Transient Students

Transient students are students currently seeking a degree at another institution but who need to take a course or courses at Polk State College for a term. We welcome you as a transient student and have a simplified process for you to follow.

If you are a current student and need to request transient permission to attend another institution, go to Outbound Transient Instructions in the last section of this page. Transient permission is only granted to regular degree-seeking students.

We advise you to start early with the transient process to increase your options in class dates, time, and locations.

Steps to Follow for Incoming Transient Students

If your institution participates in FloridaShines.org transient process
  • If you are attending a state college or university, or a participating private institution you should complete the FloridaShines.org transient request form electronically. This service allows your home institution to approve your course and electronically notify Polk State College’s Admission and Registrar Office. This is your application as well as transient approval. We process electronic notifications within five days after we are notified. The Admission and Registrar Office will approve registration for you for the course or courses on your transient form.
  • Polk State will automatically send your transcript at the end of the term to your home institution.
If your institution does not participate in FloridaShines.org transient process
  • If your home institution is not participating in the electronic exchange of transient information, it will provide you a transient approval form or letter. You may submit this form to the Admission and Registrar’s office on any of our campuses. Transient forms can also be sent by e-mail to registrar@bianlifan.com from your home institution or faxed from your home institution. Fax to: Admissions 863.297.1023.
  • Apply to the college online here.
  • Log in to the Polk Portal and register for the approved classes. There are easy instructions on the Passport site that will help you log in for the first time.
  • Pay all fees by the deadlines posted in the Polk Portal account.
  • You must request a transcript at the end of the term to be sent to your home institution.

Outbound Transient Instructions:

If you are a degree-seeking student at Polk State College, you can request to take a course at another institution. The following regulations will help you know if you qualify and tell you what you need to do.

To qualify:

  • You cannot have any holds.
  • Your GPA must be at or above 2.0. If this is your first semester, you must wait until grades are posted and you have a GPA, before you apply to be a transient.
  • You must be in good academic standing (not on Warning, Probation, etc.)
  • You cannot be a transient during your first term at Polk State College. You have to have an academic record with Polk State College to qualify for transient status.
  • If you are enrolled at Polk State in a fall term, you may request transient status for the spring.  If you are enrolled at Polk State in the spring, you may request transient status for the summer.  If you want to be a transient for the fall term, you must be enrolled at Polk State during that same term.
  • You must meet the prerequisites at Polk State for a course you want to take elsewhere.
  • The course you want to take needs to be approved by an advisor and the Registrar’s Office. You must use FloridaShines.org for all state and participating institutions. (USF, however, does not use FloridaShines.org transient processing.) If the institution you want to attend does not participate, you must complete a paper transient request form which you will get when you see an advisor. Check with your selected institution to find out if it participates.
  • The course you want to take must not be ineligible for repeat, such as a course in which you made a “C” or higher.
  • You must request a transcript from the institution you attended to be sent to the Registrar’s Office at Polk State College if the institution you attended does not participate in the FloridaShines transient process. (See address below.) If you neglect this step, you will not be able to register for future terms at Polk State College.
  • Students need to provide an official letter of non-attendance from the other institution if they decide not to take the class.
  • The class has to be applicable towards the student’s degree program at Polk State College.

Polk State College Registrar’s Office
999 Avenue H NE
Winter Haven, FL 33881-4299