Transfer students can expect new paths to graduation with UH Next, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in Houston, Texas. Gauraangi Gupta/The Cougar
The University will launch a new transfer pathway program aimed at making bachelor’s degrees more affordable and accessible for community college students.
The UH Next pilot program, set to begin in spring 2026, will allow students from five Houston-area community college systems to transition smoothly into the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences after earning an associate degree.
Supported by a $378,000 grant from the Greater Texas Foundation, the initiative will feature joint advising, detailed degree maps and coordinated coursework to minimize credit loss and keep students on track for graduation.
“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 associate dean of undergraduate studies for CLASS Todd Romero.
Participating institutions include Alvin Community College, College of the Mainland, Houston City College, San Jacinto College and Wharton County Junior College.
“The program’s focus on continual advising and transferable degree plans will improve the experience for transfer students,” said UH Next program director Rachel Poling.
The pilot will serve as a model for future expansion into other colleges and complements existing affordability initiatives such as the Cougar Promise tuition support program and various scholarships.
Transfer experiences
For many UH students who have transferred from community colleges, the process of adjusting to a larger campus and navigating university systems can be challenging.
Moving far from home can be the hardest part of transferring to UH for some students.
“When I transferred to UH, the campus felt enormous and unfamiliar,” said media production senior Danielle Falou. “It felt like I didn’t belong there.”
A need for stronger communication
For many students, their biggest obstacle was getting clear and timely information during the transfer process.
Supply chain engineering junior Brayson Brown transferred from Amarillo College in 2024. Though his credits transferred with ease, Brown faced a lot of trouble reaching advisors.
“It’s hard getting in touch with advisors and people from UH in general,” Brown said. “It’s incredibly hard moving away from everything you know, but I’m hoping it’ll be worth it in the end.”
The UH Next program’s joint advising allows advisors from UH and the community college to work together. According to students, introducing this earlier would have made a major difference and an easy transition possible.
“It was difficult at first trying to contact an advisor on what classes I should enroll in and what I needed before being able to transfer,” said psychology senior Jaleesa Gonzales.
Gonzales transferred from Lone Star College in 2023 and said she found advising helpful only once she reached UH, often feeling uninformed about topics like financial aid and changing majors during the transition process.
“There was information about what classes I needed that could’ve been cleared up if advisors from both colleges were able to communicate and advise me through the process,” Gonzales said.
Transfer students encouraged UH to provide incoming transfer students with more comprehensive lists of resources related to financial aid, commuting and student support.
Financial aid, accessibility challenges
A lot of new transfers also face financial difficulties, as the change in tuition is very drastic.
“It was a big shock and difficult financially for the cost of classes to go from being a few hundred dollars to several thousand each semester,” Falou said. “Financial support would have helped.”
Many transfers are part-time students working full time, and the cost of classes affect them significantly. For students like these, UH Next’s emphasis on financial support and communication would make transfer experience smoother.
“The lack of grants and scholarships for part-time students makes it much harder to afford college,” Brown said. “All of these facilities would’ve helped me tremendously and would’ve taken away the hassle and headaches it caused.”
Building a clearer path forward
UH Next aims to address these concerns by offering guaranteed admission to students who meet program requirements, financial aid support and a dedicated advising structure to connect community college students with UH resources before they transfer.
Romero said the university hopes the program will not only strengthen partnerships with Houston-area community colleges but also help more students achieve their long-term educational goals.
“This program is about giving students a clear path to success,” Romero said. “By building stronger transfer pipelines, we can help more Texans earn a degree and enter the workforce prepared for the future.”
Students believe that UH Next could make transfers feel more supported during the transition.
“I’d tell future transfer students to take advantage of the resources provided for them and not to shy away from asking for assistance from advisors,” Falous said.
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