Returning to South

Steps to Enroll: Returning Student from South Seattle College

For students who have previously only attended South Seattle College and want to return to South Seattle College to take classes to earn a degree or certificate! 

If you identify as one of the student types below, these populations have specialized enrollment steps. Please click to their respective links to access their information page to contact them directly for their enrollment process: 

We want to make sure you have a strong start at South Seattle College. One of the best ways you can prepare for enrollment is to do a little research on the programs you might want to study. This will help you identify what degree might be best for you. If you need help exploring, contact our Welcome Center and get support from our friendly staff to learn more about your options. 

If you applied and registered for classes at South within the last 3 years, you do not need to reapply (Example: It is June 2023. I was last registered for a class at South in June 2022. Since it has not been past 3 years since I was last registered for a class, I do not need to reapply and can continue my re-enrollment steps).

If you applied and registered for classes at South over 3 years ago, you will need to reapply to South by completing the admissions application (Example: It is June 2023. I was last registered for a class at South in June 2018. Since it has been more than 3 years since I was last registered for a class, I need to reapply by completing the admissions application and continue my re-enrollment steps).

If you were previously a Running Start student at South who is no longer in the Running Start program and are wanting to take classes at South as a college student, please email Running Start to request the ‘Running Start’ block be removed from your ctcLink  account!   

We recommend reviewing the "Tips for Submitting Your Admissions Application" below before starting your application.

South Seattle College uses the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges Online Admissions Application Portal.

Apply Today!

Tips for Submitting Your Admissions Application

Before Applying:

  • If you already have a ctcLink account from a different community or technical college in Washington state, you can log in to the admissions application with your existing ctcLink ID and password to submit a new admissions application for South Seattle College.
  • Once a quarter begins, the deadline to submit an admissions application for that current quarter is the 10th day of the quarter at end of business day. For example, Spring Quarter 2025 begins April 7th, 2025. The last day to submit an admission application for that Spring Quarter 2025 would be the 10th day of the quarter which is April 18th, 2025.
  • View our Academic Calendar for quarter start dates and additional timelines.
  • We are an open access college, and you are welcome here regardless of citizenship or residency status. If you have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), including that number on your application will reduce paperwork required to complete the application process for admission and financial aid.
  • Students applying for financial aid should select a degree or certificate program on the admissions application. If you select “Undecided – Academic,” this will automatically place a hold on your financial aid account until you update your program of study with Advising and Financial Aid offices. You can always change your degree or certificate path in the future.
  • If you’d like support in completing the admission application and/or discussing South’s degree and certificate options, please schedule an appointment with the Welcome Center.

After You Apply:

  • South’s Registration team will send you an email once your application has been processed that will include your ctcLink number (which acts as your Student ID number). Keep this unique number safe as you will use it throughout your time at South Seattle College.
  • Registration prioritizes processing admission applications for the upcoming quarter. If you applied for the upcoming quarter and it has been more than 10 business days, please email Registration at ssccregistration@seattlecolleges.edu to inquire on the status of your application. If you applied for a later quarter, you should expect to receive your ctcLink ID 30 days before the start of the quarter.
  • After you apply, you will receive additional emails from South with information to help you complete your enrollment steps and fund your education.
  • Be sure to check your junk mail or spam folder for emails from ssccregistration@seattlecolleges.edu if you have not received your information in the expected time frame.
  • Have a question about your residency? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Don’t wait to apply for funding! You can start the process of looking for funding while you wait for your application to be processed.

There are several funding and payment options available to students at South. Whether you plan on paying for college yourself or you plan on applying for financial aid, preparing to pay for college should begin as soon as possible!

Visit our Paying for College Overview Website to learn about key costs, important deadlines, and funding resources.

 

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is a two-step process. The first step is submitting a FAFSA or WASFA application, and the second step is working with South’s Financial Aid Office to submit any additional documentation.

