APPLICATION PROCEDURES

South College operates on a quarter system with terms beginning in September/October, January, April, and June. Additionally, the college offers selected courses during mid-quarter and mini-term sessions utilizing accelerated class calendars. Actual class start dates throughout the academic year are available in the Admissions Department.

To accommodate the experiential requirements of some programs, quarters may begin and end at alternate times. If so, the program will communicate this information to each admitted student on a timely basis.

To download an application for general undergraduate admission please click here. Applications for general admission should be sent to:

Admissions Department

South College

3904 Lonas Drive

Knoxville, Tennessee 37909

Applicants for the MHS in Physician Assistant Studies Program please click here.

An application fee of $40 must accompany the application. This fee is not refundable except as provided under the Financial Information section of this catalog.

UNDERGRADUATE GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

In order to be considered for undergraduate general admittance to South College, the prospective student must be a high school graduate or the equivalent (GED) and achieve a satisfactory score on the entrance examination administered by the college, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Testing exam (ACT), or meet the criteria established for acceptance as a transfer student. Applicants (other than those admitted as transfer students) must meet one of the following score requirements:

1. Obtain the specified score on the college-administered entrance examination. Score requirements for admission can be obtained from the admissions office.
2. Submit a minimum SAT I combined score of 830.
3. Submit a minimum ACT Assessment composite score of 17.

Note: The college administered entrance examination is required at the discretion of the college if test scores submitted are older than seven years.Admission in good standing is granted when all general requirements are met. Where required, all documents submitted to the college become its property and will not be returned. Conditional acceptance may be granted pending the receipt of official documents required by the college. If conditional acceptance is given, the student will be allowed to register for classes for one quarter, unless an extension is granted by the Executive Vice President. The college does not admit students on a probationary basis.Students who are citizens of countries other than the United States should refer to the section entitled Admission of International Students.

General admission to South College does not guarantee admission to specific programs. Please see the section of the catalog pertaining to the declared major for information relating to specific program acceptance.Students wishing to enter a program in the School of Education or Health Professions should be aware that a prior felony conviction may restrict the individual's ability to obtain professional licensure or certification. Acceptance into a South College program does not imply or guarantee that a student will be able to obtain such licensure or certification.

ADMISSION OF NON-DEGREE/CERTIFICATE SEEKINGSTUDENTS

Enrollment in selected subjects is available, with special permission from the Executive Vice President, to adults who wish to complete these courses for the purpose of personal enrichment. These students are classified as special subject students and can register for classes for no more than two quarters. If a special subject student wishes to change his/her status at any time during these two quarters, for example to pursue a degree or certificate, the student must see the Registrar.Individuals participating in a specially constructed training workshop, seminar, or course that is not part of the pursuit of a degree or certificate are not required to meet any admission requirements.

ADMISSION OF VISITING STUDENTS

Visiting status means that students are admitted only for a specified period of time, normally one quarter. Applicants for visiting status must file a regular application form and submit a statement from their dean or registrar that they are in good standing and have permission to take specific courses at South College for transfer to their own institution when satisfactorily completed. Since visiting students are not admitted as regular students, transcripts of college work completed elsewhere are not usually required of such applicants. Visiting students who wish to remain at South College longer than one quarter must meet all requirements for regular admission as transfer students.

ADMISSION OF TRANSFER STUDENTS

To be eligible for general admission, transfer students must be a high school graduate or the equivalent (GED) and meet the following stipulations:

1. Transfer from an accredited collegiate institution.
2. Have earned 27 quarter/18 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.5 (only college level academic courses are applicable).

Credit for transfer work may be given if it was taken at an accredited collegiate institution within the past seven years, if it is equivalent to courses offered at South College, and if it carries a grade of C or better. Any coursework older than seven years, regardless of the institution at which it was taken, will be evaluated for its current relevance and may be denied transfer credit. This also applies to courses taken at South College/Knoxville Business College. Transfer credit will not be given for developmental courses such as basic mathematics or English, or for skills courses such as keyboarding and transcription. Other skill courses completed, such as computer courses and medical lab courses, will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Credits earned at non-accredited colleges or vocational institutions will not be accepted. Students transferring from such institutions may attempt to earn credit through the credit by examination process. South College does not award credit for experiential learning or for professional certification.

Acceptance of credits earned at other institutions is limited to 60% of the total hours required for the particular degree or certificate program. No more than half the major area course requirements can be earned through transfer and/or exemption credit. Credit for transfer work may not be awarded until the applicable official transcripts are received by South College.The college reserves the right to reject any or all credits from other institutions regardless of their accreditation status. The college reserves the right to refuse transfer credit for courses if the student's subsequent grades in required courses in the same subject fall below a 2.0 average.

JOINT ENROLLMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTST

hrough this program for outstanding high school seniors, students may pursue collegiate coursework while completing their high school requirements. Students accepted into this program are allowed to enroll part-time or full-time at the college provided they meet course prerequisites and receive permission from their high school principal or counselor.

