UCAS, the Utah County Academy of Sciences, is the county's only early college charter high school: a small, free public school in Orem where students start college classes in ninth grade and most leave with a Utah Valley University associate degree before they get their high school diploma. The school puts the share of graduates who earn that degree at 77% to 83%, depending on the page, and that UCAS pays the UVU tuition for eligible students. It enrolled 463 students in the state's October 2025 count, and its Class of 2025 graduated at 98%.
It's a great fit for some teenagers and a poor one for others. This guide covers how it works, who it's for, how admission and the lottery work, what it costs, the daily schedule and transportation, and the questions to ask before you apply. Details are from UCAS's website, read Nov. 13, 2026; enrollment and graduation figures are from the Utah State Board of Education.
Quick facts
| Address | 940 West 800 South, Orem, UT 84058 |
| Phone | (801) 225-UCAS (8227) |
| Office hours | 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. |
| Type | Public charter, early college, STEM focus |
| Grades | 9 to 12 (no new seniors admitted) |
| Students (Oct. 1, 2025) | 463 |
| Graduation rate (Class of 2025) | 98% |
| College partner | Utah Valley University |
| School day | 9 a.m. to 3:53 p.m.; optional zero period at 8 |
| Tuition | None; UCAS pays UVU class tuition for eligible students |
What an early college high school is
UCAS describes itself as a "publicly funded Early College charter high school designed to meet the needs of motivated high school students who are ready to begin a college education" in science, technology, engineering or math. Early college schools, the school explains, share a few traits: a location on or near a college campus (UCAS students have access to UVU and MTECH), a mature learning environment, a rigorous curriculum, and college credit toward a real degree.
In practice that means most classes are either taught at UCAS or are UVU concurrent enrollment courses, and by senior year students are full-time UVU students on UVU's campus. The school says most seniors take only one class at the UCAS building that year. The pitch, in the school's words: many high school graduates "wasted their senior year because they were done with their high school credits." UCAS seniors spend that year on a college campus, with the high school still behind them for support.
The UVU partnership
UCAS's partnership page lists what students get:
- An associate degree. "83% of our high school graduates earn an Associate Degree from UVU. UCAS pays for your college classes to make this happen." (The home page lists 77%, and says 90% of graduates leave with scholarships covering two more years of college.)
- UVU classes offered only at UCAS and on UVU's campus, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (SLSS 1200), Student Leadership and Development (SLSS 103R), University Student Success (SLSS 1000) and Fundamentals of Mechatronics (MECH 1010).
- A full-time senior year on UVU's campus, for those who qualify.
- A college field trip matched to the student's interests.
- "Partner with a Professor," which lets students earn research grants, do undergraduate research and get published.
- A head start on UVU's PD4PA certificate (Personal Development for Professional Advancement). Students finish the first two parts at UCAS and can complete the last six credits at UVU after graduation.
Every student also gets an individual College and Career Readiness meeting every year to set both the high school schedule and the college plan, working with UVU advisers so the classes count toward the right degree. Each grade has a leadership class; seniors use theirs for job applications, resumes and other steps into adult life.
Who UCAS is for
The school is unusually direct about this. Its "Profile of a Typical Early College Student" says successful UCAS students:
- want to major in a life or physical science, technology, engineering or math in college,
- have a strong math foundation and have passed their grade-level math,
- can read high school textbooks and write clearly, with correct grammar and punctuation,
- will do homework every night,
- are on track for high school graduation,
- are mature enough to "interact appropriately with college professors and fellow students,"
- ask for help when they need it, do their own work, and don't need repeated reminders about deadlines.
The flip side: a student who needs a lot of structure, wants a big-school experience with football games and a marching band, or isn't sure about STEM may be happier at a district high school, where concurrent enrollment is also available at $5 a credit hour.
Admission and the lottery
UCAS is a charter school, so admission runs through a lottery when there are more applicants than seats.
Applying. The school's site starts with a short online form asking for a parent's name, email and phone and the student's current grade, then the lottery application.
