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. It is the student’s responsibility to work with their high school counselor and/or school administrator to ensure the credit is transcribed accordingly on their high school transcript. 

For more information contact the Office of Dual Credit Programs at (956)882-7732 or (956)665-3128. 

On-Campus Attendance or Distance Learning

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

Students seeking Dual Credit opportunities with UTRGV will have an individual academic profile created based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

1. High School Class Rank; 
2. GPA; 
3. College Entrance Exams (SAT/ACT) (PSAT/ACT-PLAN); 
4. Extracurricular Activities;
5. Community Involvement;

Academic profiles are created with submitted documentation and admission decisions are based on that profile and accomplishments to date. In order for students to apply to the program, the school district where they are enrolled must have a valid memorandum of understanding (MOU) on file with the University. Interested students who wish to participate in Dual Credit must meet the following criteria:

1. Be classified as a Junior or Senior in High School

2. Be pursing either the Foundation w/ Endorsement or Distinguished Diploma

Dual Credit students typically meet one or more of the following criteria:

3. Rank in the Top 20% of their class; 

4. Have a 85 GPA or higher;

5. Achieve an ACT Composite of 20 or higher;

6. Achieve an SAT Total of 1110 (EBRW & MATH combined) or higher;

7. Achieve a PSAT Section Score of 460 (EBRW) and 510 (MATH) or higher;

8. Achieve a PLAN Composite of 23 or higher 

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:

9. 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.

10. Dual Credit Authorization Form

11. High school transcript with anticipated graduation date, anticipated diploma type, class rank and please include weighted and unweighted GPA  

12. PSAT, SAT, or ACT Score (if used for meeting eligibility) 

Documents needed after admission:  

1. For all students under 22 years of age, submit proof of Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination or exemption
2. College Readiness (TSIA2*) test scores or proof of exemption

 *Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA2) and/or course pre-requisites. Students will not be permitted to register for courses for which required TSI score or course-prerequisite is not met. Should registration be processed without meeting a prescribed requirement, the course(s) in question may be dropped.

All admission documents for Dual Credit must be submitted through the University’s online document portal or in person at UCentral at one of the following locations:

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 diploma type.
2. The student has earned all the credits required for high school graduation associated with diploma type.
3. The student’s class rank and grade point average.

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 admission upon application as Entering Freshmen and will be invited to attend Freshman Orientation.

Requirements for Filing a Degree Plan
Students participating in Dual Credit must file a degree plan with UTRGV when one of the two following criteria are met:

1. Earned a cumulative total of 15 or more hours at the institution. Students must have a degree plan on file at the institution by the end of the semester or term immediately following the semester or term in which the fifteenth hour or more was earned; or,
2. Enrolled for the first at the institution with 15 or more hours. Students must have a degree plan on file at the institution during their first semester or term of enrollment if the student has earned 15 or more hours from another institution.

For the purpose of this requirement, the phrase “file a degree plan” equates to “declares a major” in that students declare an intent to pursue a particular program of study that, upon successful completion, results in the awarding of a baccalaureate degree from the institution. A major is declared at the time of application to the university using the student’s intended major as listed in the official Apply Texas application.

Dual credit students are eligible to enroll in courses from the university’s core curriculum that have been identified by their respective high schools as also qualifying for equitable high school credit (i.e., course alignment crosswalk). Core curriculum classes are the most applicable to a range of degree programs and transferrable between institutions of higher education.

Institutional Support for Dual Credit Students

Students who participate in Dual Credit at UTRGV are eligible to access university academic resources and services including but not limited to:

• The University Library and Resources
• The Learning Center
• The Counseling Center
• Student Health Services 

UTRGV utilizes the Degree Works platform, which provides a clear and transparent report of a student's academic progress and time toward degree. To achieve the latter requirement of course alignment with intended majors, UTRGV utilizes a holistic approach that incorporates direct interaction with students and continued education for high school counselors. 

While incorporating several standard core curriculum requirements, degree plans/majors are unique programs that must be followed in order to meet degree completion requirements. Moreover, adhering to these course/programmatic requirements is sometimes required in a specific sequence. Therefore, UTRGV utilizes the following methods for education students, families, and high school counselors about degree requirements:

1. Institutionally Designated Roadmaps: UTRGV provides students with detailed, sequenced Roadmaps for academic planning purposes. Roadmaps include required courses, suggested courses, and a sample course sequence to maximize the student experience. Additional programmatic information (e.g., minimum grade requirements, pre-requisites, etc.) is also included. Roadmaps may be accessed electronically here. 
2. College-Specific Information Sessions: The Dual Credit Program in collaboration with the Academic Advising Center and/or academic department host college-specific information sessions for students and families at strategic times during the year. Sessions are facilitated by UTRGV personnel who introduced important topics such as academic planning, career exploration, and degree pathways. 
3. Professional Development for ISD Counselors: Recognizing the critical role counselors play in supporting dual credit students, UTRGV commits to offering ongoing professional development workshops on topics related to academic roadmaps, degree requirements, and supporting students through early and targeted academic advisement. 

While students participating in dual credit at UTRGV are not required to meet with an institutional Academic Advisor, they are required to attend an orientation session associated with the Dual Credit Program and at least one college-college-specific information session (associated with the selected major on the student record) per year throughout their time in the program. Failure to attend either of these actives will result in a registration hold being placed on the student's academic record until such time that the requirement is fulfilled.