Visiting Student Procedure

Purpose

To establish guidelines and expectations for non-degree seeking students to apply and enroll in College courses.

Definitions

Visiting Student

A student who enrolls in a course without the intention of earning a degree, diploma, or certificate. A visiting student may also be referred to as a non-degree seeking student. 

Visiting Student Application

The online form used by non-degree seeking students to apply to the College and request course registration. 

Customer Relationship Management System (CRM)

Software used by the College for student communications and data management related to recruitment, admissions and student engagement processes.

Student Record System

Minnesota State system software used for student record data.

Procedure

Initial Application

1. The visiting student fills out and submits the Visiting Student Application at www.minnesota.edu/apply. Required information on the form includes:
   • Personal information (e.g. name, email, phone, address, number of years in state, and year of high school graduation or GED attainment).
   • Enrollment year, semester and campus.
   • Detailed information for each course the student is requesting to register for, including subject, course number, section, course ID, course title and number of credits. This information must be provided for each course.
   • Acknowledgement that visiting students are not financial aid eligible.
   • Attachment of any unofficial transcripts to meet prerequisite requirements, if applicable.
   • E-signature.
2. The College sends an email to the visiting student to confirm the Visiting Student Application has been received.
3. The Visiting Student Application goes into the College’s admissions queue for imaging and processing.
4. An admissions specialist enters the student’s information into the College’s student record system, assigning the term for which they applied and indicating an end date corresponding to the conclusion of that term. Then the application is reviewed by the admissions specialist to determine the student’s eligibility to enroll in the requested course(s).
   1. If eligible, the admissions specialists registers the visiting student.
5. An admissions specialist notifies the visiting student, via email, of the application decision in the College’s CRM.
   1. If registered successfully, the visiting student receives an email listing each course(s) along with help topics and instructions regarding StarID and SpartanNet.
   2. If deemed ineligible or as needing additional documentation, the visiting student receives an email stating the reason for ineligibility and/or additional documentation requirements.
6. After the visiting student is registered, they will enter a visiting student communication flow in the College‘s CRM and receive a series of emails with important dates and information (e.g., Microsoft account access, student email, D2L tutorial, paying for courses, book ordering, etc.). 

Schedule Changes 

Visiting students wanting to make a schedule change (e.g., switching from one section of a course to another, dropping a course) after registration should make the change themselves through E-Services or email info@minnesota.edu to request specific changes. 

Adding Courses 

Courses cannot be added to a Visiting Student Application that has already been processed. The visiting student will need to submit another Visiting Student Application with the additional course-specific information (as stated in the initial application).

Dropping Courses 

Visiting students dropping a course should review the Refunds for Dropped Courses and Withdrawals Policy prior to withdrawing. Visiting students must drop courses through their E-Services account. 

Returning Visiting Students 

Visiting student applications will be end-dated for the end of the term indicated on the Visiting Student Application. Students wanting to continue as non-degree seeking must submit another Visiting Student Application each term they want to register. 

Responsibility 

Visiting Student 

• Submitting necessary information and supplemental documentation required to complete the application or verify course eligibility and pre-requisite requirements
• Communicating changes to schedule (if needed)
• Submitting new applications for subsequent semesters or course additions
• Accessing course(s)
• Paying for course(s) 

Admissions 

• Imaging and processing applications
• Inputting information into the College’s student record system
• Indicating active term and corresponding end-date
• Reviewing documentation
• Confirming course availability and prerequisite requirements
• Registering the student into the course(s)
• Communicating with the student regarding enrollment, eligibility, course placement and required documentation 

Student Services Generalists 

• Monitor info@minnesota.edu email
• Reassign any change of schedule requests from a visiting student to admissions specialist(s)
• Document requests in the student’s file in the College‘s CRM by verifying email was saved to the student’s timeline or creating an interaction

Supporting References

www.minnesota.edu/help-topics/visiting-student-application

www.minnesota.edu/help-topics/important-information-visiting-students

Associated Policies and Procedures

Minnesota State system Board Policy 3.4 Undergraduate Admissions

Minnesota State system Procedure 3.4.1 Undergraduate Admissions

Minnesota State Community and Technical College College Undergraduate Admissions Policy

Minnesota State Community and Technical College Refunds for Dropped Courses and Withdrawals Policy