skip to page content • • text size: A A A
Current Step: Admissions
Submit an admissions form, either apply with a paper copy or apply online (see yellow box).

Next Step: Financial Aid
Financial Aid: Help make your education more affordable with grants, loans and scholarships.

How to apply

Applicants to our Dental Hygiene and Veterinary Technology programs, as well as Running Start and International students, may not use the online Admissions Form because of special admissions processes.

ONLINE APPLICATION NOTE: Apply to the location where you plan on taking the majority of your courses, you can still take classes at either college.

You may apply online or print a paper copy of the Admissions Form (PDF).

Please do not apply to both Fort Steilacoom and Puyallup!


Former students/applicants with name changes

If you have attended or applied to Pierce College before under a different name, please apply under your previous name. This will ensure that your Admissions Form is processed as quickly as possible. Once you have been notified of your acceptance, you may submit a Personal Data Change Form (PDF) to have all of your records changed to your current name.

Who must apply

If you plan to work toward a degree, diploma, or certificate, or apply for financial aid, you must apply for admission to the college at you which plan to enroll. If you are a former student and have stepped out a quarter (excluding Summer), you must apply for admission to update your record.

The Pierce College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran.

You may enroll if any of the following are true:
  • You are 18 years of age or older.
  • Your high school class has graduated.
  • You are a high school graduate or have earned a GED.
  • You've qualified for admission through Running Start or similar programs.
No admission form is required for:
  • English as a Second Language (ESL) (immigrant and citizen students)
  • Adult Basic Education (ABE)
  • General Educational Development (GED)
  • High School Completion
  • Military programs, unless seeking financial aid. Contact the military sites for enrollment information.

When to apply

Submit your Admissions Form at any time! We continuously process new Admissions Forms. We begin mailing quarterly acceptance packets on the following dates:
  • Fall Quarter - December 1 of the previous year
  • Winter Quarter - September 1
  • Spring Quarter - January 1
  • Summer Quarter - March 1

What happens next?

Once your Admissions Form is received, we'll send you a packet of information to help you get started at Pierce, including a Student Identification Number for your use in registering for classes and accessing a variety of our online services. See above for mailing dates. It will also include information on assessment, advising, and registration. Some classes or programs may require testing, which is usually $10.

Contact information

  • Fort Steilacoom (253) 964-6501
  • Admissions Office, 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood WA 98498-1999
  • Puyallup (253) 864-3254
  • Admissions Office, 1601 39th Avenue SE, Puyallup WA 98374-2222
Puyallup Office Hours
  • May 18 - June 5: 8am - 6pm M-Th; 8am - 5pm F
  • June 8 - June 19: 8am - 5:30pm M-Th; 8am - 3pm F
  • June 22 - Sept. 4: 7:30am - 5:30pm M-Th; 8am - 12 noon F

More information