Hillsborough Community College’s admissions policies are published and consistent with our mission as a public, comprehensive institution of higher education which seeks to “…empower students to excel through its superior teaching and service in an innovative learning environment.” HCC’s admissions policies are governed by Florida Statutes Chapter 1007 and Florida Board of Education Rule Chapter 6A.14,  and as such, provide for “open door” admission to the College.   Published annually in the HCC Catalog which is available in printed copy, on-line and on CD-ROM, the College's admission policies describe the requirements for admission to the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as certificate, Postsecondary Adult Vocational, and Continuing Education Programs.  

Associate Degree, College Credit Certificate Programs and Applied Technology Diploma

Any applicant to HCC who has attained a standard high school diploma, General Equivalency Diploma (GED), or Certificate of Completion- Eligible for College Placement Test, has completed a home education program pursuant to Florida Statutes Chapter 1002.41, or has previously demonstrated competency in college-credit postsecondary coursework may be admitted to HCC without individual evaluation.  However, admission to the college does not ensure admission to a specific degree program or course.  Admission to limited access programs (programs requiring licensure) may be based on selective admission processes, which are also published and made available to interested applicants on the HCC website. 

Admission requirements for students in special categories (e.g. Dual Enrollment and Early Admission high school students) are established according to Florida Statutes and are also published in the catalog.   Students who wish to transfer to HCC from other institutions of higher education must provide all transcripts upon admission to the College. Admission policies for international, transient and non-degree seeking students, as well as Honors Institute admission requirements are also described in the HCC catalog.

Postsecondary Adult Vocational and Continuing Education Programs

Postsecondary Adult Vocational Certificate Programs provide non-college credit career training; admission standards for these programs vary according to the requirements of each specific program.   Continuing Education Programs are available to adults who have specific training needs but are not seeking degrees, as well as students seeking special interest or leisure classes.   With the exception of courses designed to prepare students for licensure, Continuing Education courses are open enrollment.