Welcome, Military members and their Dependents to Northern Virginia Community College!

Here are the steps to get you started:  Apply for Admission.  All new students must complete and submit an Application for Admissions. 

New students can do this either by completing (preferred method) the on-line Application or completing Application for Admissions form.  Returning Students, will need their Student ID #.  If you do not know it, you may find step by step instructions on how to retrieve you number by going to NovaConnect. 

There are some questions on the Admissions form, which a Military member my have.  For example.  Do you want the in-state rate?  Please note, if you do not pay taxes as shown on your LES to VA, you are an out of state student.  However, if you are using military TA, we will change your TA, our contract rate.  Our contract rate (a.k.a., Third Person Contract) is only $1.50, more per credit hour then our in state rate.   

Most Service members have a TA cap of $250.00 per credit hour, with a max of $4,500.00 per year.  Even at NVCC's out of state rate, a Military member will not reach the $250.00 per hour limit. 

Check on Placement Tests

Most new students should take the English placement test.   Placement test are free and can be taken at any of our Campus' testing centers.  A Photo  ID will be required to take the test.  Allow approximately two hours for the test. Students whose first language is not English will normally need to take an English proficiency test. If you have completed a college-level English course at another college, passed an English AP course or a CLEP/DANTES English test you may not have to take this test.

If you plan to take a math course, you will have to take a Math placement test. Other courses, such as chemistry and physics, require math and English placement tests as well. You can check with the Counseling Center of your campus of record (where your paper student file is kept) for more information re: which tests you need.  As with the English placement, you may not have to take the Math placement test if you have completed a college-level Math course at another college, passed a Math AP course or CLEP/DANTES Math test.

Please refer to our map for directions to the Alexandria Campus testing center. 

See a Student Advisor

There are three Advisor available at the MSO to assist you with selecting a program of study and/or choosing classes.  You may also elect to see a Counselor on Campus.  Please remember before you see a NVCC Counselor you must have an initial counseling session with a Military Counselor.   

The college has a wide variety of courses and degree programs (or see list of student advising sheets) which include programs that are designed to transfer to four year colleges, specifically in the case of NVCC, to George Mason University.  However, since NVCC is a participant in SOC and is a nationally recognized College, a student should not have many problems in regard to the transferability of NVCC earned credits.  Please note, however, just because NVCC accepted a transfer credit, and called it X, does not mean when you transfer to another 2 or 4 year school, the gaining school will call it X.  

Active duty Service members of NVCC must complete a SOC agreement with NVCC before they complete 6 credit hours of course work through NVCC.  Our degree programs are described in the College Catalog as well as information about college policies, college resources, course descriptions, etc.  A newly admitted  student is entitled to one free catalog or a coupon for a free catalog at the time of admittance.  The coupons can be redeemed at any of our Campus book stores.  

To assist you in your transition to college, we have Student Development courses,  Counseling Center Workshops and services that are designed to help you with your educational, career and  life  planning.  We've designed a one-credit course called SDV 100 - Orientation. Student Development courses are listed under the Student Development heading  in the current Schedule of Classes. Class meeting times for SDV - Orientation are scheduled in both the day, evening and through the internet.  A NVCC student must complete an SDV 100 course before they reach 16 credit hours with NVCC.