Campus Textbook Access Program (CTAP)

New CTAP Offering!

The University of Houston-Clear Lake Campus Textbook Access Program (CTAP) is an exciting new digital rental program that allows students access to course materials on or before the first day of class, and at significant savings from purchasing to own them. We piloted this innovation at UHCL in the Fall 2023 semester and will continue this program in the Spring 2025 semester. 

Students who register for participating CTAP pilot classes will automatically be part of the program. CTAP fees, including 8.25% state and county sales tax, are conveniently and automatically charged to your student bill.  Like other UHCL fees and charges, this amount is payable by financial aid or personal funds. If you have a payment plan, this CTAP charge will be included in payment plan calculations to determine recurring payment amounts.  

Should you choose to purchase hard copy materials on your own instead of accessing the digital version you may opt out of the CTAP pilot starting approximately two weeks before the first day of class, through the census date for the session. A credit to the student fee bill, including taxes, will be provided to students who choose to opt out of the program. Opt-out is not available after this date.

Why Choose CTAP?

• Financial Aid - If you have been awarded financial aid and your award surpasses the cost of tuition and fees, the CTAP costs can be covered by the aid you have already been awarded.
• Instant Start/6 Month Usage - Be prepared for class on your first day by receiving your digital materials on or before the first day of classes. The length of time you can access these materials varies, but materials will usually be available for at least 180 days. Should you register for your course after the semester starts you will have access to the corresponding digital materials within 24 hours.
• Flexible Use - Digital materials allow you to easily and efficiently search, highlight, and take notes in them, just as you would in hard copy textbooks
• Savings - Get significant cost savings compared to the price of new retail books with CTAP-negotiated rental pricing.

How Do I Access CTAP?

• There are two ways you can access these materials...on or before the first day of class.
  • You will receive an email with a link to the materials for your class, or
  • You will access them via a link in the Canvas distant learning platform class.
  • You can access the materials via mobile device too.

Which courses are included in the pilot?

Below is a list of participating CTAP classes for the Spring 2025 semester. 

FAQs

Why is UHCL piloting this program?
UHCL takes its commitment to student affordability seriously. CTAP provides access to digital course materials on or before your first day of class, generally with significant savings to students.

How do I know if I’m eligible or enrolled in a CTAP course?
If you register for one of the courses listed above then you are enrolled automatically. You will receive an introductory email when we identify that you are enrolled, which will be followed up by an official email from Follett/UHCL Campus Store detailing how to access your materials.

What if I prefer having a printed copy of the material instead of a digital version?
In most cases, a printed version of the materials may be provided to you for an additional fee if the course is included in the pilot. Please contact the UHCL Campus Store directly at 2163mgr@follett.com to request printed materials.

Why do the fees vary?
The fees for CTAP were negotiated individually for each course to provide maximum student savings over the cost of new retail books.  Fees are unique for each course. Please see above for the listing of the courses and fees in the program for Fall 2024. 

Can I opt-out of CTAP if I’m enrolled in a pilot course? 
Yes. You may opt out by accessing your student account and clicking on the Student Financials tab. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on CTAP Opt-Out. Choose the course you want to opt out of for the semester. Please be mindful of the cut-off date for opting out.

What is the last day I can opt out?
The last day to opt out of the CTAP fee is the census date for the semester. These dates vary per term, so please check the academic calendar for dates specific to each term. If you opt out of CTAP you are responsible for obtaining materials on your own. CTAP fees are 100% refundable when opt-out occurs by ORD for that semester. The CTAP fee is non-refundable after the opt-out deadline.  

If I withdraw from UHCL will I receive a CTAP refund? 
If you withdraw from the University prior to the CTAP opt-out deadline for that semester, you will receive a credit on your student fee bill for 100% of your CTAP fee. The CTAP fee is non-refundable after the opt-out deadline. 

Can I change my mind? If I opted out can I opt back in?
Yes. You may opt back in any time up through the census date for the sesion. Please check the academic calendar for dates specific to each semester.  You may not opt back in after these deadlines.

Can I access the CTAP materials after the semester ends?
CTAP is a digital rental program. Materials are available for at least 180 days in most cases.

Will there be any additional costs for a pilot course? 
The CTAP fee covers the rental cost, including taxes, of required text materials for the pilot course. There may be additional costs related to supplies, equipment or materials the instructor recommends.

Technical difficulties? 
If the issue is with your Canvas access, please contact UHCL Support Center at 281-283-2828 or supportcenter@uhcl.edu . If you are able to login to your Canvas account but can’t access your course materials, contact the UHCL campus store at 281-283-2189 or 2163mgr@follett.com 

Fee questions?
Please contact Student Business Services (SBS) at 281-283-2170, Option2 or sbs@uhcl.edu 

Other questions? Contact the UHCL Campus Store at 2163mgr@follett.com