Dual Enrollment vs. Joint Enrollment
Tennessee Tech offers both dual enrollment and joint enrollment options for high school students who want to take college courses. The two programs are similar but differ in cost, where courses are taken and how they appear on your high school record.
Dual enrollment
- You take a limited number of specific college-level courses at your high school or online from Tennessee Tech University.
- Courses are taught by one of your high school teachers or Tennessee Tech staff.
- Cost per credit hour at Tennessee Tech is matched to the TSAC Dual Enrollment Grant rate, up to $200.55 per credit hour.
- Dual enrollment courses are selected based on your high school’s curriculum and count on your high school transcript.
Joint enrollment
- You apply as a nondegree student at Tennessee Tech at tntech.edu/apply.
- You may select from all non-prerequisite courses offered at Tennessee Tech.
- Cost per credit hour is the same as for incoming Tennessee Tech freshmen, approximately $699 per credit hour.
- Joint enrollment courses may or may not count for high school credit or appear on your high school transcript. This is decided by your high school.
Which option is right for you?
Dual enrollment is usually the best fit if you want lower-cost courses that are tied to your high school curriculum and will appear on your high school transcript. Joint enrollment may be a better option if you want to take additional Tennessee Tech courses beyond those offered through dual enrollment and are prepared to pay standard undergraduate tuition rates.