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🏫 Dual Enrollment & College for Nebraska Homeschoolers

College classes in high school, admission for homeschool graduates, and the state college aid Nebraska homeschoolers can earn — from our Nebraska guide and articles.

Diplomas, transcripts, the GED and college

Diplomas: the State of Nebraska does not issue high school diplomas to exempt school students. Some exempt schools create a diploma; NDE doesn't collect or certify it, and it is up to the receiving entity whether to accept it. NDE recommends keeping a transcript of classes taken with grades received.

Online school diplomas: NDE says a diploma or certificate from an online program isn't a diploma from an approved or accredited Nebraska school, and for a child of mandatory attendance age it doesn't by itself end the duty to attend — follow Rule 13's completion or withdrawal steps.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln: UNL guarantees admission to applicants who meet its core course requirements (16 units: 4 English, 4 math, 3 natural science, 3 social science, 2 world language) and at least one performance requirement; other applicants are reviewed by committee. Home school applicants may be asked for the letter confirming the family filed with NDE, a typed semester transcript with grades, a curriculum synopsis that parallels the 16 core courses, textbook titles and authors, and a description of how the lab science requirement was met.

University of Nebraska Omaha: UNO reviews every home school applicant, who is expected to meet the 16 core courses and the performance requirement. UNO asks for NDE's letter of verification and a typed semester transcript showing the unit of credit, grades and term and cumulative GPA, signed by the homeschool administrator. UNO says applicants who haven't met its requirements, or haven't complied with state regulations, may be required to submit GED scores.

Nebraska Opportunity Grant: the state's need-based college grant (formerly the Nebraska State Grant) goes to Nebraska residents attending a Nebraska college who have a qualifying Student Aid Index from the FAFSA; it's awarded through the colleges. In 2024–25 it paid

Dual enrollment, early college and the ACE Scholarship

How NDE counts college courses: on the filing, NDE says a student taking courses through a postsecondary school such as a community college isn't dual enrolled — those courses are part of the exempt school's program of instruction. Colleges set their own rules for high school and home school students.

Community colleges: Central Community College says discounted early-college tuition is available for all Nebraska high school and homeschool students, at its campuses and centers. Southeast Community College runs its Southeast Nebraska Career Academy Partnership (SENCAP) with public and parochial schools and homeschools in southeast Nebraska. Metropolitan Community College says current Nebraska high school students in grades 9–12 are automatically eligible to take credit classes tuition free, and Northeast Community College says its early-college courses are tuition-free for high school students; neither page says how home school students enroll, so ask the college.

ACE Scholarship: the state's Access College Early Scholarship, run by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE), pays tuition and mandatory fees for qualified low-income high school students taking college courses from Nebraska colleges or universities through dual-enrollment or early-enrollment agreements. The student or family must qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, SSI, TANF, SNAP or WIC, have experienced an extreme hardship, or be in a designated career education program (§ 85-2104), and the course must be taken for a grade.

🏫 Dual Enrollment & College for Nebraska Homeschoolers

Diplomas, transcripts, the GED and college

Dual enrollment, early college and the ACE Scholarship

Official sources

More for Nebraska homeschool families