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Undergraduate admission, undergraduate admission application, undergraduate applicants with college credit, recruiting students for undergraduate admission.

The Office of Admissions is responsible for the admission and readmission of undergraduate students to the University. Application procedures for freshman, transfer, former, international, and transient (visiting summer) students are outlined later in this chapter and details are available on Texas Admissions .

Application deadlines

For undergraduate admission, application materials must be received in the Office of Admissions by the deadlines published on Applying for Admission .

Prospective students are encouraged to apply early for the enrollment period in which they are interested. Beginning the process early allows ample time for applicants to assure that their applications are complete by the deadline.

Application processing fees

A nonrefundable fee of $75 is required with each application for domestic undergraduate admission. (The undergraduate fee for transient admission, admission for visiting summer students, is $60.) Fee waivers based on financial need are available. International applicants (those who are not United States citizens or permanent residents) must submit a nonrefundable fee of $90; waivers are not available for international applicants.

Admission to requested majors

Although Texas law offers automatic admission to the University for eligible undergraduate applicants, it does not guarantee admission to an applicant's requested major. All undergraduate applicants are considered on a competitive basis through holistic review for admission to the majors they request. 

Accepting admission

Applicants who are offered undergraduate admission to the University must take steps to accept the offer of admission. To accept admission, admitted students must pay a $200 enrollment deposit, which is applied to the payment of tuition when the student enrolls. Students who demonstrate financial need may qualify for assistance to cover the amount of the deposit. Enrollment deposits are not refundable.

Major changes following acceptance of admission

Undergraduate students are limited in their ability to change majors after accepting admission offers. Incoming undergraduates are not allowed to change majors from one college/school to another during summer or during orientation. Students interested in changing majors within their college/school should speak with an academic advisor about the requested change during orientation. Visit Internal Transfer for more information.

Rescinding offers of admission

The Office of Admissions has the authority to rescind an offer of admission to a student who, after being admitted to the University, fails to maintain the level of academic, achievement, or honor code standards that were displayed in the information the student submitted when applying for admission to the University. Applicants who falsify any part of their application or the documents required to complete the application process are subject to cancellation of their offer of admissions or disciplinary action. 

Students at the University are expected to conduct themselves in ways that reflect the University’s Student Honor Code .

Scholarship recipients

The Vice Provost of Admissions may admit recipients of bona fide scholarships.

Submitted application items

Official transcripts and test score reports submitted to the Office of Admissions will not be duplicated or returned to the student. Faxes of transcripts and applications are not accepted.

Many undergraduate applicants come to the University after enrolling in college-level coursework or earning college credit.

Reporting previous college coursework

An applicant who has undertaken coursework at another collegiate institution (including freshman, transfer, reentry, and international applicants) must report all such coursework when applying for admission. Applicants who fail to report all college coursework or who otherwise falsify any part of their application or the documents required to complete the application process are subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action will include a one-year ban on enrollment and a permanent statement on the student’s record about the failure or falsification. Action may include expulsion and loss of credit for work taken subsequently at the University, as well as appropriate action by the dean of students.

Awarding college credit

The University awards college credit to some incoming undergraduate students for courses that are transferable from other colleges and universities, for designated scores on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, for OnRamps courses and for dual credit courses the student took while in high school.

Students seeking transferable credit must submit official transcripts of all coursework taken at all other institutions for evaluation by the Office of Admissions. This evaluation determines whether the coursework could in any circumstances qualify for transfer credit at UT Austin, but it does not constitute approval of the credit for use toward a degree; such approval is solely within the jurisdiction of a student's academic dean.

