Students can get a jump start on earning college credits by taking college courses while they are still in high school through Minnesota’s PSEO program. This program allows students to take college courses tuition-free, saving both time and money on completing a college degree. PSEO courses may also fulfill high school course requirements and count toward a high school diploma.
PSEO Information Sessions: October 8, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Earn College Credit in High School! Sophomores, juniors, and seniors—discover how the PSEO program lets you take college classes now. Join us with a parent or friend to learn how it works and how to begin.
Be sure to read the PSEO Eligibility Criteria (below) to make sure you qualify for PSEO at SCC.
Information for New PSEO Students
Eligibility Criteria for PSEO
10th grade (Sophomores) must:
- Meet or exceed the 8th grade Reading Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA)
11th grade (Juniors) must:
- Rank in the upper third of their graduating class OR
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better OR
- Score at or above the 70th percentile on a nationally standardized test
12th grade (Seniors) must:
- Rank in the upper half of their graduating class OR
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better OR
- Score at or above the 50th percentile on a nationally standardized test
Application Checklist
Although South Central College does not have an application deadline, your school district may. SCC honors each school district’s requirements. Contact your school counselor’s office if you have questions about your school district PSEO application deadline.
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Submit a completed South Central College application by using our Online Application or print out an Application Form and send in the completed form to the college. Use the PSEO Online Application Instructions for step-by-step assistance.
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Submit an official high school transcript identifying GPA or class rank. Transcripts must be official and sent directly to SCC.
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Submit a copy of the PSEO Notice of Student Registration Form. Sign by typing the corresponding names in the signature field of student, parent, and high school counselor. Submit the completed form to your school counselor for their signature and they will forward it to South Central College.
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Submit an official college transcript if you have taken PSEO or Concurrent Enrollment courses. SCC may be able to obtain your official transcripts from any of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities at no charge to you.
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Submit any earned Articulated College Credit (ACC) or Advanced Placement (AP) scores.
- Please submit application materials to:
South Central College, Admissions Office, 1920 Lee Boulevard, North Mankato, MN 56003 OR email toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Next Steps after Being Admitted
New PSEO students follow the same process as all new SCC students after admission. Learn what to do after you are accepted on the “Next Steps after Admission" page.
10th Grade Technical Courses
PSEO students who are interested in career and technical courses may take one career and technical college level course at SCC, as early as grade 10. If a student successfully completes the career and technical course with a C or higher, the student can take additional courses as long as he or she meets the assessment requirement for those courses.
Students who first enter PSEO programming through career and technical education can also begin to take PSEO general education courses in grades 11 and 12 by meeting the assessment prerequisites for the general education course they wish to enroll in, regardless of class rank, percentile on a nationally normed exam or high school grade point average.
Be sure to read the Postsecondary Enrollment Options page for all the details of enrollment requirements and the application process.
Accounting
- ACCT1700 - Personal Financial Management
Business Management/Marketing
- MKT1800 - Introduction to Sales
- MKT1810 - Principles of Marketing
- MKT1820 - Introduction to Business
Civil Engineering
- CTLS1110 - Basic AutoCAD
Computer Careers
- COMP1120 - Foundations of Computing
Early Childhood Education
- ECE1205 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education
Health
- HC1000 - Medical Terminology
- HC1525 - Health Care Core Foundations
- HC1550 - Electronic Health Records
- HLTH1950 - CPR
- HLTH1952 - First Aid
Health Unit Coordinator
- HUCF1101 - Introduction to Health Unit Coordinating
Nursing Assistant
- HCTC1886 - Nursing Assistant (must be 16 years of age)
Office Administration and Technology
- OTEC1001 - Computer Software for College
- OTEC1790 - Keyboarding for College
PSEO Admission Appeal
An applicant who is denied acceptance into the PSEO program due to not meeting admission criteria has the right to appeal the decision to the college. The appeal process requires the student to submit the following:
- PSEO Admission Appeal Form
- Letter of support from a school contact person
Please return completed appeal documents to:
South Central College, Admissions Office, 1920 Lee Boulevard, North Mankato, MN 56003 OR email to
Information for All PSEO Students
Registration for PSEO Students
PSEO students need to follow different requirements depending on if they are new or returning to PSEO at South Central College. Click on the heading below that matches your status.
New Student Registration
After being admitted to PSEO at South Central College, new PSEO students need to complete the following steps:
- Your STAR ID is the username you'll need to login and maintain your academic record (example: ac1234cd).
- If you have not activated your STAR ID or you have forgotten it or your password, visit https://starid.minnstate.edu.
- Your STAR ID and password are used to complete the online orientation, register for classes, and to log in to a variety of services.
- If you have trouble finding or activating your STAR ID contact the helpdesk at 507 389-7280 or
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Text Messaging - Turn on text messaging in e-Services to receive important reminders and communications from SCC.
- SCC Email is the main form of communication used by the college.
- Use the log-in instructions to help set-up your SCC email
- If needed,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is available.
- Online Orientation
- All new students must complete the online orientation.
- Your Online Orientation hold will be removed within 2 days of completion.
- Determine Course Placement
- If it is determined that you need a course placement assessment, you will receive an email to the email address entered on your admission application.
