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

There are some questions on the Admissions form that a Military member may have.  For example, do you want the in-state tuition rate? If you do not pay taxes as shown on your LES to Virginia, you are an out of state student.  However, if you are using military tuition assistance (TA), we will change your rate to our military contract rate.  Our military contract rate (a.k.a., Third Person Contract) is only $3 more per credit hour then our in state rate.  

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 on your campus of record (where your paper student file is kept) for more information about which tests you need.  As with the English placement test, 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.

See a Student Advisor

There are advisors available at the Military Site Office (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 NOVA Counselor you must have an initial counseling session with a Military Advisor.   

The college has a wide variety of courses and degree programs which include programs that are designed to transfer to four year colleges, specifically in the case of NOVA to George Mason University.  However, since NOVA is a participant in Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) and is a nationally recognized College, a student should not have many problems in regard to the transferability of NOVA earned credits.  Please note, that just because NOVA 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 NOVA must complete a SOC agreement  before they complete 6 credit hours of course work through NOVA.  Our degree programs are described in the College Catalog as well as information about college policies, college resources, course descriptions, etc. 

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 - College Success Skills. Student Development courses are listed under the Student Development heading  in the current Schedule of Classes. Class meeting times for this cource are scheduled during the day, and evening. You can also take the course via the internet.  A student must complete an SDV 100 course before they reach 16 credit hours with NOVA.