Get a head start for college at no cost to you.
Students at Arlington Collegiate High School (ACHS) get to study in a college setting and begin taking dual-credit courses as a high school freshman. Students also get to take advantage of all the Tarrant County College facilities just across the parking lot.
When your child completes their ACHS career, they’ll be confident and ready for college with two years taken care of at no cost.
ACHS is free for ALL Arlington ISD students.
An early college high school offers your child everything they need to be a success in college.
- Earn a high school diploma, up to 60 hours of FREE college credit from Tarrant County College.
- Gain skills they can use for seamless transition from high school
- Receive academic and social supports in a strategic and individualized fashion from Tarrant County College faculty members as well as Arlington ISD teachers
- Get free transportation to and from their home high school campus
- Learn to work productively in a group setting
- Take advantage of Lion Scholar Program, earning college credits toward a bachelor’s degree from UTA and Texas Wesleyan
Early college high schools partner with Texas institutes of higher education to reduce barriers to college access.
Make a seamless transition from high school to college.
How to launch your ECHS education:
Step 1
Identify if ECHS is right for your child.
Step 2
Apply for Arlington Collegiate High School during the application window.
Step 3
Watch your student thrive.
We understand that the choice to give your child a unique education is a big one.
At Arlington Collegiate High School, students receive all the benefits of the Arlington ISD whole-child education plus a head start for success in college.
Arlington Collegiate High School staff are committed to helping your child succeed.
Your child has an incredible path ahead.
An early college high school education will provide them with opportunities to change the world.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is an Early College High School?
An Early College High School (ECHS) like Arlington Collegiate High School is a designation through the Texas Education Agency for innovative high schools located on or near a college campus. This designation allows students who would not otherwise consider attending college an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree with up to 60 free college credit hours.
An ECHS allows students the unique opportunity to prepare for college success as one of 125 new incoming freshmen. Students have access to Tarrant County College (TCC) facilities, resources and services, including the faculty, libraries, labs, artistic and cultural activities and extracurricular activities, as appropriate.
An ECHS allows students the unique opportunity to prepare for college success as one of 125 new incoming freshmen. Students have access to Tarrant County College (TCC) facilities, resources and services, including the faculty, libraries, labs, artistic and cultural activities and extracurricular activities, as appropriate.
How Much College Credit Can a Student Earn at Achs?
ACHS students can earn up to 60 free college credit hours and an associate of arts or associate of applied science degree.
What Grades Are Accepted Into This Program?
Students must begin ACHS during their ninth-grade year, so only incoming ninth graders are accepted.
How Do I Apply and When is the Deadline?
An application must be completed for consideration to a specialized program. Families can apply for up to three specialized programs and rank them by first, second and third choice.
The first application window has already closed. A second application window for the 2026 - 2027 school year opens Monday, April 20, 2026 and closes on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
The first application window has already closed. A second application window for the 2026 - 2027 school year opens Monday, April 20, 2026 and closes on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
How Many Students Are Accepted Compared to How Many Apply Each Year?
Approximately 125 students per program are accepted each year with more than 350 students applying each year.
What Are the Qualifications You Are Looking for to Be Accepted?
We are looking for students who work hard and have a positive attitude. Students at ACHS will go to a campus that creates a college-going culture that enables students to build the skills and knowledge, including academic behaviors, necessary for college success.
Are Students Able to Re-apply if They Were Not Accepted as a Freshman?
Students cannot reapply as they move through their sophomore, junior, and senior years. The curriculum students engage with includes high school and dual credit courses, which are rigorous and fast-paced. Accepting students outside these cohorts is difficult because the courses are in a particular sequence or path.
Are There Other Schools I Can Go to if I Don’t Get Into This One?
Yes, a student can apply to other programs:
Arlington College and Career High School
Bowie P-TECH
Lamar P-TECH
Sam Houston P-TECH
Seguin P-TECH
STEM Academy at Martin High School
Arlington College and Career High School
Bowie P-TECH
Lamar P-TECH
Sam Houston P-TECH
Seguin P-TECH
STEM Academy at Martin High School
Do You Accept Out-of-district Students?
Residents outside of Arlington ISD boundaries will be offered admission after all Arlington ISD residents have been placed. Out-of-district siblings of current ACHS students are exempt from this requirement.
When Will I Know if I Was Accepted?
Invitations from the first application window for specialized programs were sent out on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., directly from specialized program campuses.
Invitations from the second window will be sent on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, also from the specialized program campus. Families receive one notification, either an invitation from a specialized program campus or an email explaining other opportunities if a student is not accepted into a specialized program.
An invitation to a specialized program from the second window must be accepted by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2026 to guarantee placement. Directions for how to accept the invitation are included in the invitation sent by the specialized program campus.
Invitations from the second window will be sent on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, also from the specialized program campus. Families receive one notification, either an invitation from a specialized program campus or an email explaining other opportunities if a student is not accepted into a specialized program.
An invitation to a specialized program from the second window must be accepted by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2026 to guarantee placement. Directions for how to accept the invitation are included in the invitation sent by the specialized program campus.
Is There a Cost to Attend Achs?
There is no cost to attend ACHS. The Arlington ISD will pay for tuition, fees and required textbooks to the extent those charges are not waived for Tarrant County College.
Is There Transportation?
Yes, there are school buses that travel to and from each traditional high school in the district on each school day to ACHS. Students are picked up at the traditional high school they are zoned to attend then driven to ACHS each day. They ride the bus back to the traditional high school each afternoon.
Transportation is not provided for out-of-district students.
Transportation is not provided for out-of-district students.
Are There Any Required Informational Meetings?
During the application window, several parent information meetings are held to review the program design, expectations and to discuss the application process. Parents must attend a parent meeting for at least one early college high school.
Can My Child Play Sports or Participate in Fine Arts While at This School?
No competitive sports or fine arts are available at ACHS, and students who attend ACHS cannot compete in these areas for other high schools.