{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/23.1-907.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/23.1-907.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/23.1-907.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/23.1-907.html"}],"law_id":82601,"edition_id":1,"section_id":82601,"structure_id":14162,"section_number":"23.1-907","catch_line":"Articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements; admission of certain comprehensive community college graduates","history":"2005, c. 818, \u00a7 23-9.2:3.02; 2006, cc. 379, 531; 2007, c. 46; 2011, cc. 828, 869; 2012, cc. 142, 794; 2014, c. 628; 2016, c. 588; 2017, c. 521; 2018, cc. 593, 832, 845; 2024, cc. 647, 684.","full_text":"A\n\nThe board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education shall develop, consistent with Council guidelines and the institution’s six-year plan as set forth in § 23.1-306, articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements with each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. Such guaranteed admissions agreements may provide for the guaranteed admission of a student who earns an associate degree concurrently with a high school diploma through a dual enrollment program, in addition to any guaranteed admission for a student who earns an associate degree post-high school.B\n\nThe System, in cooperation with the Council and each public institution of higher education, and consistent with the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision 20 of § 23.1-203, shall establish a one-semester Passport Program and a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. The Passport Program shall consist of 15 course credit hours and shall be a component of the 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. Each Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program course shall be transferable and shall satisfy a lower division general education requirement at any public institution of higher education. The Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program shall be available at each comprehensive community college and through the Online Virginia Network.C\n\nThe Council shall establish procedures under which a baccalaureate public institution of higher education may seek a waiver from the Council from accepting the transfer of a Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program course to satisfy the requirements for the completion of a specific pathway or degree. A waiver shall not be granted allowing a baccalaureate public institution to (i) generally reject the transfer of all coursework that is a part of the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program or (ii) generally reject the transfer of a course from the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program for all pathway maps and degrees. An application for a waiver shall identify with particularity the course for which the institution is seeking a waiver and the particular pathway or degree to which the waiver would apply. The application shall provide justification for the waiver and shall designate alternative courses offered through the System that may be completed by a student in order to complete a transferable, 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies or 15-credit-hour Passport. The Council shall adopt guidelines regarding the criteria to be used to review and issue decisions regarding waiver requests. Such waiver requests shall only be granted if the baccalaureate public institution of higher education provides evidence that the specified pathway or degree requires a specialized, lower division course not available through the System. Once approved, notice of a waiver granted by the Council shall be included in the online portal established pursuant to § 23.1-908.D\n\nThe Council shall develop guidelines for associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education to use in mapping pathways for the completion of credits in particular programs of study, including the courses recommended to be taken in a dual enrollment, comprehensive community college, and baccalaureate public institution setting in order to pursue a specific degree or career. Such guidelines shall define the elements of a pathway map and identify the pathway maps to be developed. Initial guidelines adopted for mapping such pathways shall establish a multiyear schedule for the development and implementation of pathway maps for all fields of study.E\n\nEach baccalaureate public institution of higher education, in cooperation and consultation with the System, shall develop pathway maps consistent with the guidelines established pursuant to subsection D. Such pathways maps shall clearly set forth the courses that a student at a comprehensive community college is encouraged to complete prior to transferring to the baccalaureate institution. The goal of the career education pathway maps shall be to assist students in achieving optimal efficiencies in the time and cost of completing a degree program. Such program map shall also clearly identify the courses, if any, for which the baccalaureate institution has received a waiver from transfer pursuant to subsection C.F\n\nThe Council shall prepare a comprehensive annual report on the effectiveness of transferring from comprehensive community colleges to baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, including a review of the effectiveness of the use of pathway maps in achieving efficiencies and cost savings in the completion of a degree program. The report shall include the following elements: completion rates, average time to degree, credit accumulation, post-transfer student academic performance, and comparative efficiency. The Council shall adopt guidelines for data submission from public institutions of higher education necessary for such report, and all institutions shall report such data in accordance with the guidelines. The report shall be made publicly available on the Council website and on the online portal maintained pursuant to § 23.1-908.G\n\nEach comprehensive community college shall develop agreements for postsecondary credit and degree attainment with the public high schools in the school divisions that such comprehensive community college serves specifying the options for students to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program concurrent with a high school diploma consistent with the requirements for the College and Career Ready Virginia Program set forth in Article 5.1 (§ 22.1-237.1 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of Title 22.1. Such agreements shall specify the credit available for dual enrollment courses and Advanced Placement courses with qualifying exam scores of three or higher.H\n\nThe provisions of this section shall not apply to any public institution of higher education established pursuant to Chapter 25 (§ 23.1-2500 et seq.).