Dual Credit Program for High School Students

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley provides an opportunity for qualified high school students who are ready for university-level coursework to earn college credit while still in high school. The program is designed to give eligible high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to earn college credit in a University learning environment. Dual Credit students are graded in the same manner as are other college students and are awarded college credit upon completion of their courses. Students who wish to receive dual credit (high school and college credit) must receive approval from their school districts for high school credit to be awarded.

Students who receive dual credit at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley may be eligible for the UTRGV Scholars Scholarship Program upon regular admission to the university.

For more information contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 888-882-4026.

On-Campus Attendance or Distance Learning

Interested students are encouraged to apply for this program through their high schools or school districts.

Admission Criteria for the Dual Credit Program include:

1. Student must be classified as high school junior or senior graduating under the Foundations with Endorsement or Distinguished graduation plan.
2. Must meet one of the following criteria:
   1. Be ranked in the Top 10% of their class; OR
   2. Have a 90 GPA or higher (GPA must be on a 100-point scale); OR
   3. Meet one of the following scores: ACT Composite of 22 or higher or SAT of 1030 (College Board regulations apply for converting Total Score)
3. Complete the Dual Credit application process
4. Meet deadlines for Dual Credit admissions

Application for Dual Credit Admission

To be admitted to the Dual Credit Program, students must submit the following documents by the published deadline for the semester for which they are applying:

• Students must apply to UTRGV by submitting a Freshman application but indicate within the application that they are interested in taking college courses while in high school. The application is available at www.applytexas.org.
• Dual Credit Authorization Form
• High school transcript that includes graduation date, graduation plan type, class ranking and GPA (on a 100-point scale)
• ACT or SAT scores (if used for meeting eligibility)

Documents needed after admission:

• For all students under 22 years of age, submit proof of Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination or exemption
• Placement test scores fulfilling the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) and/or course pre-requisites. Students will not be permitted to register or will be dropped if TSI requirements are not met.

All admission documents for Dual Credit must be submitted through the University’s online document portal, or in person at:

It is recommended that all documents be sent at one time. All documents submitted become the property of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Students must also meet the prerequisites for the course(s) in which they plan to enroll, if any exist. To continue participating in the Dual Credit Program, participants must earn a grade of C or higher in each University course taken.

Upon graduation from high school, Dual Credit students must submit a final high school transcript indicating:

1. The student’s graduation date and graduation plan type.
2. The student has earned all the credits required for high school graduation.
3. The student’s class rank and grade point average (on 100-point scale).

Dual Credit students who wish to continue their studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley after high school graduation will be considered for readmission upon application as Entering Freshmen and will be invited to attend Freshman Orientation.

Summer Housing Program

During the summer, the Dual Credit Program has a limited Room & Board Housing Scholarship for qualified students who may have difficulty traveling to the UTRGV campus to attend class. There is a separate application process for this limited DC Summer Housing Scholarship which is highly competitive due to the limited number of scholarships available. Call the Office of Dual Credit Programs at 956-665-3128 or email at ce@utrgv.edu for more details.