Enrollment Status

Student Classification

Student classification is determined as follows:

Student Categories

Full-time Student

A student must register for at least three "Load Credits" during a regular term to be considered full-time. To maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (see SAP Chart in the Academic Performance Standards section), students should average 8 credits per academic year. No student may register for more than four and one-half load credits without obtaining approval from his or her Academic Advisor for an overload. (See “Overloads” in Registration Information section to follow.) Registration for less than three "Load Credits" must be pre-approved by the Office of Academic Services. (See “Request for Part-time Status (Underload)” in this section and “Load Credit” in the Academic Dictionary.)

Part-time Status

All Berea College students are expected to be enrolled full time. To register for fewer than three load credits or to drop below three load credits, a degree candidate must have the approval of the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee. Ordinarily, degree-seeking students are only approved part-time status one time during their enrollment at Berea College and only if it does not result in a need for an extension of terms.

Requests for part-time status must not result in the student being enrolled in less than 1.5 credits. Exceptions to this policy are approved only for debilitating illness or other issues beyond the student’s control. The financial aid of part-time students may be affected, as well as health insurance, car insurance, scholarships, food stamps and/or tax deductions.  The term in which a student is registered for less than three credits is counted towards the 8-term expectations, except when the reasons for part-time status are beyond the student’s control. Part-time students may not participate in intercollegiate sports. Applications for part-time status must be signed by the advisor and submitted to the Office of Academic Services (Lincoln Hall) for consideration and approval.

In general, applications for part-time status, other than those related to debilitating illness or other issues beyond the student’s control, are not considered until after mid-term grades are submitted and are only approved when the student has demonstrated a good-faith effort (attendance, engagement, completed assignments, etc.) within the course. Students who are failing a course as a result of lack of attendance or engagement in the course will not be approved to withdraw from the course if it results in part-time status.

Degree Candidate

A Degree Candidate is a student working toward the baccalaureate degree at Berea College. Degree candidates normally are full-time students. Part-time status is approved only in exceptional cases.

Domestic Exchange Student

A student enrolled at Berea full-time for a regular term under an exchange agreement with another institution. (Also see "Domestic and International Exchange Programs")

Non-Degree Student

Berea College provides classes to a limited number of non-degree students by application. Non-degree student applications are available from and should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

No more than six course credits earned as a non-degree student may be applied toward a Berea College degree.  Non-degree students are not subject to the same financial restrictions for admission that apply to degree-seeking students; however, such restrictions are applicable if the student applies to be a degree candidate.

High School Non-Degree Student

High school non-degree students must be a junior or senior enrolled at Berea Community High School, Madison Southern High School, have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA, and the recommendation of the guidance counselor.  Home-school students must meet the minimum SAT/ACT score for degree-seeking students.  All students must have no outstanding student account balances.

Community Non-Degree Student

To be eligible to attend Berea College as a community non-degree student, an individual must, at the time of application, reside in Madison, Garrard, Jackson, or Rockcastle counties; be 18 years or older; and hold at least a high-school diploma or the equivalent at the time of enrollment.  Community non-degree seeking students must earn a C or higher in each course to be eligible for continued enrollment.   

Not competitive by nature, the admissions process for community non-degree students requires that they meet the same minimum standards for admission as a degree seeker—rank in the top 3/5ths of the high-school graduating class (or pass the GED with a total score of at least 2250 and no less than 410 on any of the five individual tests) and score a minimum of 17 on the ACT or 1210 on the SAT I Verbal, Math, and Writing exams. Exceptions to the stated criteria will be considered for international students and in cases where the non-degree student (either high school or community) can demonstrate basic proficiency in a discipline closely related to the course(s) of interest. Students who have earned more than 12 or more credit hours at a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 are exempt from the standard admissions criteria.

Berea College graduates or former degree-seeking students who did not complete a degree are eligible to enroll as non-degree students in on-campus courses. Work taken as a non-degree student in these circumstances may not count toward a degree at Berea College.

