Admissions Policies

General Criteria.

HCC has an open door admissions policy, which means it accepts all applicants with ability to benefit from its programs. Admission to HCC does not guarantee admission to all programs. Based upon their assessment results and program objectives, students may be admitted conditionally, required to take developmental courses, and/or restricted from certain programs and courses. In addition, special admissions requirements have been established for programs which require that students possess previously learned skills and aptitudes. An applicant may obtain additional information from the Office of Student Records, counselors, and campus offices. As a comprehensive community college, HCC offers many programs designed to meet the needs of students according to their backgrounds and interests. With limited exceptions, a student must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have a GED. Nongraduates may be admitted on an individual approval basis as described below.

Basic Procedure for Admissions.

• Distance education students are encouraged to review the steps for New Students outlined on the DE Student Services website, as these steps were designed to help you quickly and efficiently.
• Submit an application over the Internet via the Online Admissions Application.
• After completing the online admissions application, you may be asked to verify residency for tuition calculation purposes. Consult with your local campus' Admissions Office if you have questions regarding your residency. 
• If you are new-to-college student with fewer than 15-hours earned you will be required to participate in a Pre-Registration Information Seminar (PRIS). New students may attend PRIS on-campus or on-line. This orientation contains wonderful information that will assist you as a new student. At the end of the orientation, you will be asked to print a confirmation that you attended. Please retain this confirmation, as you will be required to show proof of PRIS attendance when you go to a campus to take your entrance test(s).  
• Provide official transcripts from ALL previously attended colleges and/or universities. (Unofficial copies may be used for advisement ONLY.) Mail transcripts to: Office of Students Records P.O. BOX 667517 Houston, TX 77266-7517
• Students planning to enroll in to distance education classes should contact the Distance Education Counselor for guidance on the appropriate next step in the entrance process. The Distance Education Counselor will want to discuss your degree objective. A student's program of study will effect witch entrance test they are required to take, thus it is important that distance education students contact the counselor prior to going to an HCC location to test. See the first bullet above for a link to the New Student admission process for Distance Education students.
• Complete an HCC TSI assessment exam (TABE, ASSET or COMPASS), the THEA exam, or provide documentation supporting TSI Exemption or Waiver. Students who are exempt from TSI based upon ACT, SAT or TAKS scores are required to provide the appropriate test scores to claim TSI exemption. (Unofficial copies may be used for counseling and placement purposes, but official copies will be needed for TSI exemption.)
• Participate in further assessment if necessary for course placement.
• Meet with a counselor for course advisement.

Readmission After Absence.

Students returning after being absent less than one year may register on-line, if eligible, or at any HCC registration location. Students returning after more than one year absence must update their student records at any HCC Admissions Office and verify residency prior to registration. Students who are interested in taking distance education classes and are returning after a one-year, or longer, absence are encouraged to visit the Returning Students area within the DE Student Services website for guidance through this process.

Readmission After Suspension/Academic Withdrawal.

Students seeking readmission after being placed on enforced Academic Withdrawal at HCC must petition the Academic Dean at the College that placed them on suspension. Students may be required to enroll in courses specified by the Academic Dean and/or have their course load limited.

Placement Testing.

A variety of assessment instruments are used to determine placement into programs and courses at HCC. Meeting minimum passing standards as required by TSI does not preclude HCC from using local assessment to determine placement in programs or courses. Students with disabilities who need to request special testing accommodations should contact their local HCC Disability Support Services (DSS) Counselor office prior to testing.

Health Science Programs.

All applicants to the Health Science Programs must contact the Health Science Department Admissions Office located at 1900 Pressler Street (phone 713-718-7400) directly for formal application procedures, pre-entrance examination schedules, and general admissions information. (See Health Sciences homepage for specific admissions requirements.)

Residency Requirements.

