NEXT STEP VCU
Navigating Educational eXcellence Together
Virginia Commonwealth University has partnered with select Virginia community colleges to help students navigate their educational journey from community college through successful completion of an associate’s degree to graduation with a bachelor’s degree at VCU. The NEXT STEP VCU dual admission program provides eligible community college students with personalized guidance, community-building activities, and transition services that will help you graduate from VCU in a timely, cost-effective manner and plan for a career or graduate school.
What are the benefits of the NEXT STEP VCU program?
Discover how the NEXT STEP VCU program helps you save money, stay on track, and transition smoothly to VCU.
Cost Savings
Save money by completing the first two years of your bachelor degree at a community college while simultaneously earning an associate degree.
Transfer Maps
Coordinated Support
Proactive support from community college advisors and the NEXT STEP team helps you stay on track.
Community and Connection
Who is eligible?
The NEXT STEP VCU program is available to students who meet the following requirements:
- Hold a high school diploma or GED.
- Attend one of the following community colleges: Reynolds Community College, Brightpoint Community College, or Richard Bland College.
- Be enrolled in the appropriate associate degree program indicated on the NEXT STEP transfer map for the intended VCU major (see links to maps below).
- Have a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average at the time of Declaration Form submission and review.*
- Have completed between 12 and 30 college credits at the time the Declaration Form is submitted and reviewed.**
* Must have a minimum 2.5 GPA at time of graduation with the associate degree.
**The 30-credit limit does not include AP, IB, CLEP, or any other earned credit by exam. High school dual enrollment credit and credit earned at other U.S. or international colleges or universities will apply to the 30-credit limit.
What are my next steps?
- Select your NEXT STEP VCU transfer map:
- Review NEXT STEP VCU expectations
- Submit the NEXT STEP Declaration Form.
- The Declaration Form is open from April through August for students requesting to join the program in a fall semester and from November through January for students requesting to join in a spring semester.
New cohorts start in the fall and spring semesters.
Questions:
- Contact Valerie Bartush, director, to learn more about the NEXT STEP VCU program
- Email: nextstep@vcu.edu
- Phone: (804) 827-5577
Community college partners
Frequently asked questions
You can submit the Declaration Form to sign up for NEXT STEP once you are attending classes at the partner school and are enrolled in the appropriate associate degree program for your intended VCU major. (That major must be one of the approved NEXT STEP pathways). Additionally, you must have completed at least 12 credits but no more than 30, and have earned at least a 2.0 GPA at the time you submit the form.
Credits by exam do NOT count toward that 12 credit minimum, but dual enrollment classes and any credits from other colleges or universities DO count.
The NEXT STEP program is designed to support transfer students during their last year or so at the 2-year college, so you need to join before you have 30 credits complete in order to get the benefits of the program. Students who have more than 30 credits, can follow another path to transfer. Our Transfer Center is a great resource to learn about the transfer process.
Unfortunately, no. Not all majors at VCU are a part of the NEXT STEP program at this time. If there’s not a NEXT STEP transfer map for your intended major, you can reach out to VCU’s Transfer Center for guidance and transfer resources.
The form is open from May 1 to September 1 for students requesting to join in a fall semester, and November 1 to February 1 for students looking to join in a spring semester.
Yes, NEXT STEP students are required to complete their associate degree before transitioning to VCU in order to benefit from the streamlined, simplified transfer process created for NEXT STEP.
You will have access to the VCU Library, invitations to NEXT STEP events and other select events offered by campus partners, access to some of the student resources (e.g. Writing Center workshops, Financial Success Center workshops, career fairs). You will receive a V-number (student ID number), VCU email address, and can obtain a VCU ID Card. However, any resource that is directly tied to the university student fee will not be available (e.g. individual tutoring, free admission to the gym and sporting events, individual career counseling, etc.).
A list of courses and suggestions for experiential learning help you take the right classes and fully prepare for your transfer and life after college.