Houston Community College SystemStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Houston Community College System. Free for students.

College in Houston, TX. Operating on a semester system.

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Student guide · Summer 2026 Ten Weeks

The semester, explained for Houston Community College System

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Summer 2026 Ten Weeks
Campus terms
47
Local details
32

Academic calendar

Summer 2026 Ten Weeks runs Jun 1, 2026 – Aug 9, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

29 entries
  1. Summer Session I 2026
  2. Summer 2026 First 5 Weeks
  3. Summer 2026 First 8 Weeks
  4. Summer 2026 Ten WeeksRelevant now
  5. Summer 2026 Second 5 Weeks
  6. Summer Session II 2026
  7. Fall 2026 First 4 Weeks
  8. Fall 2026 First 5 Weeks
  9. Fall 2026 First 8 Weeks
  10. Fall 2026 Regular Term
  11. Fall 2026 Dual Credit (15 Weeks)
  12. Fall 2026 Dual Credit (14 Weeks)
  13. Fall Flex 1 (7W1) 2026
  14. Fall Semester 2026
  15. Fall 2026 Second 4 Weeks
  16. Fall 2026 Second Start
  17. Fall 2026 Second 5 Weeks
  18. Fall Flex 2 (12W) 2026
  19. Fall 2026 Third 4 Weeks
  20. Fall 2026 Second 8 Weeks
  21. Fall 2026 Third 5 Weeks
  22. Fall Flex 3 (7W2) 2026
  23. Fall 2026 Fourth 4 Weeks
  24. Winter One Week Session 2027
  25. Winter Two Week Session 2027
  26. Spring Flex 1 (7W1) 2027
  27. Spring Semester 2027
  28. Spring Flex 2 (12W) 2027
  29. Spring Flex 3 (7W2) 2027

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

47 terms

A

Alief
Refers to the Alief Hayes or Alief Bissonnet campuses.

C

Canvas
The Learning Management System (LMS) where all course materials and grades are hosted.
Central
The shorthand for the main Central Campus in Midtown.
Central Food Court
The main cafeteria area located in the J.B. Whiteley Building at the Central Campus.
COE
Centers of Excellence, specialized HCC hubs focused on specific industries like health sciences or digital information technology.
Coleman
The HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences in the Texas Medical Center.
Commuter Campus
HCC does not offer on-campus housing; students typically live in nearby apartments or commute from home.
Culinary Arts Center
A state-of-the-art facility at Central Campus where students can often purchase food prepared by culinary students.
Cyber Cafe
Common name for the small grab-and-go food and coffee stations found across various campuses.

E

Eagle
The official mascot and the term used to refer to any HCC student
Eagle Cafe
The general name for on-campus cafeteria and food service areas.
Eagle Online
The specific portal and support system for students taking 100% online classes.
EagleOnline
The student-facing name for the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) used for all courses.
Eagles
The official mascot and collective name for Houston Community College students.

F

Food Truck Alley
The designated area at the Central Campus where local food trucks park to serve students.

H

Harmon Cafeteria
The main dining area located within the Dr. William W. Harmon Building at the Central Campus.
Holly Hall
2111 Holly Hall, a private apartment complex frequently used as de facto student housing for HCC students near the Medical Center.
Houston City College
The official rebranded name of the institution as of 2025, reflecting its expansion into four-year bachelor's degrees.

L

Life Tower
The primary student housing high-rise located near the Coleman College for Health Sciences in the Texas Medical Center.

M

Memorial Green
The large park-like lawn at Central Campus where students often gather to eat and socialize outdoors.
MyEagle
The centralized student portal used for registration, financial aid, and accessing student records.
MyHCC
The self-service student portal used for registration, financial aid, and official records.

N

NSLS
The National Society of Leadership and Success; a common leadership-focused student organization on campus.

O

OISS
Office of International Student Services, which supports the large international student population at HCC.

P

P number
A temporary identification number assigned to students who do not have a Social Security Number.
PeopleSoft
The student information system portal used for registration and grades, often used synonymously with 'the portal'.
PTK
Phi Theta Kappa; the international honor society for two-year colleges.

S

SGA
Student Government Association; the primary representative body for students at each campus.
Stafford
Shorthand for the Stafford Campus within the HCC Southwest college.
SVA
Student Veterans Association, providing support for military-affiliated students.
Swoop
The name of the HCC Eagle mascot often seen at campus events.

T

The Bistro
The student-run restaurant at the Central Campus culinary arts program.
The Dining Room
The formal dining facility used for culinary training and student meals at Central.
The Egal
Shorthand for 'The Egalitarian,' the official student newspaper of HCC.
The Egalitarian
The official student-run newspaper of the Houston Community College System
The Food Court
The general term for the multi-vendor dining areas found at larger campuses like West Loop and Central.
The Hub
Common shorthand for the Learning Hub building on any given campus.
The Loop
Refers to the West Loop Campus located near the 610 Loop.
The Med
Refers to the Coleman College for Health Sciences located in the Texas Medical Center.
The Med Center
Shorthand for the Coleman College for Health Sciences due to its location in the Texas Medical Center.
The Mix
The Mix at Midtown, the primary affiliated student housing complex for students attending the Central and Midtown campuses.
The Perk
The on-campus coffee shops located within various HCC campus buildings
The System
The collective term for the entire Houston Community College network of 20+ commuter campuses.
The Tower
The Tower at 3rd Street, a private apartment complex that serves as the primary de facto student housing for the HCC Central campus.

