“Public university in the UH System sited on a 524-acre nature preserve minutes from NASA's Johnson Space Center.”
The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) is a public university in the Clear Lake area of southeast Houston, Texas, opened in 1974 as an upper-division and graduate institution serving employees of NASA's Johnson Space Center and the surrounding space/petrochemical industry. In 2014 UHCL became a full four-year university, admitting freshmen and sophomores for the first time. Today it enrolls approximately 9,000 students across four colleges — Business, Education, Human Sciences & Humanities, and Science & Engineering — and offers more than 90 degree programs. UHCL is part of the University of Houston System and sits on a 524-acre wooded campus with Horsepen Bayou running through it, less than two miles from the main gate of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Academically, UHCL's identity is defined by its location at the intersection of three major Houston-area employment corridors: NASA Johnson Space Center (the nation's hub for human spaceflight), the Upper Gulf Coast petrochemical belt, and the Texas Medical Center — the largest medical complex in the world — 30 minutes north. The College of Science & Engineering launched a BS in Aerospace Engineering in recent years, adding to established strengths in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Environmental Science, and Chemistry. The MBA with a concentration in Commercialization of Space is unique in U.S. higher education, while the College of Business is AACSB-accredited with well-regarded Accounting and MIS programs. Through the ELITE paid-internship program and 670+ industry partnerships, UHCL students complete hands-on work experiences at Boeing, KBR, NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, and regional medical and energy employers. For international students, UHCL is one of the more affordable four-year pathways in the Houston metro area. The Office of International Admissions and Students (OIAS) issues I-20s, runs international orientation, and advises on F-1/J-1 status, CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT. UHCL explicitly accepts the Duolingo English Test (minimum 115) alongside TOEFL iBT (79), IELTS (6.0), and PTE (53). The Hawk Scholars international scholarship is notable: it awards $2,000 to qualifying international students AND makes them eligible for in-state tuition rates, a major savings over the out-of-state rate. Houston — the most ethnically diverse major city in the United States — provides one of the most welcoming international-student environments in the country, with direct international flights from IAH and HOU and a cost of living well below coastal metros.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Top Public Schools
US News 2026
International Student Enrollment (F-1)
DHS SEVIS by the Numbers (2024)
Varies by School — Testing policy varies by college or program within the university.
Official SourceFall (Domestic)
Regular final application deadline for Fall semester entry.
Fall (International)
International application must be submitted by June 1; all supporting documents due June 15.
Spring (International)
International application for Spring 2027; documents due October 15.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$7,770
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$21,114
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Fastest-growing college at UHCL, with programs in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and the newly launched BS in Aerospace Engineering. Deep ties to NASA Johnson Space Center and the Clear Lake aerospace ecosystem.
AACSB-accredited. Offers undergraduate degrees in accounting, finance, management, marketing, MIS, and supply chain, plus MBA programs including the signature MBA with a concentration in Commercialization of Space.
Home to psychology, social work, sociology, communication, criminology, literature, writing, history, anthropology, and interdisciplinary studies. Houses the BSN-to-RN and graduate Nursing Education & Leadership programs.
Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary education, plus specializations in educational leadership, counseling, special education, and educational diagnostics.
4 years
Recently launched BSAE program at a university situated less than 2 miles from NASA's Johnson Space Center. Strong internship pipelines into NASA, Boeing, KBR, and Axiom Space.
2 years
Unique-in-the-nation MBA concentration tailored to the commercial space economy (Axiom, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Space). Combines standard MBA core with space policy, commercial launch, and satellite business tracks.
4 years
ABET-accredited. Strong placement into Johnson Space Center contractors (Boeing, Leidos, KBR, Jacobs), the Texas Medical Center (IT/informatics), and Houston energy-sector tech roles.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $21,114
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