Regular full-time and part-time Berea College employees, with permission of their supervisor and the Director of Human Resources, may take one (1) course per term. College employees must be in good standing if they are former Berea College students.

International Exchange Student

An international exchange student is one who attends Berea College as a non-degree student for a term or academic year through a reciprocal exchange program. Reciprocal exchange relationships between Berea College and institutions abroad are based on signed agreements that define the conditions of the exchange for the international students attending Berea College through the exchange and for the Berea College students who attend the partner institution abroad. Exchange students are selected by their home institution to participate in the exchange and meet the admission requirements established for international degree students at Berea College, including evidence of sufficient proficiency in English to have a successful academic experience at Berea. International Exchange students are enrolled as full-time, non-degree students at Berea College and transfer credit to their home institutions. Exchange students are required to participate in the College’s Labor Program. Applications for International Exchange Students are provided to the international office at their home institution by the Exchange Coordinator in the Francis and Louise Hutchins Center for International Education. (Also see Domestic and International Exchange Programs.)

Transient Students

Currently matriculated students in a degree program at another college may apply to take courses at Berea College. With the exception of students whose permanent address is in Madison, Jackson, Rockcastle, or Garrard counties in Kentucky, these students are subject to the same financial restrictions for admission that apply to Berea’s degree-seeking students. Transient students are restricted to two-and-one-quarter (2-1/4) course credits per term of enrollment, not to exceed three consecutive terms. Transient students are accommodated on a space-available basis and may register after degree seekers have completed registration. Ordinarily, transient students are not eligible for off-campus courses, independent studies, team initiated studies, internships, directed studies, and any other credit-bearing exercise pursued outside of the traditional classroom setting.

Auditors

Individuals who wish to audit a course are permitted to do so with approval of the instructor and completion of appropriate forms available in the Office of the Registrar. Course credit is not earned when auditing. A nominal fee is charged to audit a course. Ordinarily, participation courses (i.e. Art Studio, Foreign Languages) may not be audited. 

Domestic and International Exchange Programs

Students interested in experiencing a culture and a learning environment outside the United States have the opportunity to study abroad through one of Berea College’s exchange agreements or another approved academic program abroad. Students should consult with the Education Abroad Advisor in the Francis and Louise Hutchins Center for International Education for the current list of programs and the regulations governing those opportunities.

In addition, Berea College and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) permit qualified students to participate in a limited tuition exchange program through which undergraduate courses may be taken by visiting students. Participation is limited to students needing courses required for graduation that are not available during his/her remaining terms.  The only exception is made for students needing minimal courses to be eligible for the CPA exam. Applications for the exchange are available from the Office of the Registrar.

Leaves of Absence

On occasion, students may be well advised to take temporary leave of the College community. Leaves of absence may be granted for a variety of reasons: personal, medical, educational, occupational, or family related. Procedures and eligibility for applying for a leave of absence are described below.  Questions about Leaves of Absence can be directed to either the Office of the Vice President for Labor and Student Life or the Office of Academic Services.  The term in which a student is on leave of absence does not count towards total terms of attendance.

Please note that students who plan to study abroad in a regular term (fall or spring) must be on campus for the fall or spring term prior to the one of their study abroad experience.  Students who plan to study abroad in the summer term must be on campus the prior spring term.

Academic Leaves

Academic Leaves of Absence are designed to allow students to explore educational or occupational opportunities not available through the formal educational program and should be planned as early as possible for a subsequent term. Requests for academic leaves must be submitted to the Director of Academic Services no later than the last day of registration for the next term.

Personal and Medical Leaves

Personal Leaves of Absence are appropriate during a current term of enrollment for extenuating personal circumstances that require absence for the remainder of the term. Requests for personal leaves should be directed to the Assistant Vice President for Student Life not later than the last day to withdraw from a course for that term. Normally, leaves will not be granted beyond this date except in rare circumstances beyond the student’s control, e.g., for medical reasons.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a Leave of Absence, a student must have completed at least one regular term of attendance, may not be on any type of probation, and may not have financial obligations that cannot be reasonably met by the end of the current term. Students normally are not eligible for more than one Leave of Absence. Final approval and consideration beyond the parameters of this policy rests with the Enrollment Policies Committee.