The following policies govern evaluation of credit:

• Institution types: Transfer credit is generally awarded for academic course credit earned from regionally accredited institutions or from institutions that are candidates for regional accreditation if the course credit was earned during the candidacy period. In rare circumstances, course credit earned at other institutions may be accepted.
• Courses that are not transferable: Workforce (vocational) courses, developmental and remedial courses, and courses classified as below freshman level by the institution at which the student took them are not transferable and will not count toward a degree.
• Credit for military training: Transfer credit is awarded for some kinds of military training. Credit awarded for military training usually does not count toward the 24 hours of transferable credit needed to apply for admission.
• Coursework level: Junior and community college courses transfer as lower-division (freshman or sophomore) credit. Undergraduate courses from senior colleges transfer at the level (lower- or upper-division) at which the student took them. Graduate-level coursework is not transferable as undergraduate credit.
• Limits on use of credit toward degree: No limit is placed on the total amount of course credit accepted in transfer from either junior- or senior-level institutions. However, use of transfer credit toward a degree may be limited by the student’s academic dean.
• Credit by exam at another institution: Credit earned by examination at another institution is treated as transfer credit only if the sending institution records the credit on the student’s transcript with regular catalog course numbers and with a grade of at least C- , the symbol CR , or a similar designation representing credit earned without letter grade.
• Computing an applicant’s GPA: When computing an applicant’s grade point average (GPA) for admissions purposes, the Office of Admissions includes grades earned in all academic courses (except developmental courses), whether passed, failed, or repeated, including those in which the student earned a grade of D+ , D , or D- . However, a course in which the student earned a grade of D+ , D , D- , or F is not transferable and will not count toward a degree. An  A  or  A+  earned on transferable coursework is awarded four points in admission GPA calculations. (See Academic Policies and Procedures for information about how the University computes GPA.)
• Transfer coursework and the University’s GPA: Grades earned at other institutions are not averaged with grades earned at the University to determine the student’s internal University grade point average.

Disputed credit

If the University refuses to accept lower-division credit earned at another Texas public institution of higher education, the student and the sending institution will be given written notice that transfer credit was refused. If nontransfer of credit is disputed, the University will attempt to resolve the matter with the student and the sending institution according to applicable rules and guidelines of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. If the dispute is not resolved to the student’s or the sending institution’s satisfaction within forty-five days of the initial notification, the University will notify the Coordinating Board of the refusal of the transfer credit and the reasons for refusal. The Coordinating Board will resolve the dispute and notify the parties of its findings.

College credit for earning an International Baccalaureate diploma

Students who are admitted to the University and have earned an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma during high school may qualify for 24 hours of college credit. Details about the program are available from Student Testing Services .

College credit for military service

Military veterans who enroll as entering undergraduates (freshman, transfer, or returning students) at UT Austin and meet certain requirements are eligible to receive up to 12 semester hours of undergraduate elective coursework credit for the time they spent in the service. Eligibility requirements are defined in Section 51.3042 of the Texas Education Code .

The credit is awarded for having served, not for any college-level courses that the veteran may have taken while in the military. To be eligible to receive credit for military service, a veteran must

• Have graduated from a public or private high school accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense.
• Have completed at least two years of service in the armed services (unless the veteran was discharged because of a disability).
• Have been honorably discharged from the armed forces.

Admitted students who may qualify for credit for military service should speak with a representative of the Office of Admissions upon enrollment at the University.

The Office of Admissions offers a variety of services and resources to assist prospective students with the undergraduate admissions application process. Undergraduate applicants are encouraged to use all available resources, especially consultation with the University’s admissions representatives and counselors.

Admissions representatives work in communities throughout the state of Texas. The University’s admissions representatives provide detailed information about, and assistance with, the freshman and transfer admissions and enrollment processes through consultation, information sessions, and local events.

The Office of Admissions participates in a variety of activities and efforts designed to recruit prospective freshman and transfer students.

