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CAREER Cooperative Program

Are you a resident of Prairie State College District #515 hoping to pursue an AAS degree or certificate that PSC does not offer? Prairie State College participates in the Comprehensive Agreement Regarding the Expansion of Educational Resources (CAREER) Cooperative with the Illinois Community Colleges below. 

If you live in our district and PSC does not offer a particular AAS degree or certificate program that you want to pursue, you may want to apply for a Cooperative Agreement.

Cooperative Agreement Form
Here are some requirements we consider when determining your eligibility for a cooperative
agreement:

  • Residency: To qualify for a cooperative agreement, you must be a resident of PSC District #515. You are eligible for a cooperative agreement after you have lived in the district for at least 30 days and provide proof of your address, such as an Illinois Driver's License, State ID, or utility bill.
  • Eligible Courses/Programs: Only AAS programs and certificates are eligible for cooperative agreements. Programs that are generally considered to be baccalaureate-oriented (AA, AS, AFA) or programs that PSC offers are not eligible. Cooperative agreements cannot be issued for individual courses, even if the course you need is not offered at PSC in your preferred semester or on your preferred day/time. Repeated courses are also not covered under these agreements.
  • Good Standing at PSC: You must be in good financial standing at PSC to be considered for a cooperative agreement. If you have any business holds, you will need to address those before a cooperative agreement can be issued.

Important to know: The in-district rate of tuition will apply only to coursework for the currently approved program of study between the cooperative colleges and as noted on the cooperative agreement. Courses taken which are not specifically approved under the cooperative agreement will not be covered at the in-district rate. If you take courses that are not approved, you will be held responsible for paying the entire out-of-district tuition for those courses. Students who change to programs of study outside of their existing agreement will be billed at out-of-district tuition rates for all course work. Cooperative agreements cannot be approved retroactively.

Timeline: We recommend that you submit your cooperative agreement application at least 30 days before the beginning of the semester. The application review process may take up to two weeks. In most cases, a cooperative agreement is valid for one year. When it expires, you can apply for a renewal.

Incoming Cooperative Agreements: Are you a resident of another community college district hoping to pursue an AAS or certificate at Prairie State? If your home community college does not offer a program that is offered by PSC, you may be eligible to receive a cooperative agreement from your district's community college to attend PSC at the in-district tuition rate. You must obtain a cooperative agreement form from your home community college. Check your home community college's website for information about cooperative agreements and to learn how to apply there. If you are approved by your home community college, you can then present your signed cooperative agreement form to PSC at registration and you will be billed at PSC's in-district rates.

 

Community Colleges in the CAREER Cooperative Program:

  • Black Hawk College
  • Carl Sandburg College
  • City Colleges of Chicago:
    • Richard J. Daley College
    • Kennedy-King College
    • Wilbur Wright College
    • Harry S Truman College
    • Olive-Harvey College
    • Malcolm X College
    • Harold Washington College
  • College of DuPage
  • College of Lake County
  • Danville Area Community College
  • Elgin Community College
  • Heartland Community College
  • Highland Community College
  • Illinois Central College
  • Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
  • Illinois Valley Community College
  • John A. Logan College
  • John Wood Community College
  • Joliet Junior College
  • Kankakee Community College
  • Kaskaskia College
  • Kishwaukee College
  • Lake Land College
  • Lewis and Clark Community College
  • Lincoln Land Community College
  • McHenry County College
  • Moraine Valley Community College
  • Morton College
  • Oakton Community College
  • Parkland College
  • Prairie State College
  • Rend Lake College
  • Richland Community College
  • Rock Valley College
  • Sauk Valley Community College
  • Shawnee Community College
  • South Suburban College
  • Southeastern Illinois College
  • Southwestern Illinois College
  • Spoon River College
  • Triton College
  • Waubonsee Community College
  • William Rainey Harper College

Cooperative Agreement Form