University of Houston- Downtown

University of Houston International Student Insurance

The University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), located in Houston, Texas, was founded in 1974. It began when the University of Houston’s Board of Regents acquired the assets of South Texas Junior College and transformed it into the University of Houston–Downtown Campus (UH/DC), a four-year institution from the start. In 1979, it became a standalone university within the University of Houston System and gained its present name. Today, the school offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees and eight master’s degrees across its five academic colleges: Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, Public Service, Sciences and Technology, and the University College.

Today, the university enrolls almost 15,000 students and counting each year. The school colors are blue and red, and its athletic nickname is the gators.

On Campus

The school has been recognized nationally as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military-Friendly School. Its student body is almost exactly 50% Hispanic. 

The university’s downtown location offers students access to internship opportunities at major corporations, as well as the city’s numerous museums, art galleries, dining options, and professional sports venues. It also offers classes at its satellite campus of UHD Northwest, located in Northwest Houston, and at Lone Star College campuses in Cypress and Kingwood (both in Texas).

UHD students operate a literary magazine called the Bayou Review and a student newspaper called the Dateline Downtown.

Notable Alumni

Notable University of Houston–Downtown alumni include professional boxer Juan Diaz; taekwondo practitioner and Olympic medalist Diana Lopez; Texas State Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.; and poet Lorenzo Thomas.