- If you are placed into college readiness courses, talk to your high school counselor. Many general education courses at SCC require students to be college level in reading which may result in you not being able to take certain courses.
- Advising Registration Session
- Students must consult with their high school guidance counselor before selecting courses to ensure their progress towards high school graduation.
- Students must schedule to attend an Advising and Registration Session.
Returning Student Registration
South Central College offers year-round registration – starting in mid-March, students can register for the entire next school year’s courses.
To continue enrollment in the PSEO program, students must:
- Maintain at least a 2.0 (“C”) grade point average (GPA) and a 67% minimum completion rate.
- Comply with SCC’s policies located on the Student and Academic Policies webpage
- Complete the PSEO Notice of Student Registration Form each semester.
Returning Textbooks - Textbooks used through the program are property of SCC. All PSEO students must return textbooks to the SCC Bookstore by the last day of finals. If textbooks are not returned, a HOLD will be placed on your record which will keep your transcripts from leaving SCC and keep you from registering for any future terms. You will also receive a BILL for any textbooks not returned by the deadline at the used book price. If textbooks are returned damaged, as determined by the Bookstore, you will be responsible for the cost of the textbook.
Dismissal from PSEO Program - Students who do not maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and 67% cumulative completion rate will be dismissed from the PSEO program. It is encouraged that you return to your high school to complete courses, so you can continue to work towards high school graduation.
If you feel that you had extenuating circumstances leading to your dismissal, you have the option to appeal the dismissal decision. Appeal information is sent to the student with notice of dismissal at the end of a semester when final grades are posted.
Restricted Courses
The following SCC courses are not offered to PSEO students:
- Developmental courses (listed below 100 level)*
- Summer courses**
- Courses that require travel outside of the school area (example: another country, South Dakota, Twin Cities)
- Courses that have an additional fee over $100 per credit
To register for a course in the PSEO program, students must:
- Meet age specific requirements for the class
- Meet the course and/or program prerequisites (including admission to academic programs when applicable) and the course or program must have space available
* PSEO students enrolling in developmental courses (listed below 100 level) will be responsible for the entire cost of such courses – tuition, fees, textbooks and other related costs. The PSEO program does not cover registration in these courses. We encourage students needing developmental work to complete the courses at their high school.
** The PSEO program does not pay for summer courses. If you choose to take a summer course, you will be responsible for the entire cost of the course.
Cost and Textbooks
The PSEO program covers all applicable tuition, fees and textbooks. It covers consumable supplies that are required specifically for a course, such as art supplies. The program does not supply general school supplies or non-consumable supplies such as calculators, tools, uniforms, etc.
Textbooks used through the program are property of SCC. These materials must be returned to the on-campus bookstore during finals week. Students will be charged for textbooks and materials not returned in a timely manner at the used book price.
Caution: The Minnesota Department of Education will only cover PSEO expenses billed by the institution(s) to which PSEO students have been admitted. PSEO students will be responsible for any tuition, fees, and supplies at any institution(s) to which they are not admitted.
Support Services and Student Life
PSEO students have full access to all support services including tutoring, career and personal counseling, academic advising and more. Open the 
SCC Student Resource Guide PDF281.86 KB to view a full list of services and contact information.
Student Life also offers many ways to get involved on campus. PSEO students are eligible to participate in clubs and organizations. To see a list of current opportunities, go to www.southcentral.edu/studentlife.
How to be successful in class:
- Students will comply with all policies for students included on the SCC policy webpage: SCC Student Policies
- You need to attend class every day that it meets.
- Notify your instructor(s) when you need to be absent due to illness, weather, or other emergencies. A snow day at your high school does not mean a snow day for SCC. Your courses at SCC will only be cancelled if SCC shuts down or your instructor cancels class.
- College courses require maturity, self-discipline, good study skills, and time management skills. As a general rule, you will need to spend two hours of study time for each hour you are in class.
- Controversial and adult subjects may be discussed in many courses and your participation is expected.
- If you have any questions regarding any of your courses you must direct them to each individual instructor.
Grades and Transcripts
The PSEO Coordinator will submit your official SCC transcript to your high school after grades are posted each semester. If grades for a student or from a single course are not posted or a school does not receive the student's record, the student must coordinate submitting an updated grade report to the high school.
Students may access their grades online through their e-Services account. Remember that the courses you take through the PSEO program will become a permanent part of your official academic record. If you are printing your grade report for your high school, be sure to check "Display Name" upon logging into e-Services.
Students enrolling at other colleges or universities following high school graduation must request a transcript through the Registration department. *Please note Minnesota State campuses are able to secure your SCC transcript at no cost to you, as long as you do not have a hold on your record. Students requesting transcripts sent to other campuses will be responsible for the processing fee.
Student Privacy Information
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly known as FERPA, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Students have specific, protected rights regarding the release of such records and FERPA requires that institutions adhere strictly to these guidelines.
Due to educational reasons, SCC may communicate with only your high school counselor. If you want anyone else (parents, siblings, grandparents) to have access to your information, you will need to fill out an Authorization to Release Information form.
Graduating PSEO Students
If you would like to continue your education at SCC after high school graduation, please complete and submit the Intent to Return Form.
Please also submit an official, final high school transcript after graduation date has been posted.
