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Non-Degree Admissions Requirements

 A student who enrolls at Virginia Tech under the non-degree program must meet minimum requirements set by the       university. All students must be in good standing at their current and/or previous school(s) and have at least a recalculated   2.0 GPA to be considered for non-degree student status. Transcripts are required. Other restrictions placed on non-degree   applicants are as follows:

  • A prospective non-degree applicant who has been denied admission as a regular-status applicant (freshman or transfer) will not be eligible for reconsideration for non-degree admission for the same term.
  • All non-degree students register for classes on a space-available basis only. Until the deadline for adding classes, a non-degree student may be forced to drop a class if the number of degree-seeking students exceeds the number of available spaces in a particular class.
  • A non-degree student will be allowed to attempt up to a maximum of 40 semester hours as a non-degree student, not to exceed 11 hours in any one term.
  • A non-degree student is required to maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.00, with the most current term at least a 2.00.
  • Do not apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student if you previously attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate student. In this situation, you will need to contact the department you last studied with and ask to be reinstated as a student.
  • Do not apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student if you need to take lab science courses. Lab science courses are only available for degree seeking students.
  • Do not apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student if you plan to apply as an degree-seeking undergraduate (first-year or transfer) in the future. 
  • Do not apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student if you are relying on financial aid to help pay tuition.
  • Current high school students will only be allowed to enroll as non-degree students with approval from their high school administration and for coursework not available at a local community college.
  • To apply, please complete the non-degree application. You must submit the $60 application fee and all required transcripts before the application will be reviewed.

Senior Citizens

The Senior Citizens Higher Education Act passed by the General Assembly in 1974 provides the opportunity for Virginia citizens 60 years of age or over to audit or take courses for credit at state supported institutions of higher learning in Virginia without paying tuition and required fees. Senior citizens who had a taxable income not exceeding $23,850 for federal income tax purposes for the year preceding the time of enrollment may take courses for credit without paying fees. A senior citizen, regardless of income, may take a non-credit course without paying fees providing the number of courses does not exceed three per term. Senior citizens who wish to take classes at Virginia Tech should follow these steps: 1) Submit the online non-degree application by the deadline for the planned term, 2) register for classes after you receive your approval email, and 3) submit the Request for Waiver of Fees to the Office of the University Registrar.