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UTeach Access is a new coordinated admissions program that offers Austin Community College (ACC) students a pathway to the University of Texas at Austin's College of Natural Sciences. Specifically designed for those interested in exploring a career in STEM education, this program allows students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics from UT while pursuing teaching certification for middle or high school science and math.

The new UTeach Access program format, beginning in the fall of 2024, will recruit students directly from ACC for transfer to UT in the fall of 2025.

Overview of UTeach Access

The U.S. faces a growing need for STEM teachers, and UT Austin and ACC are collaborating to address this demand. From a diverse group of high-achieving ACC students interested in studying biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics at UT, we will offer admission to a select group of students who demonstrate an interest in teaching and invite them to join UTeach Access. This program provides an innovative pathway to prepare science and math majors for STEM teaching careers.

ACC students admitted to the UTeach Access program begin their college journey by enrolling in foundational courses at ACC campuses. Once accepted into the program, they will also participate in an introductory class on teaching and inquiry-based learning led by University of Texas at Austin faculty. This course offers students initial exposure to the teaching profession and includes hands-on experience in K-12 classrooms.

After successfully completing their first year at ACC and meeting program requirements, UTeach Access students are guaranteed transfer admission to UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences for their sophomore year as part of the UTeach Program. These students will earn a bachelor's degree from UT and obtain secondary STEM teaching certification upon graduation.

How to Participate

Texas resident high school graduates enrolled in ACC can apply for admission into the UTeach Access program. Our first application round will open in fall 2024 for spring 2025 admission into the UTeach Access program. Upon completing the program criteria, UTeach Access students admitted in this round will be eligible for transfer to UT CNS in fall 2025. 

Applications to transfer to UT in fall 2026 will open in the summer of 2025. If you are interested in receiving program updates and application materials, please complete the interest form. 

Fill out the interest form

Eligibility and Enrollment Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for the UTeach Access program.

  • Enrolled in Austin Community College full-time
  • Be a Texas resident and hold a high school diploma or equivalent (GED/HSE)
  • Do not already have a bachelor’s degree or an associate of science degree
  • Have not completed the calculus sequence (MATH 2413, 2414, and 2415 or the equivalent). 
  • Complete the precalculus or calculus readiness requirements with any of the following:
    • ACC Math Placement Test: Take ACC’s advanced mathematics placement test and score at least 65% to be considered precalculus-ready or 80% to be considered calculus-ready. See testing details below.
    • College Credit: Your current college transcripts show credit for Precalculus, Trigonometry, Calculus I, or ACC’s “College Algebra for Precalculus” (MATH 1414) with a grade of A, B, or C.
    • Credit by Exam: Advanced Placement or CLEP scores equivalent to a grade of A, B, or C.
  • Limited to individuals interested in obtaining secondary teaching certification for STEM subjects in addition to a bachelor of science degree in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics
  • For students applying in the fall for the spring semester UTeach Access cohort: Classes taken during the fall semester must be transfer-eligible to UT. See the approved UTeach Access ACC Curriculum handout for more information. 

Students selected for fall admission will receive notification before the start of the fall semester. Students chosen for spring admission into the UTeach Access program will receive notification before the start of the spring semester. Stay in touch with us for updates about the next UTeach Access application period.

Program Requirements

To receive the guarantee of admission to UT Austin, you must complete the items below and satisfy the full terms of your UTeach Access agreement.

1. Complete a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of specified transferable coursework at ACC during the Academic Year you are admitted into the program.

UTeach Access students must complete all coursework at ACC during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year you are admitted to the UTeach Access program. Credits from Advanced Placement exams, “Maymester” courses, and courses taken the summer before transferring to UT will not count toward your 24 hours of required coursework. Work with the UTeach Access academic advisor to ensure all your courses are on the approved list. Please note that UTeach Access participants must take EDUC 1301. You must enroll in the section designated for UTeach Access students (only offered at ACC Rio Grande) and earn a grade of B or better in the course.

2. Complete at least one calculus course beyond MATH 2412 (precalculus) – specifically, MATH 2413, 2414, or 2415. 

If you test out of or receive credit for a math course beyond MATH 2412 before enrolling in UTeach Access, you must complete an additional math course beyond precalculus. You will work with the ACC UTeach Access academic advisor to select an appropriate course. UTeach Access will count this math course toward your 24 hours of required coursework.

If you need to take precalculus, you must do so in the fall semester of the academic year you apply for admission into UTeach Access and earn a grade of B or higher. Your grade in precalculus will factor into your ACC GPA, but the course does not count toward your 24 hours of required coursework. If you take precalculus, you must take an additional course to meet the 24-credit-hour requirement. Additionally, you must take a mathematics course in the spring semester to fulfill your mathematics requirement.

