Did you know that Virginia residents 60+ can audit college classes at any of the public colleges in the region for free on a space available basis? Follow your passion to study a foreign language, philosophy, history, or any other college class. See the LLI website for links on admission and tuition waivers for regular college courses at VT, Radford, New River Community College, or Virginia Western.

The Virginia Senior Citizens Higher Education Act allows Virginia residents who are 60 years of age or older to take college courses at public colleges and universities without paying tuition, subject to the admission requirements of the institution.

If your federal taxable income does not exceed $23,850 per year, you may take courses for credit without paying tuition. Virginians with higher incomes may audit credit courses for no credit and pay no tuition. You may have to pay course fees, such as lab fees.

You do have to apply for admission. Colleges want you to be registered rather than making informal arrangements with instructors for record keeping and for accounting for people in an emergency.

To apply for admission, contact the admissions office of the college or university where you want to enroll.

Virginia Tech

• Undergraduate (courses numbered 4000 or less): Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 540-231-6267. Visit this webpage on non-degree admissions; scroll down to "Senior Citizens" to find links to necessary forms. You will also need to apply as a non-degree student.
• Graduate courses: Contact Janice Austin, Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Admissions, 540-231-8636, jema@vt.edu
• Contact Janice Austin, 540-231-8316

Radford University

• Contact: Registrar's Office 540-831-5271 or registrar@radford.edu
• http://www.radford.edu/content/registrar/home/registration-information.html (scroll down to information on "Non-Traditional Student Information")
• Tuition Waiver form: http://www.radford.edu/content/dam/departments/administrative/registrar/content-files/forms/Senior-Citizen-Waiver.pdf

New River Community College

• http://www.nr.edu/admissions/
  
• 540-674-3603
  
• Tuition waiver form: www.nr.edu/admissions/pdf/students/seniorcitizen.pdf

Virginia Western Community College

• www.virginiawestern.edu/admissions/seniors.php

Colleges may be willing to accept a photocopy of your transcript.

Once admitted, you may enroll in courses subject to available space. Students who pay tuition enroll first.