Admissions and Records

Current Students

What is a Returning Student?

A Returning Student is one who has attended TSC prior to Fall 1991 or after Fall 2013, even if the student enrolled at another college or university since attending TSC.

Please take the time to become familiar with the Canvas interface and visit our available links, tutorials and videos.

• TSC How-To Videos
• Canvas Guide
• Canvas Community
• Student Planning & Registration Process

Self-Service Student Planning is a set of web-based, self-service academic planning tools that help students and coaches view what courses and requirements students need to fulfill to stay on track and graduate. Student Planning is easily accessible from any mobile device, allowing students to access plans and register for courses.
For Self-Service Student Planning resources, please visit our available links, tutorials and videos.

Texas Southmost College implemented the Starfish Early Alert system to link communication between faculty, students, and available support services. Use Starfish to view your success network, access services, see your instructor’s office hours, and other campus resources available to you.
Click here to access Faculty/Staff and Student Resources.

Note: This feature will become available to Dual Enrollment students in Fall 2023!

 

Announcements

Dual Program

What is a Dual Student?

A Dual Student is a current high school student with an opportunity to simultaneously earn academic or workforce education credit toward a post-secondary certificate or degree at Texas Southmost College that may also count toward a high school diploma.

Step 1: Application

The first step to get started at TSC is to complete your ApplyTexas Application. You can apply online by simply following the link below:

Apply Now

Finalize your admissions- submit your Parent Consent form (Guia para los estudiantes y consentimiento de los padres) 

• Submit TSI Scores– If you have already taken your TSI Scores submit those to TSC
• Immunizations – Submit proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis if you are under the age of 22 and have not been enrolled for a least one fall or spring semester at TSC for the summer only if your course will be on TSC campus.

Step 2: Meet Your Enrollment Coach

Contact your respective high school counselor for eligibility.

International Student

What is an International Student?

An international student is anyone who is in a non-immigrant visa status, including H-1B visa holders. If you are not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, you would be classified as an international student and should complete the international application for admission.

Step 1: Application

The first step to get started at TSC is to complete your ApplyTexas Application. You can apply online by simply following the link below:

 Apply Now

 Finalize your application process, by submitting the following:

• Submit Transcripts (Certificado de estudios/KARDEX) – Contact your previous school(s) to request your official transcript(s) be sent electronically. Transcripts from another country are required to be translated and/or evaluated by a recognized service by NACES and include all original seals and/or signatures. For more information about NACES Members visit NACES. We only accept the evaluation and translations of the companies who are listed under NACES. SPANTRAN is our preferred company for evaluations TSC SPANTRAN. Submit Official High School or “Constancia” or University transcripts. Unofficial copies of foreign transcripts are only accepted if student recently graduated or has not graduated.
  PERC: 09/01/20** Note: Students receive official foreign transcript during October.
• Immunizations -Submit proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis if you are under the age of 22 and have not been enrolled for a least one fall or spring semester at TSC for the summer only if your course will be on TSC campus.
  *Immunization vaccine must be taken in the United States.

Step 2: Testing

Students that want to apply under the M1 or F1 Visa are required to take a the TOEFL iBT test. TSC only accepts the TOEFL iBT. Minimum TOEFL iBT score required: Internet based test -61 IBT. Also required is a state-mandated reading, writing and/or math assessment test (TSI).

M1 or F1 Students transferring from a US High School are not required to take TOEFL iBT test.

If you are required to take a reading, writing and/or math assessment test, log on to www.tsc.edu/testing-center and select TSC Marketplace to register for an online or in-person TSI exam.

Any test scores must be submitted to the testing office. TOEFL iBT scores must be sent directly from TOEFL/ETS. Test scores are valid only for two calendar years. Please visit www.toefl.org for more information, test dates, location, and registration.

Testing Center Information

Step 3: Advising

Upon Arriving to the United States, meet with Designated School Official and Enrollment Coach. Our College Enrollment Coaches will provide you with exceptional guidance and support as you launch your future with us, such as registering for classes and signing up to Orientation.

Enrollment Coaches will assist you in selecting a program of study and developing your degree plan.

International Student Orientation is a mandatory orientation that all new International students are required to attend to ease the transition to Texas Southmost College.

During the orientation, you will learn about how to get involved with student life on campus and about other college services.

