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The Academic Advising Center advises students who have not successfully completed the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). TSI, a measure passed by the Texas Legislature, is designed to ensure that students entering a Texas public college or university are prepared for college-level math (MATH 1319, MATH 1320, MATH 1309, MATH 1508, and STAT 1380), writing (RWS 1301), and reading-intensive courses (HIST 1301, HIST 1302, PSYC 1301, SOCI 1301, POLS 2310, and POLS 2311).

Students complete TSI when they pass the reading, writing, and math sections of the TSI Assessment Test or when they pass certain writing, math, and reading-intensive courses with an appropriate grade.

The following TSI exemptions are provided by the state:

• ACT administered prior to February 15, 2023: composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall be exempt for both the reading and writing sections of the TSI Assessment, and/or 19 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment.
• 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 shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. There is no composite score.
• Students who score 1070 on the SAT with a minimum of 500 on the English and/or math sections prior to March 5, 2016*.
• Students who score a minimum of 480 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and a minimum score of 530 on the mathematics on or after March 5, 2016*. Mixing or combining scores from the SAT administered prior to March 5, 2016 and the SAT administered on or after March 5, 2016 is not allowable.
• Students who score 1770 on the TAAS test, with a Texas Learning Index (TLI) of 86 on the math test and 89 on the reading test*.
• Students who took the eleventh grade exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) with a minimum scale score of 2200 on the math section and/or a minimum scale score of 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a writing subsection of a 3*.
• Students with a STAAR end-of-course (EOC) with a minimum score of Level 2 on the English III shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for both reading and writing, and a minimum score of Level 2 on the Algebra II EOC shall be exempt from the TSI Assessment required under this title for the mathematics section*.
• Students who have an associate’s or baccalaureate degrees from an institution of higher education
• A student who has previously attended any Texas institution and has been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.
• Students enrolled in certificate programs of one year or less at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, or public state colleges.
• Students on active duty as members of the armed forces, the Texas National Guard, or reserve forces for at least three years before enrolling.
• Students honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty as members of the armed forces, Texas National Guard, or reserve forces after August 1, 1990.
• Students who are not seeking a degree or certificate
• Students who transfer to UTEP from a private institution of higher education or an accredited out-of-state institution of higher education and has satisfactorily completed college-level coursework with a C or better per TSI area (reading, writing, and math) will be exempt for the corresponding area.
• 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
• A student who successfully completes a college preparatory course under Texas Education Code §28.014 is exempt for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of high school graduation with respect to the content area of the course. The student must enroll in the student's first college-level course in the exempted content area in the student's first year of enrollment in an institution of higher education. This exemption applies only at the institution of higher education that partners with the school district in which the student is enrolled to provide the course.
• GED: minimum score of 165 on the Mathematical Reasoning subject test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. A minimum score of 165 on the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) subject test shall be exempt for the English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) section of the TSI Assessment.
• HiSET: minimum score of 15 on the Mathematics subtest shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment. 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 the English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) section of the TSI Assessment.

* SAT, TAKS and ACT scores are valid for five (5) years from the date of testing.  The TAAS test is valid for three (3) years from the date of testing.