Tibetan Cultural School

Registration Form for Tibetan Cultural School (Click here to download)

TCS New Student Admission Announcement 2025-2026

This is to inform all concerned parents that the admission for new students for the 2025-2026 school year will be open from March 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025. Registration form (linked above) needs to be submitted to TAFM office.

About TCS:

Tibetan Culture School, an educational program of Tibetan  American Foundation of Minnesota was founded in 1997 by its members. The mission of this Culture School is to assist MN Tibetan children to learn their Language,  History, Religion and Cultural Heritage and instill in them basic values of compassion, humility, respect and nationalism. One of the TAFM board members, the Chair of Education Committee, is entrusted with the responsibility to ensure smooth functioning of the school and other educational programs. The school principal runs the Tibetan Culture School with the help of dedicated and committed staff members.

SEE learning:

Tibetan Cultural School began a program in Social, Emotional, and Ethical (SEE) Learning in 2024-25 school year which will continue through the new school year. This is part of our efforts to fulfill one of his holiness the Dalai Lama’s four principal commitments which is to promote human values like warm-heartedness, compassion, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. SEE Learning is about students learning how best to take care of themselves and each others.

Objectives:

  • Read, write and comprehend the Tibetan text at the grade level
  • Speak Tibetan with fluency
  • Understand and become knowledgeable about basic Tibetan history, religion, and cultural  practices as contained in the textbooks
  • Become competent in Tibetan performing arts
  • Develop and demonstrate Tibetan cultural values like compassion, humility, and respect.

Curriculum:

Syllabus for each grade level consists of the textbooks (adapted version) prescribed by Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration  in Exile, Dharamsala. Supplementary reading materials collected from other  sources including Tibetan Children’s Village, Dharamsala are also used.

School Year and Days:

  1. The school year consists of 10 months: September (first Saturday) to June (last Saturday) of the following year. Month of July and August is left for summer break.
  2. School operates for 4 hours every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
  3. School year is divided into two semesters. First Semester starts on the first Saturday in September and ends on the last Saturday in February. Second Semester runs from first Saturday March until last Saturday in June.

Enrollment conditions:

Currently there are 190 students enrolled in the school for the school year 2024-2025. Families who want to enroll their child/children should meet the following conditions:

  1. Child must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2025.
  2. Child’s parent(s) must be TAFM member/s in good standing (paid up to date – 2025)
  3. Child’s parent(s) must be Dhanglang Chatrel Debchung (Tibetan Green Book) holders.

Enrollment Window: Saturday, March 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025

  • NEW enrollees have a registration fee of $10.00 per child.
  • Students who are currently enrolled, please inform the TAFM Office during enrollment period whether to re-enroll or not. 
  • Late application will be accepted if there are available seats. There is a late fee of $25 per child from July 1st to July 31st.
  • No applications will be accepted for the coming school year after July 31st deadline.
  • Families that have moved/immigrated to Minnesota recently can enroll their child/children anytime during the school year.

Fees and Refund Policy:

  • Tuition is $350 for children of TAFM members who are up to date on their membership dues, else the tuition is $650. Third enrolled child is free.
  • For NEW enrollees, there is a registration fee of $10 per child.
  • REFUND POLICY: Full tuition refund will be issued if cancellation request is submitted during the first month (Registration and late fee will NOT be refunded). After the first month, refunds will be based on how many months students will not attend ($30/month for children who paid $350, and $60/month for all others).

Classes and staffing for 2024-2025

TCS has grade KG to 8 and this year, there are 16 classes. A team of 18 Tibetan language teachers teach these classes. 

Parent’s involvement and community support are the backbone of this program. To further increase parent involvement and support, all parents of TCS Students are automatically part of the Parents Committee and one of the parents must participate in at least one of the safety and well-being events during Saturday from 9 am – 12 pm. If neither parent is able to attend, they must find a substitute or pay a $50 fine.

Parents that are current TAFM board members, current teachers for either TCS, preschool, or kids club are exempted.

The responsibilities of Parents committee include but not  limited to:

    • Organize fundraising events
    • Help during mid-year and year-end events
    • Help parents sign up for volunteer work
    • Organize year-end TCS Families Picnic

Questions may be directed to :

KALSANG TOPGYAL  (Education Chair)
education@tafm.org
Cell: 443-220-9356