• Collaborating with high school counselors in Texas and in other states and with junior and community college officers across the state.
• Hosting counseling and information sessions and conducting campus tours for prospective freshman and transfer students.
• Hosting meetings with representatives from UT Austin admissions, student affairs, and academic affairs offices for prospective transfer students visiting the campus.
• Hosting on-campus events for prospective freshman and transfer students.
• Participating in community college recruiting events across the state and visiting community colleges and business and industry locations to provide information for prospective transfer students.
• Participating in college nights and college fairs across the state and the nation to provide information to prospective freshman and transfer students.
• Working with academic and student affairs offices and departments across campus to assist students in their transition to UT Austin.
• Working with alumni and outreach centers across the state and nation to facilitate student recruiting through information distribution, events, and activities.

Freshman Admission

Eligibility to apply, admission deficiencies , freshman application procedures, freshman application review process, admission decisions.

Freshman applicants should take advantage of the detailed information and resources available through Texas Admissions - Freshman .

To be eligible to apply for freshman admission, an applicant must:

• Have graduated or be on track to graduate from high school or receive a GED and
• Not have enrolled in another college or university after graduating from high school or earning a GED.

To be eligible to apply for freshman admission, a Texas public high school applicant must also be on track to graduate under the high school coursework requirements defined in the state’s Uniform Admission Policy . Texas private high school applicants and applicants from Department of Defense schools must be on track to complete coursework that is equal in content and rigor to the requirements in the Uniform Admission Policy. See Admission Decisions below for information about requirements for automatic admission.

No student is exempt from the University’s minimum coursework requirements: four units of language arts, two units of a single foreign language, three units of mathematics at the level of Algebra I or higher, two units of science, three units of social studies, one and one-half units of electives, and one-half unit of fine arts. (Computer science/programming courses may be used to fulfill the admissions foreign language requirement.)

Meeting the minimum requirements makes a student eligible to apply for admission, but exceeding the minimum is often necessary for applicants to be competitive for admission to many of the University's academic programs.

Under Texas law, graduates of unaccredited high schools may seek admission to the University.

Some applicants may be required to complete the University’s deficiency process in order to meet UT Austin’s minimum coursework requirements. Applicants who appear to be deficient after applying for admission are notified by the Office of Admissions that they must submit additional information through an online process. Notified students who fail to complete the deficiency process will not be considered for admission.

Admitted students must complete the coursework required to remove a deficiency before they enroll at the University. A deficiency in foreign language must be removed by achieving first-year college-level credit in a foreign or classical language, by earning a passing score on the appropriate placement examination given by the University, or by taking computer science/programming coursework, when applicable. A deficiency in mathematics must be removed by earning credit for  Mathematics 301 , College Algebra , or  Mathematics 303D , Applicable Mathematics , or an equivalent transfer course. For all other subjects, one semester of college credit is required to remove a deficiency of one year or less of high school credit.

To be considered for admission as a freshman, an applicant must submit all required items by the deadline published on Texas Admissions .

• Application.  A completed Freshman application .
• Transcript and rank.  An official high school transcript showing coursework information through the end of the junior year along with information about the applicant's class rank and high school class size (usually noted on the transcript). If your high school does not rank students, provide a statement from your school describing its policy, a copy of your school's profile, and a GPA or grade distribution report. 
• High school coursework or exemption information.  Documentation showing that the applicant is on track to meet high school coursework requirements or is requesting an exemption to meet the state's Uniform Admissions Policy; applicants who claim an exemption based on equivalent coursework must submit a certification/exemption form as described above.
• Test score.  An official test score report for the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT Assessment is required.  More information may be found on  Texas Admissions-Freshman .
• Fee or waiver request.  The application processing fee or a request for a fee waiver.

Additional requirements for some applicants

In addition to the items required of all applicants, some applicants are required to submit additional items. Some applicants, for example, may be required to submit the online Student Information Form to provide details about high school coursework. In addition, international freshman applicants must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores as well as evidence of sufficient financial support while studying in the United States. In addition, some majors require applicants to submit major-specific application requirements .

Additional information about applying for freshman admission, including details about reporting rank, high school coursework requirements, and testing requirements, is available on Texas Admissions - Freshman .

