Upcoming Event(s)
Are you age 18 or older and interested in going to college or earning a postsecondary credential? Did you start college but were unable to finish? Do you want to earn a training certification but don’t know where to start?
If that’s you, join us for the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE’s) 2025 Adult College and Credentials Fair.
Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Public Library (901 G St. NW)
Register here today!
Join us at the fair for:
- Explore College & Credential Options: Learn about degree programs, certifications, and apprenticeships from local colleges, universities, and training centers.
- Connect with Admissions & Financial Aid Experts: Get personalized advice and resources on applications, scholarships, and student loan management.
- Discover Career Pathways: Find out how different educational programs can lead to new careers, promotions, or skill advancements.
- Access Resources for Non-Traditional Students: Learn more about flexible schedules, online courses, adult-friendly environments, and support services. Sessions created to help residents learn how to return to college or enroll in college for the first time.
It's your time for a fair shot at:
- COLLEGE!
- CAREER TRAINING!
- WORKFORCE DEVLOPMENT!
The Adult College and Credentials Initiative
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE's) Adult College and Credentials (ACC) Initiative seeks to encourage adult learners (either first-time or returning) to earn a degree or other postsecondary credentials.
Adult learners often face various challenges that keep them from completing their postsecondary goals. In January 2014, OSSE convened a working group comprised of 10 adult-friendly community and postsecondary partners aimed at providing stronger institutionalized and community-based support for adult learners. The working group designed a Fistrict-wide campaign to educate adult learners about the available paths for college completion.
The ACC Initiative helps promote a collaborative approach to increasing adult college completion and brings the student-centered perspective to the forefront of college completion work.
Sector by Sector Projections for Private Sector Job Growth, 2022-2023
| Industry | Total Jobs 2022 | Total Jobs 2032 | Average Annual Openings | Growth Rate |
| Hospitality, Retail, Tourism, and Entertainment | 92,950 | 111,636 | 18,981 | 20% |
| Education | 45,480 | 53,234 | 5,933 | 17% |
| Information Technology | 51,892 | 60,496 | 4,854 | 17% |
| Healthcare | 44,697 | 49,755 | 4,344 | 11% |
| Transportation, Infrastructure and Utilities | 12,589 | 13,751 | 1,644 | 9% |
| Construction | 28,625 | 31,226 | 2,932 | 9% |
| Business and Office Administration | 315,485 | 339,309 | 32,669 | 8% |
| Security and Law Enrorcement | 67,137 | 71,828 | 5,926 | 7% |
| Grand Total | 658,854 | 731,235 | 77,283 | 12% |
- Source: DC Workforce Investment Council
2025 ACC Working Group Members:
- DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
- DC ReEngagement Center
- College Board / Educational Opportunity Center (EOC / TRiO Program)
- OSSE Division of Early Learning (DEL)
- OSSE Office of College and Career Readiness
- Reach 4 Success – College Information Center
Adult-friendly Colleges and Universities
Your gateway to college is the admissions office. The links below will take you to admissions websites for the major colleges and universities that are featured at OSSE’s Annual Adult College and Credentials Fair. Please note that these are postsecondary institutions in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area that serve adult learners:
- American College of Education
- Bay Atlantic University
- George Washington University
- Montgomery College
- NewU University
- Northern Virginia Community College
- Prince George's Community College
- The Catholic University of America-School of Professional Studies
- Trinity Washington University
- University of the Potomac
- Virginia Commonwealth University
Adult-friendly Charter Schools and Community- Based Organizations
Many community organizations within the District offer certificate training programs, college counseling, adult education programs and financial aid and scholarship opportunities for adult learners. The community-based organizations listed below have been featured at the Adult College and Credentials Fair in previous years. Please visit their websites for more information on programs and services.
- Academy of Hope PCS
- Advancing Early Education Collaborative (AEEC)
- CDMA Business Model Academy of Greater Washington
- City Year Washington DC
- Community College Preparatory Academy
- Constituent Services Worldwide
- College Board / Educational Opportunity Center (EOC / TRiO Program)
- Generation Hope
- LAYC Career Academy
- Reach 4 Success - The College Information Center
- Southeast Children’s Fund (DC LEAD)
- Southeast Welding Center
- The Herb Block Foundation
- The Next Step PCS
- Tzedek DC
- UPO Workforce Training Institute
- VETS Group
- YWCA National Capital Area
- Year Up United
Government Agencies
- DC College Savings Plan
- DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU)
- Department of Employment Services (DOES)
- Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking (DISB)
- District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG)
- OSSE Division of Early Learning (DEL)
Revisiting the Dream
Have you gone as far in your career as you can without a college degree? Or is your dream to transition to a career that requires postsecondary education? Whether it's job-related or for personal development, obtaining a credential or graduating from college opens a new world of potential for your life.
Follow These Steps to Ease the Transition to College:
STEP 1: EXPLORE FINANCIAL AID
It is important to understand your options regarding financial aid to pay for college. Financial aid applications can be complex and adult resources are limited. Start now.
Federal options
- To explore federal financial aid opportunities, complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The FAFSA application opens on Oct. 1 of each year and students should submit by March 1. Your school’s deadline may be earlier, so be sure to ask. Visit studentaid.gov to access the FAFSA application.
District Options
- DC TAG – If you earned your diploma or GED between 2010 and 2025, you may be eligible for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG). This program provides additional financial support at specific colleges and universities. Please contact the DCTAG office at (202) 727-2824 for more information or visit the DCTAG website.
- The Mayor’s Scholars Undergraduate Program provides need-based funding, to cover tuition and fees, for eligible DC residents pursuing their first undergraduate degree at a select public or private college or university in the DC metro area. Please visit osse.dc.gov/mayorsscholars for more information.
- Many community organizations within the District offer scholarships to adult learners. Please visit the following websites for more information:
- Public Allies
- Generation Hope Scholarships
- The Herb Block Foundation
- Tuition Assistance Program Initiative for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (TAPIT)
Institutional options
- Contact the financial aid office at your prospective school and request a full list of scholarships available. Talk to a financial aid counselor about how to find scholarships, fellowships, grants and other sources of free aid. The less you have to pay out of pocket and borrow, the better off you’ll be.
- Also, check with your academic advisors, as sometimes an academic college or department will offer scholarships.
Employers and organizational options
- Many employers and organizations offer tuition assistance and reimbursement; check with your human resources department.
STEP 2: GET ENROLLED
Make an appointment with an admissions officer to review enrollment information.
Complete the application process
- Be sure to mark application dates and deadlines on your calendar so you won’t miss them. Submit your admissions application and any separate department or program applications as early as possible, and well before any deadlines.
- If you have earned college credits from previous institutions, you will need to request your official transcripts from the office of the registrar of each college you have attended. The transcript must be mailed directly from the college you attended to the college you are applying to.
- Once you have been accepted, be sure to register for classes as soon as possible. Attend orientations and explore campus and community organizations. The more involved you become the more likely you are to succeed.
STEP 3: GET AN ADVISOR
- Many schools have special offices or advisors for adult students. These professionals can tell you what programs and services are specifically available, such as day care, career counseling and financial aid.
STEP 4: CHART YOUR COURSE
Work with academic advisors to design a class schedule that works for you.
- Whichever schedule option you choose, be sure to follow your degree plan.
- Generally, you should allow six hours of study per week for each three-credit-hour course.