Senior Guest FAQs

The Senior Guest Program at Kent State University enables persons, 60 years of age or older to audit Kent State courses on a tuition-free, space-available basis. No pre-registration is required. Lifelong Learning will contact the department/faculty and notify with an email  whether your course request is approved or denied.  Senior guests do not receive grades and no credit is awarded. Senior guests may request to enroll in 1 – 2 courses per semester, during a designated enrollment period. In all cases, the university's decision is final.

Any person who is sixty years of age or older and who has resided in the state of Ohio for at least one year.

YES. The Senior Guest program administrator contacts the department/faculty and notifies the experienced learner via email whether the course request has been approved or denied. 
Please do not contact faculty or department for approval to attend a class.
The university's decision is final.

No, workshops are not included in this program.

Begin by completing the application on the Kent State Senior Guest website during the senior guest registration window. Dates are posted each semester.
No pre-registration required. 

Check for classes using the Schedule of Classes.

For each course:

• Course Title
• Course Level (undergraduate/graduate)
• Instructor’s Name
• CRN #
• Department
• Course #
• Section #
• Course Start/End Dates

Example from Schedule of Classes:

Your Emergency Contact Information:

• Name
• Relationship
• Phone Number

Senior guests are responsible for payment of fees associated with a course they are registered. These fees include, but are not limited to, the cost of lab supplies, materials and distance learning (DL) fee, Flash Book charges, arts fees, parking permits, etc.

Senior Guests are responsible for all fees and auxiliary charges (parking, distance learning fees, etc). Senior Guests should check their kent.edu email accounts for updates and e-bills.

• Senior Guests who do not attend, and do not drop, a course in which they are enrolled will be assessed all related fees. 
  • Deadlines are listed in the Schedule of Classes.
• Senior Guests may drop classes by contacting the Senior Guest Program at lifelonglearning@kent.edu or 330-672-3100.

Please email lifelonglearning@kent.edu for additional assistance.

Yes, KSU will issue you an ebill for any applicable fees/charges. You will be notified via email when/if you are issued an ebill.

You can also check your balance via Flashline.

Billing and payment-related information and instructional videos can be found on the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center website. 

Public computers are available on all KSU campuses. See below for a partial listing.

Each lab offers both Windows and Mac computers.

Ashtabula Campus

• Main Hall C232 and Student Lounge
• Morrison Hall H202

East Liverpool Campus

• Mary Patterson Building 316 and 320
• Purinton Hall 107 (Math Emporium), 318, Quiet Study (2nd Floor), Slak Shak (River Level)

Geauga Campus

• Main Building 128, 144, 148, and 149

Twinsburg Academic Center

• Main Building 117, 119, 120 and 124

Kent Campus

• 150 Library (first-floor main area)
• 222 Kent Student Center

Salem Campus

• City Center 209
• Library Smile Lab
• Main Building 113, 125, and 141

Stark Campus

• Fine Arts Building 043, 045A, and 105
• Library Public Stations and Math Labs (002, 008, and 009)
• Main Hall E101, 208, and 306
• Science & Nursing Building 001

Trumbull Campus

• Classroom Administration Building 112, 116, 125, 127, and 142
• Library Lab & Internet Café
• Technology Building 216, 218, 252, and 258

Tuscarawas Campus

• Founders Hall Academic Learning Commons
• Founders Hall Cybercafe

For a complete list see: www.kent.edu/it/technology-campus or contact the Experienced Learner 60+ (Senior Guest) program administrator on your campus.

Please note that many Regional Campus classrooms double as computer labs. Therefore, availability may be based on class schedules.

No. But it is important to check if there is Flash Book connected with a course. If you do not wish to accept the Flash Book (and associated charge) you must formally opt-out during the required time period or you will be charged for its use.

Flash Books are electronic versions of textbooks provided in lieu of a traditional paper copy of the book. Flash Book content is provided to students (including Senior Guests) as soon as the course is made available via Canvas. If you do not wish to accept the Flash Book, there is a designated time period during which you may formally opt-out.