Keeping prospective students informed

In accordance with the admissions policy adopted by the University of Texas System Board of Regents, the Office of Admissions works diligently to keep students informed about items needed to complete an admissions application and about the status of their individual applications throughout the process. MyStatus – a secure online portal for UT Austin applicants – provides detailed information about application status (incomplete, complete, in review, etc.) and about items needed to complete an application for admission. The Office of Admissions also notifies applicants by email of the need to visit MyStatus for application information.

Reporting dual credit

A freshman applicant may not disregard any part of their academic record, including college credit earned as dual credit. Such coursework must be reported when applying for admission, and the applicant must submit official transcripts of the coursework.

In keeping with the admissions policy adopted by the University of Texas System Board of Regents, the Office of Admissions uses an individualized, holistic review process to consider each completed freshman application. Annual file review training is conducted to assure that files are reviewed consistently and fairly based on admission criteria.

Applications from students who qualify for automatic admission are reviewed to determine majors. Applications from students who are not eligible for automatic admission are reviewed to determine admissibility and to make decisions about majors.

The following items are considered during holistic review:

• Strength of academic background
• SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores
• Record of achievements, honors, and awards
• Special accomplishments, work, and service both in and out of school
• Essay(s) and required short answers
• Special circumstances that put the applicant’s academic achievements into context, including the applicant's socioeconomic status, experience in a single parent home, family responsibilities, experience overcoming adversity, and other information in the applicant’s file
• Recommendations (although not required)
• Competitiveness of the major to which the student applies

No specific class rank, test score, or other qualification by itself—other than automatic admission based on section 51.803 of the Texas Education Code or admission for top students from small Texas high school graduating classes—ensures admission.

Admission decisions are made on the basis of the information submitted as part of the student’s application. Applicants who believe that supplemental items will help convey information about their qualifications are encouraged to submit such items with their applications. Supplemental items often included with applications are expanded résumés of accomplishments and extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and letters addressing an applicant’s special circumstances.

The Office of Admissions uses an individualized, holistic review process to consider each completed freshman application. Applications from students who do not qualify for automatic admission are reviewed to determine which students will be offered admission and to determine majors for those offered admission. Applications from students who do qualify for automatic admission are reviewed to make decisions about majors.

Texas applicants eligible for automatic admission

Section 51.803 of the Texas Education Code defines the rules that govern automatic admission to Texas universities. Under these rules, the University is required to use automatic admission to fill at least 75 percent of the spaces available to Texas residents in each admitted freshman class.

Each September, the University informs school districts of the rank that will be required to earn automatic admission to the University in the next application cycle. More information can be found at Admission Decisions.

In addition to graduating under the coursework requirements found in the state’s Uniform Admission Policy , to be eligible for automatic admission, applicants from Texas public high schools must complete the Foundation High School Program with the Distinguished Level of Achievement. High school coursework exemptions are available for applicants who may be eligible for automatic admission and who attend private high schools in Texas or Department of Defense high schools. Available exemptions are based on achieving certain benchmarks on either the SAT or the ACT or completing high school coursework that is equal in content and rigor to the state’s high school graduation requirements.

In order for a student to qualify for automatic admission, the high school must report the student's rank as prescribed by section 51.803 of the Texas Education Code.

To be considered for admission to the Cockrell School of Engineering, the Jackson School of Geosciences, and the Environmental Science major in the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Natural Sciences, applicants who are otherwise eligible for automatic admission to the University should meet the calculus-readiness requirement. To be considered for admission to other math-intensive majors (mathematics, business, physics, or computer science), an applicant who is otherwise eligible for automatic admission to the University should demonstrate math proficiency. 

