Earn College Credit In High School

The State of Kansas will pay your tuition for qualifying Career and Technical Education classes, so you can begin earning a degree, certificate, industry-recognized credentials, or work-ready skills. Cowley College's vocational and technical programs prepare individuals for a wide array of challenging careers in specialized labor markets.

This tuition-free incentive program encourages high school students to gain the training needed to enter a profession and, in many cases, earn an industry-recognized credential prior to graduating from high school.

Qualified juniors and seniors in public, private, and homeschool high schools are eligible for free tuition through the Excel in CTE Initiative for Kansas Residents. Cowley College pays your incidental fees; however, you will need to purchase textbooks and may incur some small program fees.

Courses Covered:

View the listing of over 100 Cowley College Courses covered by Kansas Excel in CTE Initiative.

Steps to earn FREE TUITION:

1. Meet with your high school counselor or a Cowley representative to discuss your options.
2. If you would like to see our state-of-the-art facilities, Take a Virtual Tour
3. Choose a program or class to meet your educational goals.
   • Check times, locations and online availability.
4. Apply online
5. Complete any required program applications & assessments.
6. Enroll at one of Cowley College’s locations:

• Cowley main campus in Arkansas City
• Mulvane Center in Mulvane
• Sumner Campus in Wellington
• Wichita Center in Wichita

Career & Technical Education Degrees & Certificates:
Programs designed for students with flexible school days.

Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions and online courses available!

• Nondestructive Testing* - Arkansas City & Mulvane (not applicable to online accelerated NDT)
• Machine & Tool Technology - Arkansas City
• Automotive Technology - Arkansas City & Mulvane
• Manufacturing Technology (Mechatronics) - Arkansas City
• Welding - Arkansas City, Mulvane, Wellington

Industry Recognized Credentials:

• EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)* - Mulvane, Wellington, Winfield
• CNA/CMA - Mulvane & Winfield (hybrid) (age restrictions)
• Medical Coding
• Child Care & Development

Other Programs:

Coursework in these programs of study may also qualify for FREE TUITION. Many of these are offered through Cowley College Online.

Accounting Business Administration Computer Science

Criminal Justice Graphic Design Health & Human Services Mass Communications and DOZENS more!

*Age restrictions may apply.

Back to Top

Steps to Getting Started with Cosmetology

1. Complete an Application for Admission to Cowley College; due between April 10th & April 30th.
2. Contact your high school counselor about your interest in dual enrollment.
3. Students must:
4. Be a high school Junior or Senior and be at least 17 years of age.
5. Take the reading assessment test and score 255 or higher or have a score of 18 or higher on the ACT.
6. Complete the Dual Enrollment Permission form through your High School counselor.
7. Have your High School counselor submit a Counselor Evaluation Form each year.
8. Return completed forms to your High School counselor to complete the enrollment process.
9. Your High School counselor will submit course requests via email to dualenrollment@cowley.edu and may utilize the Dual Enrollment Course Request form.
10. Make payment arrangements for the costs of your courses prior to the first day of class.
11. Also, bring a $15 money order for your apprentice application.
12. Contact delayne.dale@cowley.edu with any questions or for more information.

Program Schedule
The part-time evening program is open for high school enrollment.

Cosmetology I

COS 5105 (CC 55)

Back to Top

Courses can be taken at one of our Cowley College locations, online, or at one of the College’s partner schools through CAPSS. Qualifications for this program are:

• Be a high school sophomore, junior, or senior, or a “gifted” 9th grade student.
• Hold a minimum high school cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 on a four-point scale.
• Meet minimum reading assessment guidelines. (ACT reading score of 18 or equivalent proficiency on COMPASS or ACCUPLACER assessment instrument.)
• Meet additional assessment requirements for Math & English courses (21 Math ACT and 20 English ACT).
• Note: In order for High School students to enroll in Composition I, they need to meet the assessment requirements as well as have completed High School English III.
• Complete a Dual Enrollment Permission Form and a Dual Enrollment Course Request Form and obtain the required signatures on both forms granting permission to enroll in college courses.

Career & Technical Education/Vocational programs follow a different set of admission guidelines.

