Tusculum University is a distinctive institution that seeks students of good character who display academic promise.

ADMISSION TO TUSCULUM

Tusculum University is a distinctive institution that seeks applicants of good character and academic promise. Our applicant population is diverse, and we welcome applications from all who desire an education that is highly civic-minded and intensely practical. A Tusculum University education is deeply rooted in the Civic Arts and closely analyzes practices that exemplify good citizenship.

Applicants are admitted to Tusculum University because they have demonstrated the potential to succeed in a rigorous environment and shown further evidence of their capability to contribute to the Tusculum community as a whole. The curriculum at Tusculum University places strong emphasis on writing, analytical reading and critical analysis. Applicants are assessed for these skills early in their college careers. Assistance is provided to applicants needing further development for academic success.

In determining an applicant’s readiness for college, criteria for admission are both objective and subjective. The University examines academic records, class rank and SAT or ACT scores. We know that a family’s financial situation has no relationship to an applicant’s preparation, character, potential or intellect. The University adheres strictly to a financially need-blind policy.

CAMPUS VISITS

Although a personal interview is not required for admission, prospective students are encouraged to visit the University.

TRADITIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE OF ADMISSION

The Office of Admission for the Traditional Program is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays by appointment only. To schedule an interview and visit the campus, call in advance of the intended date of arrival or schedule a visit online. Please call 423-636-7312 to schedule an appointment or visit www.tusculum.edu/visit We have several “Pioneer Your Future” days (open houses) scheduled for both spring and fall. Information about each event, including RSVP instructions, are available on the website.

TRADITIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

MID-YEAR ADMISSION

Applicants with regular acceptance may be considered for admission to Tusculum University for the spring semester. Applications for spring semester should be completed by November 15.

APPLICATION REVIEW

Freshman and transfer applicants are reviewed for admission once all required materials are received. The Admissions and Standards Committee reviews applications on a rolling basis, so notification should generally be made within two weeks. Notification of admission will be made in writing by the University to the Applicant. An Applicant who is placed on hold is encouraged to re-take the ACT or SAT and increase his/her academic GPA in order to enhance his/her academic profile. It is encouraged that students who are placed on hold provide additional documentation of such by way of personal essay, explaining “How Will I Be Successful at Tusculum University?” and two letters of recommendation from a high school teacher, employer or church official to be reviewed by the admission committee.

The enrollment deposit is required to secure a student’s place in the entering class; it will be credited to the applicant’s account in the Business Office and will reduce the amount of tuition due at the time of billing. All offers of admission and financial aid will stand until May 1; the deposit will secure such offers beyond the May 1 deadline. Once the deposit is made, applicants may complete housing forms and are considered for priority class registration during the summer. Students must utilize their assigned Tusculum University email account received at registration.

For information about Early Admission, Dual Enrollment, International Student Admission, Transfer Admission, Provisional or Conditional Admission, Academic Fresh Start, Readmission and Special Student Status, please see those headings in this Tusculum University Catalog.

TRANSFER STUDENT INFORMATION

Tusculum University will consider applicants for admission by way of transfer from colleges and universities accredited by regional accrediting agencies. The following items must be completed:

• A completed Tusculum University Admission Application.
• Official transcripts remitted directly from the applicant’s previous institution(s). Only transcripts received at Tusculum University PO Box 5051, Greeneville, TN 37745 or via certified transcript service will be deemed official.
• An official transcript from the secondary school must be sent if fewer than 12 college-level credits have been completed.

Applicants seeking transfer of course work from postsecondary institutions with national or specialized accreditation may request that the Registrar’s Office review such credit with the pertinent academic department, provided the transcript and course syllabi are official and remitted directly from the applicant’s previous institution. A transfer applicant must have transcripts sent from each previous institution denoting all college work taken. Only those transcripts sent by the credit granting institution will be deemed as official. Transfer applications will be considered void if discovery of previous attendance at another institution is not disclosed at the time of application and a direct violation to the University’s Code of Conduct will be noted.
Applications for the fall semester should be filed with the Office of Admission during the prior winter or spring, and notification will be made when the file of credentials is complete. For entrance in the spring semester, applications should arrive before November 15 to receive priority accommodations. Applicants wanting to receive priority accommodation for fall should have applications in by April 15.

Transfer applicants must be eligible to return to the college or university previously attended. Tusculum will consider transfer applicants with complete official transcripts that show an average of 2.0 or better.

Veterans may submit a certified Veterans’ Form DD 214 showing an honorable discharge with at least six months service. Those still active military may submit basic training documents.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students are expected to follow the general admission policies. Additional information is listed for your convenience. Documents may be submitted separately. To expedite the process, we suggest you provide as many documents as possible at once.

