Applying for Admission

All new students must complete an Online Application for admissions. 

Placement Testing

Most new students should take the English placement test. A photo ID is required, such as your NOVA Student ID, a driver's license, Military ID or green card. 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, you may not have to take this test.

If you plan to take a math course, you will have to take a math test. Other courses, such as chemistry and physics, require math and English placement tests as well. You can check with the Counseling Center on any campus for more information about which tests you need.

- MCB Quantico: Placement Testing (Math & English)
Students who wish to take their placement tests at MCB Quantico must make an appointment with the NOVA representative at Quantico, 703.640.6303.

- No placement testing offered at Fort Belvoir

- Testing Center Information: Woodbridge Campus

With both the English and math placement tests, you may not have to take the either if you have completed college-level math and or English courses at another accredited college or you have successfully taken the CLEP or DANTES tests.

If students have questions, they should contact an NOVA counselor at the Base Education Center or at the Woodbridge Campus

Meet a Counselor

There are counselors available at the NOVA office at the base who will assist students with selecting a program of study and/or choosing classes. Please remember that before you see an NOVA counselor, you must have an initial counseling session with a military counselor.

NOVA has a wide variety of courses and degree programs that include programs designed to transfer to four-year colleges, specifically in the case of NOVA, to George Mason University. However, since NOVA is a participant in SOC and is a nationally recognized college, a student should not have many problems in regard to the transferability of NOVA credits.

Active duty service members attending NOVA must complete a SOC agreement with NOVA before they complete 9 credit hours of course work through the college. NOVA degree programs are described in the College Catalog along with 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 admission. The coupons can be redeemed at any of the campus bookstores.

To assist students with their transition to college, NOVA offers student development courses, Counseling Center workshops, and services that are designed to help students with their educational, career, and life planning. STD 100 is a one-credit course designed to provide an orientation to the college academic culture. Class meeting times for STD 100 are scheduled in both the day, evening, and through the internet. An NOVA student must complete STD 100 before they reach 16 credit hours enrolled at the college.

Financial Aid is available for students who qualify via the Financial Aid Office.

Select Classes and Make a Schedule

If you did not receive a print Schedule of Classes in the mail you may pick up a print copy at any NOVA campus or use the Schedule of Classes on the Web. The Schedule of Classes is free. A current Schedule of Classes and a current NOVA Catalog are needed to plan your schedule. You can purchase the NOVA Catalog in any campus bookstore. Class times and locations for all five campuses, the Medical Education Center, and ELI are listed in the Schedule of Classes, which is available approximately two months before the beginning of each semester. Computers are available for your use to check for class availability at all campuses. You can search for class availability online through NOVAConnect from any computer with an Internet connection and an Interest browser.

Fort Belvoir - Second Eight-Week Session, click here to view the Schedule of Classes.

Class Registration

Class times and locations are printed in the Schedule of Classes. The schedule also includes all instructions and forms needed for registration. Check the current class schedule for dates and times of registration. Remember to register early for the best selection of classes.

- Through NOVAConnect: You can register using any computer connected to the internet through the NOVAConnect system.

- Fort Belvoir - Second Eight-Week Session — Through this website.

Pay for Classes

Tuition payment is due at the time of registration. You may pay by cash (on campus only), Military TA (Army TA Request, Navy and Marine Corps TA Request), check, money order, VISA, Master Card, agency contract or student financial aid (if you have received an official financial aid award letter from the College Financial Aid Office). Tuition is the same for credit courses, developmental courses, ESL courses and courses being audited. Tuition is subject to change. Current Tuition Rates can be found at the NOVA Web page.

Tuition is required for credit courses, developmental courses, ESL courses and courses being audited.

Get Copy/Receipt of Your Class Schedule

You can get a Web Payment Confirmation and a copy of your registration schedule by using NOVAConnect Web. You can also check your classes and payment status but not get a receipt with NOVAConnect Phone. You must go to a campus Business Office to get a print receipt if you registered through NOVAConnect Phone or registered in person. The Business Offices CANNOT reprint a Web Payment Confirmation. Remember to check your receipt for any errors. Make sure you are registered for the proper courses at the right days, times and campus locations. You are responsible for making sure your registration is correct.

State of Legal Residency & Tax Information

State of Legal Residency and Tax Info: Our most frequently asked question when students fill out their admission form is about their state of legal residency. In short a Military Student is a legal state resident of the state which is reflected on their most current LES. Please refer to the State Tax website or the Schools main website for more detail. With that being said, a student who works at, lives on or TA comes out of one of our Military sites is considered a contact student and as such is charged our contract rate. Dependents of contract students will be considered out of state. Contract students who have Dependents who wish to attend an in-state school may want to consider changing their State of Legal Residency. According to Va State Tax law, "Up to $15,000 of military basic pay received during the taxable year may be exempted from Virginia income tax. The subtraction is reduced when military pay exceeds $15,000 and is fully phased out when pay reaches $30,000 (i.e., for every dollar that military basic pay exceeds $15,000, the subtraction is reduced by one dollar). Military personnel must serve on active duty for 90 days or more, and can be stationed inside or outside of Virginia. Report on Schedule ADJ, Line 6, Code 38. Code of Virginia Section 58.1-322 [C] [23]" This may be a very good option for E-6 and below. Please check with you own Accountant or the Base Tax Center for more details.

Detailed Guideline on "Domicile, Legal Residence and Home of Record."

Buy Books and Parking Permits

Textbooks can be purchased at the campus bookstores. Parking permits are available online, and at campus business or police offices.