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Dual Credit

High school students can take courses for college credit, saving them time and money on the path to earning a college degree.

About the dual credit program

Through Wayne State College's dual credit program, high school juniors and seniors can take college-level courses while still enrolled in high school and receive credit for them, all at a low rate. The program is a unique partnershp between a high school and Wayne State.

Student eligibility for taking dual credit:
Students enrolled in dual credit courses will typically meet the following requirements:

  • Be a junior or senior in high school
  • Have a "B"/3.0 GPA or higher average, or earned an ACT composite score of at least 20, or rank in the top half of their high school class
  • Be carefully chosen and recommended by the high school academic staff
  • Meet course prerequisites. (If appropriate, a placement test may be administered to assure readiness of students to benefit from the course.)

Exceptions to the eligibility requirement may be made only by the administrator of the academic unit responsible for the delivery of the course, if the student demonstrates through some alternative means the considerable capacity and likelihood for achieving academic success in the desired course or courses.

Cost information

Low tuition: $49 per credit hour.

For example: Cost for a 3-credit-hour class is $147.

Method of payment: The dual credit program accepts check, online checks, or debit/credit payments online.

Scholarship available for low-income students: Access College Early (ACE) Scholarship, offered through Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE).

Dual credit program details

Step 1: Visit with your high school counselor or principal.

Your counselor has the deadline for each semester. We suggest the student and counselor/principal do the remaining steps together. Dual credit students need to complete a new application each semester. No parent authorization document needs to be uploaded.

Step 2: Complete the application for admission.

  • Create an application account. Keep this information safe for future reference.
  • Return to the application page and sign in with the username and password for your application account.
  • As you complete the application, you will be asked to select the course or courses you would like to take.
  • After you have completed the application, you will receive an email with information regarding your NUID from TrueYou asking you to claim your account. If you already have an NUID from another institution, you will use that NUID.
  • After you have claimed your account, you will be able to log in to your WildcatsOnline account.

Step 3: Obtain your high school counselor's or principal's approval.

The high school counselor/principal will be sent an email to do the following:

  • Verify the academic status of the student
  • Verify the course(s) the student will be taking

A scholarship is available for low-income students through the Coordinating Commission for Post-secondary Education.

ACE Scholarship

The Access College Early (ACE) Scholarship is offered through Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE) and is available for dual credit students. To be eligible for the ACE scholarship, students must qualify for one of the federal benefit programs:

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC)
  • Food stamps
  • Free or reduced price lunches
  • Other extreme hardship

Students need to apply for the ACE scholarship early, even before completing the WSC admissions application. Like any scholarship, funds are limited. By requesting enrollment and verifying you have applied for the ACE scholarship, you will not be responsible for paying the tuition costs up front.

Students who do not receive the scholarship are responsible for paying all tuition fees to Wayne State College. If the fee is not paid, students will be withdrawn from the course. Students are obligated to reimburse Wayne State College for the ACE Scholarship if they earn a course grade of NC (C- or below).

Students need to check the box on the dual credit application, stating they are ACE-eligible and will be applying for the ACE scholarship, before submitting the application to Wayne State College.

Apply Now for the ACE Scholarship

If you have questions regarding the ACE Scholarship, please contact:

J. Ritchie Morrow, Financial Coordinator
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 402-471-0032

Credits are generally transferable to other colleges and universities because of Wayne State’s regional accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission and its membership in the Nebraska State College System. Students should check with their intended college to determine transferability prior to enrollment. Most institutions will only accept transfer credit for students earning a “C” or higher in the course.

Transcript requests

After a dual credit course is completed, a graduating high school student planning to attend a college or university other than Wayne State College may request an official transcript to be sent from WSC.

School participation

Schools are welcome to join Wayne State's dual credit program and use your own faculty as course instructors. A high school teacher who wishes to become an instructor in the dual credit program must have a master’s degree with at least 18 semester hours of graduate-level coursework in the subject being taught.

Learn more

For more information about the dual credit program, contact:

Jane Brummels
402-375-7243
[email protected]