 

Advising         Course Schedule       TSC Programs

 

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR ISSUE OF I-20

• Valid passport for more than 3 months
• Government Issued ID and if available B1/B2 or non-immigrant Visa
• Transfer students need to submit current documents (Passport, F1 Visa, I-94, and I-20)
• Financial Documentation: Affidavit of Support from the student’s sponsor, parent(s), or guardian, which must be signed and notarized, guaranteeing the student’s ability to pay expenses, such as tuition and fees.
• Financial Statement from a bank or other financial entity, documenting the availability of funds.
• For information about the financial requirements for the specific school year contact [email protected]

Online Program

What is an online student?

Online – A course is classified as online when 85-100% of the course content is delivered online. Some courses may require an on-campus orientation or testing.

Hybrid – A course is classified as hybrid when 50-85% of the course content is delivered online. A hybrid course blends online and face-to-face delivery.

Weekend– courses are 8-weeks and 5-weeks long and are offered in a blended (hybrid) format where 75% of the coursework will be delivered online, and 25% of the coursework will be delivered in person on Saturdays.

Step 1: Application

The first step to get started at TSC is to complete your ApplyTexas Application.  You can apply online by simply following the link below:

 Apply Now

 Finalize your application process, by submitting the following:

• Submit Transcripts – Contact your previous school(s) to request your official transcript(s) be sent to 80 Fort Brown, Brownsville, TX 78520
• Immunizations – Submit proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis if you are under the age of 22. If you will be enrolled in 100% Online Program Bacterial Meningitis will not be required.

Step 2: Testing

If your degree requires that you take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) TSI Exam, log on to the TSC Marketplace and select testing center to register for an online TSI exam:

Testing Center Information

Step 3: Advising

Our College Enrollment Coaches will provide you with exceptional guidance and support as you launch your future with us. College Enrollment Coaches will assist you with your journey to becoming a scorpion.

Advising            Course Schedule       TSC Programs

Step 4: Paying for College

TSC believes in providing access to affordable, quality education. We can help you explore your options, including scholarships, grants, and loans. TSC offers accommodating payment options to get you ready for class.

Financial Aid (FAFSA) School Code 030646   Scholarships    Payment Plans

Transfer Students

What is a Transfer Student?

A transfer student is someone who has attended a college or university before enrolling at Texas Southmost College. A transfer student may have completed a number of semesters or years of college coursework at one school and wants to transfer due to various reasons. A transfer student may need to go through a separate  application process and may be able to bring over the credit student has earned.

Step 1: Application

The first step to get started at TSC is to complete your ApplyTexas Application.  You can apply online by simply following the link below:

 Apply Now

 Finalize your application process, by submitting the following:

• Submit Transcripts – Contact your previous school(s) to request your official transcript(s) be sent to 80 Fort Brown, Brownsville, TX 78520

• • Transcript Evaluation:
    • A student must be complete with the admissions process before the evaluation can begin.
    • Allow the Office of Admissions & Records 10-12 business days for evaluation. The time frame is dependent on the volume of transcripts received.
    • TSC will transfer credits from a regional accredited institutions as long as the grade is a C or above. When a course has been repeated, the last grade stands.
    • Developmental, technical, and vocational courses are non-transferrable unless courses pertaining a specific program at TSC are approved by an academic Dean.

    (For more information visit the Admissions & Records Office)

    • If a Bachelor’s or higher level degree has been awarded to you at your previous institution no academic evaluation will be completed. However, wanting to obtain a degree at TSC will give you eligibility to transfer only lower level courses towards your program of study.

    (Request must be initiated by your the Strategic Enrollment Office to the Office of Admissions and Records via [email protected] email.)

  • Transfer Equivalency:
    • To learn about the courses you have completed that will transfer to TSC please visit www.tccns.org  *Note that not all colleges or universities are listed.
    • Evaluation of course credit taken at other institutions does not assure approval of credit for use towards TSC degree requirements.
• Immunizations – Submit proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis if you are under the age of 22. *If you will be enrolled in 100% Online Program Bacterial Meningitis will not be required.

Step 2: Testing

If your degree requires that you take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) TSI Exam, log on to the TSC Marketplace and select testing center to register for an online or in-person TSI exam:

Testing Center Information

Step 3: Advising

Our College Enrollment Coaches will provide you with exceptional guidance and support as you launch your future with us. College Enrollment Coaches will assist you with your journey to becoming a scorpion.