U

USC
United Student Council; the district-wide governing body that coordinates between individual campus SGAs.

V

VAST
Vocational Advancement and Social Skills Training; a program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

W

W number
The unique student identification number starting with the letter 'W' used for all official logins.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

32 details
3100 Main
The HCC System Administration Building, where many district-level services are located.
Alief Hayes
The Alief Hayes Campus building, known for its focus on technology and international business.
Canvas
The online learning management system used for course materials and assignments.
Coleman
The Coleman College for Health Sciences building located in the Texas Medical Center.
cuisines_caf
Cuisines Café
Eagle Alert
The emergency notification system that sends text and email alerts to students.
Eagle ID
The official student identification card required for campus services and library access.
Eagle Online
The name for the college's Canvas-based learning management system where online course materials are hosted.
eagle_markets_food_pantries
Eagle Markets (Food Pantries)
FATV
Financial Aid TV; a video-based help system used by the college to explain financial aid processes.
Harmon
The Dr. William W. Harmon Building, which houses student services, the library, and the cafeteria at Central Campus.
HCC OneCard
The card used for receiving financial aid refunds and acting as a secondary ID/debit card.
Heinen
The Heinen Theater, a historic performing arts venue located at the Central Campus.
JBW
The James B. Whitehead Building at Central Campus.
Late Start
Classes that begin mid-semester (8-week or 12-week sessions) rather than at the standard start date.
Learning Hub
A common name for the central academic and tutoring building at the Northeast Campus.
LHS
The Learning Hub/Science Building at the Central Campus.
METRO Q
The discounted student transit card used for Houston's bus and light rail systems, available through the Student Life office.
METRO Q Card
A discounted transit card provided to students for use on Houston's bus and light rail system.
Mini-mester
Accelerated course sessions lasting 3 to 4 weeks, usually held between major semesters.
MyEagle
The centralized student portal for registration, grades, and financial aid.
MyHCC
The central online portal for student registration, financial aid, and grades
Official Day of Record
The census date for each term; students must be actively attending by this date to avoid being dropped.
PeopleSoft
The backend software system students use to enroll in classes and view their academic records.
Q-Card
The METRO Q-Card, which provides students with discounted fares on Houston public transit.
San Jac
The San Jacinto Building, a primary academic building at the Central Campus.
The Hub
The Learning Hub at Central Campus, housing the library and student support services.
The Tower
The 10-story administration and classroom building at the Central Campus.
TSI
The Texas Success Initiative, a mandatory placement test for new students to determine course levels.
Virtual Lobby
The online Zoom-based service used to meet with advisors, financial aid officers, and registrars.
W-Number
The unique student ID number (starting with a 'W') used for all official records and logins.
West Loop
Common shorthand for the HCC West Loop Center campus building

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Summer 2026 Ten Weeks runs Jun 1, 2026 – Aug 9, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
47 approved campus terms and 32 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Get to know your university

Assisted

Find a few communities to try at Houston Community College System

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed
Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

DormWay is still mapping student communities at this campus.

We only show recommendations once we have enough public sources for Houston Community College System.

These are things we discovered. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

Recommendations are based on public campus sources. We do not endorse student organizations.

Using DormWay at Houston Community College System

What the product handles for students.

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Life in Houston for Houston Community College System Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in Houston.

Timezone

Central Time (CT)

Median Rent

$1,300

Cost of Living Index

95

Student Population

300,000

City Transportation

Walkability

47

Bikeability

53

Public Transit

METRO bus network, METRORail light rail, METRO Park & Ride

Nearest Airports

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)

Climate Averages

Climate

Humid subtropical

Avg Annual Temp

69°F

Avg Snowfall

0.1 in

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Coleman Campus Lot M

surface_lot

Contract parking through Texas Medical Center (TMC).

Coleman Campus Lot SM

surface_lot

Contract parking through Texas Medical Center (TMC).

Central Campus Lot 1 (Berry & Fannin)

surface_lot

Free parking for students with permit; near Metro rail.

Central Campus Lot 3 (Holman & Fannin)

surface_lot

Free parking for students with permit; near Metro rail.

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Houston Community College System

HCC Global Online: Ready, Set, Enroll

August 4, 2026

Online

An online recruiting event to help students learn about HCC Global Online admissions, programs, and offerings.

Fire Protection Graduation

August 11, 2026

Northeast Campus Learning Hub General Assembly RM-230, 555 Community College Dr. Houston, TX 77013

Graduation ceremony for students completing the Fire Protection program.

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Email Domain

@houstoncommunitycoll.edu

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