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":295940,"text":"The board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education shall develop, consistent with Council guidelines and the institution’s six-year plan as set forth in § 23.1-306, articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements with each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. Such guaranteed admissions agreements may provide for the guaranteed admission of a student who earns an associate degree concurrently with a high school diploma through a dual enrollment program, in addition to any guaranteed admission for a student who earns an associate degree post-high school.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":295941,"text":"The System, in cooperation with the Council and each public institution of higher education, and consistent with the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision 20 of § 23.1-203, shall establish a one-semester Passport Program and a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. The Passport Program shall consist of 15 course credit hours and shall be a component of the 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. Each Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program course shall be transferable and shall satisfy a lower division general education requirement at any public institution of higher education. The Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program shall be available at each comprehensive community college and through the Online Virginia Network.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":295942,"text":"The Council shall establish procedures under which a baccalaureate public institution of higher education may seek a waiver from the Council from accepting the transfer of a Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program course to satisfy the requirements for the completion of a specific pathway or degree. A waiver shall not be granted allowing a baccalaureate public institution to (i) generally reject the transfer of all coursework that is a part of the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program or (ii) generally reject the transfer of a course from the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program for all pathway maps and degrees. An application for a waiver shall identify with particularity the course for which the institution is seeking a waiver and the particular pathway or degree to which the waiver would apply. The application shall provide justification for the waiver and shall designate alternative courses offered through the System that may be completed by a student in order to complete a transferable, 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies or 15-credit-hour Passport. The Council shall adopt guidelines regarding the criteria to be used to review and issue decisions regarding waiver requests. Such waiver requests shall only be granted if the baccalaureate public institution of higher education provides evidence that the specified pathway or degree requires a specialized, lower division course not available through the System. Once approved, notice of a waiver granted by the Council shall be included in the online portal established pursuant to § 23.1-908.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":295943,"text":"The Council shall develop guidelines for associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education to use in mapping pathways for the completion of credits in particular programs of study, including the courses recommended to be taken in a dual enrollment, comprehensive community college, and baccalaureate public institution setting in order to pursue a specific degree or career. Such guidelines shall define the elements of a pathway map and identify the pathway maps to be developed. Initial guidelines adopted for mapping such pathways shall establish a multiyear schedule for the development and implementation of pathway maps for all fields of study.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":295944,"text":"Each baccalaureate public institution of higher education, in cooperation and consultation with the System, shall develop pathway maps consistent with the guidelines established pursuant to subsection D. Such pathways maps shall clearly set forth the courses that a student at a comprehensive community college is encouraged to complete prior to transferring to the baccalaureate institution. The goal of the career education pathway maps shall be to assist students in achieving optimal efficiencies in the time and cost of completing a degree program. Such program map shall also clearly identify the courses, if any, for which the baccalaureate institution has received a waiver from transfer pursuant to subsection C.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":295945,"text":"The Council shall prepare a comprehensive annual report on the effectiveness of transferring from comprehensive community colleges to baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, including a review of the effectiveness of the use of pathway maps in achieving efficiencies and cost savings in the completion of a degree program. The report shall include the following elements: completion rates, average time to degree, credit accumulation, post-transfer student academic performance, and comparative efficiency. The Council shall adopt guidelines for data submission from public institutions of higher education necessary for such report, and all institutions shall report such data in accordance with the guidelines. The report shall be made publicly available on the Council website and on the online portal maintained pursuant to § 23.1-908.