The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provides exemptions and waivers from the requirement of TSI in certain situations. Students should be aware that an exemption is permanent and a waiver is temporary. Your advisor can provide you with guidance on your requirements as you progress through your program with CTC. Should you change your academic program, please reach out to your advisor to find out if anything additional is needed for TSI.

Students with a waiver or exemption may still take the test to ensure they are prepared for college level work.

Students preparing to take the TSI Assessment can review prep material here. 

Once you’re ready to take the TSI Assessment, be sure to schedule your appointment with CTC’s Testing Center in advance. You can find all the details for scheduling your appointment and what to bring on the day of your appointment here. 

For details regarding in-person or virtual proctoring options and how much the TSI Assessment will cost, please see here.

After taking the TSI Assessment, work with your advisor to review your scores and find out if you need to take additional course work to prepare you for college level courses in Math, Reading, and Writing. Your scores will determine which of these courses you need. These courses cost the same as a college level course but do not count toward your certificate or degree and will not transfer to another college. You may hear these courses referred to in several different ways: supplemental courses, developmental studies courses, or “extra” courses.

The academic departments that teach these courses provide many amazing resources to ensure student success. Courses are offered in a either a co-requisite model of the course (the supplemental course combined with the college level course in that subject area) or in a Non Course Based Option (NCBO - will prepare students for the co-requisite course the next semester).  These models allow students to progress faster and with all the resources to complete their college level Math, Reading, and Writing courses successfully.

If a student completes the TSI Assessment and their scores place them in the supplemental course work for either Math, Reading, or Writing, CTC policy requires the student to begin these courses in their first semester. Students will be required to enroll in the next course in their series each semester until complete in all areas. Your advisor will track your progress and email you each semester to advise you of the next enrollment.

Students who complete the TSI Assessment and do not wish to take developmental courses have the option to retest to see if they can place directly into college level courses.

Prior to retesting, it is highly encouraged that students go through free tutoring with the offices below. After taking the TSI Assessment, all students are provided results which can direct tutoring toward low areas. Be sure to take your TSI Assessment results with you to your tutoring sessions.

Math – make an appointment for virtual tutoring at math.express@ctcd.edu.

English Language Arts & Reading (ELAR) – make an appointment for in-person or virtual tutoring at SSuccess@ctcd.edu or by calling 254-526-1580.