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  2. Seattle Promise: More than a Scholarship — A Partnership
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  4. Part-Time, Deferment, and Re-Entry Requests

Part-Time, Deferment, and Re-Entry Requests

Seattle Promise requires that students enroll full-time (at least 12 credits) for each fall, winter, and spring quarter, starting the fall quarter immediately following high school graduation. There are some circumstances that allow students to request to move to part-time status, defer enrollment for a quarter, or re-enter the Seattle Promise program if eligibility was recently lost.

Click on the accordions below for more information.

Need to enroll part-time or take a quarter off (deferment)?

Seattle Promise scholars are required to be enrolled full-time (12 credits or more) or request approval to enroll less than full-time. 

Work with your Student Success Specialist to request flexibility due to an extenuating life circumstance or reasons outside your control. 

  • Caretaking responsibilities  
  • Financial need  
  • Medical need  
  • Religious obligations  
  • Administrative barriers 

Instructions to Request Part-Time or Deferment Status 

To request to enroll part-time or take a quarter off (deferment), please complete the following steps: 

  1. Complete this form
  2. Schedule a meeting with your Student Success Specialist to update your Education Plan and get connected to resources to meet your goals. 

Please note:

  • Requests to enroll part-time or defer enrollment are due by the 10th day of the quarter.
  • Submit your request as early as possible.
  • If you do not submit the request by the 10th day of the quarter, you will no longer be eligible for Seattle Promise. 

Requests are reviewed by the Director of Student Success for your college and not all requests for part-time or deferment will be approved.   

If you lose Seattle Promise eligibility before earning a degree, you may re-enter the program one time if they meet the re-entry eligibility requirements.

Re-entry Requirements

To be eligible to re-enter, you must meet the following conditions:

  • have enrolled as a Seattle Promise scholar at a Seattle College (Central, North, or South) beginning in Fall 2024, 2025, or 2026

AND

  • have not yet completed your first associate degree, 90 college level credits or 2 years in the program (3 years if part of 2024 or 2025 cohort)

AND

  • have not re-entered Seattle Promise before

Apply for Re-Entry

 

  1. Complete and submit a Seattle Promise Re-Entry Interest Form.

  2. Meet with your Student Success Specialist for a Re-Entry Interest Meeting.

    1. Request a meeting with your Student Success Specialist through Starfish.

    2. Fill out the Re-Entry Student Success Survey in Starfish before the meeting with your Student Success Specialist.

  3. Complete your Financial Aid file for the 2026-2027 year. This includes submitting a FAFSA or WASFA and all required paperwork to the Financial Aid office.

  4. Register full-time (enrolled in 12+ credits per quarter) at one of the Seattle Colleges prior to the first day of the quarter you wish to re-enter.

Staying Eligible for Seattle Promise

After you re-enter the program, all Seattle Promise eligibility criteria must be met to remain eligible for Seattle Promise. This includes the following:

  • Enroll full-time each quarter (12 or more credits)

  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

  • Meet all Financial Aid deadlines

  • Fulfill Study Hall requirements every quarter

  • Attend a mid-quarter check-in with your Success Specialist every quarter

You will remain eligible for Seattle Promise until you reach 90 college-level credits, your first degree or credential, or two years (8 quarters) from when you start the program – whichever comes first.
 

Other Options

If you are not eligible to re-enter Seattle Promise, you will be connected with an academic advisor at your college for assistance with class selection and planning. Seattle Promise is just one of the funding options available at Seattle Colleges. Apply for scholarships and financial aid at the college of your choice – North, Central, or South.

For the 2022-23 and 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 academic years, the City of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning has authorized Seattle Colleges to allow Seattle Promise students who have completed 2 years in the Seattle Promise program but have not yet reached 90 college level credits or their first associates degree to access one additional year of Seattle Promise tuition and supports.