Cooperative Agreements

Approved Incoming Agreement Requests

Residents residing in another Illinois community college district that does not offer a program of study which is available at Joliet Junior College should request a Cooperative Agreement at his/her/their local community college.

The cooperative agreement request must be submitted to your local community college according to their respective deadline date. Students may need to verify deadline dates with the specific community college. If the cooperative agreement is approved by the home district, the student will be responsible for paying only the in-district tuition rate to attend JJC. The approved request should be mailed, faxed or submitted to the JJC Records Office for processing.

The in-district rate of tuition shall apply only to coursework for currently approved programs of study between cooperating colleges. Students who change programs of study outside of these existing agreements will be billed at the out-of-district rate of tuition for all coursework.

For more information regarding incoming cooperative requests and approval process, please contact your local community college. Any questions regarding the process after the approved request is submitted to JJC, please contact the Records office at (815) 280-2444.

Outgoing Agreement Requests

Residents of Joliet Junior College, District 525, may be eligible to attend another community college at the in-district rate of tuition for a career degree or certificate that is not available at JJC.

To receive approval for a cooperative agreement, the following guidelines must be completed. Failure to comply with the guidelines will prevent you from obtaining approval.

  • Complete the Cooperative Agreement request by the deadline date.
  • Submit proof of residency.
  • Submit proof of acceptance if the requested program of study is a competitive admissions program.
  • Be a student in good standing with JJC (if applicable). All financial obligations must be satisfied.

The JJC district resident must complete the online cooperative agreement request form once per academic year before the Fall semester deadline date. The authorization will be valid for one academic year beginning with the Fall semester. The academic year consists of Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

Cooperative Agreement Requests must be submitted for each semester by the deadline dates listed below: 

  • Fall Semester - July 25th
  • Spring Semester - December 15th
  • Summer Semester - April 20th

Requests received after the deadline date will require special approval by JJC Administration.
No cooperative agreement will be approved retroactively.

If the cooperative agreement request is approved, then the in-district tuition rate will be applied only for courses that are required for the approved program. However, students with approved agreements will be charged the out-of-district rate of tuition for the following:

  • Courses that are not required for the approved career degree or certificate.
  • Developmental courses.
  • Courses that are repeated.
  • Courses dropped after the refund date.

Distance is not considered a basis for approving a Cooperative Agreement. The time of day, day of the week, the particular semester or term of offering, or the component parts of the program are not considered as factors affecting approval. A cooperative agreement can only be approved for Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree and certificate programs in the Career and Technical areas and not approved for transfer programs.

For more information regarding outgoing cooperative agreement requests please contact the Academic Affairs office at (815) 280-2460.

Cooperative Agreement Request Form

  • Cooperating Community Colleges

    Joliet Junior College has entered into a joint educational agreement entitled Comprehensive Agreement Regarding the Expansion of Educational Resources (C.A.R.E.E.R.). This agreement greatly expands the number of applied science degrees and/or certificate programs to residents of District 525.

    Colleges in the C.A.R.E.E.R. Agreement:

    • Black Hawk College, District 503, Moline, Illinois
    • Carl Sandburg College, District 518, Galesburg, Illinois
    • City Colleges of Chicago, District 508
    • College of DuPage, District 502, Glen Ellyn, Illinois
    • College of Lake County, District 532, Grayslake, Illinois
    • Danville Area Community College, District 507, Danville, Illinois
    • Elgin Community College, District 509, Elgin, Illinois
    • Heartland Community College, District 540, Bloomington, Illinois
    • Highland Community College, District 519, Freeport, Illinois
    • Illinois Central College, District 514, East Peoria, Illinois
    • Illinois Eastern Community College, District 529, Chestnut Olney, Illinois
    • Illinois Valley Community College, District 513, Oglesby, Illinois
    • John A. Logan College, District 530, Carterville, Illinois
    • John Wood Community College, District 539, Quincy, Illinois
    • Joliet Junior College, District 525, Joliet, Illinois
    • Kankakee Community College, District 520, Kankakee, Illinois
    • Kaskaskia College, District 501, Centralia, Illinois
    • Kishwaukee College, District 523, Malta, Illinois
    • Lake Land College, District 517, Mattoon, Illinois
    • Lewis and Clark Community College, District 536, Godfrey, Illinois
    • Lincoln Land Community College, District 526, Springfield, Illinois
    • McHenry County College, District 528, Crystal Lake, Illinois
    • Moraine Valley Community College, District 520, Palos Hills, Illinois
    • Morton College, District 527, Cicero, Illinois
    • Oakton Community College, District 535, Des Plaines, Illinois
    • Parkland College, District 505, Champaign, Illinois
    • Prairie State College, District 515, Chicago Heights, Illinois
    • Rend Lake College, District 521, Ina, Illinois
    • Richland Community College, District 537, Decatur, Illinois
    • Rock Valley College, District 511, Rockford, Illinois
    • Sauk Valley Community College, District 506, Dixon, Illinois
    • Shawnee Community College, District 531, Ullin, Illinois
    • South Suburban College, District 510, South Holland, Illinois
    • Southeastern Illinois College, District 533, Harrisburg, Illinois
    • Southwestern Illinois College, District 522, Bellville, Illinois
    • Spoon River College, District 534, Canton, Illinois
    • Triton College, District 504, River Grove, Illinois
    • Waubonsee Community College, District 516, Sugar Grove, Illinois
    • William Rainey Harper College, District 512, Palatine, Illinois

  • Cooperative Agreement FAQ

    What is Cooperative Agreement?

