Respiratory Therapy Admissions Guide

Program Duration and Study Mode

 Program days and times may vary, but you should plan to attend classes 4-5 days a week. Day classes are generally between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Clinical rotations are generally between 6:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. with potential evening clinical from 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Please plan accordingly to ensure you have proper transportation.

On average, approximately 50 students apply for admission each application period. Of these, approximately 24 are accepted.

The Respiratory Therapy program is a selective admission program. Prospective applicants should review the HCC Application Requirements, Respiratory Therapy Program Application Requirements, and Pre-Enrollment Process & Requirements outlined in this guide.

HCC Application Requirements

Step 1: Apply for Admission to HCC:

New student to HCC: If you are new to college or transferring to HCC, your first step is to become an HCC Eagle by submitting a free admissions application to HCC. Please create a profile and complete a degree-seeking application the applytexas.org site. Upon completing the application, you will receive your acceptance letter and a welcome email that contains your HCC Student ID number and P-number (if assigned). If you have filled out an HCC application at any point or you already have an HCC student ID number, please do not submit another HCC application. Multiple HCC new student applications and/or ID numbers are not allowed.

Returning student to HCC: If you have not been enrolled in HCC for the past 3 semesters, you must re-activate your HCC student account. If you need assistance with this process, please visit: Returning HCC Student | Houston Community College - HCC.

International Students: If you are an international student planning to attend HCC on a status F-1, (DACA, refugee, L visa, H visa, etc.), please visit the international student site.

Veteran students: Please visit the Veteran & Military-Affiliated Student Success (VMASS) site. Download and complete DD Form 214 & SF-180 Form and submit with the application.

Step 2: Apply for Financial Aid (this step is optional):

All students should apply for financial aid immediately after applying for admission to HCC. Filling out a financial aid application is the first step in learning your options to pay for college. HCC accepts financial aid applications throughout the year.

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov, School Code: 010422
• Free Application for Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) at hccs.edu/tasfa.

If you need assistance paying for college, please visit the Financial Aid Page.

Step 3: Complete My Eagle HCC Account Checklist:

Please visit: myeagle.hccs.edu, and sign into the Student System. Review and complete the HCC Policy and On-Boarding Checklist sections. To avoid delays in the processing of your application, please complete all To-Do List items.

Career Interest Assessment: All first-time HCC students must complete this module.

Meningitis Vaccine – Future and returning students who are under the age of 22 are required to submit proof of vaccination. For more information on requirements, resources & any religious, medical, or online student exemptions, please visit Meningitis Vaccine.

Submit Official Transcript(s): Please submit your official sealed (unopened) transcript(s) from high school, GED, and any other colleges and/or Universities previously attended. If you have completed your courses at HCC, you do not need to submit an official transcript. We do not accept unofficial copies or official copies that have been opened. There are two ways to submit an official transcript from your high school or previous institution:

Submit Electronically: Have an official PDF transcript electronically sent from approved service providers such as Credentials, Parchment, and National Student Clearinghouse to: admissions@hccs.edu.

Submit by Mail: Please use the address: Houston Community College, Office of Admissions & Records, P.O. Box 667517, Houston, TX 77266-7517
If you have completed coursework outside HCC and need more information on transfer equivalency with HCC, please visit transferring credit page.

All foreign transcripts require evaluation by an approved credential evaluation service, including course-by-course evaluation and US equivalency for earned degree. The official evaluation report must be submitted directly to HCC admissions. The HCC Internal process can take up to 8 weeks for evaluation and transfer of course credits. To find a list of approved evaluation companies, please visit Foreign Transcript/ Foreign Credit Evaluators.

For more information on transcript(s) submission, please visit Transcript(s). It is the responsibility of the student to allow enough time for the evaluation of transcripts; please allow 6-8 weeks for evaluation and transfer of course credits.

To receive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit towards admission to the Respiratory Therapy program, an applicant should not have previously taken or attempted the course (by title), that is the same as the PLA credit for which he/she is applying. Learn more about the PLA.

Texas Success Initiative requirements –If you have the "Texas Success Initiative College Readiness Requirements" Checklist on your To-do List in the Student Center, you have to be placed into core courses one of two ways:
Have an approved exemption (reason) for not taking Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2); or
Take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2)
Please visit the Texas Success Initiative Assessment to learn about your options to complete this requirement.

