Career/Joint Agreements
If Oakton College does not offer the specific career or technical certificate or A.A.S. you want to pursue, Illinois' CAREER (Comprehensive Agreement Regarding the Expansion of Educational Resources) agreement allows you to take that program at another participating Illinois community college while still paying in-district tuition rates.
Follow these steps to apply:
- Confirm Program Eligibility
- Verify that the degree or program you want to take is not currently offered by Oakton.
- The CAREER agreement applies exclusively to specialized vocational programs and cannot be used for general education or basic transfer courses.
- Apply to the host Community College
- Submit an application for admission directly to the participating community college that offers the program.
- If it is a limited-enrollment program, secure an official letter of acceptance.
- Apply to Oakton and submit your form
- Before Oakton can process your agreement, you must have an accepted application on file in the last two years.
- Once admitted, access the Career / Joint Agreement via your New Student Portal and have the following documents ready to upload:
- Illinois ID (front and back).
- A copy of the certificate/degree requirements for the program of interest.
- An acceptance letter into the degree/certificate program (Only required if enrolled in a limited enrollment program).
- Annual Renewal
- Please note that these agreements do NOT automatically roll over and you will need to complete an annual renewal process with Oakton for each academic year you remain enrolled in the program to continue receiving the in-district rate.
- A degree audit or unofficial college transcript is also required for upload upon renewal.
Residents of other community college districts who wish to attend Oakton College under a Career/Joint Agreement should contact the Registrar/Admission Offices at their home college.
For more information on Career/Joint Agreement programs, contact the Enrollment Center at 847.635.1700.