The main sources for Financial Aid are FAFSA or WASFA . Please note that you can only apply for one of these programs, not both. To see which application you are eligible to apply for, complete this questionnaire. Apply early to ensure you will have your college costs covered in time! It may take up to 90 days to process from the time you submit your financial aid application. This application must be completed every year.

All South Seattle College Financial Aid communication will be sent to your preferred email you have listed in ctcLink from financialsouth@seattlecolleges.edu

FAFSA Application | WASFA Application

 

Additional Information

  • For FAFSA, use this Federal School Code for South Seattle College: 009706
  • You can only receive financial aid from one institution at a time - financial aid applications do not transfer between colleges.
  • Even if you have completed a FAFSA or WASFA and been awarded at another college, you will still need to send your FAFSA or WASFA to South Seattle College and complete the financial aid missing document/review process until you receive an award letter.
  • If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you may not be able to get financial aid funding to cover your classes. Contact financialsouth@seattlecolleges.edu if you have questions about eligibility.
  • Important Tip! Check your Junk Mail or Spam Folder often in case your email security filters may have moved messages from the Financial Aid Office.

Have General Questions? Contact financialsouth@seattlecolleges.edu.

Need Assistance Completing the FAFSA or WASFA? You can also get help filling out your FAFSA or WASFA with South's Financial Aid team or with South's Title III Funding Navigator!! 

Are you planning to do Professional & Technical Career Training?

In addition to Financial Aid, you can also connect with the Workforce Education department to see if you are eligible for funding. Another great resource for students in these programs is our Opportunity Grant. 

 

Veteran’s Benefits

Make sure to contact our Veteran’s Affairs Office for details on how to get your funding processed. For questions you can email ssccva@seattlecolleges.edu.

 

Scholarships

Explore Scholarships you can apply to!

 

Payment Plan

If you would like the ability to pay for tuition in smaller monthly payments rather than all at once, check out our Payment Plan option.

Visit South’s Paying for College Overview Website to learn about key costs, important deadlines, and our funding resources.          

If you have questions on financial aid, contact financialsouth@seattlecolleges.edu.          

Placement

Before you can register for classes, you’ll need to establish Math and English placement at South. Having placement established is also required to meet with Academic Advisors, so this is an important step to get completed as soon as possible! To determine how to place, please select the option below that most accurately fits your previous college experience.

 

Attended South during or after 2016 and took both English and Math classes

You should be able to register for classes that require English and Math placement (entry into various levels of a class is dependent on the level of your English and Math placement).

If you have taken additional Math or English classes at another college and want those credits to go towards your degree or certificate at South, please see the “Transcripts” section below for instructions on how to bring those additional classes in to use as credits towards your degree or certificate.

 

Attended South during or after 2016 and did not take English or Math classes

If you do not already have Math and/or English pre-requisites or placement established, you can establish Math and/or English placement by completing South’s free English and Math Placement tools or look at the alternate placement measures page.

If you have taken the Math or English Placement Test/Tools at another Washington State Community and Technical College and they have not expired, you can use Washington State Placement Reciprocity. Forward your original placement scores to studentplacement@seattlecolleges.edu.

 

Attended and took classes at South before 2016

We will need to rebuild your registration record so you are reflected in our new ctcLink system. Please contact sevaluations@seattlecolleges.edu for a Records Rebuild request and be prepared to provide government issued photo ID (example: Driver's License, Passport, Green Card).

If you did not take an English or Math course when you last attended South, you will need to establish English and/or Math placement. You can complete South’s free English and Math Placement tools or look at alternate placement measures page.

 

International Transcripts (College Coursework Taken Outside the US)

Students who completed coursework at a college or university outside of the United States may complete South's Math and English Directed Self-Placement Tools to establish placement. If you have an international transcript that has already been evaluated by a third party agency such as WES, you may submit your unofficial evaluation report to StudentPlacement@seattlecolleges.edu for review.

