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Ability to Benefit applicant

Applicants that do not meet the college admission requirement of having a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) may be considered for admission to Minneapolis Community and Technical College under Ability to Benefit (ATB).

Students without a high school diploma or GED are NOT eligible to receive federal financial aid UNLESS they meet established Federal Ability to Benefit Guidelines through placement test scores. If you need financial aid in order to enroll in the college, you must also complete the financial aid process at the same time you are applying for admission so that if you meet admission and Federal ATB guidelines guidelines your process will not be delayed.

To apply for admission under the ATB program, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Apply online
  2. Pay $20 non-refundable application fee
  3. Complete your college placement tests; For information regarding Testing Center hours, information and study guides to help you prepare for the test, please visit the Testing Center website. The Testing Center hour's line is 612-659-6262.

    Native English Speakers: To be eligible for admission to the college, an applicant must take the complete college placement test (reading, writing, and arithmetic) in a single sitting and meet or exceed the minimum scores required under federal ATB guidelines on each of the sections and meet program placement requirements. Applicants that meet federal ATB guidelines are eligible to receive federal financial aid.

    English as Second Language (ESL) Speakers: To be eligible for admission to the college, a candidate must take the placement test and meet or exceed the minimum score on each of the test areas (reading, writing, and math) to meet their program placement requirements. In addition, if you are planning to receive financial aid in order to attend college, you must also complete the CELSA test and meet or exceed the minimum score required under federal ability to benefit (ATB) guidelines.

    Applicants that meet program placement requirements but do not meet federal ATB guidelines may be admitted and enroll in the college but will be responsible for paying for all tuition, fees and supplies associated with any courses for which they enroll.
  4. Meet with the Director of Admissions; after you have completed the placement test, you will need to schedule a time to meet with the Director of Admissions who will review your scores and determine whether or not admission to the college may be approved. To schedule your appointment with the Director of Admissions after you have tested, please call 612-659-6202.

If admission to the College is approved, your admission hold will be removed and you will attend an orientation session to register for your classes.

If admission to the College is denied, we will work with you to explore options to retake the test along with providing you information regarding adult basic education options in the community to help you achieve college readiness and reapply to the college in the future.

Note: Acceptance into Minneapolis Community and Technical College does not guarantee enrollment in a career/technical program. A student's academic record and placement test results must meet the program's requirements and space must be available in order to enroll. Refer to the college catalog for specific career/technical program requirements.

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