donor criteria. The scholarship application process begins in January/February for fall term enrollment. Inquiries about specific awards may be made to the Financial Aid Office.

Veterans’ Benefits

Qualified veterans are eligible for G.I. benefits at Iowa Central. Early arrangements should be made with the Veterans representative in Student Records. In order for GI benefits to be certified each term, students must contact the certifying official to complete the formal request. Veterans must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to be eligible to receive benefits. All veterans and their immediate family receive in-state tuition rates.

Delayed VA Payments

Under Section 103 of the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act, Iowa Central will not impose a late fee, denial of access to facilities, or other penalties a veteran or eligible dependent or spouse due to the late payment of tuition and/or fees from the VA up to the certified benefits amount. Any portion of the student bill not covered by VA benefits is still expected to be settled by the due date.

Refund of Unearned Federal Tuition Assistance Aid

Federal Tuition Assistance refund policies align with the return of unearned student aid rules applicable to the Federal Student Aid guidelines under the Department of Education Title IV.

Additional Aid

Students are encouraged to seek information on financial aid in their own communities. Local service clubs and organizations, as well as national and state organizations may have financial aid to offer. The Financial Aid Office is available to assist students in identifying these sources. Non-resident students should check with their home state higher education agency for information about their home state’s aid.

Applications and Award Procedures

To be considered for financial assistance at Iowa Central students must

1. Apply and be accepted by the college.
2. Complete a free application for Federal Student Aid (school code is 004597). Students may apply online at www.fafsa.gov
3. Complete any additional documentation requested by Iowa Central. This may include a copy of your/parent’s IRS Tax Transcript.
4. Financial Aid Awards are made on a first-come, first-serve basis as students’ files are completed. Award notifications are usually made to students in the late spring and early summer.

When to Apply for Financial Aid

Applications are available after October 1 each year. It is necessary to reapply each year. For best considerations of all types of aid, the application must be submitted by March 1. Pell Grants, Direct Student Loans, and Parent PLUS Loans are available after March 1, but other aid may already be committed.

General Eligibility Requirements

All students seeking Financial Aid must

1. Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a program at least six months in length,
2. Intend to complete the program and receive a degree related to the educational objective,
3. Have a high school diploma or recognized equivalent,
4. Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen,
5. Not be in default for any previous loans disbursed,
6. Not owe a refund on any previous Federal Student Aid, and
7. Maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Iowa Central Community College is required to establish academic progress standards for students who are federal and state financial aid applicants or recipients. This policy ensures that any student who receives or applies for financial aid is making progress toward a degree. The student’s total academic history is monitored regardless of whether he/she has previously received financial aid.

In order to maintain eligibility for financial aid, a student must meet the “Standards Requirements” listed below. Failure to meet these requirements results in the loss of aid. Programs affected by “Standards Requirements” include, but are not limited to:

Standards Requirements

1. Pace: Successfully complete 67% of attempted credit hours. This will be measured on a cumulative basis. Example: If the student attempts a total of 24 credit hours the first academic year, the student must satisfactorily complete 16 credit hours. (Example: 24 credit hours x .67 (67%) = 16 credit hours.)
2. Maximum Time Frame: Completion of the academic program in 150% of the published credits. Example: Associate in Arts degree = 60 credit hours. Maximum attempted credit hours permitted to complete this program would be 90. (Example: 60 credit hours x 1.5 (150%) = 90 credit hours.)
3. Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average:

• A cumulative GPA of 2.00 must be met.

Additional Information

1. Credit/no credit, course repeats, withdrawals, incompletes, and developmental courses will be included as part of the student’s cumulative credit hours attempted for pace and maximum time frame purposes.
2. In computing the cumulative GPA for graduation, only the most recent grade earned in a course, that has been repeated, will be used.
3. Transfer Students are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes upon initial enrollment. Upon enrollment, relevant transfer credits and GPA that become part of the student’s academic record at Iowa Central will be included in the student’s satisfactory academic progress calculation. Students must send all official college transcripts in order to determine eligibility.
4. Courses taken for audit, Advanced Standing, Advanced Placement and hours via the College Level Examination Program will not be included as a part of the student’s cumulative credit hours enrolled for maximum time frame purposes.