Leave Conditions

A Leave of Absence may be no longer than one regular term. College credit earned while on leave is transferable to Berea under the stipulations for transfer credit set forth in the Berea College Catalog. Students on leave may not work in the Labor Program nor use some College services. Should a student for whom a leave has been approved fail to meet the eligibility guidelines, the leave will be revoked and the student must either enroll in the term for which the leave was approved or withdraw. Students who do not return at the end of the leave period will be withdrawn and must apply for readmission. Additionally, Title IV grant and loan aid may require repayment. Students approved for Leave of Absence are not subject to readmission policies unless the leave has been revoked or they fail to return as scheduled. (See “Readmission” in the Enrollment and Registration section of the Catalog.)

Leave of Absence Request Forms are available from the Office of Academic Services (Lincoln Hall) and from the Labor and Student Life Office (Fairchild 4). Forms must be signed by the Academic Advisor and returned to the appropriate office (see above) after completion.  Terms approved for a Leave of Absence are not counted towards total terms of attendance (see Eight-Term Rule and Extension of Terms). 

Readmission

Readmission of Previously Enrolled Students

Previously enrolled students who wish to return to Berea College must reapply through the Office of Admissions.  All materials relative to requests for readmission for Summer or Fall terms, including internal processing, must be received by March 31 for Summer or Fall terms and by October 31 for the Spring term. Applications for readmission cannot be processed until all outstanding account balances are paid and loans are current. There is a $50 entrance fee required of returning students.  Degree requirements for readmitted students are based on the Catalog of the readmission term. 

Previously withdrawn students may not be enrolled at Berea until one full regular term of attendance has passed after the term in which the withdrawal occurred. Unless otherwise designated at the time of suspension, a student who has been suspended cannot be considered for readmission until the passage of two (2) regular terms of absence.

Readmitted students will return to the College with the same academic, social, and labor standing assigned at the time of departure.  If, at the time of withdrawal, the student is not in good standing for financial-aid purposes, he/she will be required to submit an appeal in order to be considered for Title IV and state financial-aid programs. Ordinarily, an application for readmission will not be considered in the case of a pending on-campus disciplinary charge and/or hearing until such a case has been adjudicated. (Also see “Financial Aid and Student Accounts” for more information.)

Readmission of Service Members (Veterans)

Students who voluntarily or by order of the U.S. Department of Defense, leave the College prior to earning a degree, spend more than 30 consecutive days in the uniformed services of the United States, and are honorably discharged, are not required to compete for readmission to the College on the basis of academic, financial, or other qualifications—provided they return within a five-year period of time, not longer than three years from the last date of active service, and provided they have left Berea in good academic, social, and labor standing. Furthermore, such students will return to the College with the same academic, social, and labor status assigned at the time of departure. Readmission is not assured in the case of a rule violation charge or pending judicial hearing or when a student has not made satisfactory academic or labor progress toward a degree.

Eligible applicants must provide documentation that confirms dates of service along with readmission application materials. They are entitled to return to the institution as soon as feasible following the date of their completed application for readmission. Service members are not exempted from the requirement that they must resolve any financial obligations prior to the consideration of their application for readmission.

Readmission of Suspended Students

Unless otherwise specified at the time of suspension, suspended students are ineligible to be considered for readmission to Berea College before the passage of two (2) regular terms of absence. During this time, suspended students may not participate in campus activities and should not be on College property except to conduct official business. Students should be aware that readmission is a very competitive process and successful applicants for readmission almost always leave Berea in good standing. However, previously suspended students can improve their chances for readmission by attending another regionally accredited institution and addressing the area of academic challenge encountered at Berea and/or by demonstrating overall academic proficiency or significant achievement in community service or employment.

Courses that have been failed previously at Berea are not eligible for transfer credit back to Berea. All outstanding Student Account balances must be resolved in order to be considered for readmission.

