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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.
Which students are eligible to participate in Early Online College?
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.
Why were these classes selected for Early Online College?
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 DE Degree Seeking Request eForm if you are working towards a degree or certificate(s) at NOVA.
How will I be enrolled?
The Early Online College scholarship for tuition-free courses applies only to selected courses and sections. Students must follow the registration process outlined on the website and will be enrolled by a NOVA registrar. Students will not enroll themselves or select the section and instructor. The EOC scholarship only applies to tuition and fees. While many EOC courses use open educational resources, students will be expected to purchase textbooks or other required course materials at their own expense.
What is the mode of instruction?
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.
When are Early Online College courses taking place?
Early Online College courses run from September 18 - December 12, 2023. Students may drop their course on or before September 30, 2023; students who drop by this deadline will not see the course on their NOVA transcript. Students may withdraw without grade penalty on or before November 8, 2023; students who drop by this deadline will receive a “W” on their transcript. Students are required to drop or withdraw from their courses on their own by following the tutorial in their NOVA Account. Students should also check their NOVA email regularly for reminders and updates from NOL and instructors.
Should you desire to drop or withdraw from your EOC courses, please see the links here:
Can I have my final grade expunged or removed from my NOVA transcript?
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:
Who is teaching these courses?
NOVA Online instructors will teach courses. You will be enrolled in an EOC section and will not have the option to select your instructor.
Will I have to pay for my Early Online College courses?
Tuition for Early Online College courses will be paid via scholarship – students do not owe tuition and fees for courses enrolled through the EOC program. Students are responsible for any textbooks or course materials required. Students will see a tuition bill for their EOC courses and will receive email reminders to make a payment. As long as you followed the outlined registration steps 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 cover tuition and fees for your EOC courses no later than the last day of class. You are responsible for tuition and fees for any enrollment outside of the EOC program.