    The Illinois Public Community College Act of 1965 provides that if a student wishes to pursue an Associate in Applied Science degree or certificate (career program) that is not offered in their home community college district, but is offered in another Illinois community college district, the home community college district will grant cooperative agreement approval for the student to receive the in-district rate of tuition for the requested program at the cooperating community college.

    When do I need to apply?

    You must submit a cooperative agreement request to JJC prior to the following deadline dates:

    Fall - July 25th

    Spring - December 15th

    Summer - April 20th

    What is a curriculum?

    A curriculum is interpreted as an organized pattern of instruction within a discipline leading to a certificate or associate degree which is publicized in the official catalog of an Illinois public community college and approved by the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois State Board of Education.

    Both full and part-time attendance is allowable. Individual courses, as in adult continuing education programs, are not considered "programs" for approval purposes, nor are programs that are considered to be baccalaureate oriented since the majority of the courses normally taken during the first two years of such programs are readily available at Joliet Junior College.

    How do I know if the program is offered by JJC?

    An outgoing cooperative agreement will not be authorized if the desired Associate in Science degree or certificate (career program) is offered by JJC. The determination of whether or not the desired program is offered is made by comparing the relevant JJC program with the desired curriculum and its component courses in the official catalog of the college the applicant wishes to attend. If JJC has a comparable curriculum as determined by the JJC Vice President for Academic Affairs, no cooperative agreement will be authorized.

    What about residency?

    To qualify for a cooperative agreement, the student must be a permanent resident of JJC District 525. The residence of unemancipated persons is that of their parents. If the applicant is of foreign citizenship, proof of permanent residence (green card or its new equivalent) is required. 

    Residents of District 525 are eligible for a cooperative agreement after they have resided in the district for 30 days and verify their residency with an Illinois Driver's License or state ID. A student who has a JJC cooperative agreement but establishes permanent residence out of the district will have his/her/their cooperative agreement terminated at the end of the term in which he/she/they moved.

    NOTE: A student working a minimum of 35 hours in the community college district in which he/she/they would like to attend may, at the discretion of the college, be treated as an in-district student. A letter from the employer may be required as proof of employment. As this may vary from college district to college district, the student should contact the records office of that college to determine eligibility.

    What about distance and inconvenience?

    Distance and inconvenience are not considered as a basis for approving a cooperative agreement. If an Associate in Applied Science degree or certificate (career program) is offered anywhere within District 525, it is judged to be available. The time of day, the day of the week, or the particular semester or term of offering the program or its component parts are not considered as factors affecting approval.

    What about JJC enrollment limitations?

    If a JJC program has limited enrollment, or is temporarily closed to enrollment, or is regularly over-subscribed, it is not considered as a factor affecting approval.

    What about JJC entrance requirements?

    If an applicant for a cooperative agreement is refused admission to a JJC program because of failure to meet entrance requirements, it is not considered grounds for authorizing a cooperative agreement for a comparable program at another Illinois community college. Nor will JJC authorize a cooperative agreement to someone attempting to meet the entrance requirements or prerequisites for a particular program at another college.

    What about closed-enrollment programs at another college?

    If you are seeking admission to a closed admission program at another community college, a cooperative agreement will not be approved until you present an acceptance letter which indicates that you have been admitted into that program. Your cooperative agreement will then be authorized for the next attendance session provided you have completed the cooperative agreement request within the deadline date and all requirements for cooperative agreement approval have been met.

    What if JJC develops a comparable program after I have begun the program at another community college?

    If JJC authorized a cooperative agreement, and subsequently develops a comparable program, the student is not required to transfer back to JJC for the balance of the program.

    How many Cooperative Agreements can a student have at the same time?

    A student may not have more than one cooperative agreement at the same time.

    What about courses I repeat?

    Repeated courses or courses dropped after the drop date are not covered by the cooperative agreement.

    What is the length of time covered by my Cooperative Agreement?

    All cooperative agreements expire with the end of the summer semester term. The approval is valid only for the time period which is indicated on the approved agreement. A renewal request must be submitted each academic year, beginning with the fall term. Also, a new request must be submitted in the event you plan to pursue another program or attend another community college.