Admission - Procedures and Requirements

Polk State College maintains an open-door policy for admission. Any prospective student with a qualifying high school diploma (or the equivalent) is eligible to apply. Generally, a qualifying student has earned a standard high school diploma, General Education Development (GED) diploma, or a college placement test-eligible certificate of completion. The Admissions and Registrar’s Office can provide completion codes information related to the high school diplomas during registration (registrar@polk.edu). A newly applying student is strongly advised to follow the Admissions on the College website to navigate the process.

The student must submit all official transcripts to the College. A student cannot qualify for financial aid or use the Developmental Education Exemption without submitting all official high school transcripts. The high school transcript is required unless the student has already earned an associate, baccalaureate, or higher-level degree.

A home-schooled student who has met the school attendance policy (as defined in Florida Statute 1002.41) and who has completed all curriculum requirements for graduation (as defined by Florida Statute 1003.43) must submit a completed Homeschool Affidavit. 

A student can apply for admission at any time and may begin taking courses in a fall, spring, or summer session. A student who is attending classes fully online must officially document the state of residence each semester. Correspondence and questions concerning admission, student records, residency, or registration may be addressed to the Admission and Registrar’s Office online (registrar@polk.edu) or in person at:

Admission and Registrar’s Office
Station 23
Polk State College
999 Avenue H, N.E.
Winter Haven, FL 33881-4299

Transcripts from all previously attended postsecondary institutions are required (unless the school is in a foreign country). Foreign college-level transcripts are required if the student wishes to transfer credit. The College uses the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) to research previously attended postsecondary institutions. If a student omits a school on the application, that school is later added to the student record, and the student is required to obtain a transcript and provide an explanation in writing about the omission of this institution from the Polk State College application. If for any reason a student cannot obtain a transcript (e.g., the school closes, moves, or loses the student’s records), the student must contact the Polk State College Registrar and petition to remove that school from his or her admission requirements. In such a case the student is required to document his or her efforts to order a transcript. 

[Note: A transfer student should submit all requirements eight weeks before the open registration period for the term in which he or she expects to attend classes. The Academic Calendar on the College website provides registration dates.]

Course placement and the need for Mathematics or English prerequisites are based on scores earned on the SAT or, ACT, or via a college placement test (e.g., PERT) administered at an authorized location. Additionally, placement exemption qualification, previous college coursework, and the Developmental Education Exemption policy are factored in, per Florida Statutes. All test scores must be earned within two years of application to be valid for placement purposes.

There is no application fee to apply for admission to Polk State College. An applicant is notified of his or her status through the personal email account provided on the application, as well as through the newly assigned Polk State College institutional email account (my.polk.edu), which is activated within seven business days of acceptance. Forms and documents required by the Admission and Registrar’s Office may be submitted in the following ways:

• Delivered in person to the Winter Haven Campus, Lakeland Campus or the JD Alexander Center.
• Mailed to Polk State College, 999 Avenue H, N.E., Winter Haven, FL 33881-4299.
• Scanned and emailed to the Admission and Registrar’s Office (registrar@polk.edu). 
• Imaged via smart phone and emailed to the Admission and Registrar’s Office (registrar@polk.edu).

Residency documentation is submitted via the College’s electronic storage system, Etrieve. Instructions for submitting residency documentation can be found on the Admissions and Aid webpage under Admissions Steps (Residency | Polk State College).

Detailed communications are sent to the student upon submission of an application to guide the individual through the admissions process. Communication is sent to the personal email address entered on the application. The student can expect communication within five to seven business days of submitting an application. 

General admission procedures for baccalaureate, Associate in Arts, and Associate in Science degree programs; Advanced Technical and college credit certificate programs; Applied Technology diploma programs; and non-degree seeking students include the Admission Steps found on the Polk State College website (polk.edu).

