Admissions & Aid

Visit GadsdenState.edu/Apply to begin the application process. Go to the application portal in Step 1 and create a new user account. Follow the steps to complete the online application. It is FREE to apply to GSCC! On the admissions checklist page review Steps 2-5 and complete any that are applicable to you. Once the Admissions Office receives all your items needed to clear you for admission, they will send you an email and a mailed letter with your student number and student portal information.

Email admissions@gadsdenstate.edu and they can let you know any items needed to complete the admissions process.

Gadsden State offers “open admissions.” This means all students have to do is finish high school or obtain their GED to enroll at Gadsden State. After sending your official graduated high school transcript to GSCC, you will be cleared to attend and receive your official acceptance letter.

No. Gadsden State has open admissions. We only use ACT scores for placement in math and English classes. For more information on which math and English classes you are eligible for reach out to Enrollment Services or your faculty advisor.  

No. However, you should apply as soon as possible for aid to be processed and packaged in time to use toward fall tuition. Students that apply less than two weeks before the start of the semester may have to pay upfront to ensure classes are not dropped for nonpayment. Visit our FAFSA page for instructions.

Yes. If you list Gadsden State's college code on your FAFSA, it will be sent to the College for processing. You will have a Financial Aid tab appear on your OneACCS account. You should check that tab to see any outstanding unsatisfied student requirements and complete them in order for your aid to be packaged and applied to your account. Some students are selected by the U.S. Department of Education for verification. In that case, all required documents must be submitted electronically to the Financial Aid Office. Once your aid is finalized, you will receive an offer email notification from the GSCC Financial Aid Office and you will begin seeing authorized financial aid showing under your student account. Until both of those things happen, your financial aid is not finalized.

Yes, if you have financial aid funds available after they've been applied to tuition, you can use those funds to purchase books in the Gadsden State Bookstore. The Bookstore is able to begin charging financial aid accounts the week before classes begin. If ordering online, you should enter your A# when placing your order. If ordering in the Bookstore, bring your A# and your printed schedule. 

Yes. Current students can complete the GSCC General Scholarship application which has an ongoing deadline. Scholarships are awarded year-round as funds are available. Students can access this application through their myGadsdenState account.

Choose your career of interest first, rather than a major, then see what degree is required for that career. The Cardinal Career Explorer is a great resource for students undecided on their future career.

Yes, all Gadsden State students are assigned to a faculty advisor after they are cleared in admissions. Assignments are based off of the program of study listed on your admissions application. You should meet with this advisor each semester to select courses and be sure that you are on track to graduate and/or transfer. If you are unsure of who your advisor is, visit the Advising link.

Check with the Gadsden State Bookstore or your instructor about required textbooks. Once you have a complete class schedule, you should print that schedule and take it to your campus Bookstore to see which books are needed for your classes. The required texts that the Bookstore lists are exactly what is required on each instructor's syllabus for the course. You can also search our Bookstore online to view required texts.

Cardinal Commit is a one-day event that is optional for students to attend in order to be the most prepared to begin their first semester. ORI 101 is a one credit hour course that is required to graduate from Gadsden State. It builds on the lessons learned at Cardinal Commit and teaches you how to be a successful GSCC Cardinal! Topics include college terminology and protocols, success skills, employability skills, student engagement and advising.

If you are planning to transfer to a public college in Alabama, you can consult Alabama Transfers. It's a transfer and articulation agreement that all public colleges in Alabama have coordinated and agreed to. You can see which courses will transfer to your next school. If you plan to attend a private college in Alabama or an out of state school, you should contact that school as early as possible to verify course transfer information. Your faculty advisor and the Advising and Retention Center on campus can also assist you with more information about transferring.

Yes! Students can graduate from Gadsden State with an associate degree. Our general studies associate degrees have been developed using Alabama Transfers to ensure courses can transfer. If you already have all of those courses, then you should go ahead and graduate with an associate degree. Also, some of our four-year college partners offer special transfer scholarships to students who graduate from Gadsden State.

FERPA stands for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It's a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Generally, colleges must have written permission from the student in order to release any information from a student's education record. This includes releasing information to a parent. If a student wishes to grant a parent access to education records, the student must initiate the completion of a form granting release. The Records Office offers students one form that grants release of student record information and The Financial Aid Office offers a different form that grants release of financial aid info. You can request the forms at records@gadsdenstate.edu and finaid@gadsdnestate.edu.