 

Additional Placement Options

See here for the full list of placement options

If you have questions about placement or whether your placement is still valid, contact studentplacement@seattlecolleges.edu  

Transcripts

If you have taken classes from another school outside the Seattle Colleges and want those credits to go towards your degree or certificate at South you will need to complete the official transcript process by ordering an official transcript to be sent to South Seattle College for evaluation and complete the incoming transcript evaluation request form.

If you have questions on transcript evaluations, contact sevaluations@seattlecolleges.edu 

These steps will guide you through getting access to key student account tools you will use in your time at South, including: ctcLink, MySeattleColleges, and Starfish. You will need your ctcLink ID number in order to complete these steps.

Review this guide and follow the steps indicated to set-up your accounts: Students Guide to Accounts and Tech Tools.

If you need additional help understanding these tools, contact the eLearning Staff 

Setting Up ctcLink

Once your application has been processed, you will receive an email from our Registration Department about your acceptance and you will be provided a ctcLink ID. Keep this unique number safe as you will need it for future steps. You will use your ctcLink ID number to activate your ctcLink Account. (You will only need to activate it once.)

  1. Go to the ctcLink Gateway page.
  2. Select “Activate Your Account”.
  3. Use your first name, last name, date of birth, and ctcLink ID number to activate your account.

Watch this video to go over the ctcLink account activation process. Your ctcLink Account will be used for a variety of processes. Your ctcLink account stores information about your student accounts, financial balances, class registration, enrollment, and transcripts. Visit our student ctcLink Resource Page to learn more.

 

Setting Up MySeattleColleges

You will need to have your ctcLink Account activated to do this step. Use your ctcLink ID and password to create MySeattleColleges password (Video)

  • ctcLink ID is your student ID number
  • MySeattleCollege is your student username
  • Both accounts will be used throughout your time at Seattle Colleges.

To set up your MySeattleColleges account, go to tools.seattlecolleges.edu and select “Get My Credentials” to activate your Seattle Colleges email address. You will be provided with your email and login credentials. After this, you will set your password by selecting “Reset Password.”

Your email is usually your FirstName.LastName@seattlecolleges.edu and the password is one you can create. This password expires every 120 days. Make sure to use a secure and memorable password so you can access your account again.

Here is a student guide to explain how you will use your ctcLink Account and your MySeattleColleges account while in school. 

Student Account guide

 

Setting Up Starfish

Starfish is a tech tool you can use once you are registered for at least 1 class to schedule appointments with Financial Aid, Advising, and later on, Tutoring. You can view current instructor and course information and find your To-Do items and checklists assigned by your advisor. You will even be able to see notes from your advising appointments and other key messages.

  • Login here: Starfish (starfishsolutions.com)
  • Your login for Starfish: Use your MySeattleColleges credentials to log in. Do not include the @SeattleColleges.edu in your username.

If you need additional help understanding these tech tools, contact the eLearning Staff

Once Math and English placement has been established and recorded, you should be able to self-register for courses through ctcLink. You can view course offerings for the upcoming quarter on the Class Schedule.

If you know what classes you will take, here is a Guide to Register in ctcLink.

  • Please note that while registering, the permission number box shows up for everyone. You may or may not need it to register. Leave this field blank and click “Save" to see if a code is needed.
  • If it does not work, you can request a permission code. See instructions on Advising’s website.

If you are unsure what courses to take or want to verify that you are selecting the correct course for your degree, please schedule an Advising appointment.

  • Advisors help guide students in choosing classes based on academic goals. Once you have completed placement for classes, you are encouraged to meet with an advisor to get help with your first quarter plan.

South’s mandatory New Student Orientation (NSO) is designed to welcome, celebrate, and connect new students with the college community, services, and support! NSO opens in Canvas two weeks before the start of the quarter. You will receive emails and notifications from Canvas that you have been added to South’s NSO course. Learn more at our New Student Orientation homepage.

Note: Canvas is the platform that we use for online classes, learn more about it here.

New Student Orientation Website