Admissions at TBC

Learning more about Tacoma Bible College... and beginning the application process

Whether you just want to learn more about TBC or you're ready to apply as a new student, this is the page you want!  Please use the Information Request form or the Beginning the Application link in the sidebar to procede.


Information about admission to TBC is found below...

Admissions Requirements

Admission to Tacoma Bible College is open to individuals 17 years of age and older who:
  1. Have earned a high school diploma, a General Education Diploma, or similar certificate. TBC does allow High School Juniors and Seniors to attend up to 2 classes per quarter for credit.
  2. Agree to respect the Tacoma Bible College Doctrinal Statement
  3. Will abide by the Student Code of Conduct and the general ethical values and standards
  4. Successfully complete the Admission Application and application process.

Admissions Process

The quickest and easiest way to work through the Application Process with TBC is to click on the link in the sidebar to the right.

Applicants may also download an Admissions Packet and submit the following items to the TBC office:
  1. A completed application form plus the $100.00 application fee to Tacoma Bible College.
  2. Official transcripts from any high school, post-secondary school, college, university, technical or similar school previously attended. These transcripts should be sent directly to TBC office. No student delivered copy will be acceptable. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma, a General Education Diploma, or similar certificate in order to apply. A copy should be sent to the TBC office. It is the responsibility of the applicant to secure assurances from previous schools that transcripts or diplomas have been forwarded to TBC.
  3. Two reference forms (the Pastoral/Character Reference and the Professional/Academic Reference) sent directly to the TBC office.

Acceptance Procedures

All items listed in the Admissions Process above must first be on file at the TBC office before the application can be processed for any semester or short-term sessions. Admissions and interview privileges are not automatic. TBC reserves the right to reject any applicant for any reason it deems justifiable. Only after application processing may an interview with the Registrar be granted. All questions about application, admissions, enrollment, or credit accumulation should be directed to the Bible College office, 106 South 28th Street, Tacoma, WA 98402. Please allow ten (10) working days for the office to respond to either written or verbal inquiries.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Tacoma Bible College adheres to consistent screening policies pertinent to its mission and call. However, it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, or college administered programs. Admitted students are privileged to enjoy all programs, activities and freedoms generally made available to the students at the college, subject to the continuity of academic, administrative, doctrinal, or behavioral guidelines as published by TBC.

"Good Faith" Agreement

Material in TBC publications does not constitute a legal contract between the student and the Institute. Rather, it is a set of the most recent and accurate guidelines available at the time of printing. TBC reserves the right to make changes in policy concerning graduation requirements, course offerings and instructors assigned, fee schedules, tuition, and doctrinal or behavioral policy or protocol, or other matters at any time without advance notice, yet with a view to avoiding unnecessary hardship. TBC practices are in full accord with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Re-admission Procedures

Students who are enrolled but not attending are required to withdraw, or be withdrawn, after two semester's absence. Alumni seeking re-admittance must complete an application form, a recommendation form from their pastor, and pay a regular application fee of $100.00. A complete "short package" of registration materials must be received by the Bible College office by the close of the semester's registration period.

Transfer of Credits

Students transferring from another college or university will be permitted to transfer pertinent courses up to a maximum of 75 credits towards an Associate Degree, or up to 150 credits towards one of the Bachelor Degree programs. It is the policy of TBC that for graduation purposes, a minimum of 30 classroom credits shall be matriculated at TBC. TBC will review all requests for credit transfer and reserves the right to accept or deny any credit transfer requests that it deems inconsistent with TBC academic standards or course descriptions. Units of credit may be acceptable based upon the following criteria:
  • Transferable courses must be of a 2.0 or "C" grade level and consistent with the courses offered at TBC. If there is any question, a copy of the transferring institution's course description publications (catalog or other) must be supplied.
  • Courses transferred from a non-college or non-accredited source must meet the Tacoma Bible College Standards of Transferability obtained from the college Office of Academic Affairs. Church adult education classes may be acceptable to the extent that the churches provide documentary evidence of meeting standards of transferability.
  • Life experience, external study, or field study units of credit may be obtained in compliance with the guidelines of the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
  • An official transcript must be sent directly from the transferring institution. Student copies may not be accepted under any circumstances, even with the official emblem and signatures. It is the responsibility of the student to have the official transcript sent to the college.
  • Units of credit may be allowed for courses completed at military service schools.
  • The final determination on acceptance of credits for a transferring student is based upon his maintenance of a (C) grade or 2.0 grade point average the first quarter of attendance at TBC.

Life Learning

Tacoma Bible College offers students the opportunity to gain a limited number of credits through the completion of a Prior Learning Student Portfolio.  The purpose of these Portfolios is to encourage the student to critically reflect on ministry or service experiences they have had and to identify the learning and growth that took place through those experiences.

The student is encouraged to discuss the possibilities of completing a Prior Learning Student Portfolio with the Office of the Academic Dean before beginning that work to ensure that the experience(s) to be addressed in the Portfolio fit with the overall curriculum of the Student’s major field of study at TBC