Early Online College

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Explore Early Online College: Your Path to Higher Education Starts Here!

What is Early Online College?

Early Online College gives qualified juniors and seniors in Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, and Prince William County Schools an opportunity to take up to two tuition-free courses for the spring 2023 semester. Early Online College courses run from September 18 - December 12, 2023.

Important Dates

  • Early Online College application opens May 3, 2023.
  • A completed application for Early Online College is due by 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 2023.
  • Online courses begin on September 18, 2023, and end on December 12, 2023.

EOC Orientation Recording and Presentation Slides

Presentation Slides

Recording Passcode: e$8M&57k

Receiving Accommodations at NOVA Recording

Learn more about applying for accommodations at NOVA, differences between HS/NOVA, and communicating with your instructors. 

Recorded on January 12, 2023. Passcode: AFJ&iM10

All courses are offered online in an asynchronous format; you will not have scheduled meetings but regular deadlines throughout the semester. You can select your classes at https://nvcc.dualenroll.com.

EOC Course Course Name Credits Cost of Materials
ARA 101 Beginning Arabic I 4 $19.95 - $40.00
ARA 102 Beginning Arabic II 4 $38.00 - $78.00
CST 110 Introduction to Human Communication 3 $0
ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics 3

$0

HIS 102 Western Civilization Post-1600 CE 3 $0
ITE 152 Intro to Digital & Info Literacy and Computer Applications 3 $134.99
MUS 121 Music in Society 3 $0
PLS 140 Introduction to Comparative Politics 3 $44.70 - $101.33
REL 100 Intro to the Study of Religion 3 $0
SDV 100 College Success Skills 1 $0

Information Systems Technology: IT Technical Support C.S.C.

Part of the Information Systems Technology: IT Technical Support Career Studies Certificate can be completed through Early Online College for students starting junior year in Fall 2023. This certificate can be added to your NOVA account. If you plan to complete the C.S.C. please complete the DE Degree Seeing Request eForm. (Link to form 125-345)

Fall 2023 Junior Year Spring 2024 Junior Year Fall 2024 Senior Year Spring 2025 Senior Year
ITE 152 ITN 101. 3 credits (CompTIA Network+) ITN 107. 3 credits (CompTIA A+ Hardware) ITN 106. 3 credits (CompTIA A+ Software)
SDV 100 ITN 257. 3 credits (AWS Certified Cloud) ITN 260. 3 credits (CompTIA Security+)

Tuition for up to two select courses will be paid via scholarship. Students do not owe tuition and fees for courses enrolled through the Early Online College program. Students are responsible for any textbooks or course materials required.

Students will see a tuition bill for their Early Online College courses and will receive email reminders to make a payment. As long as you followed the registration steps outlined below and were enrolled in an Early Online College section through the Office of Dual Enrollment, please disregard these reminders. NOVA will apply your scholarship to your EOC course tuition and fees no later than the last day of class. You are responsible for the tuition and fees of any enrollment outside the Early Online College program.

  1. Early Online College students must be a junior or senior attending Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, or Prince William County Schools. Students must provide a current transcript to demonstrate their enrollment in ACPS, APS, FCPS, LCPS, or PWCS.
  2. Students must be in good academic standing at NOVA.
  3. Students must provide evidence of a qualifying score:
    • High school cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; or
    • PSAT EBRW score of 390 or higher; or
    • SAT EBRW score of 480 or higher; or
    • ACT English/Reading score of 18 or higher.

Early Online College courses are tuition free! Please note that you will be charged tuition by NOVA but the tuition will be paid during the semester by the College.

Textbook and other course material purchases may be required.

You may take a maximum of two courses through Early Online College for Fall 2023 semester.

College Transcript
By enrolling in an Early Online College class, you are starting or continuing an official college transcript. You will be required to share this transcript with every college or university to which you may later apply.

Enrollment is Limited
Early Online College enrollment is limited, and individual courses may be further limited based on qualified instructor availability. You will be notified if your choice is not available.

Accommodations & Accessibility
Under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disability services are available to you if you are currently enrolled, have a documented disability that substantially limits you in one or more of life's major activities, and are otherwise academically qualified. To use services in a NOVA class, you must apply online at NOVA’s Accommodations and Accessibility Services page.

How Do I Apply to the Early Online College Program?

STEP 1: Apply to NOVA

  1. Complete your application to NOVA and select your admit term as Fall 2023. Be sure to copy your EMPLID, username, and password for future reference.

STEP 2: Complete your Early Online College Application

  1. Go to https://nvcc.dualenroll.com/login. First-time users must create an account using your personal email address and a new username and password. This is not the same as your NOVA login credentials that you were given when you applied to NOVA.
  2. Returning users log into your existing nvcc.DualEnroll.com account.
  3. All students must upload a current high school transcript, and any additional qualifying score reports if they are using test scores to qualify for courses.
  4. Be sure to select Early Online College Fall 2023 as your term.
  5. Pick up two course from the list. If you select more courses, your request will not be approved.

STEP 3: Check your email for updates on your Early Online College application.

  1. We will send you email updates as we process your application. Timely response is required. All steps and necessary documents must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 31, 2023.

EOC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Early Online College students must be high school juniors or seniors currently enrolled in Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington County Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, or Prince William County Public Schools.

Students must meet the same academic eligibility requirements as dual enrollment students.

Students who have previously taken courses with NOVA must have good academic standing at NOVA.

EOC courses were chosen because they apply to NOVA degrees and have a high percentage of transfer pathways. Courses are selected to meet Virginia’s Uniform Certificate of General Studies requirements.

The Early Online College (EOC) program will launch its first Career Studies Certificate (C.S.C.) opportunity in Fall 2023. EOC students will have the opportunity to complete the C.S.C., IT Technical Support in a 2-year pathway at no tuition cost. In addition to earning the C.S.C. while in high school, students will also be prepared to earn the following Industry Credentials: AWS - AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, CompTIA - A+ Software/Hardware, and CompTIA - Network+ CompTIA Security+.

High school students may have their degree or certificate(s) added to their account for tracking.

Please complete the Dual Enrollment Recommendation: Student Commitment to Complete Certificate or Degree (Form 125-345) if you are working towards a degree or certificate(s) at NOVA.

All EOC courses are offered asynchronously through NOVA Online (NOL). There will not be regularly scheduled real-time meetings. However, you will be expected to meet regular deadlines outlined on the course syllabus. Instructors are available for office hours and may offer virtual meetings throughout the course. Students who take courses through NOL must have access to a computer and reliable internet, and may be required to participate in classes or take exams with their camera on. Remote proctored exams also require the use of the Respondus Lockdown Browser, which must be downloaded to the student's computer. For more information about NOL courses, view the orientation section of their website.

No! Early Online College courses are college courses; final grades are entered on your official NOVA transcript. You will be required to submit this transcript to every college or university to which you may later apply. As an EOC student, you will have access to free online tutoring ,and NOVA Online Success Coaches to help you be successful in your classes – please take advantage of these resources!

Make sure you check your NOVA email regularly for reminders and updates from NOL and instructors and get started on the course start date.

Should you desire to drop or withdraw from your EOC courses, please see the links here:

NOVA Online instructors will teach courses. You will be enrolled in an EOC section and will not have the option to select your instructor.

Questions?