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.