Seats. For 2026-27, UCAS accepted up to 175 freshmen, 100 sophomores and 50 juniors, and no new seniors.
Dates. The 2026-27 application window ran Oct. 15, 2025, to March 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., with the lottery on March 4, 2026. Applications after March 3 missed that lottery, but the school kept accepting them through Aug. 16, 2026, for additional lotteries in the spring and summer. As of mid-November 2026, the application page still showed the 2026-27 timeline; check it for 2027-28 dates, and assume the main lottery is again in early March.
Entry rules. From the school's new-student criteria:
- Students entering from an accredited program must complete the full year of 9th or 10th grade (typically 6 to 8 credits) first, and fix any credit deficiencies before school starts.
- A student entering 10th grade should already have 9th-grade English, Secondary Math I, world geography, world civilizations, a computer class, a science (usually earth science or biology), PE skills and a fine arts credit.
- Students from non-accredited schools or homeschool must be age-appropriate for the grade; UCAS won't accept students more than one year ahead of their age group.
- Students must carry at least five credit-producing classes each semester; UCAS won't enroll part-time students attending another public school.
- Attendance must stay above 90%.
- All students must be current on immunizations.
For the broader picture of how charter lotteries and preferences work in Utah, see our charter schools guide.
What it costs
There's no tuition; UCAS is a public school. The school says it pays tuition and fees for UVU on-campus classes when the student is eligible and the class qualifies, judged on three things: scholarship, attendance and citizenship. Students must keep a 3.0 GPA, which is also UVU's minimum for concurrent enrollment; the school won't pay for UVU classes if a student isn't currently succeeding. Students below a 3.0 should read the school's scholarship eligibility section.
Families still pay school fees on a posted 2026-27 fee schedule, online, with fee waiver forms in English and Spanish. Books, lab fees and supplies for college courses are worth asking about.
Compare that with the alternative: concurrent enrollment at a district high school costs a one-time UVU application fee plus $5 a credit hour, and a full UVU associate degree on campus costs thousands of dollars a year in tuition.
UCAS or concurrent enrollment at your high school?
Every Utah County district high school offers concurrent enrollment with UVU, so a student doesn't need UCAS to earn college credit. The difference is in how far and how fast it goes:
| UCAS | District high school | |
|---|---|---|
| College classes start | 9th grade | Usually 11th or 12th grade |
| Where | UCAS building, then full time on UVU's campus as a senior | Mostly at the high school |
| UVU tuition | Paid by UCAS for eligible students | $5 a credit hour for CE classes |
| Associate degree | 77% to 83% of graduates, the school says | Possible, with planning and an adviser |
| School size | About 460 students | 1,200 to 3,300 students |
| Sports and big activities | Clubs, intramurals, dances | Full UHSAA athletics, band, theater |
A few UCAS rules are worth knowing because they shape the schedule. Seniors taking 12 or more UVU credits are full-time college students. UCAS offers only a limited number of online options, and under state law a student who takes a class through Utah's Statewide Online Education Program must drop one UCAS or UVU class for each online class. Students who want to skip ahead a grade go through the school's acceleration policy forms.
Our high school guides list each school's college credit options; Lehi High, Skyridge and Salem Hills have some of the most detailed.
The daily schedule
UCAS keeps college-style hours. From the school's bell schedule:
| Period | Time |
|---|---|
| Zero (optional) | 8:00 to 8:53 a.m. |
| 1st | 9:00 to 9:53 |
| 2nd | 10:00 to 10:53 |
| 3rd | 11:00 to 11:53 |
| 4th | 12:00 to 12:23 |
| Lunch / advisory | between 4th and 5th |
| 5th | 12:30 to 12:53 |
| 6th | 1:00 to 1:53 |
| 7th | 2:00 to 2:53 p.m. |
| 8th | 3:00 to 3:53 p.m. |
The later start is unusual; the district high schools in our guides start between 7:45 and 8 a.m. The school also warns that UCAS holidays might not line up with local district holidays, so families with kids in more than one school should compare calendars early. UCAS posts its school-year calendar and an events calendar on its website.