STEP 1: Submit Application
A complete Tusculum Application for Admission must be submitted. Please include your name, exactly as it is noted on your application on all documents you submit.

STEP 2: Submit Academic Transcript
FIRST-TIME FRESHMAN

• Arrange for your secondary school to send your official transcripts directly to Tusculum. If the transcripts are not in English, please include English translations. Students from educational systems with external exams should submit certified external exam results (i.e., GCE/AS results, CBSE Board exams, etc.). You must submit official transcripts from any dual enrollment/other schools attended (if applicable).
• If you have attended more than one high school, you must submit records from each school if the grades/marks are not listed on your current high school transcript.

TRANSFER

• Transfer students with less than 24 transferable semester hours must also submit a high school transcript (see above). Transcripts are required from ALL post-secondary institutions which have been attended.
• ost-secondary transcripts in a language other than English must be certified by a NACES accredited evaluation company. Tusculum recommends World Education Service OR Educational Credential Evaluators, but students are free to choose from an NACES accredited company.

If an applicant is discovered to have falsified their academic documentation, Tusculum reserves the right to deny admission or dismiss the student from their course of study.

Submit by Mail
If transcripts are mailed, they must be official with an original signature of the school official(s) or the school seal on the transcript and sent directly from the school or submitted in an envelope sealed by the school.

Transcripts should be mailed to the following address:
Office of Admissions
Tusculum University
60 Shiloh Rd.
Greeneville, TN 37745 USA

STEP 3: Submit ACT or SAT Score
All international applicants are required to submit either SAT or ACT scores. You do not have to submit both. Our office will accept scores from both the old and new SAT tests.

Applicants should be mindful of the Tusculum International Student application deadline (June 1) when scheduling the ACT or SAT. The optional ACT or SAT writing/essay section are neither required nor recommended. The SAT II Subject Tests are also not required.

Tusculum will consider all official test scores from multiple test dates. We will use the highest composite score from among each test that you’ve taken. There is no limit to the number of test scores you may submit to us for your application.

NOTE: If you have used a different name (e.g. nickname, middle name, etc.) when taking the SAT/ACT, you will need to notify our office by sending an e-mail to admission@tusculum.edu.

SAT/ACT scores must be sent to us directly from the testing agencies to be considered official.

Tusculum Codes:
SAT – 1812
ACT – 4018

STEP 4: Submit Proof of English Proficiency
International applicants (from a country whose primary language is NOT English) must submit proof of English proficiency, which may be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Official Internet-Based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 80.*
2. An attested or watermarked copy of an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam score of 6.5 or higher.*
3. Official iTEP (International Test of English Proficiency) score of 3.5.*
4. Official computer-based GTEC (Global Test of English Communication) score of 1200.*
5. A “C” or better in transferable English Composition courses (two semesters) at an accredited U.S. college or university.
6. A “C” or better on the UK system AS or A-Level English Exams (not ESL), or Hong Kong system HKALE English Exam.
7. he ELS Language Center’s Master level 108 class with a grade of “C” or higher.
8. IB (International Baccalaureate) 1 English grade result of 5 or better.

* Students scoring below this will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering country of residence, language of previous instruction, other standardized test scores, and English course grades.

TOEFL, IELTS, or iTEP, scores must be sent to us directly from the testing service.
A student transferring 30 or more semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university is not required to provide English proficiency scores.
All language proficiency exams must be taken within 2 years of time of application.

What is an official document?
All documents regarding your previous education (marks, certificates, diplomas, etc.) and test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, SAT) must be sent to us DIRECTLY FROM THE SCHOOL(S) YOU ATTENDED, THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, OR THE TESTING AUTHORITY.
The document we receive may be a photocopy, as long as it has been signed by a school, ministry, or testing authority official, and sent directly to us by the school, the Ministry of Education, or testing authority in a letterhead envelope.

We must be able to determine that the document we receive (whether the original or a photocopy) has been verified by the issuing institution and that the student (or anyone else) has not had the opportunity to see or touch the document from the time of the verification until we open the document in our office.

STEP 5: Submit Verification of Financial Support
After admission has been granted, the international student will submit the Certification of Finances form and $150 enrollment deposit. The Certification of Finances form must be submitted, along with the student’s deposit information from a bank, or similar financial institution. If there is a U.S.-based sponsor, the Certificate of Finances form should be completed by the sponsor, and submitted along with a letter of support. It is required that all financial arrangement be confirmed before the student arrives at Tusculum.