Back to Top

Cowley students are expected to perform at an academic level to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress defined by the College. Failure to remain in Good Academic Standing could result in a student becoming ineligible to remain in the concurrent program and/or placed on Academic Probation per college policy.

Back to Top

• Argonia High School: Argonia, KS
  Phone: (620) 435-6611

• Arkansas City High School: Arkansas City, KS
  Phone: (620) 441-2010

• Belle Plaine High School: Belle Plaine, KS
  Phone: (620) 488-2421

• Caldwell High School: Caldwell, KS
  Phone: (620) 845-2585

• Cedar Vale High School: Cedar Vale, KS
  Phone: (620) 758-2791

• Central High School: Burden, KS
  Phone: (620) 438-2215

• Clearwater High School: Clearwater, KS Phone: 620-584-2361

• Conway Springs High School: Conway Springs, KS
  Phone: (620) 456-2963

• Dexter High School: Dexter, KS
  Phone: (620) 876-5415

• Mulvane High School: Mulvane, KS
  Phone: (316) 777-1183

• Oxford High School: Oxford, KS
  Phone: (620) 455-2410

• South Haven High School: South Haven, KS
  Phone: (620) 892-5215

• Udall High School: Udall, KS
  Phone: (620) 782-3623

• Wellington High School: Wellington, KS
  Phone: (620) 326-4310

• Winfield High School: Winfield, KS
  Phone: (620) 221-5160

Back to Top

Students are able to get an early start on their college career and earn college credit at an affordable price. Often it will keep students from extending their time at a more costly four-year institution.

Back to Top

Common courses offered on site through CAPSS include:

MTH 4420	College Algebra	3 credits
MTH 4423	Elem. Statistics	3 credits
MTH 4425	Trigonometry	3 credits
COM 2711	Public Speaking	3 credits
ENG 2211	Composition I	3 credits
ENG 2212	Composition II	3 credits
PSY 6711	General Psychology	3 credits
SOC 6811	Principles of Sociology	3 credits

The courses offered vary by location. Students should visit with the guidance counselor about available options.

Students taking courses online or at one of Cowley College’s locations, can check the course schedule for availability. Be sure to note some courses require prerequisites and have age restrictions.

• Career and Technical Education courses that qualify for the Free Tuition - Kansas Excel in CTE
• Courses eligible for the $70 AcceleRATE for Kansas high school students.
• Courses eligible for the $90 AcceleRATE for Oklahoma high school students.
• Courses on the guaranteed transfer list among all Kansas public post-secondary institutions.

Back to Top

Students will be expected to maintain part-time student status, which means they are enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours per semester. Occasionally, an exception will apply to this rule. Students who wish to enroll in 12 or more hours in a semester are required to obtain prior approval from the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Cowley College.

Back to Top

Students may take the ACT on one of the National test dates scheduled on Saturdays periodically throughout the year. If students have not taken the ACT, they may take one of the assessment tests provided by Cowley College. Many area high schools offer on-site assessment opportunities provided by Cowley College. Check with your high school counselor to see if your school participates in this testing option. Students may also schedule an appointment to test at one of our Cowley Admissions locations.

Back to Top

Yes. Cowley College has transfer agreements with the Regents Universities in Kansas, many area private institutions, as well as other four-year institutions in surrounding states. How Cowley College courses transfer is established by the four-year institutions, which have guidelines outlining how previous college credit earned will be applied to the student’s program of study. To answer specific transfer questions, it is best to check directly with the institution where the student plans to transfer or work with a Cowley academic advisor. If you have questions, feel free to contact Brandon Burke at Cowley College, brandon.burke@cowley.edu or via phone at 620-441-5368.

Back to Top

After the course grades have been recorded on the student's official Cowley transcript, the student must complete a Transcript Request Form through the Cowley Registrar's office or online. A processing fee for transcripts will apply.

Once this step is completed, a student’s official transcript is sent to the designated institution where the transcript is evaluated and appropriate credit is applied to the student’s academic record at that institution.

Back to Top

In most schools, the high school counselor serves as the contact person. You may also contact Cowley Admissions at admissions@cowley.edu or 620-441-6335.

Back to Top