Enroll in the Virtual Diploma Completion/GED Program
Eligible 21+ Texas residents may enroll in the online high school diploma completion or GED preparation program with free tuition provided by a partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Registration Opening Soon!
UTHS Empower Academy is currently accepting new students. The UTHS Empower Academy offers adult learners, 21+, the opportunity to complete their high school diploma or prepare for and take the GED exams. This is made possible through a partnership between UT High School District and the Texas Workforce Commission. Students enrolled in the UTHS Empower Academy will complete courses from home utilizing a fully online, asynchronous instructional program. Students working to complete their high school diploma will complete state required courses and take any state required end-of-course exams to meet all Texas public school graduation requirements* to earn a Texas high school diploma. Students wishing to only complete the GED exams will be enrolled in preparation courses for the exams and offered fee waivers for the exam fees.
* Graduation requirements are determined by the graduation plan in place the year you entered 9th grade.
Informational Webinars
Interested students can join us for one of our live webinars to learn more about the program. There will be opportunities to ask questions online during the live webinar.
(Coming Soon) Tuesday Webinar for Prospective Students @ 7:00 PM (CST)
(Coming Soon) Thursday Webinar for Prospective Students @ 11:30 AM (CST)
Free Tuition and Student Provided Materials
UTHS Empower Academy is open to Texas residents only, for free tuition.
UTHS Provides:
- Free online course enrollments
- Free access to online or print textbooks for courses
- Free science course lab kit supplies
- Free tutoring and mentor support
- GED test fee waivers
- Laptop computer - $35 refundable deposit
Student Provides:
- Reliable, high-speed internet access
- Graphing calculator for math courses
- General school supplies, including spiral notebooks, pens, pencils, and highlighters
- commonly available supplies for specialty courses, such as Art.
Eligibility to Enroll
Texas residents 21 and over may enroll in the UTHS Empower Academy to either complete their high school diploma or prepare for the GED exams. Students must meet all of the following eligibility requirements to enroll in this academy.
- Maintain permanent residency in Texas and provide proof of residency.
- Be over the age of 21 years.
- Have not already earned a high school diploma or GED.
Enrollment Process
- Complete the UTHS Online Learning Orientation in Canvas. To access the online orientation, visit: coming soon!
- Complete the orientation and then upload the certificate of completion during the online enrollment process. To access the online orientation, visit:
- Complete the online enrollment process in Skyward
- Click here to request Skyward account access and register
- Complete all required forms within the Skyward enrollment system.
- Upload copies of all required documents, including most recent transcripts showing what high school credits have been earned
- Click here to complete the Learner Survey
Course Schedules
After UTHS Empower Academy notifies a student of their acceptance, a member of the UTHS Empower Academy Counseling and Student Services Team will review the student’s transcripts and learner survey results to design a personal completion pathway for them. The UTHS staff member will schedule your diagnostic exams and use the results to schedule the appropriate courses for the agreed upon pathway, either high school completion or GED preparation.
Empower Academy students should not enroll in courses online using the shopping cart. Be sure to follow the steps above to enroll in the Empower Academy and work with your counselor who will place you in the courses based on your personal pathway and ensure your courses align to the Texas graduation requirements or GED preparation.
