Early College Credit Programs

UIC enters into strategic partnerships with select Chicago Public Schools to offer dual credit and dual enrollment courses that allow high school juniors and seniors to earn university credit. These carefully chosen partnerships advance UIC’s outreach and community engagement mission while expanding educational opportunities for Chicago students.

Our initiatives prioritize schools and neighborhoods where early college credit options are limited or unavailable. Recent programs, developed in collaboration with UIC’s Office of Community Collaboration, have served students from high schools near our Neighborhood Centers in North Lawndale and Auburn Gresham, offering priority registration for Introduction to Black Studies and Introduction to Public Health courses.

We employ flexible delivery models to meet diverse school needs. Some programs bring CPS students to campus for courses taught by UIC faculty, while others utilize qualified CPS teachers who receive courtesy appointments to teach dual credit courses at their home schools.

Regardless of delivery method, all early college credit courses maintain the same academic standards as their campus counterparts, including identical syllabi, learning expectations, assessments, and requirements. High school participants receive full access to university resources, including UIC Blackboard, the Library’s electronic databases, and the Writing Center, ensuring they have the same academic support as traditional UIC students.