For more information: www.kent.edu/studentaffairs/flashbooks

Login into Canvas. Navigate to Flash Books, then Course Listings.

Learn more by visiting www.kent.edu/studentaffairs/flashbooks.

Parking policies vary among campuses. Please check with each campus to determine parking policies. 

Kent Campus:

Senior guests may park in the Kent Student Center Visitor’s Lot, for up to two (2) hours, at no charge, with a Golden Buckeye Card and a card issued from Parking Services. 
Parking on Campus
Kent State Golden Buckeye Permits will be needed to exit the Student Center Lot (cash will not be accepted).
Permits are available, free of charge at KSU Parking Services.
Please bring your Driver's License, Golden Buckeye Card & License Plate Number to 
800 E Summit Street, Michael Schwartz Center, Room 123

For more information on parking options or to purchase a permit: contact Parking Services at: parking@kent.edu or 330-672-4432 or visit www.kent.edu/parking.

Stark Campus:

Senior guests who will be parking on the Stark Campus must provide their license plate numbers to the campus Senior Guest administrator: Ruby Groves, rbgroves@kent.edu or 330-244-3279.

All Other Campuses:

For information on policies at other regional campuses, please contact the respective Senior Guest program administrator.

Yes. If you are new to Kent State a permanent kent.edu email account will be issued. 

Please contact the helpdesk at 330-672-HELP 

How to Access Kent State University Canvas Login Page

To access the Kent State University Canvas page, follow the procedures outlined below or Flashline right upper corner, click Canvas button.

1. To locate your online course(s) please Log in to Canvas: https://www.kent.edu/canvas
2. Enter your username and password.
3. After that click on the login button to access your Canvas dashboard
4. Click on the ‘Courses’ link at the upper right-side corner of the screen to view all of your classes
5. Click on the course link that appears under ‘My Courses
6. Begin exploring the content of your course by utilizing the menu bar on the left side of your screen
7. Start by reviewing the syllabus and then continue by clicking on the course content.

New users:

• Go to login.kent.edu
• Follow the instructions to register as a new user
• You will use the last five digits of your Kent State Identification Number (provided in your confirmation of admission letter) as part of your temporary password

Returning users:

• Login to FlashLine at login.kent.edu using your existing username and password
• If you do not remember your password, please use the password reset option or contact the Help Desk at www.kent.edu/it

FlashLine will allow you to access online courses or supplementary materials, check your class schedule, make payments for DL course fees, materials, and Flash Books, as well as access your transcript

No. You must follow the registration process on the Senior Guest website. If you do not register using the designated form, you run the risk of being charged tuition.

Login to FlashLine at login.kent.edu with your username and password.

Navigate to: Student --> Resources -->Courses and Registration.

Also, check your kent.edu email as you will be notified every time a class is added or removed from your schedule.

Yes, in order to check out materials at the library you simply need a photo I.D. (driver's license is fine).

Experienced learners 60+ (senior guests) have the same borrowing privileges as students (https://www.library.kent.edu/circulation/loan-periods-renewals-and-library-charges) and have full access to electronic resources on or off campus (https://www.library.kent.edu/help/connect-from-off-campus) .

Learn more about the library by visiting www.library.kent.edu.

Ashtabula Campus:

• Kent State Ashtabula; acchaney@kent.edu

Columbiana County (East Liverpool, Salem):

• Kent State Columbiana County; mweekley@kent.edu

Geauga Campus & Twinsburg Academic Center:

• Kent State Geauga Campus Senior Guest Program; mskitzki@kent.edu

Kent Campus:

• Kent Campus Senior Guest Program; lifelonglearning@kent.edu

Stark Campus:

• Kent State Stark Campus Senior Guest Program; rbgroves@kent.edu

Trumbull Campus:

• Kent State Trumbull Campus Senior Guest Program; plimper1@kent.edu

Tuscarawas Campus:

• Kent State Tuscarawas; ldonley@kent.edu