Withdrawals from the College

A student who intends to discontinue enrollment at Berea College first should first discuss his or her plans with the Academic Advisor. If the student still wishes to withdraw, s/he should go to the Office of Academic Services (OAS) to begin the withdrawal process by obtaining a College Clearance Form and consulting with an OAS team member. (See “Voluntary Withdrawal” under Types of Withdrawal for important advice.)

It is very important to notify the College of any change in enrollment status to ensure that records are current and all processes are completed correctly and in a timely fashion. Once the withdrawal process is completed, the student is expected to leave campus within 48 hours, unless special permission has been granted.

If a student has registered for courses in a current or future term, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the Registrar of any change in enrollment status as soon as possible. Otherwise, the student might be charged with a term of attendance and receive grades of “F” for courses from which the student has not officially withdrawn.

Types of Withdrawal

Listed below are different ways in which students may terminate their enrollment status.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who are considering withdrawal from the College should discuss the decision with their advisor(s), the Director of Academic Services, and/or other College staff who are familiar with their situation to explore all available options. When the decision to withdraw has been reached, the withdrawal process should be initiated at the Office of Academic Services as described in “Withdrawals from the College.”

College-Initiated Withdrawal or Administrative Withdrawal

Students may be withdrawn administratively by the College through the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee due to failure to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (see SAP chart in “Financial Aid and Student Accounts” section of this publication), for Academic Difficulty, and/or for failure to engage and function in courses. Policies concerning these matters are contained in the “Financial Aid and Student Accounts” and “Academic Difficulty” sections of this College Catalog. Students may be withdrawn administratively from the College by the Labor Program Council for failure to function adequately in the Labor Program or for falsification of labor records. Students also may be suspended or expelled through processes of the Community Judicial Code. In addition, students may be withdrawn administratively by the College for other problems not under scholarship or general social regulations, such as:

• Failure to function or unexplained extended absence.
• Failure to meet administrative deadlines, including failure to register or confirm registration or to take care of administrative record needs.
• Failure to respond to notices or appointments including mandatory meeting requests made by College personnel.

Medical Withdrawal

Most cases of a medical nature are handled in consultation with the Berea Student Health Services physicians, counselors, and/or other consulting specialists concerned with health and safety of the student and others.  Issues to be considered are the ability to function in all aspects of the College programs, the availability of appropriate medical care, and the College’s overall responsibility to the whole community.

In all of the above situations, students are informed by letter that they have been suspended or withdrawn. This letter informs them of their right to appeal, and details the specific contact office for the individual appeal option. Appeals of medical judgments are limited to review of procedures and circumstances, evidence of consultation, and College responsibilities, rather than the questioning of a medical diagnosis. When proper withdrawal procedures have been followed, the appropriate room and board refund, if applicable, is credited.

Failure to Register

See “Registration Information” section in this publication.

Dates of Withdrawal

A regular term is considered complete on the last day of regular classes and final grades for the term will be entered for students who withdraw from the College after that date. During regular terms, students must withdraw before Reading Day. During Summer, students must withdraw before the last day of class in order to avoid having grades posted for course(s) taken in that term. Only when a student withdraws from the College prior to the last day to withdraw without final grades being recorded does that term not count as a term of attendance. (See the Academic Calendar in the current Schedule of Classes for these dates each term.)

Students who withdraw from school during a regular term will not be permitted to re-enroll at Berea before the passage of at least one regular term. These students also will be required to go through the Readmission process. (See “Readmission” and “Leaves of Absence” in this publication.)

A term of attendance will be counted and grades recorded for any student who withdraws from school in a regular term after the last day to withdraw without final grades being recorded. This will apply to both regular withdrawals and to leaves of absence. If the withdrawal is due to situations beyond the control of the student, the student will be able to request an additional term beyond the eight-term rule.

NOTE: Any student-initiated withdrawal should be considered carefully with respect to the loss of financial aid and potential repayment requirements. Withdrawn students also must reapply for admission to the College.