Admissions

Admission to the College of Micronesia-FSM (COM-FSM) is based primarily upon evidence of the student’s ability to profit from the educational programs of the College. The admissions policy is established by the Board of Regents and administered by the President of the College through the Committee on Recruitment, Admissions, and Retention (RAR). All records submitted by applicants become the property of the College.

Admission is open at the beginning of both the fall and spring semesters.

Admission Requirements

To be matriculated into a program, applicants for admission must meet all of the following admission requirements:

1. Have graduated or will graduate from high school at the end of the current year, or have a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
2. Have a minimum high school grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 as measured on a 4.0 scale, or a minimum score of 35 on each section and an average score of 45 for all five sections of the GED test.
3. Be accepted by the College’s Committee on Recruitment, Admission, and Retention (RAR).

Special Consideration

Applicants with a grade point average below 2.0 from high school will not be admitted to the College unless they have had considerable job experience or training since high school and can furnish recommendations from prior training programs, agencies or employers.  Entrance test scores will be given primary consideration for these applicants. Upon recommendation of the Committee on RAR, the President may approve special admission.

Admission Procedure

1. Take the COM-FSM Entrance Test (COMET) and be placed into a program at the College. A test fee of $5.00 will be collected. The COMET is administered in November at the State Campuses for spring admission, and in February through March at all high schools and the State Campuses for fall admission.
2. Obtain an Application for COM-FSM Admission Form from either your high school counselor, the COM-FSM State Campus dean, or the Office of Admissions, Records and Retention (OARR). Printable Application for COM-FSM Admission Form may also be downloaded from the College’s website.
3. Complete the Application for COM-FSM Admission Form, and mail it with the $10.00 admission fee to:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the FAFSA renewal, and mail it to the address indicated. Students may also file their FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
2. Request that all official high school transcripts or GED scores are sent to the COM-FSM Office of Admissions, Records and Retention. High school seniors should submit a seven-semester transcript. College transfer students must also submit official transcript from all colleges or universities previously attended.

Notification of Admissions

The College will notify applicants who meet all the admission requirements of their acceptance as soon as their applications have been approved by the President upon recommendation of the Committee on RAR.

Acceptance of Admission

Applicants who have been notified of admission to the College, and who intend to enroll must do the following:

1. Obtain Social Security numbers.
2. Sign and return the Letter of Acceptance to COM-FSM Office of Admissions, Records and Retention. If the Letter of Acceptance is not received by the deadline, the College assumes non-acceptance and will give the slot to another applicant.
3. If interested in staying in the Residence Halls, complete the Residence Hall Application Form, and return it with a $50.00 refundable security deposit to the address indicated.
4. Submit the Student Aid Report (SAR) upon receipt to the COM-FSM Financial Aid Office (FAO).
5. Take a physical examination, and return the Health Form to the College as soon as possible.
6. If applicable, check with the COM-FSM State Campus Dean for travel arrangements. Complimentary airfare tickets are provided to eligible students from Yap, Chuuk and Kosrae who have completed all of the above.

Transfer Students

Students who have earned satisfactory grades from another US-accredited college or university may apply for admission and be given advanced standing at COM-FSM. They must submit to the COM-FSM Office of Admissions, Records and Retention the following:

1. A completed Application for COM-FSM Admission Form.
2. Proof of paying the $10.00 admission fee.
3. An official copy of his/her high school transcript.
4. An official transcript from each college or university previously attended.

Credits for previous satisfactory course work can only be given upon receipt of previous college records.

Students may also transfer credits earned at the College with grades of “C” or better. To see what can be transferred to articulated institutions, see articulation agreement.

Dual Enrollment for High School Students

Admission Criteria for Dual Enrollment

High school students who wish to be considered for dual enrollment at the College must meet the following criteria:

1. The student has successfully completed the eleventh grade.
2. The student provides a certification either from the high school principal (or his designee) or from a director of a college program working with high school seniors, certifying that the student has a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50.
3. The high school principal (or his designee) or a director of a college program working with high school seniors provides a statement of justification describing the student’s ability to benefit academically, intellectually, or artistically ready.
4. The Committee on RAR has recommended the student for dual enrollment.

Students must meet the pre-requisites for the course. Credits and grades earned will appear on their college transcript.

Student enrolled in a course under the College’s dual enrollment policy are not eligible for federal financial aid assistance. As such, they must pay all college tuition and matriculation fees assessed to regular students.

Dual enrollment does not constitute admission to COM-FSM. Students under the College’s dual enrollment must follow the policy and procedures for regular admission to obtain full-time admission to the College subsequent to graduation from high school.

Admission Procedure for Dual Enrollment

Applicants must submit to the COM-FSM Office of Admissions, Records and Retention the following in one packet:

1. Completed COM-FSM Application for Dual Enrollment.
2. Recommendation letter from either the high school principal (or his designee) or a director of a college program working with high school seniors.
3. Proof of paying the $10.00 admission fee.
4. Official high school transcript.