Monitoring Process

1. Academic progress will be monitored at the end of each term to determine if the “Standards Requirements” have been met.
2. Financial Aid Warning - The first term the student fails to meet the “Standards Requirements” the student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. This warning period should be utilized by the student to meet the “Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards Requirements.” The student will only be given one Warning term at Iowa Central.
3. Academically Ineligible - Students failing to show satisfactory progress during their warning period will be Academically Ineligible. A student may not receive any aid listed above while they are Academically Ineligible.

Reinstatement of Eligibility

1. Complete the number of credit hours necessary to achieve the 67% requirement and/or minimum cumulative GPA needed for their grade level. This will be at the student’s own expense. When these hours have been completed, the Financial Aid Office must be notified so eligibility for aid can be reinstated.
2. If special circumstances exist (including but not limited to: death of family member, personal or family illness, family crisis), the student may appeal by submitting a letter stating the reasons the “Standards Requirements” were not met and completing the Appeal Form. Appropriate third-party professional documentation may be required. The Appeals Committee will review the appeal. If the appeal is approved, eligibility for financial aid will be reinstated on a probationary status for one term.
3. If the student fails to meet the “Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards Requirements” after the probationary term, the student will be academically ineligible. The student has the option of completing an Academic Plan that will ensure the student meets the “Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards Requirements” at a specific point in time. If the student is not successfully following the Academic Plan they will no longer be eligible for financial aid at Iowa Central.

Submission Deadlines

Appeals: Fall Term: October 1; Spring Term: February 12; Summer Term: July 6; 8 Week Online: 2 weeks after start of term.
Academic Plans: Fall Term: 5th day of the term; Spring Term: 5th day of the term; Summer Term: June 1; 8 Week Online: 2 weeks after start of term
All Appeals or Academic Plan Worksheets must be turned in prior to the submission deadline to be considered for that term. If the deadline date falls on a weekend/holiday, the Appeal or Academic Plan Worksheet must be turned in prior to the weekend/holiday.

Additional Regulations Affect Veterans Benefit Status

For satisfactory academic progress, the following academic performance criteria apply to all veterans or other students eligible for VA benefits. The Veterans Administration requires that all students receiving VA education benefits maintain satisfactory academic progress. Iowa Central defines satisfactory academic progress as achieving a cumulative 2.00 GPA. If a veteran does not make at least a “C” average (2.00) on all hours pursued, a warning period of one term will be granted. At the end of the warning term a cumulative GPA of 2.00 must be reached. If a 2.00 is not attained, the VA benefits will be withdrawn and the student will be academically ineligible to receive VA education benefits. Reinstatement of eligibility is obtained by either reaching the 2.00 cumulative GPA or a student can submit a letter of appeal. If the appeal is approved, eligibility for the VA benefits will be reinstated on a term probationary status.

Orientation

Freshman orientations are offered throughout the summer. Our orientation gives students and parents the opportunity to learn more about the multiple resources available at Iowa Central and to finalize any necessary paperwork. If students are unable to attend an in-person orientation, an online option is available. Please contact Admissions with questions.

Residency Policy Guidelines

In determining a community college resident or non-resident classification, the primary determination is the reason a person is in the state of Iowa. The second determination will be the length of time a person has resided in Iowa. If a person is in the state primarily for educational purposes, that person will be considered a non-resident. The burden of establishing the reason a person is in Iowa for other than educational purposes rests with the student.

1. The Enrollment Management & Student Development Office may require written documents, affidavits, or other related evidence deemed necessary to determine why a student is in Iowa. The burden of proof is upon the student. A student will be required to file at least two documents to determine his/her residency status. No two documents may come from the same source. The following are examples of acceptable documentation.
   1. Iowa driver’s license.
   2. Iowa vehicle registration card.
   3. Iowa state income tax return, signed and dated.
   4. Iowa voter registration card.
   5. Proof of Iowa Homestead credit on property taxes.
   6. Written and notarized documentation from an employer that the student is employed in Iowa.
2. If you are not a U.S. citizen but are a permanent resident you must provide a copy of your U.S. Permanent Resident Card with your residency application.
3. All documents must be dated at least 90 days prior to the start of the term you are requesting residency for.
4. These documents must be submitted prior to the first day of the semester for which you are registering. Residency cannot be re-classified once the semester begins.
5. If you are an international student please refer to the Request For Determination of Residency Status Application.