Automatic admission for military/veteran applicants

Students who qualify for automatic admission to UT Austin at the time they graduate from high school and who join the military after graduation maintain eligibility for automatic admission for the period of time they serve in the military. Military or veteran applicants interested in enrolling at UT Austin following military service who have not enrolled in college-level coursework since high school graduation should apply for freshman admission. Such applicants are reviewed holistically with the freshman applicant pool to determine the major to which they will be offered admission. Qualified applicants who have enrolled in college-level coursework since high school graduation should apply for  transfer admission .

Applicants not eligible for automatic admission

To be considered for freshman admission, applicants who are not eligible for consideration under the provisions of section 51.803 of the Texas Education Code must normally have graduated from or be on track to graduate from high school and have met the high school preparation requirements.

As a state-assisted institution, the University reserves 90 percent of its spaces for Texas residents per Texas law; 10 percent of the spaces are reserved for out-of-state and international students.

Notifying applicants of admission decisions

In keeping with the admissions policy adopted by the University of Texas System Board of Regents, the Office of Admissions notifies freshman applicants of their admission decisions as soon as possible. Summer/fall applicants who qualify for automatic admission are notified of their admissibility soon after their applications are complete. Decisions about majors for automatically admissible students and decisions about admission and majors for applicants who are not automatically admissible are made and delivered beginning in the fall. All freshman admissions decisions for summer/fall are communicated by the spring before the entry semester. The Office of Admissions also works to deliver spring decisions in a timely manner.

Alternative paths to admission

The University works to identify and develop alternative admission programs that offer prospective students a clear path to completion of an undergraduate degree at the University. These programs include: Path to Admission through Co-Enrollment (PACE), a co-enrollment program with Austin Community College, and the Coordinated Admission Program (CAP), a University of Texas System program through which students enroll in a UT System university during their freshman year and then transfer to UT Austin—after successfully completing the program requirements—in order to complete their undergraduate studies.  Information about PACE requirements are available on  Texas Admissions - Freshman . Information about CAP requirements are available on  Texas Admissions - Freshman .

Transfer Admission

Transfer application procedures, transfer application review process, transient admission (summer only), fresh start, enrollment as a nondegree student.

Prospective transfer applicants should take advantage of the detailed information and resources available on Texas Admissions - Transfer .

In most circumstances to be eligible for transfer admission consideration, an applicant must:

• Have graduated from high school or earned a GED
• Have enrolled in an institution of higher education following high school graduation or receipt of the GED
• Have earned 24 semester hours of transferable coursework at another college of university

While 30 semester hours of transfer credit is recommended for transfer applicants, students with at least 24 hours of credit will be considered based on the strength of their application and available spaces in the incoming class. In exceptional circumstances, students with fewer than 24 semester hours of credit may be considered for transfer admission under special review by appeal to the Vice Provost of admissions.

Ineligible at other institutions

An applicant who is ineligible to continue at a previous institution for academic or disciplinary reasons is not eligible for admission to the University. There is no probationary or provisional admission for transfer applicants.

Degree holders

Students who have obtained a degree at another college or university but are interested in working toward an undergraduate degree at UT Austin must apply for undergraduate transfer admission in the same way as students who have not yet earned a degree.

Former CAP and PACE participants

Students who participated in the Coordinated Admission Program (CAP) or Path to Admission through Co-Enrollment (PACE) but did not complete the requirements or decided not to enroll at UT Austin despite successful completion of the requirements must apply for transfer admission if interested in attending UT Austin at a later date.

Additional situations requiring application for transfer

UT Austin graduate students who are interested in taking undergraduate courses but who have never attended UT Austin as an undergraduate must apply for undergraduate transfer admission. The same is true for students who have taken only correspondence or extension courses at UT Austin as well as students who have taken only summer courses when enrolled as a visiting transient student.

To be considered for transfer admission, an applicant must submit the items listed below by the application deadline . Official transcripts and test score reports submitted to the Office of Admissions will not be duplicated or returned to the student. Faxes of transcripts and applications are not accepted.

