The Challenging Academically Talented Students (CATS) program is designed to prepare high school students for the next step in their academic journey at UNH by offering the ability to earn college credit, explore career pathways, and showcase academic abilities to college recruiters – all at a discounted tuition rate.
Enroll in one of our pre-approved courses that include a variety of Discovery Courses, First-Year Courses, and current topics.
- Get a head-start on college by earning UNH credits.
- Save money on college by earning credits at a discounted rate.
- Explore topics that aren't available at your high school.
- Showcase your potential and college-readiness to recruiters.
- Gain confidence in your ability to succeed in college.

Start your journey at UNH and preview our CATS application today! It's free to apply.
Applying for CATS
Ready to take the next step? Gather the following documents that will be needed to apply:
- High School Transcript
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Refer to the calendar below for term dates and deadlines.
Student Eligibility
CATS students should meet the following qualifications:
- 16 years old or older.
- Enrolled in a U.S. based school.
- Overall 3.0+ GPA or B average.
- Be on track to be admissible to a 4-year college.
CATS Enrollment Calendar
Semester | Application Deadline | Enrollment Opens for Approved Students | Classes Start |
---|---|---|---|
Spring | January 7 | December 16 | January 21 |
Summer | May 5 | March 24 | Varies depending on class |
Fall | August 12 | July 17 | August 26 |
Commonly Enrolled CATS Courses
Availability varies by semester and whether each course has open seats. Visit the UNH Course Search for a complete and up-to-date list of course offerings.
College of Health and HUman Services (CHHS)
- LAP 501-517: Lifetime Activity Programs
- RMP 490: Recreation & Tourism in Society
- RMP 501: Rec Services for Individuals w/ Disabilities
- RMP 563: Rec Management & Policy Practicum
College of Liberal Arts (COLA)
- ANTH 411: Global Perspectives on the Human Condition
- ANTH 412: Adventures in Archaeology
- ANTH 415: Humans, Fossils, DNA: The Human Story
- ANTH 500: Peoples and Cultures of the World
- ANTH 501: World Archaeological Cultures
- ANTH 550: Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
- ANTH 610: Medical Anthropology
- ANTH 625: Sexuality in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- ARBC 401: Elementary Arabic I
- ARTH 400: Topics in Art History
- ARTH 474: Introduction to Architectural History
- ARTH 480: Introduction to Art History
- ARTH 795: Understanding Art History: An In-Depth Overview
- ARTS 501: Introductory Ceramics
- ARTS 510: Principles of Design
- ARTS 515: Principles of Interior Design
- ARTS 525: Introductory Woodworking
- ARTS 532: Introductory Drawing
- ARTS 551: Introduction to Darkroom Photography
- ARTS 552: Introductory Digital Photography
- ARTS 567: Introductory Sculpture
- ARTS 598: An Artist's Life
- ARTS 610: Principles of Typography
- ARTS 611: Animation and Motion Design
- ARTS 612: Interaction & Game Design
- ARTS 614: Design and People
- CHIN 401: Elementary Chinese I
- CMN 456: Propaganda and Persuasion
- CMN 457: Intro Language & Social Interaction
- ENGL 401: First Year Writing
- FREN 401: Elementary French I
- GERM 401: Elementary German I
- LING 405: Introduction to Linguistics
- LLC 444L: US Latinx Cities
- LLC 535A: Prof Culture in EU - Case Study: Germany
- LLC 540: Film History
- LLC 552: Comparative Literature II
- MUSI 401: Introduction to Music
- MUSI 403: Roots of Rock
- MUSI 404: Intro to Music, Media, Moving Image
- MUSI 405: Survey of Music in America
- MUSI 472: Theory I
- MUSI 515: Music in World Cultures
- NAIS 400: Intro to Native American and Indigenous Studies
- PHIL 424: The Future of Humanity
- PHIL 447: Artificial Intelligence, Robots, and People
- POLT 402: American Politics
- RUSS 401: Elementary Russian I
- SPAN 401: Elementary Spanish I
Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics (PAUL)
- ADMN 400: Intro to Business
- ADMN 502: Financial Accounting
- ECON 401: Principles of Microeconomics
- ECON 402: Principles of Macroeconomics
- HGMT 401: Introduction to the Hospitality Industry
- HGMT 405: Introduction to Food & Service Management with Lab
College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA)
- BIOL 411: Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular (with lab)
- BIOL 412: Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology (with lab)
- NUTR 400: Introduction to Nutrition (with lab)
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS)
- PHYS 401: Introduction to Physics I (with lab)
- PHYS 405/406: Introduction to Modern Astronomy
- PHYS 407: General Physics I (with lab)
- PHYS 409: Investigating Physics
College of Professional Studies (CPS-Online)
- ART 512: Fundamentals of Design
- ART 550: Art History: Western World
- BEHS 445: Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- CMPL 402: Excel
- CMPL 525: Foundations of Cybersecurity
- COM 480: Visual Communication
- CRIM 425: Juvenile Justice
- DAT 510: Introduction to Data Analytics
- EDC 504: Health Safety and Nutrition in EC Settings
- ENT 500: The Entrepreneurial Mindset
- HIS 402: Great Civilizations
- HIS 410: United States History to 1865
- HIS 411: United States History: 1865 to Present
- HMSV 424: Human Services and the Helping Process
- HRM 635: Managing Conflict
- HUMN 470: World Religions
- HUMN 480: Introduction to Ethics
- LD 600: Becoming an Effective Leader
- MGMT 410: Principles of Management
- MKT 510: Principles of Marketing
- MKT 525: Presentation Excellence in Sales
- MKT 600: Social Media Marketing
- PSY 410: Introduction to Psychology
- PSY 470: Child Development
- PSY 480: Infant and Toddler Development
- PSY 525: Human Development
- PSY 565: Core Principles of Addiction
- SCI 470: Physical Geography
- SCI 490: Human Biology
- SCI 502: Nutrition and Health
- SCI 528: Natural History of Northern New England
- SCI 550: Wellness and the Human Body
- SOCI 410: Introduction to Sociology
CATS students are encouraged to utilize the "Open to Continuing Ed" search filter within the UNH Course Search, which only shows course sections that have no pre-reqs, restrictions, and have at least one seat open. The list will only populate results when Continuing Ed registration is open, which can begin approximately 5 weeks before the start of a semester.
Tuition and Fees
The CATS tuition rate is $300 per credit hour. Most pre-approved undergraduate courses tend to be 4 credit hours, resulting in a tuition cost of $1,200 per course. Tuition does not include associated fees including but not limited to registration, technology, student services, course specific labs, course materials, and potential tax liability.
Policies and Procedures
Eligible high school students are able to take up to two (2) UNH classes per semester in their junior and/or senior year. Course availability for CATS students is limited to the classes listed within our pre-approved list on this website each semester, and acceptance into the CATS program does not ensure enrollment as priority registration opens first to matriculated UNH students. Even though a course may be listed as pre-approved on our website, the course may not have any more seats available.
*Seats fill on a first-come, first-served basis and courses may become unavailable once filled. Early registration is recommended. Courses not included on the pre-approved list may be requested while applying, but are contingent upon approval from UNH faculty and staff that the student must obtain independently.