Approved Exemptions and Waivers

TSI exemptions and waivers apply only to TSI requirements. Documentation of eligibility for an exemption or waiver is required. Students must abide by the Texas Administrative Code RULE §4.54 in reference to exemptions, exceptions, and waivers.

 

Students who qualify for a TSI exemption are not required to test for TSI purposes and are not required to enroll in college preparatory (developmental) coursework and/or interventions in the corresponding area of exemption. However, all prerequisites for enrollment in specific courses must be met.

 

Exemptions:

  • TASP Exempt – Students who attended a regionally accredited postsecondary institution prior to the Fall of 1989.
  • Score Exempt – Students who achieved certain scores on the SAT, ACT, TAAS, TAKS-11th Grade, or STAAR EOC test may be fully or partially exempt.
  • Degree – Students who have earned an associate degree or higher from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution or from a recognized international institution.
  • Private or Out-of-State Transfer – Students who have earned at least three semester credit hours of college-level credit at a regionally accredited private or out-of-state postsecondary institution.
  • Military Exempt – Students who were honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty or from the Texas National Guard on or after August 1, 1990.

 

Waivers:

  • Certificate Waiver – Students pursuing a one-year Certification of Completion or no more than 42 semester credit hours. However, some programs may require students to take the TSIA for diagnostic purposes. Scores cannot prohibit a student from enrolling in certificate program courses.
  • Non-degree Seeking Waiver – Students who are not seeking a degree or certificate from a Texas public institution of higher education may qualify; enrollment may be restricted.
  • Military Waiver – Students serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the United

States or the Texas National Guard or serving as a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States for at least the three-year period preceding enrollment.

 

All TSI waivers must be renewed each term, and all course prerequisites must be met.