University of Houston Clear Lake

University of Houston Clear Lake International Student Insurance

The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL), whose campus spans across Pasadena and Houston, Texas, was established in 1971. It was founded as the second institution of the University of Houston system in response to a growing need for a graduate education facility near NASA’s Manned Space Center in Clear Lake. The school opened its doors to students in 1974. For most of its history, it offered only upper-division and graduate-level studies. In 2014, it began to admit freshmen and sophomore students. Today, UHCL enrolls almost 9,000 students and counting each year. The school colors are blue and green, and its athletic nickname is the hawks.

UHCL is not a satellite campus of the University of Houston; it is its own separately accredited, degree-granting institution. UHCL itself operates two satellite campuses, the UH–Clear Lake Pearland Campus and the Texas Medical Center. 

Research Opportunities

Noteworthy centers and institutes on campus include the Cyber Security Institute, the Center for Robotic Software, the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and the Environmental Institute of Houston.

Notable Alumni

Notable University of Houston–Clear Lake alumni include Guion Bluford, the first African-American astronaut; fellow astronauts Gregory Chamitoff, Michael Fincke, Michael Fossum, and Bruce McCandless II; Kevin Kwan, author of the Crazy Rich Asians book series; Stephanie Guerrero, Miss Texas USA 2004; and Lauren Lanning, Miss Texas USA 2006.