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Dual Credit at-a-Glance

High School Classroom

Advantages of Dual Credit

  • Earn high school and college credit at the same time.
  • Flexibility to attend classes at the high school campus, on the LSC campus or centers, and/or online.
  • Transfer many dual credit classes to Texas public colleges and universities, and some out-of-state and private colleges and universities.
  • Complete college level certifications while in high school that can lead to immediate job opportunities.
  • Save money on college tuition.
  • Accelerate time to degree completion by getting a head start in college - you could earn up to a year or more of college credit.
  • Build confidence by easing the transition to college life and expectations.
  • Access Lone Star College-CyFair student support services - library, career services, computer labs, and tutoring.

General Dual Credit Eligibility

To be eligible for Dual Credit you must:

  • Be enrolled in public or private high school or in a homeschool (under the age of 21) with an agreement with Lone Star College;
  • Obtain approval from the high school designee and parent/guardian for dual credit enrollment;
  • Complete college admissions requirements for exceptional admissions into the dual credit program;
  • Meet minimum college readiness test scores in reading, writing, math and/or prerequisites for the course(s) you want to take for dual credit.
    -Level I certificate programs are exempt from TSI requirements. 
    -Non-credit Lone Star College programs offered while in high school have no college exam as a pre-requisite.
  • Complete each college course attempted with a grade of C or better in order to continue in the dual credit program.
  • Students age 15 or younger must have a parent, legal guardian or authorized responsible adult at the LSC campus, center or facility to monitor the student’s activities outside of class and to be immediately available in case of an emergency. For policy information, please reference College Board Policy Manual Section II.D.2.01., II.D.2.02.(b), and II.D.2.04, available at www.lonestar.edu/policy.

For additional information about dual credit and dual credit eligibility, see LoneStar.edu/dualcredit for more information.

Dual Credit Costs

  • Lone Star College charges a reduced tuition rate (the price you pay for class by credit hours) for dual credit courses. Students only pay for tuition and textbooks. 
  • Initial test fee for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment is waived for dual credit students. Retests are $10 per section.
  • Textbooks and other instructional materials may be purchased from the campus bookstore in new, used, rental, or e-book formats if required for the dual credit course enrollment. If the course is offered on the high school campus, ask your dual credit counselor or designee if your ISD provides textbooks.

Registration for Dual Credit Courses

Placement Tests

Students must demonstrate Texas Success Initiative (TSI) compliance and/or have taken an approved assessment test.

  • ACT
  • SAT
  • STAAR End-of-Course Exam
  • Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA)
  • ACT PLAN/ACT Aspire
  • PSAT/NMSQT

Test scores are applicable to requirements as stated in the Texas Success Initiative and dual credit student eligibility rules as governed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). THECB rules may change to meet state legislature requirements with new changes taking precedence as required by state law.  

Course Prerequisites

A high school student in grades 9-12 is eligible to enroll in dual credit courses if the student meets the course prerequisites requirements required by both the secondary (ISD, charter, or private) school and LSC-CyFair.

  • High School: For specific enrollment requirements and prerequisites for high school credit, please meet with your dual credit high school counselor or designee.
  • LSC-CyFair: The student is required to meet all of LSC’s prerequisite requirements for the course, such as a minimum score on a specified placement test and/or minimum grade in a specified previous course as stated in the LSC Catalog.

Note: Secondary Schools (ISD, charter, or private) may select a different deadline that supersedes Lone Star College's published deadline.  Please confirm the secondary school's deadline with your dual credit high school designee or counselor.

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