Admissions: Frequently Asked Questions

Foreign students must present proof of permanent residency in the United States. The Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology are authorized to enroll immigrants/permanent resident students who provide the school with a resident alien card (Form 1-551) or other acceptable document to verify permanent resident status. The school is not approved by INS to accept foreign nationals.

Possibly. An individual may be given credit for skills and knowledge obtained in high school or at another post-secondary institution. If you think you are eligible for advanced placement credit, see Placement Tests and Transfer Credit for more information.
 

Visit www.fafsa.gov. Our federal school code is 004025.

To begin the application process, visit the Admissions page and follow the instructions for how to apply.

No, applying to a program does not cost. Just be sure to bring all required documents with you to the Student Services department at the Knoxville main campus.

Many TCATs offer high school students the opportunity to earn dual enrollment credit (credit at high school and credit at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology). Opportunities for dual enrollment vary by campus.

Eligible students must have completed at least the sophomore year of high school with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Requests for exceptions may be submitted to the Student Services Coordinator of the college.

In order to apply for dual enrollment, be sure to select “Dual Enrollment HS Students Only” on your application for admission. Also submit a completed application form authorized by TSAC regarding Dual Enrollment and a written recommendation from the high school principal, teacher, or counselor.

Your application will be reviewed and process into the selected program, location, and time. If you program of choice is full, your name will be placed on a waiting list according to your application’s date of completion. You will be notified when a vacancy occurs. If you refuse the first vacancy, Student Services may delay your entry into the next available slot. If a student delay three times they will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.

If your desired program has a long waiting list, you will periodically receive letters from Student Services to determine your continued interest. If you do not respond to the letter in an appropriate method and time period, you will be removed from the waiting list.

If you are applying for any of our full-time Allied Health Programs (Dental Assistant,  Practical Nursing, and Surgical Technology) you will need to take the HESI® exam. If you have attended college before, even if you possess a degree you will still be required to take and pass the exam to apply to these programs.

• Day programs at all TCAT Knoxville locations, Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
• Night programs at Knoxville, Monday – Friday from 3:30 pm – 10:00 pm
• Night program at Oak Ridge High School, Monday – Thursday from 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Schedule a visit.  You will be able to visit each program area of interest, talk with the instructor, and see what the students are learning.

• Dental Assisting start once a year each Fall
• Surgical Technology starts twice a year each Fall and mid-Spring
• Practical Nursing and Medical Office Information Technology start each Spring, Summer, and Fall
• Truck Driving starts every two months
• Administrative Office Technology, Automotive Technology, Collision Repair Technology, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology, Diesel Powered Equipment Technology, Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Industrial Electricity, Industrial Maintenance/Mechatronics Technology, Machine Tool Technology, Pipefitting and Plumbing, and Welding all start each trimester Spring, Summer, and Fall. If openings become available, we can pull in during a midterm, which will occur halfway through the trimester.