HCC is required by state law to determine the residency status for tuition purposes of all students. All new students must provide documentation to affirm their residence and sign an Oath of Residency. Students returning after more than one year will be required to reaffirm that they have not changed their state of residence since their enrollment. Additional documentation may be requested at any time following registration. For tuition purposes, students will be classified according to the following guidelines. The Registrar is the final authority on all questions of residency. NOTE: THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES APPLY TO CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS ONLY. STUDENTS ON ANY OTHER TYPE OF VISA ARE CLASSIFIED AS OUT-OF-STATE UNLESS EXEMPTED BY STATE LAW.

In-District Residency.

A student who has been a legal resident of the State of Texas for at least one year immediately preceding registration and lives in the HCC taxing district will be classified as an In-District Resident. HCC grants in-district status to residents of the Houston Independent School District, the Stafford Municipal School District, and Missouri City.

A permanent resident has the same requirements for qualifying for resident status for fee purposes as a citizen of the United States. A permanent resident must meet the same length of residency requirements as a citizen. An individual who obtains permanent resident status while in Texas may not be reclassified for tuition purposes until he or she has been granted permanent resident status and has resided in Texas a minimum of 12 consecutive months from the date on which he or she applied for permanent resident status.

Out-of-District Residency.

A student who is a legal resident of the state but resides outside the HCC taxing district will be classified as an Out-of-District resident. Residents of the following districts in the HCC service area will be considered as Out-of-District for tuition purposes: Alief, Katy, Spring Branch, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, and North Forest.

Out-of-State Residency.

A student who has not resided in Texas for the 12 months immediately preceding registration will be classified as a non-resident. A non-resident student classification is presumed to be correct as long as the residence in the state is primarily used for the purpose of attending school. To be reclassified as a resident after one or more years of residency, the student must show proof of intent to establish Texas as his/her permanent legal residence. A non-resident who marries a Texan must establish his/her own residency.

Establishing Residency.

Residency is determined at the time of registration, either by a student's current address or by the address of a parent or legal guardian if the student is being claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes. A post office box can be used for a mailing address but cannot be used to establish residency. It is the responsibility of the student to register under the correct residency classification. A complete set of rules and regulations for determining residence is available at each center.

Students who have attended school or resided out of state may be required to provide additional proof of residency. Permanent resident aliens and foreign students must provide documentation of permits and/or visas.

Change of Residency.

Change from out-of-district residency to in-district residency must be made at the time of registration. Any address change which results in a change to in-district status must be accompanied by adequate documentation. Changes to in-district status made after registration will be effective the following semester.

A student who qualifies for a change of out-of-state to in-state residency status for tuition purposes may file a petition for change of residency. The petition must be filed by the Official Day of Record in order to receive any refund of tuition paid for that term.

Penalties.

Any student who provides false information or who withholds information for proper determination of residency is subject to any or all of the following penalties:

1. Withdrawal from all classes with no refund.
2. Dismissal from the institution.
3. Payment of the difference in fees within 30 days.
4. Loss of credit earned while under incorrect residency status.

Undocumented Students.

Undocumented students are now eligible for admission to HCC.

Undocumented students who otherwise satisfy HCC admission and residency requirements may register and pay in-district tuition and fees. These students will not be reported for state formula funding.

International Students.

HCC considers a student on any kind of visa other than a Permanent Resident Visa (I-551) to be an international student. International students must enroll primarily in traditional classroom classes that meet on an HCC campus. International students may only enroll in ONE distance education class as part of their full-time enrollment status. All other classes must be attended on-campus.

International students who wish to study in the United States on an F-1 or M-1 Visa must obtain an I-20AB application form from HCC to present to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country to request a student visa. A prospective student on any other type of visa may enroll at HCC provided immigration documents are valid through the semester for which the student wishes to enroll.

B-Visas.

A prospective student who has entered the United States on a B Visa (business/visitor) may enroll in HCC for one semester. If the student plans to study for more than one semester, an application must be filed with the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, to change to F-1 student status.

For information on F-1 student responsibilities, call 713-718-8520.

Concurrent Enrollment.

An international student who has been issued an I-20 AB from another college or university and wishes to concurrently enroll at HCC must submit written permission from that college or university. Before a student enrolls for a course he/she must possess English language skills and satisfy prerequisites for the course.

Summer International Transient Students.

