The University of North Texas at Frisco’s future campus on Panther Creek Parkway took its next step after being approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for branch campus status.

“The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approval is an important step for our UNT branch campus in Frisco," said Bob Brown, senior vice president for finance and administration, in a news release. "We are grateful for their timely vote and eager to begin construction later this year on the branch campus’s first building."

Construction of the campus is expected to begin in October this year, per the release, with completion in November 2022 and first classes starting spring 2023.

About six months before opening, UNT will seek accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for the branch campus, per the release.