Students at Hopkinsville Community College can now have hours transferred smoothly to WKU.

President Gary Ransdell and James Selbe, president of HCC, signed a joint admissions agreement Monday.

The agreement allows students from HCC in the associate’s program to “move seamlessly” to a bachelor’s degree at WKU, according to a university press release.

Students will also have access to various services from both schools, such as academic advising.

Ransdell said in a statement that the partnership boosts higher education in the region by offering affordable education close to home.

“This will help ease the transfer process, allow students to complete a major portion of their coursework closer to home and guide them through their academic career to a bachelor’s degree or beyond,” Ransdell said in the press release.

WKU also has joint admissions agreements with Owensboro Community and Technical College, Madisonville Community College and Henderson Community College, according to the press release.

More than 200 students from these schools are benefiting from the agreements.