You do not have to take the TSI Assessment test if you: 

• have graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education; or 
• have transferred from a private or independent institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and have satisfactorily completed college-level coursework as determined by the receiving institution; or 
• have previously attended any institution of higher education and have been determined to have met college readiness standards by that institution; or 
• are a student who is enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level-One certificates, 42 or fewer semester credit hours or the equivalent) at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college; or 
• are serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and have been serving for at least three years preceding enrollment; or 
• on or after August 1, 1990, were honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard or service as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States; or 
• are enrolled at TAMU on a temporary basis as a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate-seeking student (must be classified as a “U0″) 

All SAT and ACT Test scores are valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of the test in order to be used for TSI exemption purposes. The following tests can be used to exempt you from one or more parts of the TSI Assessment:  
 

SAT (administered on or after March 5, 2016): 

• A minimum score of 530 on the mathematics test for a TSI exemption in math (no combined score required); 

• A minimum score of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) for a TSI exemption in both reading and writing (no combined score required) 

Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable.  
 
 
ACT (administered prior to February 15, 2023): 
A student must first achieve a minimum composite score of 23 with: 

• At least 19 on math for an exemption in math 
  and/or 
• At least 19 on English for an exemption in reading and writing 

 
ACT (administered on or after February 15, 2023): 

• A combined score of 40 on the English and Reading (E + R) tests shall be exempt for both reading and writing or ELAR sections of the TSI Assessment.  
• A score of 22 on the mathematics test will be exempt for the mathematics TSI Assessment.  
• There is no composite score. 

The use of scores from the ACT administered before and after February 15, 2023, is allowable as long as the minimum benchmarks are met.

TAKS 

• A minimum score of 2200 in math for an exemption in math 
  and/or 
• 2200 in English Language Arts–with a writing sub-score of 3–for an exemption in reading and writing. 

Students must attend college within five (5) years from the date of their 11th grade exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test in order to use the scores for an exemption. 
 
STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment 

• Algebra II – a minimum score of Level 2 (4000) for an exemption in mathematics 
• English III – a minimum score of Level 2 (4000) for an exemption in integrated reading and writing 

Students must attend college within five (5) years from the date of their STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) test in order to use the scores for an exemption.  

TSI Assessment taken prior to 11 January 2021: 
 
Reading:  351  
Writing: 

• a placement score of at least 340, and an essay score of at least 4; OR  
• a placement score of less than 340, an ABE Diagnostic level of at least 4, and an essay score of at least 5. 

Mathematics:  350  

TSI Assessment 2 (TSIA2) taken on or after 11 January 2021: 

 
English Language Arts Reading (ELAR): 

• a College Readiness Classification (CRC) score of at least 945 and an essay score of at least 5; OR 
• a CRC score below 945 and a Diagnostic level of 5 or 6 and an essay score of at least 5. 

Mathematics: 

• a College Readiness Classification (CRC) score of at least 950; OR 
• a CRC score below 950 and a Diagnostic level of 6. 

• A minimum score of 165 on the Mathematical Reasoning subject test shall be exempt for mathematics 
• A minimum score of 165 on the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) subject test shall be exempt for English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) 

Students must attend college within five (5) years from the date of the GED test in order to use the scores for an exemption.  

• A minimum score of 15 on the Mathematics subtest shall be exempt for mathematics 
• A minimum score of 15 on the Reading subtest and a minimum score of 15 on the Writing subtest, including a minimum score of 4 on the essay, shall be exempt for English Language Arts Reading (ELAR)  

Students must attend college within five (5) years from the date of the HiSET test in order to use the scores for an exemption.  

TAMUG does not accept the Texas College Bridge as a TSI exemption. You can find a full list of schools that do accept Texas College Bridge here. 

Please note: documents take time to process so please submit them early 

• Send an official transcript to Texas A&M University 
• Preferred: electronic transcripts sent by SPEEDE 
• Electronic transcripts sent by eSCRIP-SAFE, PARCHMENT, and National Student Clearinghouse 
• Mailing Address: 
  Texas A&M University at Galveston 
  Prospective Student Center 
  P.O. Box 1675, Galveston, Texas 77553 

• Send your official SAT or ACT scores through the testing agency to Texas A&M University 

• Military DD-214 forms can be uploaded into your AIS portal. 
• Email tsi@tamug.edu once uploaded for review  

• TAKS and STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment scores may appear on your official high school transcript.  

Have you previously taken the TSI at another institution? Send us your scores or give us permission to retrieve your scores here.  

You must take the TSI for the sections in which you do not meet an exemption. Note that beginning January 11, 2021, there are only two areas for the TSI: Math and English Language Arts Reading (ELAR).  

Submit a request for a testing voucher here.  

You may use TSI proctoring online through Examity for a testing fee. Online options allow you to test at home in a quiet place at a time convenient for you. 

• Review the Examity website for technology and other requirements 
• Fill out the application for a testing voucher and enter "Examity" for the Testing Institution and Testing Site Campus 

You will receive an email usually within two business days from Accuplacer with instructions to schedule an appointment with Examity. 

