Applying to a TCAT
Review the programs of study and any program-specific admission requirements. Complete the FAFSA to apply for the Pell grant, TN Promise scholarship, the TN Reconnect and the Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant.Admissions
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Student Services Office – Main Campus
740 Highway 46 South
Dickson, TN 37055
Phone: 615-441-6220 Fax: 615-441-6223
Admissions@tcatdickson.edu
Student Services Office – Clarksville Campus
135 International Blvd
Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: 931-572-1694 Fax: 931-572-1696
Lisa.sullivan@tcatdickson.edu
Truck Driving
Requirements: The following criteria must be completed before you are given a start date, with the exception of the DMV check and drug test which you will be required to obtain 30 days before you start the class (at a designated health care facility). You must pass the drug test and DMV check. If you do not pass the drug test and DMV check you will not be able to attend the class. You must also obtain the CDL Permit prior to class.
Step 1: Must be 18 years of age & a U.S. Citizen
Step 2: Must have a valid driver’s License
Step 3: Obtain DOT physical (Certified Medical Exam).
Step 4: Must obtain DOT Learner Permit
Step 5: Complete TCAT at Clarksville's online application at https://tcatdickson.edu/future-students/admissions (application available mid-March 2025).
Step 6: Apply for financial aid at https://fafsa.ed.gov
Step 7: Submit copies of DOT physical (Certified Medical Exam), DOT Learners Permit, and Tennessee driver license. At this time, you will obtain a start date. *Submit documents within 30 days of class start date: (If not submitted a week before class starts you will lose your start date.)
Step 8: Student will provide Student Services with the following documents:
A. Copy of your Ten Year Motor Vehicle Report. You can get your MVR by visiting https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/mvr.html or by going to the Clarksville Driver Service Center at 220 West Dunbar Cave Road, Clarksville, TN 37040.
B. Complete a drug screen (location to be determined. A random drug test may be a possibility at any time during your enrollment.
Both the MVR and drug screen must be submitted by the deadline. Any delay in the Admissions process listed above WILL DELAY ENROLLMENT.
Patient Care Technology/Medical Assisting
Class Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
Clinical Hours: Vary depending on clinical site availability
Accepting applications for Summer 2025 and Fall 2025.
*All start dates are dependent on sufficient enrollment.
To be considered for admission, please complete the following steps:
- Online Application by clicking “Apply Now”
- Official High School Transcript or Equivalent
- Official transcript must be mailed directly from your school system to TCAT Dickson, Attn: Sherry Bowman. Electronic submission of transcripts must be from Parchment.com or National Student Clearinghouse to be considered official. We DO NOT accept emailed transcripts.
- Foreign Transcripts will require translation and evaluation from a credentialing service to verify equivalent to a US high school diploma. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain appropriate credential verification.
- Proof of Immunity to MMR and Varicella
- Applicants must provide proof of two doses of each immunization or positive titer levels.
- HESI A2 Entrance Exam
- A minimum score of 60 in both math and reading sections. HESI scores are valid for 2 years. Retesting may be allowed once per term and must be a minimum of 30 days after the prior test.
- If you test at a testing center other than TCAT Dickson or Clarksville, please have the testing facility email Sherry.Bowman@tcatdickson.edu with your official scores.
- Achieving the minimum scores on the HESI A2 exam does not guarantee admission. Admission to the Patient Care Technician and Medical Assisting Program is highly competitive, and only a select number of students are enrolled in each class.
Patient Care Technician & Medical Assisting applicants with a complete application are ranked based on scores on the entrance exam.
*Additional documentation will be required following acceptance into the program to meet clinical approval.
Information Sessions:
May 14, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Dickson Campus
May 15, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Clarksville Campus
Please contact Sherry Bowman at 615-441-6220 for additional information.
HESI A2 Testing Dates:
Dickson Campus at 9:00 am - May 27, June 5, June 20
Clarksville Campus at 9:30 am - May 28, June 11, June 18
HESI testing slots are limited. Call Sherry Bowman at 615-441-6220 to request a date. The $47 exam fee must be paid to reserve a seat. The HESI test fee is nonrefundable. Please arrive early for the HESI exam. Testing begins promptly at the scheduled time. There will be no late admittance.
Applicants may utilize the HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review ISBN: 9780323582261 as a study guide.
Click here to request official HESI scores from the Elsevier website: https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323324045?role=student
The local Adult Education/Workforce Essentials offices in Dickson and Clarksville/Montgomery County offer free assistance with preparation.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Murphy, Director of Nursing and Health Careers, at 615-441-6220 or stephanie.murphy@tcatdickson.edu or Sherry Bowman, Health Careers Student Enrollment, at 615-441-6222 or sherry.bowman@tcatdickson.edu.
ARTICULATION
For more information on TCAT to Community College Articulation agreements, click the links below:
https://www.tbr.edu/academics/tcattocc
https://catalog.tbr.edu/mime/media/view/1/585/TCAT+CC+Articulation+Brochure+FINAL.pdf
Welding Technology
The Welding Technology program has an articulation agreement with the Tennessee Prison Education Initiative. Details of the articulation are located here,
For more information contact the the Student Services Office.
