Students are responsible for knowing and following the policies in the Student Handbook. The following are highlights of information that students should be aware of as they begin a course.
Review NOVA’s updated emergency and safety information.
As noted in the Course Prerequisites Policy, some courses have prerequisite or corequisite requirements that are established to foster a student’s success in the course. Students may not enroll in a course for which they do not meet the prerequisites by the time the course begins or for which they do not simultaneously enroll in any corequisite. Students may be administratively dropped from any course for which they have not met the prerequisite. If a course has a prerequisite, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure completion of this pre-requisite course first. Any student needing assistance in determining prerequisite or corequisite requirements can reach out to their faculty member or Campus Academic Division office for support.
Students receiving financial aid are expected to attend and complete all classes. Withdrawing from a class can dramatically impact your financial aid status and may require repayment. To understand the impact of withdrawing from a course, please review pages 13-17 of the Financial Aid Handbook.
NOVA Online assignment due dates are based on Eastern Time (ET).
Use these directions to change the Time Zone in your Canvas settings to stay on track with assignments.
NOVA announces campus and college closings on the NOVA homepage. You can also receive notification by cell phone or email if you register for NOVA Alert. Also review NOVA’s guidance on emergency closings, delayed openings, and continuation of instruction.
If a course is canceled due to a weather event or other unforeseen situation, check the course Canvas site or NOVA email as soon as possible for instructions and assignments to avoid falling behind in coursework. You are expected to be up to date with all assignments the next time the class meets.
Please note these important deadlines related to your enrollment in a course:
Dropping a course after the census date and before the withdrawal date will result in a “W” grade appearing on your transcript. To identify these dates for your courses, please visit the College Academic Calendar and scroll down to the specific session for your course. Please note that any drops or withdrawals from a course may impact financial aid, International Student status, or military benefits. Students with questions should check with the appropriate offices.
Title IX is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs, activities, admission, and employment. Complaints of sex-based discrimination including discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnant or parenting status, sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual or gender-based harassment are governed by the Title IX Policy. The Title IX Office also provides support measures for students and employees related to any form of sex discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence as well as accommodations for pregnant and parenting students. For information about Title IX or to make a report, please visit the Title IX web page.
The NOVA Online Web Site will answer many general questions about NOVA Online and the courses available through us. Please also read for the policies that govern your enrollment and the services available to you.
Call the NOVA Online Hotline at (703) 323-3347 or 1-888-4DL-NVCC (1-888-435-6822) if you are unable to find the answers to your questions or if you need further information.