Early Admission

Criteria for Early Admission

COM-FSM provides post secondary instructional opportunities to eligible high school students by offering an early admission program for academically talented high school students who are ready to benefit from college and want to enter college in advance of high school graduation.

Students are eligible for early admission if they meet all of the following criteria:

1. The student provides a certification either from the high school principal (or his designee) or from a director of a college program working with high school seniors, certifying that the student has a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50.
2. The student has successfully completed the eleventh grade.
3. The student has satisfied the Committee on RAR recommendation via the COMET, and has been placed into college-level (100) English courses in both reading and writing.

Students enrolled through early admission are not eligible for federal financial aid assistance until a high school diploma or equivalent has been achieved.

Procedure for Early Admission

Applicants must submit to the COM-FSM Office of Admissions, Records and Retention the following in one packet:

1. Completed COM-FSM Application for Dual Enrollment.
2. Recommendation letter from either the high school principal (or his designee) or a director of a college program working with high school seniors.
3. Proof of paying the $10.00 admission fee.
4. Official high school transcript.

Admission to Second Associate Degree

Students who have earned an associate degree either from COM-FSM or a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 may formally be admitted into a second associate degree. The second associate degree must be in a major different from the first.

Student seeking a second associate degree must file an Application for Admission to Second Degree. However, if the degree was earned an institution other than COM-FSM, the student must also submit the following additional requirements:

1. A completed Application for COM-FSM Admission Form.
2. Proof of paying the $10.00 admission fee.
3. Official transcript from all colleges or universities previously attended specifically indicating that a prior degree was earned.

Admission into the Certificate Programs

Admission to the Third-Year Certificate of Achievement in Teacher Preparation-Elementary Program

To be eligible for admission to the Third-Year Program in Teacher Preparation-Elementary, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Earned an associate degree in Teacher Preparation or equivalent.
2. Cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 for regular admission.
3. A score of at least 20 on the entrance essay with no individual score below a three.

Special Consideration

An with an associate degree in Teacher Preparation or equivalent may be admitted on a probationary status if he or she has a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50, and has a score of at least 15 on the entrance essay with no individual score below three.

Admission to Entry-Level Certificate of Achievement Programs

High school graduates and GED certificate holders who are not placed into or not interested in a degree program may apply for admission into an entry-level certificate of achievement program.

Admission into the Certificate Programs

Non-credit courses are administered by the State Campuses. When offered, information is disseminated through the radio, TV, and printed notices in various public places. These courses are open to the general public.

Unclassified Students

Unclassified students may register in credit courses for which they have the necessary background and in which space is available. Students without the required prerequisite(s) to a course as listed in the College of Micronesia-FSM Catalog must attain permission of the instructor to enroll in the course. Permission of the division chair may also be required in selected courses or academic disciplines. Ordinarily, unclassified students may register for no more than eight (8) credits in an academic semester.

Completing courses while under unclassified status does not constitute or guarantee admission to any degree program at COM-FSM. However, an unclassified student who has completed twenty-four (24) credits at the College with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 may apply to become regular status as a student seeking an associate degree. This application for degree seeking status must be made to and processed by the Committee on RAR to ensure that the student is officially matriculated into the College. If admitted to regular status, the student may petition the Office of Admissions and Records to consider credits earned as an unclassified student be counted toward the degree.

Former College of Micronesia-FSM degree students may enroll as unclassified students. However, if degree-seeking status is desired, former students should seek formal readmission to degree status at the College since credits earned in unclassified status might not be accepted towards the degree.

Regular application procedures for admission to degree programs apply at all times.
The Policy on Unclassified Students is needed to enable individuals to register at the College of Micronesia-FSM in regular credit courses for academic credit without being admitted to a degree program.

Unclassified students - individuals taking credit courses prior to applying for admission to the College, or students from other universities or colleges taking credit courses at the College of Micronesia-FSM for transfer back to their own institutions, or individuals taking credit courses for personal or professional reasons.

This policy applies to all students.

Leave of Absence

Third-year and degree students may take a leave of absence from the College by: 

1. Completing the Withdrawal Clearance from COM-FSM Form and submitting it to the Office of Admissions, Records and Retention.
2. Reading the Leave of Absence policy and signing acknowledgement of the readmission statement (see Section 15 of the Withdrawal Clearance from COM-FSM).
3. If a RH resident student, formally checking out of the residential hall.
4. The College is not responsible for transportation expenses for any student taking a leave of absence.

Readmission

Students who are absent from school for at least an academic year (two semesters and a summer session) must apply for readmission. 

Applications for readmission must be submitted at least one week before the first day of instruction of the semester in which the student plans to return. Applications for readmission are considered on an equal basis with students applying for initial admission to the College. Students are readmitted upon the recommendation of the Committee on RAR.