Residency Requirements

All applicants to TJHSST must, at the time of application, live with a parent or legal guardian who resides full time in, and meets the residency requirements of, a school division that participates in TJHSST. Applicants and parents or legal guardians must maintain continuous residency throughout the entire admissions process and duration of attendance at TJHSST.  (FCPS Regulation 3355)

The applicant and the parent/legal guardian must actually reside (be present) in the participating school division at the time of application. If you own property here, but do not actually live here, you are not eligible to apply to TJHSST unless and until you actually reside here. 

Note:Active-Duty Military families moving into the area should contact the Admissions Office regarding residency requirements. Title 10 PCS orders (not Separation Papers) will be required to begin the process and must be received beginning April 1 and received no later than April 15, 2025, to begin an application. Other federal employees serving under orders pursuant to Title 22 or 50 should also contact the Admissions Office regarding residency requirements. These orders will also be required to be received by us between April 1 - 15 in order to begin and complete an application. 

The school divisions currently participating in TJHSST are:

• Arlington County
• Fairfax County (includes City of Fairfax)
• Falls Church City
• Loudoun County
• Prince William County

Fauquier County Public Schools and the cities of Alexandria, Manassas, and Manassas Park do not currently participate in TJHSST. Students who live in those school divisions are not eligible to apply to, or attend, TJHSST. If you live in one of these school divisions and you have questions regarding their non-participation in TJHSST, please contact that school division directly for additional information.

It is a violation of Virginia law (Va. Code § 22.1-264.1) to make false statements concerning the residency of a child for purposes of enrollment in a school outside of the attendance zone in which the student resides.

Proof of Residency

If you meet the residency requirements but are not currently enrolled in a public middle school in a school division that participates in TJHSST at the time of application (e.g., private school or home school students), proof of residency is required.

When submitting an application, please include each of the three documents described on the " Proof of Residency Form " located within the application. 

FCPS Regulation 2202  provides that: "The burden of establishing and/or providing proof of the student's residence is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Bona fide residence is one's actual residence maintained in good faith, and does not include superficial residence established for the purpose of free school attendance." Additional residency documentation, therefore, may be requested at any time.

Course Prerequisites

To be eligible for consideration, when the application window opens, applicants must: (1) have completed a full-year course of Algebra 1, or be currently enrolled in a full-year course of honors-level Algebra 1; applicants attending schools whose curricular programs do not include “honors” Algebra 1 courses must have completed or be enrolled in a full-year course of the highest level of Algebra 1 available at their school; (2) be enrolled in honors science; applicants attending schools whose curricular programs do not include “honors” science must be enrolled in the highest level of 8 ^th grade science available at their school; (3) be enrolled in honors course in social studies or English/language arts, or identified as a “Young Scholar”; applicants attending schools whose curricular programs do not include “honors” courses in social studies or English/language arts must be enrolled in the highest level course available at their school in either social studies or English/language arts or identified as Young Scholar or identified as having advanced academic potential through a similar program designed to nurture such potential in students from underserved or disadvantaged backgrounds; and (4) have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all core academic courses (math, science, social studies, English/language arts, and if taken for high school credit, world language).

If you are a homeschooled student, you must provide a detailed description of the math curriculum for all math courses taken in middle school (including the name of the textbook used) with your application. 

Grade Point Average (GPA)

All applicants to TJHSST, at the completion of 7th grade, should have an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher in order to be eligible to apply. It is highly unlikely that 1st quarter 8th grade marks will elevate a GPA lower than 3.5 at the end of 7th grade to a qualifying GPA.

How is Your Core GPA Calculated?

• GPA is calculated using 7th grade final marks (report card grades) and 1st Quarter 8th grade marks in math, science, English, and social studies. World language also is considered in this calculation if it is being taken for a full high school credit. We do not look at any other marks.
• GPA is calculated using Fairfax County Public Schools' grading scale. Please be aware that when GPA is calculated, 7th grade marks carry a full credit (for the full year) and 1st Quarter 8th grade marks carry a quarter credit (.25 for the quarter of the year). 
• The GPA is calculated during the Admissions process. Parents and students should contact the Admissions Office for assistance in calculating the GPA. Courses are not weighted when GPA is calculated.
• GPA is actual GPA. It is not rounded up or down.

GPA Scale

• A = 4.0
• A- = 3.7
• B+ = 3.3
• B = 3.0
• B- = 2.7
• C+ = 2.3
• C = 2.0
• C- = 1.7
• D+ = 1.3
• D = 1.0
• F = 0.0