An overview of the Admissions Steps is listed below:

• The student must submit a Polk State College Application (free of charge).
• Any student who is new to Polk State College (e.g., including dual-enrolled and transient students) must complete an Orientation Session once the application is submitted online. Orientation is recorded as “completed” within two workdays. A student benefits from the Polk State College Orientation in many ways, as it introduces College resources, provides interpretation for college placement test scores, assists in developing a personalized Educational Plan, and describes how to search and register for classes online. Orientation is provided at no cost, and it is accessible 24 hours per day, seven days per week via the Student Orientation link.
• The student should review and become familiar with  the Polk State email system, Polk Portal (formally PASSPORT) and the Canvas learning management system functions. The Polk Portal account facilitates recorded management, the student email is the main source of College communications, and the Canvas learning management system provides an online classroom, hub for resources, documents, teaching, and learning (i.e., regardless of course modality). There are other resources embedded within the Polk Portal and Canvas tools that the student should become familiar with prior to the start of classes, including tutoring and technology assistance, clubs, and opportunities to participate in college activities.
• The Residency Declaration must be completed. This requires submissions of two valid items that serve as proof of Florida residency (cf. Florida Residency for Tuition Guidelines found at www.FloridaShines.org). The student must complete the Residency Declaration requirements before the Drop Deadline for the term in which the student seeks to benefit from in-state residency pricing.
• An incoming student can complete the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) at the Winter Haven Campus, Lakeland Campus, or JD Alexander Center. It may also be administered online through PERT Remote Testing with special arrangements. Based on the test results, the student is placed into the appropriate-level coursework in English, Reading, and Mathematics. Testing should be competed prior to Orientation. Polk State encourages any individual who has not taken college-level English and Mathematics coursework to take the placement test, this assessment provides an inventory of concepts the student has previously mastered and guides the student in making an informed decision about accurate placement and the chances of success in given levels of coursework. A transfer student may be exempt from the testing requirement if he or she has successfully completed college-level English and Mathematics. The Admission Steps published on the College’s website provides more information on testing.​
• After testing is complete, the student can seek financial aid, a Tuition Payment Plan, or other payment assistance. The student must pay for all registered classes by the due dates published through the Polk Portal account (formally PASSPORT). The student should monitor financial aid, registration, and payment information in the Polk Portal account carefully in the weeks leading up to the start of the term. If payment is not received by the published deadline, the student is dropped from all classes for that semester. Once dropped, the student is unlikely to be able to register for these courses.
• The student must request that high school transcripts and postsecondary transcripts from previous institutions be sent directly to the Admission and Registrar’s Office (transcripts@polk.edu). Transcripts must be current with a print date within six months of submission. A student may be admitted without an official transcript, but he or she may not be placed into college-level courses until all official transcripts have been received and evaluated. A student may receive exemption from Developmental Education coursework until all official high school transcripts have been received and evaluated. The student must provide all transcripts before enrollment in the second term to prevent a block on course registration.

      [Note: The Homeschool Affidavit should be submitted via the Registrar’s Office (registrar@polk.edu).]  

• To purchase books, The student’s class schedule should be brought to the bookstore to ensure the purchase of the correct text and materials as not all sections and sessions of a given course use the same supplies. The Shop Textbooks button available through the student’s Polk Portal account (formally PASSPORT) and visible when registering fir each class can also assist with identifying the correct textbooks and supplies needed for flexible purchasing options. All materials for a course must be in the student’s possession by first day of each class for active use.
• A student whose first language is not English must provide documentation of English proficiency. The International and Visa Student section of the Polk State College Catalog/Student Handbook provides more details regarding this requirement.
• Each student must complete academic advising with a Student Success Advisor prior to registration. No appointment is required. The Advising Services section of this Catalog and the Admission Steps page on the website provide the hours of operation.
• The College’s Academic Calendar provides several important registration and attendance information. The student should make note of relevant dates and deadlines from this tool.

[Note: There are specific additional steps for special populations such as Veteran Students, International Students, and Dual-Enrollment Students.]

Additional information  regarding admission and registration is available on the Polk State College website (polk.edu).