Early College
No cost tuition for high school students
According to the 2024 Dual Enrollment Special Report from the Nebraska Statewide Workforce Educational Reporting System, students who participate in dual enrollment programs are significantly more likely to pursue higher education compared to their peers who do not engage in these opportunities.
The Early College program at Northeast offers free tuition for all currently enrolled high school students to take dual credit or college credit courses. Whether students are aiming to pursue a bachelor's degree or seeking a fast track to a career, the program provides a range of options, including both general education and career and technical education courses.
Starting college early offers numerous benefits. The grades and credits you earn can count toward a degree at Northeast or be transferred to another institution. Additionally, you'll become familiar with the college environment before your official start.
High school students can enroll in courses at no tuition cost. However, some courses may require the purchase of textbooks or supplies, which could incur additional expenses.
Ready to earn college credit in high school? Take your next steps
The Early College Program provides the opportunity for currently enrolled Junior and Senior high school students to register in college credit courses. This includes dual credit courses and college-credit only classes.
Early College students may enroll in courses that are 1000 level or higher. Multiple Measure requirements apply to anyone taking math and/or English classes. Guidelines can be found on the Northeast website or by contacting the Northeast Testing Center.
If a student does not qualify for 1000 level math courses, there is an alternative offered at the high school from Northeast. The Nebraska Math Readiness Project (NMRP) is a free early intervention to help prepare high school students for college-level math.
For dual credit courses and college-credit classes, Early College students must complete an Early College application. This application can be found below on the Northeast website.
The credits and grades earned will become part of the student's permanent Northeast transcript. An Early College student who plans to attend Northeast after high school graduation must submit an official Application for Admission.
Click the Apply button above for when you plan to start and follow these steps:
- Step 1: Choose "First Time User Account Creation"
- Step 2: Create your Login ID and PIN
- Step 3: Once logged in, choose "High School Early College" application type and click continue
- Step 4: Choose the appropriate term and enter your name
- Step 5: Complete all the steps of the application and submit
- Step 6: You will receive a congratulations message once your application has been successfully submitted
- Step 7: Watch for email with instructions to claim account. If email is not received after two days, contact the service center at help@northeast.edu or (800) 348-9033
There are printable instructions you can use to guide you through the process.
To register, login to your My Northeast account.
Access a copy of the Northeast Early College Handbook for more details on requirements and policies.
You've completed your application, now what?
- Send us your test scores: If you’re taking a math and/or English class, send your ACT or MAP scores to the Admissions Office - admreg@northeast.edu
- Register for classes: To register, log in to your My Northeast account.
- Order books: The best way to order books is through the Northeast Hawk Shop. Textbooks are provided for students taking Fridays @ Northeast or P2T courses. Check with your school counselor/navigator to see if books are provided for any dual credit courses in your high school.
There are several different ways to earn college credits while in high school
- Dual Credit classes - Dual Credit classes allow students to earn both high school and college credits at the same time.
- College Credit classes only – Enroll in classes on campus, online or virtually.
- Fridays @ Northeast - The Fridays @ Northeast program is a unique opportunity for high school seniors to spend Fridays on the college campuses as college students using our lab spaces and classrooms.
- Pathways 2 Tomorrow - The Pathways 2 Tomorrow program is a consortium consisting of eight school districts who pool their resources together to provide hands-on, career and technical education for students.
If you're unsure which option to choose, please consult with your high school counselor or Navigator or reach out to our Early College Team at earlycollege@northeast.edu or call/ text (402) 844-7118
Dual Credit classes allow students to earn both high school and college credits at the same time. To offer a Dual Credit class, a school must follow guidelines that are set by the Nebraska Department of Education and the Higher Learning Commission. These rules cover teacher credentials, amount of time spent in class, and coursework rigor.
The Fridays @ Northeast program is a unique opportunity for high school seniors to spend Fridays on the college campuses as college students using our lab spaces and classrooms. The courses offered through Fridays @ Northeast will introduce a variety of career and technical programs and will lead into a program of study upon high school graduation. You will receive high school credit in addition to college credit per approval of the high school.
A notable difference between College Credit only and Dual Credit classes is that the instructors are qualified to teach only at the college level, not at the high school level. You can take College Credit only classes in the following ways:
- With an online course, which is conducted over the internet through Canvas where the instructor and students exchange information, assignments, and tests
- By attending classes on-campus or at one of Northeast’s extended campuses.
- Virtually using a video conferencing tool, such as Zoom. The course is synchronous and will meet via video conferencing at the day(s) and time shown in the course schedule.