• Application and essays:  A completed Transfer application , including the required essays and statement of purpose.
• Transcripts:  Separate, official transcripts from each college attended, including any at which the applicant enrolled while in high school. Every college-level course the student took must be reported on a transcript from the institution at which the student enrolled in the course, even if it also appears on the transcript of another institution that accepted it for transfer credit. Summer and fall applicants must submit official transcripts of all coursework undertaken through the previous fall; spring applicants must submit official transcripts of all coursework undertaken through the previous summer.
• Fee (or exemption request):  The nonrefundable application fee or a request for an exemption, described in the section  Application Processing Fee .
• Résumé:  An expanded résumé that provides information about the applicant’s previous five years of academic, extracurricular, community, and work activities, honors, and awards.

The following items are required for some applicants:

• Permanent resident alien applicants must submit a photocopy of the front of the permanent resident card or temporary evidence of I-551 in the passport.
• Transfer applicants (including United States citizens and permanent residents) who have undertaken a significant amount of their college coursework in a country in which English is not the only language spoken must show proficiency in English by presenting a score on either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Details about possible exemptions are available on Texas Admissions - Transfer . 
• International transfer applicants must submit evidence of sufficient financial support while studying in the United States.

Required for enrollment

Before enrolling at the University, admitted transfer students must submit an official high school transcript. The transcript is used to verify completion of the units in foreign language and mathematics that are requirements of many university degrees. Although the high school transcript is not required for admission, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit it with other admissions credentials by the deadline.

Automatic admission for eligible transfer applicants

Section 51.8035 of the Texas Education Code establishes criteria for automatic admission to the University for qualifying transfer applicants who began their studies at a Texas community or junior college following high school graduation. Visit Automatic Transfer Admission for details.

Students who qualify for automatic admission to UT Austin at the time they graduate from high school and who join the military after graduation maintain eligibility for automatic admission for the period of time they serve in the military. Qualified military or veteran applicants interested in enrolling at UT Austin following military service who have enrolled in any college-level coursework since high school graduation should apply for transfer admission. UT Austin waives the 24 semester-hour transfer coursework requirement for qualified military/veteran applicants. Such applicants are reviewed holistically with the transfer applicant pool to determine the major to which they will be offered admission. Applicants who have not enrolled in college-level coursework since high school graduation should apply for  freshman admission .

All applications for transfer admission are reviewed and evaluated individually and holistically. Admission decisions are made after careful consideration of the strength of the applicant’s academic background; their record of achievement and accomplishment, both in and outside of the classroom; and related factors reported by the applicant in writing.

The Office of Admissions considers the following items when looking for evidence of a strong academic background:

• Substantial coursework from a challenging academic institution or program
• Evidence of relevant coursework and experiences related to requested field of study
• Required and appropriate courses for specific areas of study
• Evidence of a positive academic trend

The following items form the basis for evaluating an applicant’s record of achievement and accomplishment:

• Indications of a superior level of achievement in a particular area, or particular attributes that would be an asset to a department or college
• Letters from deans, department chairs, or faculty members that attest to the applicant’s qualifications for their respective programs
• Information on a personal résumé that attests to the applicant’s skills, abilities, experiences, or background
• Performance at an audition or the quality of a portfolio, when required for the applicant’s proposed major
• Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language or the International English Language Testing System, when required
• Other special circumstances, including socioeconomic standing; educational goals; employment, internships, etc.; personal experiences and hardships; personal responsibilities; and any additional information submitted by the applicant

Enrollment pressures at the University may not permit admission of all who qualify for certain academic programs. When this occurs, the Office of Admissions, within applicable law, admits those students who are judged to be most able to contribute to and benefit from the University’s rich, diverse, and academically challenging environment. Additional admissions requirements for some undergraduate programs are described in  Major-Specific Application Requirements .