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E","next_prefix":"G"},"6":{"id":295946,"text":"Each comprehensive community college shall develop agreements for postsecondary credit and degree attainment with the public high schools in the school divisions that such comprehensive community college serves specifying the options for students to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program concurrent with a high school diploma consistent with the requirements for the College and Career Ready Virginia Program set forth in Article 5.1 (§ 22.1-237.1 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of Title 22.1. Such agreements shall specify the credit available for dual enrollment courses and Advanced Placement courses with qualifying exam scores of three or higher.","type":"section","prefixes":["G"],"prefix":"G","entire_prefix":"G","prefix_anchor":"G","level":1,"prior_prefix":"F","next_prefix":"H"},"7":{"id":295947,"text":"The provisions of this section shall not apply to any public institution of higher education established pursuant to Chapter 25 (§ 23.1-2500 et seq.).","type":"section","prefixes":["H"],"prefix":"H","entire_prefix":"H","prefix_anchor":"H","level":1,"prior_prefix":"G"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14162,"edition_id":1,"name":"Articulation, Transfer, and Dual Enrollment","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14161,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","permalink":{"id":185499,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14162,"identifier":"4","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4","url":"\/23.1\/II\/9\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14161,"edition_id":1,"name":"Academic Policies","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13112,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","permalink":{"id":185423,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14161,"identifier":"9","token":"23.1\/II\/9","url":"\/23.1\/II\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13112,"edition_id":1,"name":"Students and Campus","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13111,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:18","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:18","permalink":{"id":184847,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13112,"identifier":"II","token":"23.1\/II","url":"\/23.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13111,"edition_id":1,"name":"Institutions of Higher Education; Other Educational and Cultural Institutions","identifier":"23.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:18","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:18","permalink":{"id":184581,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13111,"identifier":"23.1","token":"23.1","url":"\/23.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":82601,"structure_id":14162,"section_number":"23.1-907","catch_line":"Articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements; admission of certain comprehensive community college graduates","url":"\/23.1-907\/","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4\/23.1-907","metadata":false},{"id":55328,"structure_id":14162,"section_number":"23.1-908","catch_line":"State Transfer Tool","url":"\/23.1-908\/","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4\/23.1-908","metadata":false},{"id":76167,"structure_id":14162,"section_number":"23.1-909","catch_line":"Combined cooperative degree program","url":"\/23.1-909\/","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4\/23.1-909","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":55328,"structure_id":14162,"section_number":"23.1-908","catch_line":"State Transfer Tool","url":"\/23.1-908\/","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4\/23.1-908","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/23.1-907\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2005. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 818<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 9 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2006, chapters 379<\/a> and 531<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 46<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 828<\/a> and 869<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 142<\/a> and 794<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 628<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 588<\/a>; in 2017, chapter 521<\/a>; in 2018, chapters 593<\/a>, 832<\/a>, and 845<\/a>; in 2024, chapters 647<\/a> and 684<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":61336,"section_number":"22.1-237.4","catch_line":"College and Career Ready Virginia Program; administration","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-237.4\/"},{"id":79716,"section_number":"23.1-1303","catch_line":"Governing boards; duties","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-1303\/"},{"id":83396,"section_number":"23.1-203","catch_line":"Duties of Council","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-203\/"},{"id":56100,"section_number":"23.1-2904","catch_line":"State Board; duties","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-2904\/"},{"id":84624,"section_number":"23.1-3137","catch_line":"Duties of the Authority","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-3137\/"},{"id":55328,"section_number":"23.1-908","catch_line":"State Transfer Tool","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-908\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":64669,"section_number":"22.1-237.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-237.1\/"},{"id":83396,"section_number":"23.1-203","catch_line":"Duties of Council","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-203\/"},{"id":64714,"section_number":"23.1-2500","catch_line":"Corporate name; name of the Institute","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-2500\/"},{"id":68012,"section_number":"23.1-306","catch_line":"Public institutions of higher education; six-year plans; institutional partnership performance agreements","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-306\/"}],"permalink":{"id":185501,"object_type":"law","relational_id":82601,"identifier":"23.1-907","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4\/23.1-907","url":"\/23.1-907\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/23.1-907\/","token":"23.1\/II\/9\/4\/23.1-907","dublin_core":{"Title":"Articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements; admission of certain comprehensive community college graduates","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 23.1-907","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education<\/span><\/span> shall develop, consistent with Council<\/span> guidelines and the institution’s six-year plan as set forth in § 23.1-306<\/a>, articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements with each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education<\/span><\/span>. Such guaranteed admissions agreements may provide for the guaranteed admission of a student who earns an associate degree concurrently with a high school diploma through a dual enrollment<\/span> program, in addition to any guaranteed admission for a student who earns an associate degree post-high school. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The System<\/span>, in cooperation with the Council<\/span> and each public institution of higher education<\/span>, and consistent with the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision 20 of § 23.1-203<\/a>, shall establish a one-semester Passport Program and a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. The Passport Program shall consist of 15 course credit hours and shall be a component of the 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. Each Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program course shall be transferable and shall satisfy a lower division general education requirement at any public institution of higher education<\/span>. The Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program shall be available at each comprehensive community college<\/span> and through the Online Virginia Network. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Council<\/span> shall establish procedures under which a baccalaureate public institution of higher education<\/span><\/span> may seek a waiver<\/span> from the Council<\/span> from accepting the transfer of a Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program course to satisfy the requirements for the completion of a specific pathway or degree. A waiver<\/span> shall not be granted allowing a baccalaureate public institution to (i) generally reject the transfer of all coursework that is a part of the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program or (ii) generally reject the transfer of a course from the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program for all pathway maps and degrees. An application for a waiver<\/span> shall identify with particularity the course for which the institution is seeking a waiver<\/span> and the particular pathway or degree to which the waiver<\/span> would apply. The application shall provide justification for the waiver<\/span> and shall designate alternative courses offered through the System<\/span> that may be completed by a student in order<\/span> to complete a transferable, 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies or 15-credit-hour Passport. The Council<\/span> shall adopt guidelines regarding the criteria to be used to review and issue<\/span> decisions regarding waiver<\/span> requests. Such waiver<\/span> requests shall only be granted if the baccalaureate public institution of higher education<\/span><\/span> provides evidence<\/span> that the specified pathway or degree requires a specialized, lower division course not available through the System<\/span>. Once approved, notice of a waiver<\/span> granted by the Council<\/span> shall be included in the online portal established pursuant to § 23.1-908<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The Council<\/span> shall develop guidelines for associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education to use in mapping pathways for the completion of credits in particular programs of study, including the courses recommended to be taken in a dual enrollment<\/span>, comprehensive community college<\/span>, and baccalaureate public institution setting in order<\/span> to pursue a specific degree or career. Such guidelines shall define the elements of a pathway map and identify the pathway maps to be developed. Initial guidelines adopted for mapping such pathways shall establish a multiyear schedule for the development and implementation of pathway maps for all fields of study. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Each baccalaureate public institution of higher education<\/span><\/span>, in cooperation and consultation with the System<\/span>, shall develop pathway maps consistent with the guidelines established pursuant to subsection D. Such pathways maps shall clearly set forth the courses that a student at a comprehensive community college<\/span> is encouraged to complete prior to transferring to the baccalaureate institution. The goal of the career education pathway maps shall be to assist students in achieving optimal efficiencies in the time and cost of completing a degree program. Such program map shall also clearly identify the courses, if any, for which the baccalaureate institution has received a waiver<\/span> from transfer pursuant to subsection C. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> The Council<\/span> shall prepare a comprehensive annual report on the effectiveness of transferring from comprehensive community colleges<\/span> to baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, including a review of the effectiveness of the use of pathway maps in achieving efficiencies and cost savings in the completion of a degree program. The report shall include the following elements: completion rates, average time to degree, credit accumulation, post-transfer student academic performance, and comparative efficiency. The Council<\/span> shall adopt guidelines for data submission from public institutions of higher education necessary for such report, and all institutions shall report such data in accordance with the guidelines. The report shall be made publicly available on the Council<\/span> website and on the online portal maintained pursuant to § 23.1-908<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

G.<\/span> Each comprehensive community college<\/span> shall develop agreements for postsecondary credit and degree attainment with the public high schools in the school divisions that such comprehensive community college<\/span> serves specifying the options for students to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program concurrent with a high school diploma consistent with the requirements for the College and Career Ready Virginia Program set forth in Article 5.1 (§ 22.1-237.1<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 13 of Title 22.1. Such agreements shall specify the credit available for dual enrollment<\/span> courses and Advanced Placement courses with qualifying exam scores of three or higher. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