Students may forfeit the privilege of participating in the program if they receive a grade below a C in their collegiate coursework or their high school average falls below a B. To be considered for this program, a student must satisfy all of the following criteria:

1. Provide a written recommendation by the principal or counselor.
2. Have the written consent of the parent or guardian.
3. Complete the eleventh grade prior to application.
4. Meet general admission requirements.
5. Achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in high school work completed.

Further information about this program can be obtained through the Admissions Office.

READMISSION OF FORMER STUDENTS

Students who previously attended South College but who have withdrawn and not attended for two quarters must apply for readmission. Those not attending for one year or longer must also pay a $40 application fee. If enrolled at other colleges during their absence, students must have transcripts of coursework taken sent to South College. Applications for readmission should be submitted at least one month before the beginning of the quarter the student plans to return.

Returning students must either demonstrate that they already meet the entrance test requirements for admission in effect at the time of readmission or retest to achieve the minimum entrance score.

Students who withdraw from classes may experience difficulties in class scheduling when reenrolling. Most South College courses are offered on a rotation basis.

The college reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant for reentry who has an unacceptable academic or conduct record. Students with outstanding financial obligations must make arrangements with the Business Office before they will be allowed to matriculate.

ADMISSION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students who are citizens of other countries and those students who are from U. S. territories whose native language in their secondary school system is not English must provide the documentation listed below for successful enrollment into South College. All documentation must be submitted to the college 30 days prior to a term's registration date for acceptance for that term. The necessary documents are:

1. Completed application form.
2. $40.00 application fee.
3. Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
4. Official scores on SAT, ACT, or college administered entrance examination.
5. Certified copies of examination results, diplomas, and transcripts. One copy must be in the native language and one copy must be a certified English translation prepared by a member agency of the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers. It is the responsibility of the student to provide all necessary documents.
6. Completed Proof of Financial Ability Form. (Not required of U. S. Trust or Territories students).

International students must show a sufficient knowledge of English as demonstrated by a minimum score on the TOEFL or satisfactory completion of college courses in the United States. They are expected to have satisfactorily completed the requirements for secondary school graduation. Admission is based on appropriate documentation of high school completion, as well as college or university transcripts, if applicable.

International students seeking transfer credit from international institutions must provide an evaluation of credit from the World Education Service. A Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status (Form I-20) will be mailed to accepted international students upon receipt of a completed Proof of Financial Ability Form and a $100 deposit.

COLLEGE CREDIT FOR MILITARY EXPERIENCE ANDTRAINING

Students who wish to have their military experience and training evaluated for college credit should submit copies of appropriate forms to the Registrar. Veterans should submit a true, certified copy of Form DD 214, and active duty military personnel should submit Form DD 295. Active duty Army personnel and soldiers discharged since October 1, 1986, should also provide the Registrar with copies of the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcripts.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

South College offers students an opportunity to obtain credit in areas of competency through college administered challenge examinations. The Executive Vice President, in consultation with the academic department, is the final authority on whether or not a course may be exempted through the examination process. Skill courses, such as computer and medical lab courses are reviewed on an individual basis. To be eligible to earn credit, the student must:

1. Submit a completed Request for Challenge Examination form signed by all appropriate parties. All challenge examinations must be completed within the first two quarters of attendance unless permission is granted by the Dean/Department Chair.
2. Verify that he or she has not previously taken the course at South College.
3. Verify that he or she is not currently enrolled in the course at South College.
4. Pay a $50 examination fee.

Students may attempt to earn credit by examination for a course only once, must score the appropriate score determined by their academic department to receive credit, and must complete all challenge exams within their first two quarters of attendance. Students who do not earn the minimum required score on any challenge exam must take the course as required in the curriculum. (Students attempting to exempt keyboarding courses must score a B or better on all sections of the examination to earn credit.)

Credits earned by examination are considered in the same way as transfer credits and are not used in the computation of the student's grade point average. Students may not earn more than 60% of their total credits or 50% of their major credits through credit by examination, transfer credit, or a combination thereof.

CLEP, DANTES, and PSI certification exams can be submitted for evaluation for course credit. The guidelines for awarding credit are available from the Executive Vice President.

TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS TO OTHER COLLEGES

Similar to most colleges, the transfer of credit to and from South College can be uncertain for two important reasons. Every campus designs coursework to reflect the integrity and quality of its own degrees/credentials and will want to honor that design in the review and evaluation of transfer work. Moreover, South College students will many times begin work in their major and career field during the first academic year. Every attempt will be made to give students requesting credit transfer to South College a thorough appraisal related to their educational goals at the college. Students considering transfer to other colleges and universities should consult with the registrar at those institutions concerning the courses completed at South College. South College does not guarantee that credits earned at South College will be accepted by another college.