General Admission Information

Columbia College is committed to equal opportunity in student admissions. Students who are high school graduates or the equivalent, qualify for admission, and can benefit from the College’s programs and services. Columbia College offers Associate Degree programs, certificate programs, and non-degree programs, in order to accommodate a variety of students with different educational objectives and backgrounds. Some students may not qualify for programs with more stringent requirements. For more information, students should contact the appropriate department and/or the admissions office.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Columbia College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The College complies with the Civic Rights Act of 1964, related executive orders 11246 and 11375, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and all Civil Rights Laws of the state of Virginia.

Criteria for Admission

In order to qualify for enrollment in Columbia College, the applicant must meet the following conditions:

  1. A graduate of an accredited high school or satisfactory completion the General Educational Development (GED) or High School Equivalency (HSE) test.
  2. A home-schooled student in compliance with state and county education guidelines. The compliance form has to be submitted with the admissions application.
  3. If an applicant graduated from a high school in a foreign country and cannot provide a diploma, he/she must complete a Waivers of Diploma form as proof of graduation.
  4. An official college/university transcript is an acceptable document to prove high school graduation if an applicant is currently attending or has previously attended. For a foreign institution, the transcript must be evaluated by an organization recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE).

Admission Requirement for Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) Program

Admission standards for students admitted to a Vocational English-As-A-Second Language (VESL) are the same as the traditional residential program, but the students possess job skills after the completion of the VESL program to obtain employment. Students are expected to submit a document as evidence, such as credentials, test scores, job experience, or verification of skill competencies by a third party (e.g. Letter of Employment Verification).

Admission Requirement for Distance Education

Admission standards are the same as for the traditional residential program with the exception of technical specifications. Newly admitted students must take the CaMLA, the College’s current placement test, which is the same as for students in the traditional residential programs.

Students are expected to have at least the following skills prior to taking distance education courses:

  1. Basic keyboarding competence
  2. Elementary knowledge of their computer operating system
  3. Basic knowledge of software and tools such as word processor, e-mail, Internet browser, and search engine

A personal computer with access to a common internet network (using typical DSL speed 10M down/2M up) is required and headphones and/or headsets are preferred for privacy.

Any student may enroll in distance education courses. However, distance education courses may not be appropriate for everyone. These courses are independent study and require additional self-discipline and motivation.

Required Materials

  1. A completed application form
  2. Non-refundable application fee
  3. Academic diploma/school transcript (at least high school), DD-214 form or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
  4. A copy of a photo ID (passport, driver’s license, state-issued ID)
  5. Student enrollment agreement form

To download your necessary documents, click here