• Find an official testing center near you that accepts voucher forms. 
• Fill out the application for a testing voucher and enter "In-Person” for the Testing Institution and Testing Site Campus 

You will receive an email usually within two business days from Accuplacer with instructions to schedule an appointment with your testing center. 

Math Section Practice Questions  

Kahn Academy Reviews  

ELAR Practice Questions 

Essay Samples 

Any MATH courses. 

Recommended restrictions: CHEM, PHYS, MARB 303, MART 204 

Any HIST, PBSI, POLS, or ENGL courses. 

Developmental instruction in mathematics includes integers, rational numbers, applications, exponents, polynomials, solutions of equations, graphing, elementary geometry, and reasoning skills. May not be used toward a degree. 

Designed to support students in their college level math class that is on their degree guide. 

Students are co-enrolled depending on degree requirements. Students will be co-enrolled in ASCC 002 & MATH 140 or ASCC 002 & MATH 150. ASCC 002 may not be used toward a degree. 

Designed to support students in their college level ELAR (reading/writing) class that is on their degree guide. 

Students are co-enrolled in ASCC 003 & POLS 206. ASCC 003 may not be used toward a degree.  

Designed for students whose Texas Success Initiative requirement for ELAR has not been met; develops additional reading and writing skills by emphasizing the interrelatedness between the two disciplines. May not be used for credit toward a degree. 

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a Texas legislature mandated program for students who attend Texas public institutions of higher education as of Fall 2003 (Texas Education Code §51.3062). Students must comply with this mandate in order to enroll in Texas public institutions of higher education. The law requires all entering college students to be assessed for college readiness in mathematics, reading, and writing unless the student qualifies for an exemption.  

The Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) gives students important information about the TSIA2 and includes a practice test.  
 
Unless exempt, students entering a Texas public college or university must take the TSI Assessment (TSIA2), the purpose of which is to determine readiness for college-level course work. The TSIA2 tests for three academic areas:  reading, writing, and mathematics. 
 
Before you can take the TSIA2, you are required to take the Pre-Assessment Activity  (PAA).  You will not be able to take the TSIA2 until you complete this activity. 

You may take the TSI Assessment (TSIA2) at any Texas public college, university, or online through Examity. You can request a testing voucher here.  

If you do not make the minimum required score for each of the three academic areas (reading, writing, and math), you will be enrolled in a program of developmental education for the specific area(s) needing remediation.  

Students who do not meet the minimum requirement for math will be restricted from enrolling in college-level math courses. Students who do not meet the minimum requirement for writing will be restricted from enrolling in college-level English courses. Students who do not meet the minimum requirement for reading will be restricted from enrolling in college-level reading intensive courses of history, psychology, or political science.  

If you are enrolled in ASCC courses, you must remain in the program for the full semester if you have not successfully retested by the last business day before the first day of the semester. Once you achieve a passing score, you have met the minimum TSI requirement, and you are no longer restricted from taking courses in the particular academic area(s). 

You can check your TSI exemption status using the decision tree.

The TSI Assessment test is the only state approved test for non-exempt students. Prior to taking the test, all students must complete the mandatory Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA). The PAA consists of reading information about the TSI Assessment test and then completing a TSI Assessment practice test. Only Texas public universities and colleges offer the TSI Assessment test. You can request a TSI voucher to test at a local college or online through Examity.  

Not meeting one or more of the requirements of the TSI Assessment test will not keep you from attending Texas A&M University. The tests are for placement purposes only. If you do not meet the minimum requirements for one or more sections, you will be enrolled in an appropriate developmental course. 

If you have taken dual-credit courses and you want those courses to exempt you from any of the TSI requirements, you need to have an official college transcript sent to A&M from the college where you took the courses. Depending on the kinds of college courses you have completed you may be exempt from some or all of the TSI requirements. You would need: 
TSI math requirement – college level MATH course 
TSI writing requirement – college level ENGL Composition course 
TSI reading requirement – college level HIST, PSYC, GOVT or POLS course 
 If you have not taken college level courses in all of these areas, you will need to take some or all sections of the TSI Assessment.  

The TSI determines if students are ready for college-level coursework in reading/writing (ELAR) and math.  

The Math Placement Exam (MPE) determines which math class students should be placed into based on their scores. All incoming TAMU freshmen and some transfer students are required to complete the MPE.

Students without TSI scores for all areas on their accounts will have a TSI hold preventing registration for any course.

Every incoming student. Most transfer students will have already taken the TSI or developmental education classes for math and/or reading/writing (ELAR). Please refer to TSI exemptions above.

Before the New Student Conference (NSC). Students will not be able to register for their classes until they have TSI scores on file.

Contact Dana Little at dlittle@tamug.edu. Students cannot test with accommodations until they have completed the proper requirements with Ability Services. Please warn students this process can be lengthy.

Yes, they expire after 5 years

Please email tsi@tamug.edu