Undergraduate Admission Requirements for Service Members, their Family Members and DoD Personnel

Thank you for considering Thomas Edison State University for your degree completion needs!

You are eligible to become an undergraduate student at Thomas Edison State University if you are:

• An adult 20 years of age or older (unless you are a current Service member, in which case you are eligible at the age of 18)
• A high school graduate or have successfully passed a General Educational Development (GED) test

Individuals not meeting this criteria, but who feel they warrant special consideration for other reasons, may petition the Director of Admissions and present appropriate documentation to support their being accepted to the University. Students admitted through special consideration are subject to the same academic policies and requirements as those admitted unconditionally.

You do not need to worry about application deadlines. The University offers 12 terms during the year.

Congratulations on the decision to apply!

General Undergraduate Admission Instructions

1. Complete an online application for admission to the University. Once the application is submitted, you will receive an email confirming receipt, along with your Military Counselor's contact information. Your Military Counselor will provide further guidance on your next steps for getting started.
   • Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve members must complete the Common Application in the GoArmyEd portal instead of the Thomas Edison State University online application.
      
2. Arrange for all official transcripts, and any license or certification documentation to be sent to TESU for an evaluation of your transfer credit. You do not need to request your Joint Services Transcript (JST). Your Military Counselor will order the JST on your behalf. 
   • Your Academic Evaluation is completed within approximately 10 business days upon receipt of all transcripts and documentation. You will receive an email notification once the evaluation is complete and ready for your viewing. 
   • After you receive your Academic Evaluation, we recommend that you contact the Office of Academic Advising to schedule an appointment to discuss your evaluation and plan your courses for registration. 
   • To participate in the Military Degree Completion Program (MDCP), students must complete at least 24 credits toward a bachelor's degree and at least 12 credits toward an associate's degree at Thomas Edison State University. Your progress toward this requirement is outlined in your Academic Evaluation.
      
3. If you will be utilizing Military Tuition Assistance (TA), please consult with your military education center to proceed through the TA process. Once your degree plan is approved by your service, you may register for courses and then request TA for your courses. Once your TA is approved, please scan and send to ta@tesu.edu. 

Active/Inactive Status

Your student status is deteremined by your enrollment and the length of time you may take between courses. Please review guidance on active and inactive status and the services you are still provided, or action you may need to take if you go into inactive student status. 

Readmission and Course Withdrawals

Thomas Edison State University follows the guidelines for readmissions and course withdrawals and release that align with provisions for Service members provided in Chapter 3 of Volume 2 of the Federal Student Aid Handbook set forth in the Federal Student Handbook for Service members.

If a military student must stop their educational endeavors for reasons of their service, the University will allow them up to five years to return to their academic program and catalog year that they were originally pursuing.  The student is requested to contact their Military Counselor within the Office of Military and Veteran Education to inform them of their intent to return.  The student simply needs to register for their next course in the next semester they are able to return, and their TESU student account will be returned to active and enrolled status once they surpass the 10th day of the course.

If the military student was unable to notify the Office of Military and Veteran Education prior to their departure for service, the Office will work with the appropriate University departments to correct grades, or other account needs, once the student provides the appropriate documentation demonstrating their service obligation.