Oct 21, 2015 01:16 PM EDT By J Dionne, UniversityHerald Reporter

High school students can now take courses at the University of Texas for free, Inside Higher Ed reported.

The largest state institution in American is offering free online college courses for high school students. The System launched four courses this fall with a fifth on the way to provide high school students in Texas, the nation and throughout the world with opportunities to prepare themselves for college.

The courses -- Intro to Engineering, Discover Pre-Calculus, Intro to Sociology, Solving Problems using Python and Human Geography -- do not require any prerequisites and will be taught by faculty at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB).

"These courses will help prepare high school students, particularly Texans, for the rigors of a college education and beyond," Steven Mintz, executive director of the University of Texas System's Institute for Transformational Learning, said in a statement. "Some of these classes will also help prepare students for high-paying STEM careers."

Some courses are also designed to prepare students for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, should they seek college credits prior to matriculation. The UT System courses are available on edX - the massive open online course (MOOC) provider of which the UT System is a charter member. The courses will also be available soon on Modern States Education Alliance's website, the nonprofit whose goal is to make college more affordable and accessible.

If successful, Mintz said the University System is hoping to expand the number of online courses targeted at high schoolers in the future.

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