Advising            Course Schedule       TSC Programs

Step 4: Paying for College

TSC believes in providing access to affordable, quality education. We can help you explore your options, including scholarships, grants, and loans. TSC offers accommodating payment options to get you ready for class.

Financial Aid (FAFSA) School Code 030646   Scholarships    Payment Plans

What is a Transient student?

Students enrolled in and seeking a degree at another institution of higher education who plan to take courses at Texas Southmost College during the summer sessions only are considered transient students and should complete the application process well before registration begins for the summer term they plan to attend.

Step 1: Application

The first step to get started at TSC is to complete your ApplyTexas Application.  You can apply online by simply following the link below:

 Apply Now

 Finalize your application process, by submitting the following:

• Submit Transcripts – Contact your current school to request your official transcript. Transient student is not required to submit HS transcripts and should only submit the college transcripts for currently enrolled college.
• Immunizations – Submit proof of immunization for bacterial meningitis if you are under the age of 22. *If you will be enrolled in 100% Online Program Bacterial Meningitis will not be required.

Step 2: Testing

If your degree requires that you take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) TSI Exam, log on to the TSC Marketplace and select testing center to register for an online or in-person TSI exam:

Testing Center Information

Step 3: Advising

Our College Enrollment Coaches will provide you with exceptional guidance and support as you launch your future with us. College Enrollment Coaches will assist you with your journey to becoming a scorpion.

Advising            Course Schedule       TSC Programs

Step 4: Paying for College

TSC believes in providing access to affordable, quality education. We can help you explore your options, including scholarships, grants, and loans. TSC offers accommodating payment options to get you ready for class.

Financial Aid (FAFSA) School Code 030646   Scholarships    Payment Plans

What is Academic Fresh Start?

If a student is a Texas resident and applies for admission (or readmission) to Texas public colleges or universities and enrolls as an undergraduate, the student may be able to begin a new course of study with a clear academic record.

If a student has credits for college courses taken ten (10) or more years prior to the planned enrollment date, those credits (and grades) can be ignored for enrollment purposes under the “Academic Fresh Start” Law.

Please remember: This is an all or nothing option. A student cannot pick and choose which courses to ignore and which courses to count. If a student chooses the “Academic Fresh Start” option, the student will not receive any credit for any courses taken at least ten years ago.

This means that courses taken previously:

• Cannot be used to fulfill new prerequisite requirements;
• Cannot be counted toward a new degree; and
• Will not be counted in new G.P.A. calculations.

Who Determines our Eligibility for Academic Fresh Start?

The Coordinator of Admissions and Record college or university where the student is planning to enroll is the final authority on applying or interpreting a student’s right to an Academic Fresh Start.

Request must be initiated by Strategic Enrollment Office to the Office of Admissions and Records via [email protected] email

How Does This Affect Your Admission as an Undergraduate?

A student must still complete the usual admissions process. This includes providing information on all colleges or universities previously attended, along with copies of transcripts from all schools attended.

How Does This Affect Your Financial Aid?

Academic Fresh Start clears only academic records. When deciding eligibility for financial aid, the school must still count all prior credits earned. If the student earned a graduate degree prior to enrolling as an undergraduate under the Academic Fresh Start option, the student will only be eligible for aid available to graduate students. Contact the Director of Financial Aid at the school where you are enrolling for details.

Bacterial Meningitis

State law requires proof of Bacterial Meningitis vaccination 10 days before attending classes for all entering students. The vaccination or booster shot must have been received during the five (5) year period prior to enrollment.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has defined the term “entering student” to apply to:

• New students – those enrolling for the first time at an institution of higher education, including students who transfer to the institution from another, and
• Returning students – those who previously attended an institution of higher education before January 1, 2012, and are enrolling in the same or another institution of higher education following a break in enrollment of at least one fall or spring semester.

Evidence of Vaccination or Booster

• The signature or stamp of a physician or his/her designee, or public health personnel on a Bacterial Meningitis Form which shows the month, day, and year the vaccination dose or booster was administered, or
• an official immunization record generated from a state or local health authority, or
• an official record received from school officials, including a record from another state.

Submit your evidence of vaccination/booster to the

• Submit your evidence of vaccination/booster to the Office of Admissions and Records in Self Service.

