Credit for the State Seal of Biliteracy

Introduction

Graduating high school students in Illinois attain the State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) in recognition of their accomplished proficiency in English, plus one or more languages. High school students complete standardized assessments to establish proficiency. The Seal is transcribed by the high school and demonstrates a high level of sociocultural competency. Under state statute, all public universities and community colleges in Illinois must recognize the State Seal of Biliteracy and grant college credit.    

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) accepts the State Seal of Biliteracy and gives college credit to each recipient. The State Seal of Biliteracy is only recognized from high schools approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 

The State Commendation toward Biliteracy is attained by graduating high school students who have demonstrated significant progress toward proficiency in English, plus one or more languages. The Commendation demonstrates sociocultural awareness at the time of high school completion.

City Colleges of Chicago does not award college credit to recipients of the State Commendation toward Biliteracy.

Receiving Credit at CCC

All students must first be admitted to City Colleges of Chicago. An official high school transcript – designating the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy – must also be submitted to the City College the student intends to enroll at. Once the course registration process has been completed at CCC, students may submit an official request to the Office of the Registrar at the college they enroll at, to receive credit for the State Seal of Biliteracy.

The State Seal of Biliteracy will be evaluated and processed for transfer credit at the college in which the official transcript was received. College credit is not awarded automatically solely based on the submission of a high school transcript. Students pursuing college credit must also initiate a request to have the State Seal of Biliteracy evaluated.  

All students must have an active CCC record in the system and must request an evaluation of their State Seal – within three years of the high school graduation date shown on the official transcript. The request for an evaluation of the State Seal of Biliteracy will not be accepted, after three years of the high school graduation date shown on the high school transcript. Unofficial high school transcripts cannot be accepted to evaluate the State Seal of Biliteracy.

Credit for the State Seal will be granted without a standard letter grade and will not be used to calculate grade point average at City Colleges of Chicago.   

Steps to Receive Credit

Take these steps to receive credit for the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy:

Step 1. Apply for admissions to City Colleges of Chicago.

Step 2. Complete the enrollment process.

Step 3. Submit a State Seal of Biliteracy evaluation request form, with the final official high school transcript, to the Office of the Registrar at the college the student has enrolled at. The transcript must display the Illinois State Seal indicating the language(s) the student is proficient in. (The evaluation request must be submitted within 3 years of high school graduation.)

Step 4. Receive a CCC student email confirmation after the course credits have been applied. (Evaluations may take 4-6 weeks to process.)

Biliteracy Course Equivalencies

The State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) converts into college credit to students who have attained a high level of proficiency in English, plus speaking, writing and reading one or more languages. 

Students who have earned the SSB from an Illinois high school will receive the equivalent of 4 semester hours of college credit. For languages offered at City Colleges of Chicago, students will receive credit for the first introductory course in the same language the student has received the State Seal of Biliteracy in. For example, a student who has earned the SSB in Spanish will receive credit for Spanish 101 (4 semester hours).

Duplicate transfer credit will not apply towards program requirements, for the same language and course(s), if credit has already been earned through another assessment that also awards the same equivalent credit (i.e., CLEP, AP, IB, etc.). For example, a student may earn AP credit for both Spanish 101 & Spanish 102 (8 semester hours of college credit). Additionally, students could also earn the State Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish – receiving college credit for Spanish 101. Spanish 101 will not be counted twice for any program at CCC.     

When the SSB is earned in a language not offered at City Colleges of Chicago, 4 semester hours of humanities elective credit will be granted. Students must note that credit earned at CCC – for the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy – may not be recognized in the same way at other colleges and universities when transferring out. Each institution establishes their own transfer credit policies and procedures, and credits may vary.

Course Equivalencies