Preparatory Coursework for KCTCS Enrolled Students | ECTC

Academic Resources

Preparatory Coursework for KCTCS Enrolled Students

Preparatory coursework refers to courses that a student is required to take in order to be officially admitted into an eligible degree program. KCTCS students who need to take preparatory coursework prior to being eligible for final admission into degree program at KCTCS may use their state (CAP, KEES), institutional, and limited federal funds (excluding federal grants) for preparatory coursework that is not applicable to their current program.

A student taking preparatory coursework must contact financial aid and work individually with a KCTCS financial aid officer at their Home College to determine eligibility. Their local financial aid office will be able to advise them on whether they will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Enrollment Requirements:

  • The student must be enrolled in preparatory coursework REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION to a regular undergraduate/professional degree program.
  • The student must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) - if qualified and receiving Federal Financial Aid funds.
  • Only those courses REQUIRED for admission may be considered when determining enrollment level and student aid eligibility.

Coursework that DOES qualify as Preparatory Coursework:

The student who needs pre-requisites or other specific coursework to be admitted to a program. The student can be in one of the three statuses:

  1. Completed a degree at KCTCS and is seeking admission to another program, or
  2. Not completing a program at KCTCS and is seeking admission to a program of study,
  3. Admitted to a program at KCTCS and wants to be admitted to another program at KCTCS

The required specific pre-requisite coursework for that program can be taken at KCTCS and is considered preparatory coursework for students in the above three enrollment statuses.

Example:

Jen is enrolled in a program at KCTCS and she wants to enroll in the undergraduate nursing program but cannot be admitted to the program because she still lacks BIO 137 to meet the program’s admissions requirements. Because of this requirement, she may receive state grants, institutional scholarships or limited undergraduate federal award for preparatory coursework.

Note: To be eligible, Jen must be taking classes that are a prerequisite for admission. If she is only taking them to raise her GPA, she would not qualify.

Coursework that DOES NOT qualify as Preparatory Coursework:

  • Courses a student is only taking courses to raise his or her GPA in order to be admitted
  • Courses taken outside of a student’s current KCTCS eligible program of study that is not required for admission to another KCTCS program of study the student wishes to be accepted to
  • Courses for a program the student is currently admitted to
  • Dual enrollment coursework
  • Courses a student wants to take to have a better chance of being accepted to a program, and those courses are not required for admission to the program

Example:

Mark is a student enrolled in a KCTCS college and has been accepted into a medical technology program. He needs particular math and science courses as electives. Because Mark has been accepted into the medical technology program and does not need these math and science courses to be accepted, the courses DO NOT qualify as preparatory coursework.

Documentation

The student’s KCTCS advisor may want to assist the student in collecting reasonable documentation to have the student return to the student’s KCTCS Home College Financial Aid Office for aid eligibility and determination.

The Financial Aid Preparatory Coursework Form will need to be completed by an advisor, along with documentation. The student must submit the reasonable documentation that clearly supports the following:

  • The courses are required for admission to the program in an undergraduate/professional program, and
  • A list of the specific courses must be provided that are required for admission

Documentation: This documentation could be one or more of the following, but is not limited to:

  • Institution catalog page indicating course requirement for admission to the program, or
  • Institutional Program Agreements - Transfer agreement, or 2+2 program documenting the additional hours and courses outside of the student’s current program required for admission
  • Current Student, please note: If you are a current KCTCS student, you may submit a letter or FA Preparatory Coursework Form completed by your KCTCS advisor indicating courses required to be accepted into a KCTCS program

Important Note to Advisors and Registrars:

Preparatory coursework should NOT receive an override in PeopleSoft for program applicability. These students are not eligible for federal grants for preparatory coursework and if an override is given for program applicability, the student may automatically receive additional federal grants they are NOT eligible for.

Consideration for financial aid is based on each student’s individual situation so it is very important that the Academic Advisor does not advise on anything that is not in the information sheets. When the financial aid office receives reasonable documentation completed by the KCTCS Advisor, the student’s Home College Financial Aid Office will review each individual student’s information and manually award the student as appropriate.

What does the advisor do?
If a student falls into the situation described on this information sheet, the advisor or registrar should:

  • Provide the student with a copy of the Preparatory Coursework Student FAQ
  • Assist the student to provide reasonable documentation outlined in this document, and
  • Advise the student to return the documentation to their financial aid office at their KCTCS Home College
  • Advise the student that once the financial aid office approves their preparatory coursework, it would be wise to take these courses while they are still enrolled in their current program at KCTCS College.