Exemptions

1. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has identified exemptions to the new requirement. A student is not required to submit evidence of receiving the vaccination if he or she is:
   • 22 years of age or older by the first day of the semester, or
   • enrolled in only online courses or continuing education corporate training courses, or
   • enrolled in a continuing education course or program that is less than 360 contact hours, or
   • enrolled in a dual credit course which is taught at a public or private K-12 facility not located on a higher education institution campus, or
   • incarcerated and enrolled in continuing education or college courses at a prison facility.
2. The student may complete the Exemption from Meningococcal Vaccination Requirements for Reasons of Conscience form
3. The student must obtain a waiver, signed by a physician who is duly registered and licensed to practice medicine in the United States, stating that, in the physician’s opinion, the required vaccination for bacterial meningitis would be injurious to the student’s health and well-being.

Submit your evidence of exemption to to the Office of Admissions and Records in Self Service.

Because bacterial meningitis is a serious and potentially deadly disease, applicants should consult a physician about immunizing to prevent the disease.

Students may get a copy of their immunization records from their private healthcare provider or local health department, depending on where the vaccination(s) were administered. If the student’s immunization records are in The Texas Immunization Registry, he or she can request a copy by calling the Texas Immunization Information Line at 1-800-252-9152. Please note that individuals 18-26 years of age must re-consent as an adult in order to stay in the registry.

Frequently Asked Questions?

What programs of study are available at TSC?

TSC will be offering programs found normally at Junior Colleges, such as vocational/technical, developmental, and 2 year associate degree programs. In addition, we offer courses in the General Education Core Curriculum.

How can I apply for admissions?

There are a number of ways you can apply for admissions to Texas Southmost College.

1. 1. 1. Online via the Apply Texas application.
      2. In person by visiting the Computer Lab located at the Oliveira Student Services Center
      3. At various recruitment events that take place throughout the region

Can I earn college credit through dual enrollment courses before I graduate from high school?

Yes. Under the dual enrollment program, high school students are offered an opportunity to enroll in coursework that may earn credits towards the requirements for high school graduation as well as college credit. Speak to your high school counselor for more information on what courses are offered at your high school.

If I do not have legal residency in the United States, can I still attend TSC?

• • • Yes
    • If you are a U.S. Citizen, then you must provide proof of living in Texas 12 months prior to the first day of classes so you don’t get charged the out-of-state tuition.

Can a student who graduates from a high school in Mexico attend TSC?

Yes, a student who graduates from a high school in Mexico can attend TSC. Students must send transcripts to an agency for evaluation. Contact the Office of Admissions and Records for assistance or stop by the Oliveira Student Services Center (formerly the Oliveira Library) for help.

International Students – Admission Process

Prospective applicants who fall under international status must first submit an application along with the required admission documents. Contact the Office of Admissions and Records at 956-295-3600 or [email protected] for assistance or stop by the Oliveira Student Services Center (formerly the Oliveira Library) for help.

I don’t have a social security number; can I still apply for admissions to TSC?

Yes. A bill passed for undocumented students, giving them the opportunity to study at any college or university in the state of Texas and pay tuition as a Texas Resident. To qualify under Senate Bill 1528 a student must have:

• • • Graduate from a high school
    • Lived in Texas for 36 months leading up to high school graduation or completion of GED (do not need to live with parents)
    • Live in Texas for the previous 12 months prior to enrollment (can overlap the 36 month period)

Do I have to attend orientation?

Yes, all new students are required to attend a New Student Orientation as part of their admission requirements.

How can I schedule a campus tour?

Personal or group tours can be requested by visiting the Campus Visits page.

Does TSC offer campus housing?

No, we currently do not have campus housing.

How can I register for classes?

Once you receive your credentials (username and password) registration can be done through MyTSC or in person at the Oliveira Student Services Center.

What is my username and password for TSC Online?

Username: firstname.lastname###
Password: A temporary password would be assigned.
The Office of Admissions and Records will be sending you this information electronically once you apply to TSC.

How am I affected if I withdraw from a class?

Withdrawing from a class will not impact your GPA, but it might impact your academic standing. To remain in good academic standing, a student must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.000, as outlined by the Student Academic Standing (SAS) policy.

I’m getting a prerequisite block. How can I clear it?

Please visit the Strategic Enrollment Office to assist you with information pertaining to any prerequisite block. If approval is granted, the Registrar must receive notice granting permission to register via email.

Can I register for a closed class?

No, students will have to wait until a seat becomes available. Usually during adds and drops, some seats may become available. Please continue to view the Search for Courses section on TSC Online for any updates on a specific course.