Once the admitted student has submitted the enrollment deposit and financial arrangements are completed, Tusculum will issue the Form I-20 which is used to secure the student visa.

STEP 6: Provide Proof of Health Insurance
All international students must have current health insurance. Students may provide proof of coverage on parent’s insurance (clearly showing coverage in the U.S.), or purchase student insurance on arrival at Tusculum. International student insurance MUST include coverage for repatriation of mortal remains. Proof of insurance MUST be provided in order to remain enrolled in classes.

If the international applicant is accepted and financial arrangements complete, the University will issue an I-20 form, which will expedite securing an applicant visa; the I-20 can only be processed following receipt of the enrollment deposit. Applicants who are offered admission are asked to submit an enrollment deposit of $150 to secure their place in the class and to have an I-20 issued.

Deposits are not refundable after an I-20 is issued regardless of the date of deposit. The deposit will be credited to the applicant’s account in the Business Office and will reduce the amount of tuition due at the time of billing. All offers of admission and financial aid will stand until May 1; the deposit will secure such offers beyond the May 1 deadline.

Once the deposit is made, applicants may complete housing forms and are considered for priority class registration during the summer. Students must utilize their assigned Tusculum University email account received at registration.

SPECIAL STUDENT STATUS

Applicants who are not candidates for degrees from Tusculum University, but are interested in attending classes, will most likely be placed in one of these three categories:

1. Transient Students: Applicants currently matriculating at another college who are in good standing may want to enroll as transient students. The normal application procedure should be followed, but in place of the transcript, a letter from the chief academic officer or registrar of the applicant’s institution must be sent to the Office of Admission giving special approval for the Applicant to attend Tusculum University and specifying which courses may be taken. At the request of the applicant, a transcript will be sent to his/her college at the end of the enrollment at Tusculum. Enrollment in this status is for a limited period, usually not exceeding one semester.
2. Special Students: Tusculum University will admit applicants who do not plan to become regular students or candidates for degrees but who plan to enroll in one or more courses. Applicants seeking course credit to qualify for admission to undergraduate, graduate or professional programs along with those seeking teaching certifications/licensure may be enrolled as special students. Applicants seeking this option are required to submit applications and/or appropriate documentation to be reviewed by committee.
3. Auditors: An auditor is one who attends classes, but is not required to participate in classroom discussions, submit work required of other students or take examinations. Individuals who wish to audit one or more courses should submit an application at least two weeks before the beginning of the semester in which they expect to enroll and secure the permission of the instructor. A course that is audited cannot change to a credit course, nor can a credit course change to an audit course, after the drop/add period.

READMISSION TO TUSCULUM

A former student who is seeking readmission should contact the Admission Office. The Admission Office will outline the admissions procedure.

REVIEW OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR, OTHER THAN HONORABLE DISCHARGE

Tusculum University is committed to providing an opportunity for all qualified applicants to receive a quality education while also assuring that the environment is conducive to learning and community development without unreasonable risk to the safety or welfare of individuals or their property. Based on these considerations, applicants for admission to all programs of study will be asked whether they have been responsible for criminal behavior, received other than an honorable discharge from military service or been subject to disciplinary accountability by an institution of higher education. An affirmative response to these questions will not automatically prevent admission, but applicants will be asked to provide sufficient information (personal information, intended program of study and criminal and rehabilitative history) to determine whether the applicant is a match for the Tusculum University community and course of studies. Any omission or falsification in the disclosure of the requested information may result in denial of admission or disciplinary action (See “Application for Admissions” and “Review of Applicants’ Criminal, Discharge and Conduct for Admissions Policy” in the Student Handbook for more information). Applicants who may have past criminal behavior and other than Honorable Discharge will be reviewed by the Dean of Students.

COURSES AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION

All courses taken at another institution must be approved by the Tusculum University Registrar. Courses taken online through another institution must have Tusculum University Faculty and Registrar approval. Unauthorized course work may result in duplication of previously earned credit or denial of credit. Official transcripts are required upon completion of coursework at another school.

ENROLLMENT DEPOSIT

Applicants who are offered admission are asked to submit an enrollment deposit of $150 to secure their place in the class. Deposits are fully refundable, upon written request to the Office of Admission, until May 1. No money will be refunded after May 1, regardless of the date of deposit. The deposit will be credited to the applicant’s account in the Business Office and will reduce the amount of tuition due at the time of billing. All offers of admission and financial aid will stand until May 1; the deposit will secure such offers beyond the May 1 deadline. Once the deposit is made, applicants may complete housing forms and are considered for priority class registration during the summer. Students must utilize their assigned Tusculum University email account received at registration.