High School Concurrent Enrollment

Get a jumpstart on college! Earn free college credit while in high school.

Concurrent Enrollment gives high school students a jumpstart on their college career. This dual-credit program allows students to simultaneously earn credit toward a high school diploma, along with college credit toward an Associate Degree or credit toward a career-training certificate for eligible courses. What could be better?

Authorized in 2009 by House Bill 09-1319 and Senate Bill 09-285, the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act (CEPA) enables high school students to take free college courses, taught by college professors, at their high school campus or on a college campus. Since the launch of the program, CCCS’s 13 colleges have become the state’s largest provider of Concurrent Enrollment, creating a supportive pathway to higher education for thousands of high school students, especially those from underrepresented communities.

Most students taking concurrent enrollment classes complete at least nine units before entering college, and those students are far more likely to succeed once they get there.

College Pathways for High School Students

Check out this video to see what Concurrent Enrollment looks like at one of CCCS’s colleges.

Concurrent Enrollment Week

March 4 – March 8, 2024

During the spring, high schools across Colorado are accepting sign ups for fall Concurrent Enrollment. Don’t miss your chance to get a jumpstart on college. Connect with your high school and local community college to learn more.

Find your School District

Save time. Save money. Get ahead.

Over 44,000 high school students take advantage of Concurrent Enrollment each year. This saves families approximately $57 million in college tuition costs! CCCS colleges award approximately 3,400 credentials to Concurrent Enrollment students annually – which significantly reduces the time it takes for these students to complete their college degree by over one year! And these students also benefit by being more competitive in the job market post high school and when applying to college.

$57M+Saved annually in college tuition costs

36%Of CE courses double as CTE credit

3,434Credentials Awarded

44KHigh school students served by CCCS Colleges for CE

6Months saved toward completing a degree by taking CE

67%Of students go on to college *

*Matriculate to a CCCS college or a four-year institution

Transfer Seamlessly to a Four-Year College or University

Build Confidence to Take on College in a Supportive Environment.

Taking Concurrent Enrollment courses not only gives students a jump start on earning college credits, it also increases students’ confidence in taking college courses. Students are connected with college support staff that introduces higher education to them and how to enroll once they graduate high school. Data shows that Concurrent Enrollment students have a 25% higher rate of pursuing a college pathway or postsecondary workforce training. Concurrent Enrollment is an option worth checking out.

Here are the top enrolled Concurrent Enrollment courses:

English
Math
Literature
Psychology
Business
Communications
History

Note: Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that double as Concurrent Enrollment credit may transfer to colleges and universities that offer the corresponding 4-year degree program.

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How to Enroll

Eligibility

If you are less than 21 years of age and enrolled in the 9th grade or higher at a public school district, a board of cooperative services (BOCES), a district charter school or an institute charter school, you have the opportunity to participate in Concurrent Enrollment.

However, your school may have eligibility requirements that you must meet before you can enroll in a Concurrent Enrollment course.

Requirements may include:

A minimum GPA
Pre-requisite courses
A letter of recommendation
Must be on track to graduate
Meet a deadline to apply

These are only examples. Each school is different.

To find out what your school’s eligibility requirements are, meet with your school counselor or use the search tool on the Colorado Department of Education’s website. Please note that not all schools have Concurrent Enrollment information online.

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