Only a few cities in the United States are as populous and expansive as Houston, Texas. Nicknamed Space City for housing the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, it is also where you will find the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical complex. Thanks to its 300-plus parks, the city has a larger green space than the country’s ten most populous cities. It is also home to the most ethnically diverse community in Texas.
Houston can be a great place to pursue higher education, as it provides affordable yet quality options. That’s why it claims a spot in the top 100 list of the QS Best Student Cities 2019, ranking 12th nationally. While Rice University is the highest-ranked institution in Houston, it charges twice as much tuition, or even more, compared to what several other universities in the city charge. If you want to study in Houston with a limited budget, this article will help you! Below, you will find a list of five cheap universities located in Houston and its neighboring areas.
Affordable Schools in Houston for International Students
1. Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University is a public university in the Texas State University System. It was founded in 1879 as Sam Houston Normal Institute and has been awarding bachelor’s degrees since 1919. Through its eight colleges, this university in Houston offers more than 170 academic programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.
Its main campus is located in Huntsville, which is around 70 miles north of Houston. Its enrollment is over 21,500, with nearly 600 academic staff employed to facilitate higher education. At SHSU, education expenses for out-of-state and international students are low compared to those at most other Texan universities. It also offers several financial aid options, such as scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study.
2. University of Houston
The University of Houston began its journey in 1927 as Houston Junior College and became a full-fledged university in 1934. It is the University of Houston System’s flagship institution, with its urban main campus occupying 667 acres of land in southeast Houston. It has 46,000-plus students who are taught by 2,800-plus academic staff.
The public research university offers over 280 undergraduate majors and minors, master’s degrees, and doctoral programs through its 14 colleges. Jack Valenti, creator of the MPAA rating system, and Rod Canion, co-founder of Compaq, graduated from this university. This school is the most expensive option in the University of Houston System in terms of tuition.
However, this makes sense as this institution is also the most prestigious member of the system. Additionally, the university awards millions of dollars annually to its students through scholarships, loans, grants, fellowships, and work-study opportunities.
3. University of Houston – Downtown
University of Houston – Downtown is another University of Houston System member. Its 20-acre main campus is located in the downtown city. Founded in 1974, the public institution is currently home to over 14,500 students. It has four colleges that employ more than 5,000 academic staff. It offers over 50 educational programs, including 45 undergraduate and 12 master’s degrees.
At UHD, tuition for in-state students is pretty low compared to that at other universities in Houston — or, for that matter, in Texas. Moreover, most students receive some kind of financial assistance. Each year, the school provides an average of $10,000 in financial assistance to approximately 80 percent of its full-time students through scholarships, grants, and loans.
4. Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a public university that came into being in 1876. Its main campus encompasses 1,440 acres of land in Prairie View, a city on the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area’s northwestern edge. Its total student population is over 8,000, with an academic staff of over 400.
The historically black university facilitates various educational programs through its seven colleges and one school. These programs at this cheap institution include over 80 bachelor’s degree majors, master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs. The tuition at PVAMU may seem a tad higher than that at the universities mentioned above.
However, the school, which belongs to the Texas A&M University System, provides around 82 percent of its students with financial aid, including scholarships, loans, grants, exemptions, and waivers. It is one of the 47 Thurgood Marshall College Fund or TMCF members, which supports and represents about 300,000 students in the United States.
5. University of Houston – Clear Lake
University of Houston Clear Lake is a public university whose main campus spans 524 acres in the Texan cities of Houston and Pasadena. It was established in 1971 as a part of the University of Houston System. Over 90 academic programs here include bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs. The university is organized into four colleges, employing nearly 750 academic staff. The student population is north of 9,000, of which six percent are international students. Its notable alums include the first African-American astronaut, Guion Bluford, and Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan.
UHCL’s tuition is higher than other universities, especially for out-of-state and international students. But the good news is that it has several financial aid options. This cheap university in Houston offers its students four types of financial aid: merit-based scholarships, need-based grants, loans, and work-study. Two out of three students were recipients of either of these financial aid in the academic year 2018.
FAQs: Studying at a University in Houston
What are the Requirements to Study at a University in Houston?
As an international student in Houston, universities usually require you to present your academic requirements, language proficiency test results, and visa documents. You will need to submit them beforehand during your application process. So, if there are any specific requirements for your degree, kindly check your chosen university’s website.
Can International Students Have Scholarships in Houston?
Yes! The universities in Houston offer scholarships, financial awards, and discounts to international students. However, they can be limited. So, if you plan to study and get a scholarship to a university in Houston, please complete and apply early.
Houston is home to some of the country’s most cutting-edge facilities and institutions of higher learning. Its varied population makes it an attractive option for local and international college students. It may be a significant city, but plenty of reasonably priced schools exist in and around it. Despite being a big city, you can still find reasonably-priced educational institutions in and around it, so feel free to choose from the above schools.
We hope this article on the cheapest universities in Houston was helpful. Also, make sure to check out the Study in the USA and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA and learn more about the different U.S. programs and schooling opportunities.