The Welding Technology program has an articulation agreement with the Tennessee community colleges. Details of the articulation can be downloaded and viewed here, Welding Articulation Agreement. For more information contact the program instructor or the Student Services Office.
Practical Nursing
Class Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8am – 2:30pm
Clinical Hours: Vary depending on clinical site availability
Now accepting applications for Fall 2025 at Dickson and Williamson campuses.
Priority Application deadline: July 1, 2025
*All start dates are dependent on sufficient enrollment.
To be considered for admission, please complete the following steps:
- Online Application by clicking “Apply Now”
- Official High School Transcript or Equivalent
- Official transcript must be mailed directly from your school system to TCAT Dickson, Attn: Sherry Bowman. Electronic submission of transcripts must be from Parchment.com or National Student Clearinghouse to be considered official. We DO NOT accept emailed transcripts.
- Foreign Transcripts will require translation and evaluation from a credentialing service to verify equivalent to a US high school diploma. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain appropriate credential verification.
- Proof of Immunity to MMR and Varicella
- Applicants must provide proof of two doses of each immunization or positive titer levels.
- HESI A2 Entrance Exam
- A minimum score of 70 in both math and reading sections. HESI scores are valid for 2 years. Retesting may be allowed once per term and must be a minimum of 30 days after the prior test.
- If you test at a testing center other than TCAT Dickson or Clarksville, please have the testing facility email Sherry.Bowman@tcatdickson.edu with your official scores.
- Achieving the minimum scores on the HESI A2 exam does not guarantee admission. Admission to the Practical Nursing Program is highly competitive, and only a select number of students are enrolled in each class.
Nursing applicants with a complete application are ranked based on scores on the entrance exam.
*Additional documentation will be required following acceptance into the program to meet clinical approval.
Information Sessions:
May 14, 2025 at 10:00 am on the Dickson Campus
May 15, 2025 at 10:00 am on the Clarksville Campus
Please contact Sherry Bowman for information at 615-441-6220.
HESI A2 Testing Dates:
Dickson Campus 9:00 am - May 27, June 5, June 20
Clarksville Campus 9:30 am - May 28, June 11, June 18
HESI testing slots are limited. Call Sherry Bowman at 615-441-6220 to request a date. Applicant must pay the $47 exam fee to reserve a seat. The HESI test fee is nonrefundable. Please arrive early for the HESI exam. Testing begins promptly at the scheduled time. There will be no late admittance.
Applicants may utilize the HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review ISBN: 9780323582261 as a study guide.
Click here to request official HESI scores from the Elsevier Website.
The local Adult Education/Workforce Essentials offices in Dickson and Clarksville/Montgomery County offer free assistance with preparation.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Murphy, Director of Nursing and Health Careers, at 615-441-6220 or stephanie.murphy@tcatdickson.edu or Sherry Bowman, Health Careers Student Enrollment, at 615-441-6222 or sherry.bowman@tcatdickson.edu.
ARTICULATION
For more information on TCAT to Community College Articulation agreements, click the links below:
https://www.tbr.edu/academics/tcattocc
https://catalog.tbr.edu/mime/media/view/1/585/TCAT+CC+Articulation+Broch...
Pharmacy Technology
Class Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am- 2:30 pm
Clinical Hours: Vary depending on clinical site availability
Now accepting applications for Summer 2025
To be considered for admission, please complete the following steps:
- Online Application by clicking “Apply Now”
- Official High School Transcript or Equivalent
- Official transcript must be mailed directly from your school system to TCAT Dickson, Attn: Sherry Bowman. Electronic submission of transcripts must be from Parchment.com or National Student Clearinghouse to be considered official. We DO NOT accept emailed transcripts.
- Foreign Transcripts will require translation and evaluation from a credentialing service to verify equivalent to a US high school diploma. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain appropriate credential verification.
Information Sessions:
May 14, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Dickson Campus
May 15, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Clarksville Campus
Contact Sherry Bowman at 615-441-6220 for additional information.
For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Murphy, Director of Nursing and Health Careers, 615-441-6220, stephanie.murphy@tcatdickson.edu
Sherry Bowman, Health Careers Student Enrollment, 615-441-6220, sherry.bowman@tcatdickson.edu
ARTICULATION
Click here for more information on TCAT to Community College Articulation agreement.
Top 15 Best Pharmacy Technician Schools in 2024
Mechatronics Multicraft Tech
Supplemental training certificates may be given for specialized industry training. The individual training programs will determine supplemental certificate requirements.
Machine Tool Technology
The Machine Tool Technology program at TCAT-Dickson is accredited by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills.
Industrial Electrical Maintenance/Mechatronics
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration
Digital Graphic Design
A graphic design career requires creativity and a desire to constantly improve. You will need to be able to listen carefully to the ideas of others and use your training to make those ideas tangible. You will need to push past the first brilliant idea (which is something you have probably seen before) and keep working until you have something truly original. Multiple revisions and tight deadlines are a way of life in this career. Digital Graphic Design will provide you with a sense of history, the basic building blocks of art and design, and the professional tools that employers expect designers to master.
