Enrollment Regulations

Registration Confirmation

At the beginning of each term, all students registered for on-campus courses are required to explicitly affirm that they are on campus. Students who fail to do so and do not communicate their circumstances to Residence Life, Office of Academic Services, or the Student Service Center will be inactivated and withdrawn from all classes and labor assignment

• Incoming residential students (first-time, readmit, and transfer), must check into their assigned residence hall or the Eco-Village by the Monday of orientation (for fall) and the second day of classes (for spring).

• Continuing students, who are not approved to live off campus, must check into the residence halls or Eco-Village by the second day of classes.

• All non-residential students must check-in with the Student Service Center by the second day of classes.

Students who anticipate a delay in arrival must contact Residence Life, Registrar, Academic Services, or Student Service Center staff to avoid being inactivated.

* including first-time, transfer, and readmitted students

** if arrival to campus is delayed, the student must contact Residence Life, Registrar, Academic Services, or Student Service Center staff to avoid withdrawal.

(See Failure to Register for related information.)

Student Classification

Student classification is determined as follows:

Student Categories

Full-time Student

A student must register for at least a total of three (3) 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), the typical course load for Fall and Spring terms is four credits. 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.) Approval from the Office of Academic Services also is required for fewer than a total of three load credits, which is an underload. (See “Request for Part-time Status (Underload)” in this section and “Load Credit” in the Academic Dictionary.)

Part-time Student

A student registered for fewer than a total of three (3) load credits is considered part-time with an underload. See “Requests for Part-Time Status (Underload),” also in the Enrollment Regulations section and “Load Credit” in the Academic Dictionary of this publication.

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

A domestic student (including Berea Community High School students, Madison Southern High School students, members of the community, and Berea College employees) or international students taking courses for personal enrichment or for limited educational gain and who is not pursuing a degree from Berea College. The course load of a non-degree student may not exceed two-and-one-fourth (2-1/4) course credits per term without permission of the Dean of Curriculum and Student Learning.  Appeals made be submitted to the Registrar for submission to the Dean.

No more than six (6) course credits earned as a non-degree student may be applied toward a Berea College degree. Non-degree students may participate in the College’s Labor Program. 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. To be eligible to attend Berea as a non-degree student, an individual must, at the time of application, reside in Madison, Garrard, Jackson, or Rockcastle counties; be 18 years or older; hold at least a high-school diploma or the equivalent at the time of enrollment; and meet the following additional criteria:

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, or a home-school program, have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA and the recommendation of the guidance counselor for those in high school or meet the minimum SAT/ACT score for degree-seeking students, submit an essay question response, and have no outstanding student account balances.

Community Non-Degree Student

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 People Services, may take one (1) course per term. College employees must be in good standing if they are former Berea College students.

International Non-Degree Student

International non-degree students and community non-degree students are not eligible to apply for degree status for three (3) years from the completion of the last term in which courses were taken as a non-degree student. (Berea Community High School and Madison Southern High School students and Berea College employees are exempt from the three-year policy.) Non-degree student applications are available in the Self-Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall). Completed applications should be submitted to the Student Service Center.

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

Students who wish to audit a course are permitted to do so with approval of the instructor. 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. No transcript record is kept of audited courses.

Domestic and International Exchange Programs

Students interested in experiencing personally a culture and learning environment outside the United States have the opportunity to study abroad through one of Berea College’s bilateral 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 Kentucky, Berea College has an agreement with KCTCS to collaborate on the identification of prospective Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) graduates who would be most likely to benefit from and qualify for admission to Berea College. 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. With the exception of students pursuing the accounting concentration in the Business Administration program and in ROTC/Military Science, participation is limited to courses required in order to graduate on time from the student’s home institution. Applications for the exchange are available in the self service room on the first floor of Lincoln Hall.

Request for Part-Time Status (Underload)

All Berea College students are expected to be enrolled full time. To register for fewer than three (3) load credits or drop below three (3) load credits, a degree candidate must have the approval of the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee. Ordinarily, part-time status, also referred to as an underload, is approved only for debilitating illness, family responsibilities, approved off-campus employment, or for College employees. The financial aid of part-time students may be affected by an underload. Part-time students may not participate in intercollegiate sports. Applications for part-time status are available in the Student Service Center’s Self-Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall) and should be submitted to the Student Service Center. Part-time Status Requests are forwarded to the Director of Academic Services for consideration.

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.

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.

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 & Student Handbook. Students on leave may not work in the Labor Program nor use most College services not available to withdrawn students, including advanced registration. 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 this publication.)

Leave of Absence Request Forms are available in the Student Service Center’s Self-Serve Room (101 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.

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.

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 & Student Handbook. 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. (See "Appointment Regulations" in the Student Rights and Responsibilities section of this publication.)

Medical Withdrawal

Most cases of a medical nature are handled in consultation with the College’s 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 printed in the current Schedule of Classes for these dates each term; the calendar also is available in PDF online at www.berea.edu/cataloghandbook/.)

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.

Readmission

Readmission of Previously Enrolled Students

Previously enrolled students who wish to return to Berea must apply to the Transfer and Readmit Admissions and Advising Committee (referred to as TRAAC) for readmission. Applications are secured from and returned to the Admissions Office. All materials relative to requests for readmission for Summer or Fall terms, including internal processing, must be received by March 31 or by October 31 for 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.

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.

Notes: 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.

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.

Academic Standing and Reinstatement to Good Standing

Unless otherwise specified at the time of suspension, the official status of the suspended student for academic reasons will be reflected in the academic record as “Academic Suspension” for the passage of one regular term, after which time the student is returned to “Good Standing,” thereby permitting enrollment at another institution.

All students who are suspended from Berea College automatically are placed in the category “not in good standing” until the end of the next regular academic term, unless the governing body (e.g., the Student Admissions and Academic Standing Committee, the Labor Program Council, etc.) specifies a different length of time.

All students in the category “not in good standing” will have such denoted on all transcripts until the end of the next regular academic term, unless the governing body has specified a different length of time. In the latter case, “not in good standing” will be indicated on the transcript until that time period has expired. All students who are expelled from Berea College will have that indicated on all transcripts permanently.