Student Identification Card

Students living off campus must go to Student Records to obtain a Photo ID. Each student must have an ID to check out Library materials, attend events around campus, and pick-up financial aid refund checks in the Business Office. Students must have their minimum payment made on their bill before an ID is issued. The ID is valid for an entire academic year. Students will be issued their first ID at no charge. A replacement fee of $5.00 will be assessed for the first replacement and $25.00 for each additional replacement. Replacement fees can be paid in cash or charged to the Iowa Central student’s account at the time the replacement ID is issued.

Tuition and Fees

Students residing in a bordering state of Iowa can receive a reduced rate in tuition if they qualify.

1. Must have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher
2. Reside in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin

The cost per credit hour will be the cost of in-state tuition plus $5.00.

Students from the surrounding states will not be eligible to receive the in-state tuition plus $5.00 on any Online classes.

The student fee is the only fee that is refundable on a pro-rated basis.

Online program Military students are considered Iowa residents.

* Subject to change. Individual courses may also have additional fees.

Refunds

Tuition and applicable fee adjustments are made for drops/withdrawals according to the following schedule:

Session days are defined as Monday through Friday. Session day count begins with the beginning date of the College term.

Tuition and applicable fee refunds for courses or sessions shorter than fifteen weeks will have proportionally shorter refund periods or as otherwise defined for the class.  For example, shorter online classes may only entail an extended 100% refund with no option of 75% or 50% refund periods.

Transfer of College Credit into Iowa Central Community College

When evaluating transcripts from other regionally accredited, post-secondary institutions, Iowa Central considers the guidelines of AACRAO (the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers). Iowa Central requires a paper copy of an official transcript sent by the other college to the Student Records Office before credit is placed on the Iowa Central transcript.

Only courses required by the student and current program of study are transferred in to Iowa Central.

Military credit transferring in is based on ACE (American Council on Education) recommendations.

Sixteen hours of Vocational Technical credit applies toward the 16 hours of elective credit for the AA degree.

Transfer credit is granted by Iowa Central based on the credits granted at the awarding institution. Quarter hours of credit are converted to semester hours. Iowa Central multiplies the quarter hour by .66 to calculate the equivalent semester hour. Other unusual credit granting options are looked at based on the narrative on the reverse side of the sending college transcript.

Students are responsible for monitoring their transfer of credit into Iowa Central. Students are encouraged to provide course descriptions or other documentation about their transfer credit if they do not agree with the Registrar’s evaluation of their credit. Transfer credit appears on the Iowa Central degree audit with the label of TE.

International Transcripts:

Any prospective student (international, permanent resident or U.S. Citizen) who is applying for admission and who has attended a college or university outside the United States must have their international transcript(s) translated by and evaluated by one of the agencies listed below. The evaluation must be sent from the agency directly to Iowa Central Community College, Attn: Student Records Office, One Triton Circle, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501.

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203
www.ece.org

Global Education Group, Inc.
1205 Lincoln
Road, Suite 218
Miami Beach, FL 33139
www.globaledu.com

International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231
www.ierf.org

Transfer of College Credit to Regent Universities

Iowa’s Regent universities and community colleges have joined to create a web portal dedicated to assisting students with the transfer process. The site serves as a one-stop resource for students planning their future. The url for the site is www.transferiniowa.org.

Each year, thousands of students transfer from Iowa community colleges to one of the state’s three public universities. Transferring from one college to the next can be a big step, but need not be complicated. The website contains resources helpful in educational planning as well as information for students to discuss with their counselor or advisor.

The number one question transfer students ask is “How will my credits transfer?” Students can learn about how their community college courses transfer to each of the three state public universities by following the links on the website. The website contains resources explaining statewide articulation agreements and individual program-to-program articulation agreements by community colleges. These resources are useful for students planning to transfer as well as counselors and advisors. In addition to online resources, it’s always a good idea for students to discuss their plans with both a community college and university counselor or advisor. Contact information for the office or person responsible for transfer and articulation at each postsecondary institution is available on the site.