STARS College Advisor - Office of Admissions

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The STARS College Advisor/Counselor at The University of Texas at Austin will support on-campus programming related to college access for rural and small-town students. The role requires regular travel to assigned high schools across Texas and may be based in West Texas, the DFW area, or Central Texas.

Advising will occur remotely and in person, with presentations on college searches, applications, scholarships, and financial aid, plus site visits to campuses.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; 3 years of relevant experience preferred.
• Valid Texas driver’s license and willingness to travel for weeks at a time.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills, and proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Assist in STARS College Advisor/Counselor efforts within the service area.
• Maintain relationships with high school counselors, students, and parents about admissions.
• Organize virtual and in-person events to promote college-going environments and aid in applications and financial aid.
• Respond to students and schools via phone, email, TEAMS, and Zoom.

Skills

Strong organizational

Analytical skills

Effective communication

Travel readiness

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

STARS College Advisor - Office of Admissions

Job Posting Title

STARS College Advisor - Office of Admissions

Hiring Department

Enrollment Management

Position Open To

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours

40

FLSA Status

Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date

Sep 01, 2026

Position Duration

Expected to Continue Until Aug 27, 2027

Location

UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details

General Notes

The STARS College Advisor/Counselor will assist with on-campus programming related to college access for rural and small-town students. This position requires regular travel, including in-person site visits to assigned high schools throughout the service region. Must be eligible to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer. This position is scheduled to end on August 27, 2027, with continuation in successive years possible beyond August 27, 2027 depending on funding, workload, and job performance.

Purpose

The STARS College Advisor/Counselor will advise, remotely and in person, high school students through the college process at (designated number of high schools) in Texas. This position may be based in West Texas, the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area, or Central Texas. Methods of advising will include but not limited to meetings with students virtually or in person, presentations on the college search process to include applying to college and scholarships and financial aid, and regular in-person site visits to assigned schools. The college advisor will also assist with on-campus programming related to college access for rural and small-town students. The college advisor will report to the Office of Admissions. The STARS College Advisor will be based in Texas and join a team of college advisors based in Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee, supported by other member institutions of the STARS (Small-Town and Rural Students) College Network.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the efforts of other STARS College Advisor/Counselor within service area.
• Maintain relationships with all individuals involved in the college search and recruitment process, including routinely counseling students and parents regarding the admissions process. Establish productive working relationships with high school counselors and administrators within assigned region.
• Maintain expertise in the college search process to include admissions and financial-aid planning.
• Organize and hosts virtual and in-person events with high schools to promote college-going environments, assist with application completion, provide essay support, and share information on applying for financial aid.
• Be regularly available to respond to students and partner high schools via phone-email, and through virtual platforms (TEAMS, Zoom).

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 3 years of relevant experience.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through years of experience in a related job discipline.
• Valid Drivers Texas Driver’s License.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to travel for weeks at a time and represent the university and the STARS College Network at various events.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 or more years of relevant experience with college admissions processes is preferred
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to issues surrounding rural communities

Driving Required

This job requires a class "C" operator's driver's license. The applicant selected must provide a current three year driving record from the current state of residence. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver's license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident. Employees who are required to have a CDL are subject to drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing).

Salary Range

$47,000

Working Conditions

• Remote work environment with regular travel to admissions and recruitment events on and off campus.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs.
• Evening and weekend availability is expected throughout the year.
• Use of personal, rental, or university vehicles for travel.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) to provide resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.