Getting there
UCAS doesn't run buses. Instead, every UCAS student gets a free UTA bus pass, and the school runs an online carpool system for families to set up their own. Since seniors spend most of the day on UVU's campus, a UTA pass covers a lot of the travel. Our UTA fares and passes guide covers how the passes work.
Life outside class
The school's FAQ lists what students do beyond classes:
- a schoolwide activity every month planned by student council: dances, after-school barbecues, roller skating,
- weekly lunch activities like musical chairs, Minute-to-Win-It and Dance Dance Revolution,
- clubs built around student interests,
- intramurals, including flag football, a March Madness bracket and volleyball against the teachers.
If your student wants to play varsity sports, ask UCAS how that works, and settle eligibility with your neighborhood high school and the UHSAA before you enroll; our charter schools guide and open enrollment guide explain why that's not automatic.
The numbers
The state's Oct. 1, 2025 count:
| Grade | Students |
|---|---|
| 9th | 116 |
| 10th | 102 |
| 11th | 122 |
| 12th | 123 |
| Total | 463 |
About 32% of students are Hispanic, about 19% are economically disadvantaged, and 16 are English learners, according to the same data. The Class of 2025, 138 students, graduated at 98%, with a dropout rate under 2%. For comparison, Utah County's district high schools ranged from 88.4% to 97.0%; our graduation rates guide has every school.
The school's principal, Jennilyn Derbidge, sums up the approach on its website: "Although it is challenging, it is hard to fail at UCAS if you are willing to do your best."
Questions to ask before you apply
- What does a typical ninth-grade schedule look like, and how many UVU classes does a freshman take?
- What happens if a student's GPA drops below 3.0? Who pays for UVU classes then, and what support is there?
- How many students leave before graduation, and why?
- Which associate degrees do students earn, and how do the credits transfer to BYU, the University of Utah or out-of-state schools?
- What costs aren't covered: books, lab fees, parking, technology?
- How do seniors get support while they're full-time on UVU's campus?
- What's offered in the optional zero period, and who takes it?
- Which UCAS holidays differ from our district's this year, for families with younger kids elsewhere?
What parents ask
Is UCAS only for science kids? It's designed for students heading into STEM, and its profile says so. A student without that interest can still earn college credit through concurrent enrollment at a district high school.
Does my student have to live in Orem? No. As a charter, UCAS takes applications from across the area through its lottery.
Will my student miss the "high school experience"? It's a smaller, more focused school than a district high school of 2,000 students. There are dances, clubs and intramurals, and seniors trade a final high school year for a college one. Visit before you decide.
What if we miss the March lottery? The school has kept taking applications into the summer for additional lotteries when seats open.
Related guides
- Charter schools in Utah Valley
- Maeser Prep explained
- School boundaries and open enrollment
- UVU concurrent enrollment scholarship
- Utah County high school graduation rates
- Orem's three high schools explained
Frequently Asked Questions
What is UCAS?
Where is UCAS?
Does UCAS cost money?
How do I apply to UCAS?
How many students does UCAS accept?
What is UCAS's graduation rate?
Is there a bus to UCAS?
What time does school start at UCAS?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Prospective Students, Utah County Academy of Sciences. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Apply for Enrollment, Utah County Academy of Sciences. Checked November 13, 2026.
- UVU Partnership, Utah County Academy of Sciences. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Utah County Academy of Sciences: FAQ, Utah County Academy of Sciences. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Utah County Academy of Sciences: Bell Schedule, Utah County Academy of Sciences. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Fees & Donations, Utah County Academy of Sciences. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Concurrent Enrollment, Utah Valley University. Checked November 13, 2026.
- Fall Enrollment by Grade Level and Demographics, October 1, School Year 2025-2026, Utah State Board of Education. Checked November 13, 2026.
- High School Cohort Graduation Rates, 2025, Utah State Board of Education. Checked November 13, 2026.