H.<\/span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to any public institution of higher education<\/span> established pursuant to Chapter 25 (§ 23.1-2500<\/a> et seq.). <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nARTICULATION, DUAL ADMISSIONS, AND GUARANTEED ADMISSIONS AGREEMENTS; ADMISSION\nOF CERTAIN COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY COLLEGE GRADUATES (\u00a7 23.1-907)\n\nA. The board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher\neducation shall develop, consistent with Council guidelines and the\ninstitution’s six-year plan as set forth in § 23.1-306, articulation,\ndual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements with each\nassociate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. Such\nguaranteed admissions agreements may provide for the guaranteed admission of a\nstudent who earns an associate degree concurrently with a high school diploma\nthrough a dual enrollment program, in addition to any guaranteed admission for a\nstudent who earns an associate degree post-high school.\n\nB. The System, in cooperation with the Council and each public institution of\nhigher education, and consistent with the guidelines developed pursuant to\nsubdivision 20 of § 23.1-203, shall establish a one-semester Passport\nProgram and a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. The\nPassport Program shall consist of 15 course credit hours and shall be a\ncomponent of the 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program.\nEach Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program course\nshall be transferable and shall satisfy a lower division general education\nrequirement at any public institution of higher education. The Uniform\nCertificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program shall be available\nat each comprehensive community college and through the Online Virginia Network.\n\nC. The Council shall establish procedures under which a baccalaureate public\ninstitution of higher education may seek a waiver from the Council from\naccepting the transfer of a Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or\nPassport Program course to satisfy the requirements for the completion of a\nspecific pathway or degree. A waiver shall not be granted allowing a\nbaccalaureate public institution to (i) generally reject the transfer of all\ncoursework that is a part of the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program\nor Passport Program or (ii) generally reject the transfer of a course from the\nUniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program for all\npathway maps and degrees. An application for a waiver shall identify with\nparticularity the course for which the institution is seeking a waiver and the\nparticular pathway or degree to which the waiver would apply. The application\nshall provide justification for the waiver and shall designate alternative\ncourses offered through the System that may be completed by a student in order\nto complete a transferable, 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General\nStudies or 15-credit-hour Passport. The Council shall adopt guidelines regarding\nthe criteria to be used to review and issue decisions regarding waiver requests.\nSuch waiver requests shall only be granted if the baccalaureate public\ninstitution of higher education provides evidence that the specified pathway or\ndegree requires a specialized, lower division course not available through the\nSystem. Once approved, notice of a waiver granted by the Council shall be\nincluded in the online portal established pursuant to § 23.1-908.\n\nD. The Council shall develop guidelines for associate-degree-granting and\nbaccalaureate public institutions of higher education to use in mapping pathways\nfor the completion of credits in particular programs of study, including the\ncourses recommended to be taken in a dual enrollment, comprehensive community\ncollege, and baccalaureate public institution setting in order to pursue a\nspecific degree or career. Such guidelines shall define the elements of a\npathway map and identify the pathway maps to be developed. Initial guidelines\nadopted for mapping such pathways shall establish a multiyear schedule for the\ndevelopment and implementation of pathway maps for all fields of study.\n\nE. Each baccalaureate public institution of higher education, in cooperation and\nconsultation with the System, shall develop pathway maps consistent with the\nguidelines established pursuant to subsection D. Such pathways maps shall\nclearly set forth the courses that a student at a comprehensive community\ncollege is encouraged to complete prior to transferring to the baccalaureate\ninstitution. The goal of the career education pathway maps shall be to assist\nstudents in achieving optimal efficiencies in the time and cost of completing a\ndegree program. Such program map shall also clearly identify the courses, if\nany, for which the baccalaureate institution has received a waiver from transfer\npursuant to subsection C.\n\nF. The Council shall prepare a comprehensive annual report on the effectiveness\nof transferring from comprehensive community colleges to baccalaureate public\ninstitutions of higher education, including a review of the effectiveness of the\nuse of pathway maps in achieving efficiencies and cost savings in the completion\nof a degree program. The report shall include the following elements: completion\nrates, average time to degree, credit accumulation, post-transfer student\nacademic performance, and comparative efficiency. The Council shall adopt\nguidelines for data submission from public institutions of higher education\nnecessary for such report, and all institutions shall report such data in\naccordance with the guidelines. The report shall be made publicly available on\nthe Council website and on the online portal maintained pursuant to §\n23.1-908.\n\nG. Each comprehensive community college shall develop agreements for\npostsecondary credit and degree attainment with the public high schools in the\nschool divisions that such comprehensive community college serves specifying the\noptions for students to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or\nthe Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program concurrent with a high school\ndiploma consistent with the requirements for the College and Career Ready\nVirginia Program set forth in Article 5.1 (§ 22.1-237.1 et seq.) of Chapter\n13 of Title 22.1. Such agreements shall specify the credit available for dual\nenrollment courses and Advanced Placement courses with qualifying exam scores of\nthree or higher.\n\nH. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any public institution of\nhigher education established pursuant to Chapter 25 (§ 23.1-2500 et seq.).\n\nHISTORY: 2005, c. 818, \u00a7 23-9.2:3.02; 2006, cc. 379, 531; 2007, c. 46; 2011,\ncc. 828, 869; 2012, cc. 142, 794; 2014, c. 628; 2016, c. 588; 2017, c. 521;\n2018, cc. 593, 832, 845; 2024, cc. 647, 684.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}