Respiratory Therapy Program Application Requirements:

Step 4. Meet with HCC Coleman College Representative: 

At least once during the application acceptance period, we strongly recommend that an applicant attend an In-Person/Virtual Program Information Session or meet with an HCC Coleman Advisor via phone or in-person or virtually to ensure they are meeting all of the program admission criteria. View up-to-date in-person hours for Coleman College Student Services.

Step 5. Program Information Session:

Attend virtual online Program Information Session at Respiratory Therapy | Houston Community College - HCC (hccs.edu). If you have questions regarding the delivery of program information sessions, please contact via phone at 713-718-5970 or email at: co.respiratorytherapy@hccs.edu.

Step 6. Complete Requirements and Submit Program Application:

In addition to the HCC admission application, you must complete and submit a typed Respiratory Therapy program application (handwritten not accepted) via email to co.rsptadmit@hccs.edu to Student Services. Please send all the required documents listed below with your program application and label each attachment with the file name.

• Copy of transcript(s) showing completion of required prerequisite courses and highly recommended academic courses. Official transcripts must be submitted to HCC admissions.
• HSRT(AD) assessment PDF results. HSRT-AD official scores must be downloaded directly from the insightassessment.com website on a .pdf format. - No exceptions.
• Hepatitis B series immunization record
  Hep. B (3-does series): The record must show all 3 shots completed with dates and administered doses. If currently completing the series, submit a record with 2 administered doses completed with the program application, and 3rd dose by the application deadline.
  OR
  Hep. B (2-dose series): The record must show both 2 shots completed with dates and administered doses.
  
  Note: Hepatitis B immunizations should be completed within a 10-year period. Any immunization passed the 10-year period, may require a titer or re-administration of the outdated immunization.
  
  For more information about courses and the HSRT (AD) exam, please refer to the sections: Program Application: Academic Course Requirements & Program Application: HSRT (AD) Pre-entrance Exam Requirements.

Student Success Course: EDUC 1300 - Learning Framework
Required only if new to college or transferring to HCC with less than 12 college-level credits.

Prerequisite Course

Prerequisite Courses GPA: A minimum GPA of 2.5 or above is required from the prerequisite courses.

Prerequisite Courses: All prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of ‘C’ upon application submission. Applicants will receive additional points on the rubric based on each prerequisite course completion timeline:

• If course is completed within 3 years by the application deadline, 3 additional points.
• If course is completed more than 3 years but within 5 years by the application deadline, 2 additional points.

Academic Courses

Academic courses are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to be taken in advance but are not required for the application. Completion of each of the following courses with a grade of “C” or higher will give you additional points on your application score and go towards the completion of the program/degree plan.

Recommended Courses

Completion of the following courses with a grade of “C” or higher is suggested for success in the prerequisite course(s).

If you would like to determine your eligibility by calculating your cumulative points earned, please use our Admission Rubric form. 

The Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT-AD) – assessment entrance exam is required to apply for the Respiratory Therapy program at HCC Coleman College.
HSRT assessment result must be submitted with the completed Respiratory Therapy program application. The application will be declined if HSRT-AD exam results are not submitted with the application by the application deadline.

• To schedule an on-campus HSRT-AD test, please contact HCC Coleman College Testing Center or via email: coleman.testing@hccs.edu.
• The payment of $25.00 must be made by either credit or debit card.
• No minimum score is required for admission; however, application rubric points are awarded based on the range of scores.
• Scores are valid for 3 years. Applicants are allowed to submit up to two HSRT-AD assessment results with the program application for the purpose of scoring.
• Please note HSRT-AD official scores must be downloaded directly from insightassessment.com website on a .pdf format. (Regardless taken at HCC or outside of HCC) - No exceptions.

How to access your HSRT-AD assessment result:

• Go to the insightassessment.com.
• Click the Test-Taker Login button at the top right.
• Login with Username and Password, then click “Completed-Result”.
• View Results – select Share Results to your email.
• From your email-- Save the Report as a PDF and submit it with your program application.

When the number of eligible applications exceeds program seat availability, selective criteria are used to determine which applicants are offered admission. Selective criteria are awarded based on the following:

• 70% may be awarded based on the health program academic criteria (grades earned from pre-entry form, required and recommended courses, and general education requirements.
• 30% Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT-AD) assessment - All applicants must take the assessment exam: No minimum score required for admission.
• All application requirements must be satisfied by the close of the application window.