3. Earn at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on the coursework you complete at ACC.

All individual grades for transferable UTeach Access courses must be a C or higher, regardless of your cumulative GPA. If you receive a D or an F in a course during the fall semester before your transfer, you must retake the course (or take another course in its place) during the spring semester.

If you retake a course, you can only count it once toward your semester hours. For example, if you earn a D in a four-credit class, you must take at least 28 hours to achieve the required 24 hours of transferable coursework. Additionally, if you retake a course, both grades will be included in your UTeach Access GPA calculation for transfer eligibility. For instance, if you take Calculus 1, earn an F, retake it, and earn an A, both grades and their respective GPA points will be considered in your GPA calculation, but you will only earn four credit hours for the course.

4. Achieve grades of at least B in two consecutive upper-level science courses:
BIOL 1406, 1407; CHEM 1311, 1312; and PHYS 1401, 1402 or PHYS 2425, 2426. The approved UTeach Access ACC Curriculum handout includes specific course requirements by major.

5. Submit your final official transcript by May 31.
Your transcript must include final grades from all coursework completed at ACC. It must arrive by May 31 or the following Monday if May 31 falls on a weekend. Information on submitting transcripts to UT is available on the UT Office of Admission’s Transcript Info webpage. 

Admission Steps
  1. Apply to ACC and get your ACCeID and password. Complete the ACC new student application.
  2. Register for the ACC Advanced Math Placement Test.
  3. Complete the ACC math-level pre-qualification form. 
  4. Check your ACCmail account frequently. If your pre-qualification is accepted, you will receive an email with a link to apply to UTeach Access.
  5. Submit your application and all supporting documents to the UTeach Access Office of Admission by the application deadline of June 15 for fall cohorts and October 15 for spring cohorts, if applicable.

Is UTeach Access Right for Me?

If you are considering applying for the UTeach Access program or have received an offer for admission, here are a few factors to consider.

With the successful completion of the UTeach Access program requirements, you will:

  1. Be guaranteed admission to the College of Natural Science as a biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics major in the UTeach Program (UTeach Access students cannot major or double major in computer or data science, nor can they transfer into those programs.) 
  2. Begin your sophomore year at UT Austin with at least 24 hours of transferable coursework to support on-time graduation.
  3. Gain the skills, experience, and credentials necessary for a career as a middle or high school STEM teacher upon graduation.

We do not recommend UTeach Access:

  • If you are not interested in earning your teaching certification.
    Students who transfer to UT as part of the UTeach Access program must complete the UTeach course sequence.
  • If you are interested in computer or data science. 
    Computer science and data science majors in the College of Natural Sciences are not available for competitive transfer if you are admitted to UT as part of the UTeach Access Program.
  • If you have a significant number of AP or IB credits and cannot fulfill the 24-hour UTeach Access requirement.You might have difficulty finding courses from the approved UTeach Access lists if you have a number of AP or IB credits. If you find there are not enough available courses to complete the 24-hour requirement, then UTeach Access is not a good option for you. You would be better served attending college elsewhere as a regular freshman. While you’ll lose your guaranteed admission by not participating in UTeach Access, you will have a more academically challenging and productive academic year. If you enroll in college after high school graduation and attain 24 college credits, you can apply to transfer to UT Austin and compete for space in the transfer applicant pool.
  • If you are not ready to take precalculus in the fall semester of your first year at ACC.
    You must enroll in and complete calculus (MATH 2413) during the two long semesters of the academic year before your transfer to UT. If you are not ready to enroll in precalculus the fall semester of the year prior to transferring to UT, you will be unable to meet the minimum UTeach Access math requirement within the required timeframe. This will disqualify you from enrolling at UT Austin. You must complete the ACC math assessment to determine your math placement before applying to UTeach Access. We recommend completing your ACC math placement assessment early and consulting with ACC advisors to determine if you will be able to complete the UTeach Access math requirements. 

Request Information About Applying to ACC

Select Science, Engineering & Math as your area of study and Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics as your program of interest.

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ACC’s Mathematics Department offers an advanced math placement test (ALEKS) to assess your precalculus and calculus readiness. You can register for the test once you complete the ACC admissions process. A few details:

  • The test fee is $35. The cost includes online resources, such as practice tests and review courses, to help you prepare
  • You’ll need your ACCeID and ACCmail to sign up.
  • Allow at least 1.5 hours to complete the test.
  • Take your placement test early. Test scores submitted after the UTeach Access application deadline cannot be used to prequalify you for admission.
  • You are allowed up to five testing attempts.
  • Please see up-to-date information on ACC’s advanced math placement test (ALEKS) page.
Dr Eusebi Headshot

"UTeach and ACC are working together to make transferring to UT CNS more accessible for ACC students interested in a career teaching middle and high school science and math. Join the UTeach Access program and be part of the solution to the growing demand for STEM teachers. Your journey to inspiring the next generation of scientists and mathematicians starts here!" 

— Dr. Alexandra Eusebi, Academic Director, UTeach Access