Students who are attending another college or university and wish to take summer classes at HCC must provide a letter from their home institution which indicates they are in status with the INS and have been given permission to enroll at HCC.

English Proficiency and Course Placement.

International students desiring to enroll in academic programs must demonstrate English language proficiency. This can be accomplished by taking one of the following exams: TOEFL, THEA, or an alternative THEA test (i.e., ASSET, COMPASS, etc.). Scores on the exams must meet state and institutional requirements for placement into college-level classes. Students who do not meet these requirements will be required to enroll in the Intensive English Program or Developmental Classes.

Transfer Credit from Foreign Institutions.

Students petitioning to receive transfer credit from foreign institutions must first have their transcripts evaluated by an approved evaluation service. Students should call the Office of Student Records at 713-718-8500 for the list of approved services. NOTE: ANY STUDENT WHO FALSIFIES RECORDS OF ANY KIND CAN BE DENIED ADMISSION OR BE DISMISSED FROM HCC.

International Student Application Deadline.

A prospective international student wishing to enroll in HCC should contact the Enrollment Support Office at 713-718-8520 for the issuance of an I-20AB. The application deadlines are:

Fall Semester — July 1
Spring Semester — December 1
Summer Semester — April 15

Students with Disabilities.

The Disability Support Services (DSS) Office assists students with physical, learning, or emotional disabilities in developing independence and self-reliance. Services include adaptive equipment and reasonable accommodations for admissions assistance, testing, academic advising, registration, and classroom instruction. Interpreting service is provided for students who are deaf/hard of hearing and assistive technology devices are provided for students who are blind.

HCC is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). If you have any special needs or disabilities which may affect your ability to succeed in college classes or participate in college program/activities, please contact the DSS Office at the college you plan to attend, or at your closest HCC location if you plan to be a distance education student. Upon consultation and documentation, you will be provided with reasonable accommodations. Academic accommodations will be provided only after students have properly registered for services through designated disability services staff.

It is recommended that you contact the DSS Office at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the term. Additional procedures are outlined in the HCC Student Handbook.

Veterans

The Office of Enrollment Support offers services to veterans wishing to request educational benefits while enrolled in HCC. To apply for veterans benefits, call the veteran representative at 713-718-8520. Eligible veterans or dependents include:

• Chapter 30-Veterans who entered the military after July 1, 1985, and contributed to the educational program.
• Chapter 32 (VEAP)-Veterans who entered the military after January 1, 1977, and contributed to the VEAP program.
• Chapter 1606 (Selected Reserves)-Reservists who entered the Selected Reserves after July 1, 1985.
• Chapter 31-Veterans who have a service connected disability which creates an employment problem.
• Chapter 35 (Dependents)-Spouses or children of deceased or service-connected disabled veterans (100%).
• HAZLEWOOD-Veterans who entered the service from Texas, have exhausted veteran benefits and wish to continue college work.

Activated Reservists.

An HCC student who is attending classes and is called to active duty during a semester may elect to do one of the following:

• Receive a refund of the tuition and fees paid for the semester which the student withdraws.
• Receive an incomplete grade in all courses by designating withdrawn on the transcript.
• Request instructor to assign an appropriate final grade or credit if the student has satisfactorily completed a substantial amount of course work and demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material.

Special Admissions.

• Non-high school graduates who are at least 18 years old may be admitted with appropriate assessment scores. Students who do not score satisfactorily may be admitted conditionally.
• Currently enrolled high school or home-schooled students who have completed their sophomore year may enroll for a maximum of two HCC courses each semester. In general, students must have a B average, satisfy Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements, and not need remediation in the subject area for which they are enrolling.Students must furnish a high school transcript, TSI scores (or documentation for exemption), and approval from their high school. Students must maintain a C average to continue enrolling in HCC while still attending high school. Credits earned prior to high school graduation may not transfer to some senior colleges.
• High school students may take HCC courses for college credit only or for dual (high school and college) credit.

Dual Credit Courses.

For information regarding Dual Credit Courses, contact any HCC Counselor at one of the college locations or review online Dual Credit Course  information.