If you are offered admission, you will need to complete the following pre-enrollment requirements by a specific due date to maintain eligible status. Please note that the Program Director will be in contact with you after the Letter of Intent deadline to provide you with the information on the process of getting a background check, drug screen, personal health insurance, and deadlines for immunizations. Please check your email regularly for updates and information.

• Complete and send the Letter of Intent form by the deadline stated in the admission acceptance offer email. The offer and blank intent form will be sent to your submitted email address with the application form.
• A Complio system account must be opened houstoncccompliance.com/. Once the account is open, the student will need to order a national background check and drug screen. The HCC Complio system user guide is available on the program webpage to refer: Respiratory Therapy | Houston Community College
• Students are to upload all required documentation onto their Complio E.g. immunizations, CPR for Healthcare Providers card, and required insurance card.
• Proof of personal health insurance; if you need to purchase health insurance, please visit: HCC Health Insurance Information page for a list of health care insurance providers that HCC has compiled as a courtesy to students who wish to contact a potential provider to meet their personal health insurance needs. Students are advised to contact more than one company and compare offerings.
• CPR for American Heart Association Healthcare Providers.
• Passing drug screen.
• Physical exam.
• Immunization record showing: Completion of Hepatitis B immunization series (may take up to 6 months) and should be valid within, MMR – 2 shots or titer, Tdap – every 10 years, TB – every year, Varicella – 2 shots or titer, Meningitis (required for students 22 years or younger), Hepatitis C negative titer and Influenza – after September 1^st.
• Cleared Criminal Background.  Individuals with a positive background must declare with the Texas Medical Board tmb.state.tx.us (licensing board) and the National Board for Respiratory Care: nbrc.org (credentialing board).
• Complete the mandatory program orientation and student service orientation on the date provided in your admission email. (Please clear your calendar so you are available to attend the mandatory orientations if you are offered admission as follows: Fall Term – plan to attend orientations between July and August.)

Clinical Requirements for Program Progression & Completion

To provide students with the most robust clinical educational experience and to ensure that students progress and graduate as scheduled, it is highly recommended that applicants weigh all of their options before agreeing to a conditional acceptance into their desired health science program. In order to facilitate this decision-making, students should understand all of the requirements of their program, including clinical education.

To be placed in a clinical educational experience, students must comply with the guidelines and requirements of HCC clinical sites, including health and wellness directives. Most clinical sites require background checks, health testing, drug screens and immunizations, including proof of COVID-19 vaccination. 

Students are required to provide to HCC proof that students meet all clinical requirements, with the exception of their COVID-19 vaccination status.  Consistent with state law, HCC does not mandate the COVID-19 vaccination. Students have the choice to voluntarily disclose or not disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status through their HCC Complio account.

However, most healthcare facilities do require the vaccine as a condition of employment, volunteering, or student clinical placement.  If a student chooses not to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status or is not vaccinated, HCC may not be able to place the student in clinical rotations.  HCC will work to place such students into a clinical site that does not require the vaccine, provided such a site is available and HCC has an active affiliation agreement in place that meets the necessary conditions to provide an appropriate learning opportunity for the student.  However, HCC cannot guarantee that clinical sites that do not require the COVID vaccine will be available at the time the student requires placement.  At this time, many healthcare facilities are not accepting religious or medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine for clinical students.

If a student chooses not to receive or to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and no clinical sites are available to accept the student that do not require the COVID-19 vaccination, the student’s progression in the program and graduation will be delayed or stopped all together.  If a student cannot be timely placed in a qualifying clinical site, a student may not be able to complete the program. Our affiliate partners’ expectations are the same for our students as they would be when our students ultimately become employees in their chosen field.

Students with questions about clinical requirements and placement may contact the program director of their program of interest. 

HB 1508 requires the following information be given to students

If you are applying for admission to a program that prepares an individual for an initial occupational license or certification and/or if you later decide to change to a program that prepares you for an initial occupational license or certification, in accordance with state law, please be advised of the following: 

1. An individual who has been charged or convicted of an offense or who is on probation may not be eligible for issuance of an occupational license or certification upon completion of the educational program.
2. It is the responsibility of the individual to immediately report to the program any change in status that would affect that individual’s eligibility to apply for a license or certification.
3. Local, state or national licensing and certification authorities may issue additional guidelines related to criminal history. Applicant should contact their respective licensing or certification authority for more details.

