Adult Students

If you are over 21, you are considered an adult student. (If you are over 60, and a resident of South Carolina, please see our senior citizen information). Adult students attend the same classes as other students. They may enroll full-time or part-time, earn a degree or just take classes for credit.

If you have no prior college experience, or do not want to earn a degree, you should apply as a non-degree student.

If you plan to earn a degree at the College of Charleston, you are a degree-seeking student.

Most degree-seeking adult students have had some college experience. If you have college credits, you should apply as and meet all the requirements for a transfer student.

If you have no prior college experience, but have earned a high school diploma or the equivalent, we recommend you either:

• enroll as a non-degree student and complete placement tests
• or complete a year at a technical or community college before transferring to the College of Charleston.

APPLYING

To apply as a degree-seeking student for the fall or spring semesters:

• review the transfer student application process and requirements
• submit a transfer student application online and submit the application fee
• submit official college transcripts

If you have previously been denied admission to the College of Charleston, you are not eligible to apply for admission unless you have received a transfer option, or been granted permission from the director of adult student admissions. To enroll at the College of Charleston, you must be in good standing and eligible to return to any colleges/universities you previously attended.

FINANCIAL AID

Degree-seeking students should fill out a FAFSA and follow the procedures on the financial aid website. You may also apply for special adult student (age 21 and over) grants or scholarships. Be sure to apply by the specified deadlines. National exchange students and teacher certification candidates may also be eligible.  

DEADLINES

Degree-seeking students applying as transfers should meet the transfer student deadlines.

CHOOSING COURSES

Check the course schedule. 

• Under “course listings” select “course section search.”
• Select the term for which you want to review courses from the select-term drop-down box and click the submit button.
• Select the subject for which you want to see courses and click the submit button.
• Then select the course for which you want to see schedules.

Course descriptions are available in the undergraduate catalog.

Registration will be on a space-available basis.

Please contact adult student services at 843.953.5620 if you would like to meet with an adult student advisor or need help with registration.