Lone Star College System partners with five universities to expand bachelor’s degree pathways

HOUSTON, TX -- For students like Jonas Wagner, Lone Star College System (LSCS) is a starting point for pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Starting in fall 2027, Guaranteed Transfer Partnership Agreements between LSCS and five Texas universities give students clearer pathways to transfer their credits and continue their education.

“I chose Lone Star College System because it offers a great opportunity to explore my interests while preparing to transfer to a four-year university,” said Wagner. “I’m pursuing an Associate of Science in electrical engineering because I want to apply my credits toward a bachelor’s degree.”

Through the agreements, students can follow one of 50 approved academic pathways that outline how their LSCS coursework applies toward a bachelor’s degree at a partner university. For eligible students who remain continuously enrolled, the credit guarantee may extend for up to six years. High school students taking dual credit courses can also benefit from established transfer pathways.

“Thousands of students come to Lone Star College System each year with a particular plan in mind for themselves—they want to earn an associate degree with us, transfer to a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree and build a career that will support themselves and their families,” said Seelpa Keshvala, Ph.D., LSCS executive vice chancellor, Academics. “These five premier universities have chosen to partner with us in a critical step in that journey for our students: the transfer process.”

LSCS signed the agreements with Prairie View A&M University, Sam Houston State University, Texas State University, Texas Tech University and the University of Houston-Downtown at a public signing ceremony on Oct. 28.

“The fact that 100,000 students now have five incredible options to choose from is really the takeaway from today’s event,” said Texas Sen. Paul Bettencourt, chair of the Texas Senate Committee on Higher Education. “It cuts through all the noise; it cuts through all the worry of, ‘Am I taking the right classes?’ They’re telling students what they need to do and giving them options. It’s a fantastic step forward for the state of Texas.”

The agreements will advance LSCS’s Do the Thing & Be the Bridge: 2025–2030 strategic plan. The plan includes goals to achieve a 70% university graduation rate for first-time LSCS transfer students and establish five guaranteed transfer partnerships with a total of 50 pathways by 2030.

“One of our primary goals at Lone Star College System is connecting to bridges to prosperity,” said Mario K. Castillo, J.D., LSCS chancellor. “These partnerships help create a more seamless path for students to transfer to one of our five partner universities and to continue working toward their academic goals.”

Learn more about LSCS Guaranteed Transfer Partnership Agreements at LoneStar.edu/GTPA.