Community & Technical College

Hennepin Technical College

Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Career and technical education is the reason most students look at Hennepin Technical College, and PSEO is the cheapest way to get it. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, Hennepin Tech lets Minnesota high schoolers take hands-on courses in fields like automotive technology, welding, and manufacturing entirely tuition-free through dual enrollment, often walking away with skills employers pay for before they even graduate.

GPA Requirements

Juniors (11th Grade)

See requirements

Seniors (12th Grade)

See requirements

Program Details

Accepts 10th GradersYes (CTE only)
CTE Courses AvailableYes
Term Systemsemester

About the PSEO program

Career and technical education is the reason most students look at Hennepin Technical College, and PSEO is the cheapest way to get it. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, Hennepin Tech lets Minnesota high schoolers take hands-on courses in fields like automotive technology, welding, and manufacturing entirely tuition-free through dual enrollment, often walking away with skills employers pay for before they even graduate.

Admissions here work on tiers rather than a single cutoff, which keeps the door open wider than at many colleges. Students with a solid GPA enroll directly; those below a 2.6 take the reading Accuplacer, and students below a 2.0 add a recommendation letter from a counselor, principal, or teacher. Sophomores can join too through the CTE pathway, which state law limits to career and technical courses.

Hennepin Tech also runs one of the more modern NOSR processes in the state, routing the form digitally from student to parent to counselor for signatures, with the form due May 30 for fall and October 30 for spring. myPSEO produces the same official signed document, so students starting on our platform arrive with paperwork that matches what HTC expects.

Why choose Hennepin Technical College for PSEO

Tiered eligibility keeps more students in the running

There is no single GPA wall. A lower GPA just adds a step, either an Accuplacer reading test or a recommendation letter, so students who had a rough semester still have a path in.

One of the metro's strongest CTE lineups for sophomores

Because 10th graders in PSEO may only take career and technical courses statewide, a college with deep CTE offerings matters, and technical education is Hennepin Tech's entire identity.

Two campuses covering the west metro

Brooklyn Park serves the northwest suburbs and Eden Prairie the southwest, so students on either side of the metro can pick the shorter drive.

A digital-first signature process

HTC already routes NOSR signatures electronically through its own system, which means fewer lost forms and faster turnaround than paper-based colleges.

Programs & courses

  • Automotive technology

    Shop-based training in vehicle diagnostics, maintenance, and repair, a classic PSEO choice for students who want a trade credential started in high school.

  • Welding and metal fabrication

    Hands-on welding coursework that builds toward industry certifications in a field with steady regional demand.

  • Manufacturing and machining

    Precision machining and manufacturing technology courses tied to the west metro's large manufacturing employer base.

  • Information technology

    Computer and IT coursework for students who want a technical career without a four-year detour.

  • Construction and skilled trades

    Trade-focused offerings that let students test careers in the building trades while tuition is covered by PSEO.

Campus & getting there

Hennepin Tech operates two campuses about 30 minutes apart: one in Brooklyn Park off Highway 610 in the northwest metro, and one in Eden Prairie near Highway 212 in the southwest. Most technical programs are lab- and shop-based, so plan on being physically on campus; check which campus hosts your program before building your schedule, since not every program runs at both locations.

Will my credits transfer?

Technical credits work differently from liberal arts credits. Hennepin Tech coursework stacks toward certificates, diplomas, and AAS degrees within the college, and as a Minnesota State institution its general education courses carry MNTC goal areas that transfer across the system. Career-specific credits transfer best into related programs at other Minnesota State technical and community colleges. If a bachelor's degree is the long-term plan, ask about AAS-to-BAS transfer routes before choosing courses.

Hennepin Technical College PSEO FAQ

HTC uses a tiered system rather than one GPA cutoff. Students with a GPA below 2.6 take the reading Accuplacer test, and students below a 2.0 also submit a letter of recommendation from a high school counselor, principal, or instructor. For sophomores, the qualifying mark is a score of at least 850 on the 8th grade Reading MCA, and state law keeps their enrollment to career and technical courses.

Check Your Eligibility

See if you meet the requirements for Hennepin Technical College.

Check Now

Important Dates

Fall NotificationMay 30
Spring NotificationOctober 30