BTC accepts both traditional and non-traditional credit for equivalency to BTC courses, including:

• College/university coursework from regionally accredited institutions

• AP College Board test scores

• Credit for prior experiential learning (ex. work or military experience)

• Prior approved industry certifications

Apply Now!   

Submit an online application through the Online Admissions Application Portal. Applying online takes approximately 15 minutes and it’s free! 

Within 5 business days of submitting your application, you will receive a Welcome to BTC email with your assigned ctcLink ID number. Sometimes this email can be sent to junk/spam folders, so be sure to check there too!  

If you have previously attended BTC and are looking to re-enroll or if you applied to BTC and never attended, and it has been longer than one (1) year since you last submitted the application, please resubmit the application to BTC.

Apply for Financial Aid  

Visit the Explore Financial Aid page for more information. 

At BTC we help students use previously earned college or university credit to meet BTC testing, prerequisite, and general academic course requirements, and sometimes program coursework.

There are multiple measures to assess your starting point at BTC:

• Submit transcripts to Enrollment Services from other colleges attended for evaluation

• Submit Washington State High School transcripts from within the last three (3) years to Enrollment Services for evaluation for possible math and English placement.

• Submit official SAT and ACT test scores to Enrollment Services for evaluation

• Submit other official test scores to Enrollment Services for evaluation (Compass, Asset, etc.)

• Submit official GED transcripts 

• Take the Guided Self-Placement

To transfer credits from another institution to BTC please submit official transcripts and the Transfer Credit Evaluation Request form.

• Transfer credit must be from a regionally accredited institution.

• Official college or institution transcripts must be submitted. Contact the previous college or institution you attended and request an Official Transcript.

• Official transcripts being submitted by the student must be sealed by the college or institution. Opened transcripts will be considered unofficial and cannot be used for transfer of credits (this is also true for emailed transcripts--if they come from a student email they are unofficial). 

• You must earn a C (2.0) or better for your course to be considered for transfer credit. Note: requirements may be higher for specific programs, so be sure to check the Entry Information tab of your program page.

Official transcripts can be mailed to the following address: 
Bellingham Technical College
ATTN: Enrollment Services
3028 Lindbergh Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225

If you are ordering an official electronic transcript (e-transcript) have it sent to transcripts@btc.edu.

Once you have ordered your official transcript to be sent to BTC, transcripts typically arrive within three days to three weeks. Once all your official transcript(s) listed on the form have arrived to BTC, processing takes 6 to 8 weeks.  Processing may take longer during peak registration periods, so please plan ahead. Transcript evaluation results will be sent to the email address that you provided on the BTC application. 

Transcript evaluation results determine which of your previous courses transfer to BTC and if they can be used for math and English placement for program entry requirements. The evaluation results will also state if you are eligible to move on to step three in the admissions process, Advising & Registration. If your evaluation results determine you are unable to move on to admissions step three, you may be required to take the Guided Self Placement.

Course Equivalencies

Review a list of Course Equivalencies for our most common transfer institutions. 

Veterans   

The Department of Veterans Affairs requires that any other college transcripts and military training transcript be evaluated for transfer-in credit. This is not an optional step – all transcripts must be evaluated prior to admission.  You will need to have official copies of your transcripts from previous colleges and your Joint Services Transcript (JST SMART Transcript) delivered to BTC. View more information about evaluation, benefits and certification on the Veterans Support page.

International Transcripts

You will need to have your transcripts evaluated through one of the following independent credit evaluation services:

• World Education Services

• Foundation for Intentional Services

• American Association of Collegiate Registrars

View more information on the International Students page.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

Transfer FAQs

• Is my high school IEP or 504 Plan transferable to college?

  No.

  While Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans may provide some useful information when determining college accommodations, students may be asked to obtain more detailed documentation from a qualified diagnostician to support their request for accommodation. 

• Do I need a certain grade to transfer credits?

  You must earn a C (2.0) or better for your course to be considered for transfer credit.

• What courses are accepted for transfer?

  Courses are considered for transfer credit when they match the content of courses required for BTC programs. Review a list of Course Equivalencies for our most common transfer institutions.

• How do I request transfer credit?

  1. Request official transcripts from your previous college(s) to be sent to BTC or hand-deliver your official, sealed transcript to Enrollment Services in the College Services building (CS 110)

  2. Submit a Transfer Credit Evaluation Request form.

• How long does transfer credit evaluation take?

  Once your records are received, processing takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks. Processing may take longer during peak registration periods, so please plan ahead.

• When should I request transfer credit evaluation?

  We recommend you submit your records at least three (3) months prior to the quarter you plan to attend.

• Will my transfer grades affect my BTC GPA?

  Your transfer credits will not be computed in your GPA.

• What if I have International transcripts?

  You will need to have your transcripts evaluated through one of the following independent credit evaluation services:

  • World Education Services

  • Foundation for International Services

  • American Association of Collegiate Registrars 

• What about other credit transfer options?

  If you have taken and earned appropriate test scores through the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) test or International Baccalaureate (IB), took CTE Dual Credit classes in high school, or have earned a recognized professional or industry certification, your test scores and/or prior experience can be considered for BTC college credit.

  • Non-Traditional Credits  (i.e. AP, CLEP, DANTES, and military credit)

  • AP Test Score Equivalencies 

  • Cambridge International (CI) Test Score Equivalencies

  • CLEP Test Score Equivalencies

  • DSST (formerly DANTES) Test Score Equivalencies

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Test Score Equivalencies)

  • CTE Dual Credit

   

Now that you have completed Admissions Steps one and two, you are ready to schedule a GET Started appointment! The GET Started appointment is a mandatory meeting with one of our College Navigators. During this appointment, you will have the opportunity to review the results of your Guided Self-Placement, discuss your specific goals in attending BTC, create a Degree Plan, and determine which classes to register for.

The link to schedule your GET Started appointment is included in the email you'll receive upon submitting your Guided Self Placement Assessments.

Important Notes:

• GET Started appointments are offered in person or virtually through Zoom. In person appointments available Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Admissions Steps 1 and 2 must be completed prior to scheduling the appointment

• If you completed your math and English placement steps and have questions about scheduling a GET Started appointment, please email advising@btc.edu 

• If you are receiving L&I benefits please review our Vocational Retraining page

Registration resources are available on the Registration page. 

Pay Tuition and Fees  

You are considered officially enrolled when your tuition and fees are paid in-full. Tuition and fees are due in-full by the date indicated on the College Calendar. Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice. To view current tuition and fee rates, please visit Tuition, Fees, Rates & Costs.   

Pay online with a Visa or MasterCard or pay at the Cashier window on the first floor of the College Services (CS) building. The cashier can take cash, check, credit card, or funds from financial aid sources.  

Student ID Card 

A photo ID or student ID card is required for some registration transactions. 

Student ID cards are available, at no cost, in the Morse Center building (MC) room 221. Please bring photo ID during normal business hours. 

Your Student ID qualifies you for discounts on Whatcom Transit Authority (WTA) bus passes and at many local vendors, plus access to the Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College libraries. 

Textbooks 

Find textbooks or take your printed class schedule to the Campus Store, located in A-Building Hallway, Room 5. 

elearning 

If you are taking any online or hybrid classes, be sure to setup and check your BTC email for instructions on how to access your classes. To setup your email and explore your online classes, please visit the Student Links page.