Highline College

What is the accreditation of Highline College?

Highline College is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, or NWCCU. Institutional accreditation evaluates the college as a whole; it does not mean that every occupational program has a separate professional accreditation.

Accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid and is often considered when another college reviews transfer credit. It does not guarantee that a receiving institution will accept a particular class or apply it to a particular major. Students pursuing a licensed profession should also check their program's current approval or specialized accreditation and the licensing rules in the state where they intend to work.

What are the admission requirements at Highline College?

Highline College has an open-admission policy for general college entry. Applicants typically begin with the college application and then complete enrollment steps such as identifying an educational goal, establishing course placement, advising, and registration.

A high school diploma or equivalent is not a general condition of entry for degree-seeking students. Highline does not use a competitive SAT or ACT cutoff for ordinary open admission. Prior coursework or other placement information may still determine which classes a student can take first. Admission to the college should not be confused with admission to every program: applied bachelor's degrees and certain health or workforce programs may require prerequisites, a separate application, or additional screening.

Requirements also differ for Running Start students, international applicants, and people seeking financial aid. For example, an applicant educated outside the United States may need to meet English-language requirements relevant to their program. Students should use the application instructions for their own applicant category and intended quarter rather than assuming that the general-entry process covers a selective program.

What are the application fees and waivers at Highline College?

Highline College's general admission process is designed for open-access entry; applicants should check the current application for any charge before submitting it. A separate program application or an international-student process may have different requirements.

An application charge, if one applies to a particular applicant category, is distinct from tuition, placement costs, housing charges, and other enrollment expenses. Applicants facing a charge should ask the office administering that application about waiver eligibility before paying, since a later refund should not be assumed.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Highline College?

Highline College does not operate its own ROTC unit on the Des Moines campus. Army and Air Force ROTC participation is identified through arrangements with cooperating host institutions, which means interested students would need to satisfy the host program's enrollment and participation rules.

Cross-enrollment is not the same as having ROTC classes and training on campus. Travel time, course scheduling, eligibility, and whether Highline coursework fits a commission-eligible degree plan all require advance coordination. ROTC scholarships have separate selection rules, and some forms of participation lead to a military service obligation; students should review the applicable branch's terms before committing.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Highline College?

Highline College generally accepts eligible transfer credit from other accredited institutions and admits transfer applicants in fall, winter, spring, and summer. Applying to Highline and getting previous coursework applied to a specific credential are separate steps.

Transfer applicants should submit the college application and arrange for official transcripts from each previous college to be sent for evaluation. A course may transfer as credit without fulfilling a particular prerequisite, general-education requirement, or major requirement. Students entering a selective program should review that program's prerequisite and application rules as well as the college's general admissions process.

Highline also offers degrees intended for students transferring out to a university. Washington transfer agreements can help with planning, but acceptance into a university or major is decided by the receiving institution. Before registering for a full quarter, students with substantial prior coursework can request an official evaluation and compare its results with their intended Highline degree requirements.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Highline College?

Highline College students can explore study-abroad opportunities through Washington community-college partnerships rather than assuming that every overseas program is operated directly by Highline. Destinations, formats, and academic subjects depend on the programs offered in a given year.

The practical question is whether a proposed course will count toward the student's credential. Before applying, students should obtain academic approval for the credits, confirm program dates against Highline's quarter schedule, and review the full budget, including travel and living expenses. Financial-aid use depends on the student's eligibility and the program's approval; participation should not be treated as automatically covered by a regular aid award.