Most healthcare programs require all students, admitted to the program, to submit to a national background check which may include fingerprinting. Applicants are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license or Certification. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the individual program and applicable licensing or certification authority.

The Respiratory Therapy Program requires participation in clinical rotations in order to complete the program. In order to participate in clinical rotations at our affiliate sites, certain background information must be verified. Students participating in clinical rotations must meet the same background verifications as clinical staff at our affiliate sites. For that reason, we require students to submit the following required background information before admission/enrollment in the program is completed: 

• Social Security Number Verification
• Criminal Search (7 yrs. or up to 5 criminal searches)
• Violent Sexual Offender and Predator Registry Search
• OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities
• GSA List of Parties Excluded from Federal Programs
• US Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), List of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)
• State Exclusive List oig.hhs.texas.gov
• Driver’s license or government-issued identification 

Please note: Verification of this information is the financial responsibility of the student and must be completed through the program-approved vendor.

HCC Coleman College Grading Scale

To best prepare students for success in their chosen fields, Health Sciences Programs have high standards for progression. Unlike other HCC programs, the Respiratory Therapy program requires a C (75%) or better to progress to the next course or semester in the program. For specific questions about grades, grading, and progression within Health Science programs, please contact Coleman College at co.respiratorytherapy@hccs.edu. 

Respiratory Therapy Program Grading Scale

A = 100 – 90 %
B = 89 – 80 %
C = 79 – 75 %*
D = 74 – 60 %
F = 59 – 0 %

*A grade of C (75%) or better must be achieved to progress to the next course or semester. 

Tuition is estimated using the Texas resident rates. Out-of-district and out-of-state residents will have higher tuition fees. Please visit the tuition calculator for more information.

Tuition is for core coursework only. General Education and Support courses are not included. These are high estimates; actual costs will vary depending on health insurance coverage.

Due to increases/decreases in books and supplements, please check the bookstore website for updated cost information. Only required books are included in the estimate.

Fall Cohort - Program Costing Sheet (In-District) 

Pre-Entrance

1st Year - 1st Semester (10 semester hours)

1st Year - 2nd Semester (10 semester hours)

1st Year - 3rd Semester (5 semester hours)

2nd Year - 1st semester (10 semester hours)

2nd Year - 2nd Semester (9 semester hours)

2nd Year - 3rd Semester (6 semester hours)

National Exam & Texas License Fees: $390.00
GRAND TOTAL  $7,035.00

Learn more about the degree plan by visiting the HCC Catalog.

You can use a valid MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card to pay for tuition and fees. You can also use debit card with Visa or MasterCard logo, but not a non-USA credit card. Online payment via check is also available.

Check or echeck payments have a 10 day hold on release of official transcripts. International students or their parents can also pay online from their country of origin with their local currency, where applicable. Online payment from other countries can be made through “International Fund Transfer” payment option.

Additional Option For Payment

•  Financial Aid - If you need assistance paying for college, please visit the Financial Aid office for assistance.
• Capital IDEA Houston - Capital IDEA Houston fully funds participants’ tuition, fees, and books for an Associate’s Degree or College-level Certificate with no loans or paybacks required. Please visit College Degree Programs | Capital IDEA Houston to see the List of Sponsored Programs.
• Scholarships - In addition to federal and state aid, scholarships are a great way to offset all or part of the cost of your education. Please visit the scholarships page for more information.
• Installment Payment Plan -If you are paying out of pocket and need assistance on how to setup a payment plan, please visit Business Office at HCC for more information.

Accreditation Agency

Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)

Certificate Testing

Graduates are eligible to take the national exams administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Graduates must also apply for the RCP license to practice Respiratory Care in the state of Texas.

Employment Opportunities

Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) may work in Intensive Care Units, operating rooms, pediatric units, and a variety of other healthcare facilities.

Average Salary

The projected salary of a Respiratory Therapist working in the United States is over $62,000 a year. Find out the entry level wages, the medium wages, and high wages for each career field in High School or less, Vocational Certificate, Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree and Graduate degree. Please visit Career Coach | Houston Community College for more information.

Questions
For further assistance on program admission requirements, please email us at: co.admissionadvising@hccs.edu  or co.respiratorytherapy@hccs.edu.

Psychomotor Skills

Cognitive Skills

Sensory Skills

Social-Behavioral Skills