Grade point average computation

A transfer applicant’s grade point average on transferable college coursework is a significant indicator of the applicant’s academic strength. Because the Office of Admissions considers academic background as a factor when making transfer decisions, the grade point average can play an important role in an applicant’s final admission decision.

The admission grade point average (GPA) is computed on all transferable college coursework the student has undertaken, whether passed, failed, or repeated. The Office of Admissions uses the University's numerical equivalents as described in  Academic Policies and Procedures  when computing GPA for transferable coursework.

• GPA is computed by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of semester hours pursued. (Credit hours and grade points earned on the quarter system carry 2/3, or .66, the numerical value of those on the semester system.)
• Transfer credit is not given for courses in which incoming students have earned a grade of  D+ ,  D ,  D- , or  F . However, if such courses would normally be eligible for transfer, they are included when GPA is calculated.
• During transfer GPA calculations, an  A  or  A+  earned on transferable coursework is awarded four points.
• Each instance in which a course is taken is counted when GPA is computed. For example, a course that a student takes twice in an effort to raise a grade is counted twice when the GPA is computed. However, transfer credit for a repeated course is counted only once.

Transfer and evaluation of credit

Applicants for transfer admission must submit official transcripts of all coursework taken at all other institutions for evaluation by the Office of Admissions. This evaluation determines whether the coursework could in any circumstance qualify for transfer credit at the University, but it does not constitute approval of the credit for use toward a degree; such approval is solely within the jurisdiction of a student’s academic dean.

Additional information about evaluation of credit is available in  Undergraduate Applicants with College Credit .

Catalog eligibility for Texas transfer students

A student who transfers from another Texas public institution of higher education has the same catalog choices that the student would have had if the dates of attendance at the University had been the same as the dates of attendance at the other institution. However, the student’s choice of major may affect whether or not transferable coursework may be counted toward a degree. Rules about catalog choice are given in the undergraduate catalog in the section  Graduation Under a Particular Catalog .

Coursework-in-residence requirement

Candidates for all undergraduate degrees must complete at least 60 semester hours of coursework in residence at the University. A transfer student who has completed a substantial amount of transferable, degree-applicable coursework may be obliged to take more courses at the University than their degree program requires, in order to meet the residence requirement. Students considering transfer after earning more than 60 hours of transferable credit should carefully review their options and the possible ramifications of the coursework-in-residence requirement before transferring.  For more inform ation, r eview the  Non-Resident Tuition for Resident Students policy .  

Undergraduate students who are pursuing degrees at other U.S. colleges and universities and wish to continue their studies at the University during the summer only may be admitted to some undergraduate programs as visiting transient students. A transient student who then wishes to be admitted to the University on a regular basis must apply for admission as a transfer student.

Visiting transient students may not register in the Graduate School but may take graduate courses if qualified. If a visiting transient student is subsequently admitted to the University as a regular student, credit earned while enrolled as a transient student may be used to meet undergraduate degree requirements but may not be used to fulfill the requirements for a graduate degree.

Students who attend the University as transient students and then are admitted on a regular basis are immediately subject to the University’s academic regulations. In particular, such a student will be placed on academic warning upon enrollment if their grade point average for work undertaken as a transient student at the University is below 2.00.

Section 51.931 of the Texas Education Code provides that a resident of Texas may apply for admission to the University as an undergraduate student without consideration of course credit or grades earned 10 or more years prior to the semester the applicant plans to enroll. To be admitted, the applicant must meet the admission standards in effect at the time of application. Students admitted under fresh start receive no credit for coursework taken 10 or more years before enrollment, even if a degree was earned.

Fresh start applicants must apply for transfer admission (or readmission if they attended UT Austin in the past), must submit transcripts for all college-level coursework taken and all required application items by the transfer deadline, and must have the minimum number of transferable courses.

A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, including UT Austin, may apply for admission as a nondegree student in one of the undergraduate colleges or schools. Students seeking nondegree admission follow the process for undergraduate transfer applicants and are considered on a competitive basis with transfer applicants for the same semester. Some undergraduate majors are not open to nondegree students; applicants must select from available nondegree majors.

