The Rosario Castellanos National University (UNRC) will open three tuition-free campuses in Baja California Sur, with the first location in La Paz scheduled to begin classes in September 2026. The two additional campuses will be located in Cabo San Lucas and Vizcaíno.
The expansion is backed by an investment of 107 million pesos (approximately $5.4 million USD). BCS Governor Víctor Castro and UNRC Rector Alma Herrera recently signed a collaboration agreement to formalize the project.
Six Degree Programs at Launch
The La Paz campus will initially offer six degree programs. Among those announced are Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, General and Community Medicine, and Family and Community Nursing. The university will operate under a hybrid model combining in-person and virtual instruction.
Castro framed the agreement as a development tool for the state. He said the new campuses will help prepare future professionals and expand access to higher education across BCS.
Filling a Gap in Higher Education
Baja California Sur has long had limited university options. The Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS) in La Paz and a handful of smaller technical institutions have been the primary choices for students in the state. The UNRC’s tuition-free model could open doors for students who otherwise lack the resources to pursue a university degree.
The UNRC, based in Mexico City, was founded as part of the federal government’s effort to expand free higher education nationwide. The university promotes what officials describe as a comprehensive educational model grounded in humanism and dignity. It was designed to be flexible and responsive to the country’s current workforce challenges.
Three Locations Across the Peninsula
The geographic spread of the three campuses is notable. Cabo San Lucas serves the Los Cabos tourism corridor at the southern tip of the peninsula. La Paz is the state capital, roughly 160 kilometers to the northeast. Vizcaíno sits in the remote Mulegé municipality in central BCS, a desert town of roughly 15,000 people more than 600 kilometers north of La Paz.
Officials encouraged prospective students to watch for admissions announcements for the La Paz campus in the coming weeks. Details on timelines for the Cabo San Lucas and Vizcaíno locations have not yet been released.
This story was first reported by Gringo Gazette.