The SVC Foundation scholarship application process for the following school year, begins in December or January of each year, with submission deadlines in late-February or early March each year. All prospective, current, and graduating SVC students are eligible to apply. Other departmental and outside agency scholarships may be available throughout the year.
Skagit Valley College
About
Skagit Valley College is a public community college, operating under the supervision of a local Board of Trustees appointed by the governor. SVC’s district includes Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties. Skagit Valley College cultivates student learning and achievement; contributes to students' educational, personal, and economic success; and promotes equitable and thriving communities.
Introduction
Skagit Valley College is a public community college, operating under the supervision of a local Board of Trustees appointed by the governor. SVC’s district includes Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties.
Mission
Skagit Valley College cultivates student learning and achievement; contributes to the educational, personal, and economic success of students; and promotes equitable and thriving communities.
Vision
The primary focus of Skagit Valley College is student-centered teaching and learning. We are committed to:
- Equitable student outcomes in access, achievement, and community
- Our Guiding Principles
- Decisions based on strategy and evidence
- Development of our employees
- A diverse and inclusive college community where everyone belongs
Brief History
Skagit Valley College (SVC), originally named Mount Vernon Junior College, began serving students in 1926 as an adjunct to Union High School in Mount Vernon. The name was changed to Skagit Valley Junior College in 1948, and in 1958 the present name was adopted. SVC has the proud distinction of being the second oldest community college in Washington state.
During the early years, classes were held on the top floor of the high school building. In 1955, a permanent site of 35 acres was purchased and a complex of six buildings was completed in 1959. Because of immediate increases in student enrollment, another 10 acres of land was purchased and a new Library building was constructed. Additional purchases of land have brought the total campus area in Mount Vernon to more than 110 acres.
Currently, SVC serves students at the Mount Vernon Campus in Mount Vernon and the Whidbey Island Campus in Oak Harbor. The college also operates three centres: the San Juan Center in Friday Harbor, the Marine Technology Center in Anacortes, and the Cardinal Craft Brewing Academy in Burlington.
Gallery
Admissions
Eligibility
SVC admits students on a quarterly first-come, first-served basis. If you are a high school graduate and you apply to the college, you are eligible for admission. If you are not a high school graduate, and you are 18 years of age or older, you may be admitted if:t
- Your high school class has graduated; or
- Your high school district has released you; or
- You have completed the General Educational Development (GED®) or other high school equivalency test
If you are under the age of 18 and a high school junior or senior, you may apply to participate in the Running Start Program. If you are not a high school junior or senior, you may seek to be conditionally admitted after receiving permission to enrol from the high school district in which you reside and the SVC Dean of Enrollment Services and Veterans Services.
Students are admitted to SVC in the order applications are received, as well as the quarter in which they want to begin. During registration, if a course fills, students who cannot enrol in the course may place themselves on a course waitlist. As vacancies occur, students on the course waitlist will be enrolled in the order in which they appear on the waitlist. See additional information about wait list procedures on the SVC website.
International Students
The International Programs and Study Abroad Office provides services to international students attending Skagit Valley College.
If you choose to study at Skagit Valley College, you are sure to have the opportunity to receive an excellent education. You will find many qualities that may meet your needs: a family-like atmosphere where everyone is welcome, an appreciation of
diversity and a desire to enrich the education we provide with a global perspective.
English Language Requirements
No TOEFL Policy
Skagit Valley College (SVC) does not require student applications to have a TOEFL score. Effective August 2015, student applications taking advantage of our NO TOEFL policy will be issued an I-20 for Language Training until proficiency has been met.
If you do not have an English proficiency test score (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo) you will be given an English Placement Test (CAMLA) before registering for classes. Students whose test results show skills adequate for college work will be excused from English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Others will be required to take EAP classes until the language requirements are met.
Scholarships and Funding
Awards & Accreditations
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accredits Skagit Valley College.
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to the institution's students.
