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Peninsula College

Peninsula College

Peninsula College

Introduction

Innovative. Student-centered. World-class faculty.

At Peninsula College, our unique environment encourages you to explore new possibilities. The college is innovative and student-centered with excellent faculty and small classes. Our learning facilities feature striking architecture and classrooms with advanced instructional technology and equipment. We offer international learning experiences and are actively involved in our local community. What’s more, we provide many extra-curricular opportunities: championship athletic teams, student clubs and activities, and an array of cultural and fine arts events throughout the year.

The World Is Your Classroom

At Peninsula College, learning is not confined to enclosed classrooms or the lecture hall. Instead, the entire campus and the Olympic Peninsula become teaching laboratories as students and faculty move outdoors to take full advantage of all that our unique area has to offer.

Anyone familiar with the college would not be surprised to find a language, philosophy, or literature class meeting in the middle of the college plaza on a bright sunny day, or to see our incredible PC Jazz Ensemble performing in front of the Pirate Union Building (PUB) Student Center. Nor is it unusual to find small groups of students and their teachers embarking at dawn for field trips to the nearby ocean, Olympic National Park, or the rain forests to discover and study native marine life, fauna, and flora in their natural habitats.

You can even spend one or more quarters studying in another country if you choose or take language and cultural classes from visiting professors from other countries. At Peninsula College we have developed a special educational experience carefully designed for student success.

Mission

Peninsula College educates diverse populations of learners through community-engaged programs and services that advance student equity and success.

Core Themes:

  • Advancing Student Success
  • Achieving Academic Excellence
  • Fostering Equity and Inclusion
  • Strengthening Communities

Vision:

Peninsula College is a destination of cultural and environmental diversity where academic excellence transforms students’ lives and strengthens communities.

Guiding Principles

The college community is guided by the following principles:

  • The teaching/learning process is at the center of the mission of Peninsula College.
  • Members of the campus community will treat each other with mutual respect and dignity.
  • Members of the campus community will be open and honest in their communications.
  • Members of the campus community shall promote a positive work environment and avoid adversarial relationships.
  • Each member of the campus community shall act ethically and with integrity.
  • The campus will engage in collaborative decision-making processes.

Campus Features

Our Setting

The Olympic Peninsula provides an extraordinary setting for Peninsula College. Our close proximity to mountains, forests, and the ocean provides you with opportunities to participate in outdoor learning and recreational experiences that are unequalled at other college locations in Washington’s community and technical college system.

The services and activities of Port Angeles, the largest city on the North Olympic Peninsula, are easily accessible, and students and community members alike enjoy the opportunity to work together on projects and special festivals that involve both groups. Major cities, such as Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia, are only a few hours away, while major Native American museums and a United Nations World Heritage Site—Olympic National Park—are practically on our doorstep.

Our History

In 2011, Peninsula College celebrated 50 years of service. The college was founded in 1961 because a group of local citizens wanted to be able to continue their educations without having to travel great distances to college centers in Bremerton or across Puget Sound. The first classes were held in a small building on the Port Angeles High School campus, but the number of students who enrolled in the college quickly became more than the available facilities could accommodate, and plans were soon underway to build a permanent campus elsewhere in the city.

Construction of the new campus began in 1964, and a year later the first classes were held on the present site of Peninsula College with additional classes being offered all across our district. Today, the main campus spreads out over 75 acres of land in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains, overlooking the city of Port Angeles and its busy, international harbor.

Our facilities include a Student Services Center; Maier Performance Hall, Allied Health and Early Childhood Education Building, completed in 2017; Arts and Humanities Building, completed in 2011; a new Science and Technology Building and the House of Learning - Longhouse, both completed in 2007; Library/Media Center, completed in 2008; computer labs; a lecture hall; and a student union building, known as the Pirate Union Building or PUB. The PUB houses a theater, art gallery, food services, a bookstore, lounge area, Internet café, performance areas, and student government offices.

    Admissions

    All International Students Must Submit:

    1. Complete the International Student Admissions Application
    2. $45 (U.S. dollars) application fee (non-refundable)
      • $250 Homestay placement fee (if applicable)
      • $125 Airport Pick-Up Fee scheduled Arrival Day (if applicable)
      • $175 Airport Pickup non-scheduled Arrival Day (if applicable)
    3. Payment Authorization Form to pay for above fees
    4. Translated official copies of all scholastic records (transcripts from high school, previous college(s), or language school(s)
    5. Proof of finance (notarized financial statement from a bank, government, or sponsor confirming the availability of sufficient funds for at least one year of study at Peninsula College and living expenses; Affidavit of Support from sponsoring relative may also be required).
    6. Copy of passport
    7. Proof of English proficiency (for college level students)

    IMPORTANT: Incomplete non-agency based student applications will not be accepted. Some countries have specific requirements. These will be provided at the time of application.

    NOTE: Peninsula College requires all enrolled international students to have health insurance.

    Application Deadline: Peninsula College does not adhere to a strict application deadline, however, we strongly urge applicants to submit complete application documents at least a month in advance of scheduled arrival day in order to allow for application processing, visa interview, and travel arrangements.

    Locations

    • Port Angeles

      East Lauridsen Boulevard,1502, 98362, Port Angeles

    Questions