SLPA Application
Please follow these steps to apply.
SLPA Application Process
- Apply for admission to Chemeketa Community College
This step provides you with your student ID number (K-number), access to your student email, and entry into our systems. - Submit transfer evaluation materials (if applicable)
If you have completed coursework at another college, submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions along with the Evaluation of Transfer Credit form.
You do not need to wait for the evaluation to be completed before applying.
Please note: this process can take up to 10 weeks to complete.
For more information on transfer evaluation click here. - Submit your SLPA Program application
Submit your application along with all required documentation as one complete packet during the application period: April 1–April 30, 2027.
The next time we will begin a cohort is Fall 2027. The application acceptance dates are April 1 through April 30, 2027. All application materials must be received by 11:59 pm on April 30- no late OR early apps accepted- no exceptions.
The application period for the Fall 2026 cohort has passed.
Applications are not scored/processed until after the application deadline.
All applications are considered equally as long as they are received by the application due date. Acceptance into the SLPA program is competitive and utilizes a point system scoring rubric to rank applications.
Notification Of Your Status in the 2027 Cohort
The SLPA program will send applicants an email confirming receipt of their application when it arrives in the office during the application acceptance period.
Applicants who apply by the April 30 deadline will generally receive notice of their status into the program by August 14. Acceptance information will not be released early to prospective candidates. Please do not call to check on the status of your application until after these general time guidelines.
Criminal Background Check
Upon acceptance into the program, you will be required to pass a criminal background check conducted by a college approved vendor. Chemeketa will do this process with you. If you do not pass the criminal background check, program registration will not be possible. If you are arrested during the time you're enrolled in the program, you must notify the program chair of the arrest. Your status in the program will be reviewed by the program chair and the dean. A possible outcome of the review may be your inability to continue in the program.
Waiting List
Once the SLPA program student slots are filled, a waiting list will be created. In the event that an accepted candidate decides not to attend the SLPA program for that cohort, we will select the top student from the waiting list and proceed in this manner until all SLPA program slots are filled.
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Getting Started Prerequisite Coursework
Completion of Writing 121Z class through Chemeketa with a grade "C" or higher.
This prerequisite coursework may also be met through prior college coursework at other institutions. You will need to transfer in your credits by having a transfer evaluation completed. Please see the "Evaluation of Transfer Credit" menu below for the process and form needed to complete that. Your Transfer evaluation must show completion of WR 121 or higher.The transfer evaluation process can take anywhere from 6-10 weeks, so students should do this FIRST- BEFORE applying to the SLPA program.
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Note for California Applicants
The California Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology requires that SLPA program students qualify and earn the AAS degree in Speech-Language Pathology Assisting to be eligible for California SLPA licensure. Students will need to submit their transcripts showing completion of the SLPA AAS Program, as well as fieldwork hours to the California Licensing Board.
Students who have earned prior degrees (AA, BA, BS etc) may submit their official transcripts for review to the registrar's office for acceptance and complete a .
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Evaluation of Transfer Credit
Students who have completed coursework at other colleges/universities need to submit official transcripts from every college they have taken classes at, as well as AP or IB transcripts to the registrar's office, and complete the Request for Evaluation and Transfer of Previous Credit form available on the Transcript Evaluation page to have prior credits evaluated.
This process can take anywhere from 6-10 weeks once all documents are received, so it's vital to do this immediately after you get your Chemeketa K#. Students should have this complete BEFORE they submit the SLPA application.
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Note for Students with a Bachelor/Post Bachelor Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders
If you who have already completed credits in an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders, please be aware that we require you to follow the standard process of applying for the SLPA program. As part of that application process, transcripts will be evaluated for coursework that may be substituted for SLPA program coursework. Please be aware that coursework needs to be a very close/exact match in content and learning objectives to be considered.
For this reason, we have commonly found that the following four courses are most often considered as course substitutions from an undergraduate/post-baccalaureate program –
- Anatomy/Physiology of Speech and Hearing
- Phonetics
- Intro to Speech and Language Disorders
- Intro to Language Development
The curriculum of an SLPA program versus an undergraduate program is different in intent. An SLPA program is more technical in nature. We prepare students through hands-on practical experience to perform the duties and scope of practice for a speech-language pathology assistant.
An undergraduate/post-baccalaureate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders prepares students to learn the diagnostic and theoretical basis for the field, ultimately preparing students to apply and enter graduate school for a master's level education without much hands-on application experience at the undergraduate level.
Courses considered for substitution must be completed with a grade of C or higher within the last seven years. Upon acceptance into the SLPA program, students will be asked to submit a current syllabus, transcripts and catalog course description as part of the application for substitution of coursework.
The SLPA program will not solely place undergraduate/post-baccalaureate students in a practicum setting to complete required clock hours.