Looking to just take a few classes? Learn about the benefits of being a guest student and how to get started!
One of the many cool things about FRCC is that we have so many different types of students here. Some students come to us to complete their first two years of college before transferring to a four-year university. Others are here for career-technical certificates that will help start a new career—or give their current career path a boost.
We also have a good number of guest students. A guest student is someone who is temporarily attending FRCC, usually just for one semester. Most guest students take only a few courses (at the most) and are not seeking a degree from FRCC.
Why Be a Guest Student?
Guest students get to follow a shortened enrollment process, which gets things off to a quick and easy start. But while here, they’re given access to the same resources as any other FRCC student.
For example, FRCC guest students have access to our amazing resources like free mental health counseling, academic success centers, libraries, campus dining and more. Guest students also enjoy all the benefits of being a part of our vibrant campus and online community!
People take classes at FRCC as guest students for a lot of reasons. You might consider being a guest student in order to:
Save Money
Community college courses are cheaper than traditional four-year schools while still offering top-notch instruction. As a matter of fact, all of our full-time faculty members have either a master’s or a doctorate in their field.
And for some guest students, getting ahead on coursework at FRCC may allow them to graduate early and save a semester’s worth of tuition and fees.
Free Up Your Schedule
Fall semester looking busy? Take a class or two over the summer in order save time for other priorities and interests during the traditional school year.
Prerequisites: Catch Up or Get Ahead
Want to take a biology course at your home institution, but you don’t meet the prerequisite requirement? Consider taking the prerequisite course over the summer at FRCC, or even take a class earlier than planned.
Find Classes That Aren’t Offered at Your Home School
Some colleges don’t offer certain classes every semester. FRCC may have what you need!
Refresh Your Knowledge
Just looking to brush up on your writing skills before your next semester, or before starting a new job? Or maybe you’re getting ready to study abroad and want to keep your language skills fresh. Our classes will help you prepare!
Experience a New Learning Environment
Every student learns differently, but taking courses as a guest student at FRCC may allow you to find an instructor or learning style that you really click with. If you haven’t taken online classes before, it may also be a good time to test out the online format and see how you like it.
So. Many. Classes.
Guest students can choose from hundreds of courses both on campus and online. FRCC also offers more than 100 courses that are guaranteed to meet general education requirements and transfer to public colleges and universities in Colorado.
This makes FRCC is a great option for students looking to supplement the education at their four-year school, get ahead on their academic plan or even retake a course they struggled with.
Who Are Guest Students?
The majority of our guest students are based at a four-year institution. One example would be a student who attends CU-Boulder but wishes to take a math class over the summer at FRCC to get their grade up.
But the term guest student also encompasses students who are simply taking a course (or a few courses) to fulfill a personal or professional interest. An example would be a student who wants to take a Spanish course to improve on their language skills, or a student who takes an accounting course to boost their career knowledge in the field.
Not only do traditional four-year school students find the guest process convenient, but so do non-traditional students looking to take courses for personal or professional development.
Summer semester is the most common time for guest students to apply, but it’s not the only option! Guest students can enroll at FRCC during any of our three semesters—so fall and spring are great times as well.
You can choose between campus based and online courses, as well as accelerated courses that range between 6 to 12 weeks long.
How Do I Enroll as a Guest?
The first step is to apply online.
- Choose the semester you want to attend.
- Choose your campus.
- Online courses offer flexibility for you to do the course from anywhere, but if in-person learning is more your style, there are four campus locations:
- Select “undecided” as your program of study.
Make sure to choose “guest student” as your student type on the application. Choosing the correct student type—and program of study—on the application will help save time during the enrollment process.
Then What?
Once you’re accepted, start by filling out our pre-registration form to determine any prerequisite exemptions or placement information. Once approved for the courses you want to take, you can register online in your student account. Registration tutorials can be found here.
While guest students are not assigned to a specific program advisor, each campus has a team of enrollment advisors who are here to support guest student needs. They can help you with completing next steps, understanding the class schedule and registering online.
For students planning to transfer credit back to another institution, we encourage you to touch base with your home school advisor prior to registering for classes at FRCC to make sure everything will transfer into your program as needed.
Payment
Tuition for guest students is charged per credit hour and is based on residency status.
While guest students don’t qualify for financial aid, there is something called a consortium agreement that allows students to use aid from their home institution. Make an appointment with our financial aid office to find out more on that.
You can also check out tuition discount programs, including the College Opportunity Fund, the Western Undergraduate Exchange program and military/veteran discounts.
Final Tips
If you’re looking to transfer credit to another school at the end of your semester at FRCC, remember to have your official FRCC transcripts sent back to your home institution after grades are posted. You can access your FRCC transcript in eWOLF by clicking on the transcript icon. Important academic dates with a timeline of when semester grades will be posted can be found here.
Note that guest student accounts are only active for one semester. If you have such a great experience with us that you want to extend your time at FRCC—and we hope that you do!—you can fill out a form to have your student type updated. And if you decide seek a degree or certificate here, speak with a Pathways Advisor about declaring a degree program.
We are so excited that you are considering FRCC—our guest students are an important part of our college community! Contact us today with any questions about the application process.
