The UH Next pilot program is designed to streamline the transfer process for students pursuing associate degrees at participating Houston-area community colleges.
University of Houston is making it more affordable and accessible for community college students to earn four-year degrees through an innovative transfer pathway program.
The UH Next pilot program is designed to streamline the transfer process for students pursuing associate degrees at participating Houston-area community colleges. This initiative ensures a smoother transition from community colleges to UH, helping them complete their bachelor’s degrees efficiently and affordably.
Upon meeting UH academic requirements, UH Next students will be seamlessly admitted to the university to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
The pilot program will launch in spring 2026 in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, or CLASS. Supported by a $378,000 grant from the Greater Texas Foundation, the pilot will serve as a model for future expansion to other colleges at UH.
“Our goal is to increase college access, speed the time to bachelor’s degree completion and prepare more Texas students for the job market,” said Todd Romero, associate dean of undergraduate studies in CLASS.
Setting UH Apart
This partnership between UH and five community college systems enables close collaboration to support student success. Advisors from both institutions will help students navigate transfer requirements, align coursework and manage varying institutional policies.
“Our goal is to increase college access, speed the time to bachelor’s degree completion and prepare more Texas students for the job market.”
— Todd Romero, associate dean of undergraduate studies
A key feature of the program is the use of detailed four-year degree maps, developed with input from both UH and community college advisors. These maps help minimize credit loss during transfer and keep students on track for graduation.
Providing them with continual support through their college career will cultivate a positive experience for UH transfer students, UH Next Program Director Rachel Poling said.
The five participating community colleges systems include:
- Alvin Community College
- College of the Mainland
- Houston City College (formerly Houston Community College)
- San Jacinto College
- Wharton County Junior College
Each has signed a memorandum of understanding with UH to participate in the UH Next initiative.
Expanding College Access and Advancing Social Mobility
Starting at a community college before transferring to UH significantly reduces the overall cost of a four-year degree for Houston-area families. UH Next complements other university efforts to improve affordability, including various scholarship opportunities and the Cougar Promise tuition support program — available for first-time freshmen.
In June, UH was ranked No. 42 among public universities in The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges” for 2025, recognizing the university’s strong academics, affordability and career prospects for graduates.
UH also earned national recognition in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications as one of only 21 institutions with both “Very High Research Activity” and “Higher Access, Higher Earnings” designations, and was ranked among the top 50 public universities for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report in September.
“Many families struggle to figure out how to pay for college, and we know that college degrees are incredibly important to earning high salaries and entering into in-demand fields,” Romero said.
Starting with CLASS
With more than 11,000 students, CLASS is the largest college at UH and offers over 40 degree programs across the humanities, social sciences, allied health and interdisciplinary fields.
“We have such a large variety of majors that you can really get to any career with a CLASS degree,” Poling said. “Our degrees really teach students those transferable skills that are always going to be valuable in the workplace.”
Interested students can sign up for UH Next by completing the application form on the program’s website.