The Digital Graphic Design program has an articulation agreement with the Nashville State Community College. Details of the articulation are located here,
. For more information contact the program instructor or the Student Services Office.
Diesel Powered Equipment Technology
The Diesel Powered Equipment Technology training program at TCAT Dickson has received accreditation by NATEF and The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
TCAT Dickson Diesel Powered Equipment Technology program has been accredited in the following areas: (Diesel Engines, Brakes, Electrical/Electronics, Drive Train, Suspension and Steering, HVAC, Preventive Maintenance).
Click Here To Learn More About Kubota TECH
https://www.kubotausa.com/kubota-tech-recruit-vocational-schools
Dental Assisting
Class Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
Clinical Hours: Vary depending on clinical site availability
Next class starts Fall 2025.
Application deadline: July 1, 2025
*All start dates are dependent on sufficient enrollment.
To be considered for admission, please complete the following steps:
- Online Application by clicking “Apply Now”
- Official High School Transcript or Equivalent
- Official transcript must be mailed directly from your school system to TCAT Dickson, Attn: Sherry Bowman. Electronic submission of transcripts must be from Parchment.com or National Student Clearinghouse to be considered official. We DO NOT accept emailed transcripts.
- Foreign Transcripts will require translation and evaluation from a credentialing service to verify equivalent to a US high school diploma. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain appropriate credential verification.
- Proof of Immunity to MMR and Varicella
- Applicants must provide proof of two doses of each immunization or positive titer levels
- HESI A2 Entrance Exam
- A minimum score of 60 in both math and reading sections. HESI scores are valid for 2 years. Retesting may be allowed once per term and must be a minimum of 30 days after the prior test
- If you test at a testing center other than TCAT Dickson or Clarksville, please have the testing facility email Sherry.Bowman@tcatdickson.edu with your official scores.
- Achieving the minimum scores on the HESI A2 exam does not guarantee admission. Admission to the Dental Assisting Program is highly competitive, and only a select number of students are enrolled in each class.
Dental Assisting applicants with a complete application are ranked based on scores on the entrance exam.
*Additional documentation will be required following acceptance into the program to meet clinical approval.
Information Sessions:
May 14, 2025 at 10 am at the Dickson Campus
May 15, 2025 at 10 am at the Clarksville Campus
Please contact Sherry Bowman at 615-441-6220 for additional inforamtion.
HESI A2 Testing Dates:
Dickson Campus 9:00 am - May 27, June 5, June 20
Clarksville Campus 9:30 am - May 28, June 11, June 18
HESI testing slots are limited. Call Sherry Bowman at 615-441-6220 to request a date. The $47 exam fee must be paid to reserve a seat. The HESI test fee is nonrefundable. Please arrive early for the HESI exam. Testing begins promptly at the scheduled time. There will be no late admittance.
Applicants may utilize the HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review ISBN: 9780323582261 as a study guide.
Click here to request official HESI scores from the Elsevier Website: https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/product/9780323324045?role=student
The local Adult Education/Workforce Essentials offices in Dickson and Clarksville/Montgomery County offer free assistance with preparation.
For additional information, please contact Stephanie Murphy, Director of Nursing and Health Careers, at 615-441-6220 or stephanie.murphy@tcatdickson.edu or Sherry Bowman, Health Careers Student Enrollment, at 615-441-6222 or Sherry.Bowman@tcatdickson.edu.
ARTICULATION
For more information on TCAT to Community College Articulation agreements, click the links below:
https://www.tbr.edu/academics/tcattocc
https://catalog.tbr.edu/mime/media/view/1/585/TCAT+CC+Articulation+Brochure+FINAL.pdf
Cosmetology
For entrance into the Cosmetology program, an applicant must have 10 High School credits or a GED score of 450 or a passing HiSet score. Provide official high school or GED or HiSet transcript prior to enrollment. The Cosmetology program has an articulation agreement with the Tennessee Prison system. Details of the articulation is located here,
. For more information contact the Student Services Office.
Computer Information Technology
The Computer Information Technology program has an articulation agreement with the Tennessee community colleges. Details of the articulation are located here, CIT Articulation Agreement. For more information contact the program instructor or the Student Services Office.
Please see the below attached document for the Nashville State Community College's agreement with CIT.
Automotive Technology
General Admission Requirements
- Program enrollment is based on a first-come, first-served basis by date of completed application. (A completed application includes all items required for enrollment.)
- Persons seeking admission to a college must be at least 18 years of age or have a high school diploma or equivalent. For full-time programs, the applicant must declare an occupational objective and demonstrate reasonable potential for achieving that objective.
- All persons who are required to register for the Federal Draft under 50 U.S.C. App. Section 453 are not eligible to enroll in any post-secondary school until they have registered with selective service.
View the Full Admissions Policy
Program-Specific Admission Requirements
Educational and admission requirements vary from program to program.