Nondegree students are subject to the rules that apply to other undergraduates. With the approval of the Office of Admissions and the dean's office of the applicable college or school, nondegree students may change to degree-seeking status in an undergraduate college or school. Such students must meet the criteria required of all transfer applicants.

With the approval of the instructor and the graduate advisor, a nondegree student may take any graduate course for which they meet the prerequisite. However, graduate courses that a student takes while enrolled as an undergraduate nondegree student may not later be counted toward a graduate degree.

Exchange students

A student who is admitted to the University through a reciprocal exchange program is also classified as a nondegree student. An exchange student may not register for more than two fall or spring semesters and one summer semester. The transferability of academic credit to the student’s home institution is determined by the home institution.

An exchange student may later apply for admission to the University as a degree-seeking student, but only after completion of the exchange period. If the student is admitted as a degree-seeker, credit that they earned as an exchange student may be counted toward a university degree only on a limited basis and only with the approval of the student’s dean.

Foreign language requirement

Architecture, communication, engineering, geosciences, information, liberal arts, natural sciences, social work, admission to upper-division work and requirements for continuing study, additional information, major-specific application requirements.

To be considered for admission to some undergraduate majors, applicants must submit additional information or meet additional requirements beyond those for applying to the University. Applicants who complete the University’s undergraduate application requirements but fail to submit these additional items or to meet these major-specific requirements may be considered for admission to other undergraduate majors based on academic interest and space availability. Undergraduate applicants may select both a first-choice and a second-choice major when applying for admission; however, preference may be given to first-choice applicants.

UT Austin undergraduate students are expected to have completed two years of a single foreign language in high school. Applicants who meet the University's foreign language high school coursework requirement with computer science coursework may be required to earn credit at the beginning level proficiency in a single foreign language to complete their undergraduate degree requirements. See  Foreign Language  in the Undergraduate Catalog.

The list below offers an overview of major-specific requirements. Additional information is available on the Prerequisites page of the Office of Admissions website and to individual applicants through MyStatus, the University's secure admissions portal.

Freshman Requirements

• Fall-only admission:  Entering students must begin their studies in a fall semester
• Short answer question:  Submit response to major specific short answer question

Transfer Requirements

• Essay D:  Submit a response to Essay D
• Portfolio and letter of recommendation:  Submit online portfolio and one letter of recommendation
• Minimum 3.25 grade point average:  Applicants must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average on transferable coursework
• Transfer from architecture/interior design programs:  Submit transfer credit from architecture or interior design programs
• Fall admission:  Entering business students must begin their studies in a fall semester; summer admission may be possible
• Canfield Business Honors Program:  Admission to the Canfield Business Honors Program requires completion of an additional application, criteria, and acceptance by the Canfield Business Honors Program
• Fall-only admission:  Entering business students must begin their studies in a fall semester
• Calculus II
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Foreign language proficiency:  Before enrolling, admitted transfer students must verify completion of two years of a single foreign language in high school or one year of a single foreign language in college.
• Fall-only admission:  Entering students must begin their studies in a fall semester
• Essay:  Submit an essay response that focuses on how the intended major aligns with the student's educational/career goals
• Teacher certification:  Non-degree seekers planning to begin professional development classes in the fall semester should complete the application to the professional development sequence as part of the admissions application process.
• Calculus readiness requirement:  To be considered for admission to the Cockrell School of Engineering, students must be  calculus ready .
• Summer/Fall admission:  Entering students must begin their studies in a summer or a fall semester
• Engineering Honors Program:  Admission to the Engineering Honors Program requires the completion of an additional application
• Mathematics 408L ,  408M , or  408D
• Physics 303K  and  103M
• A minimum of four technical courses. Technical courses include courses in math, physics, biology, chemistry, geology, computer science, and engineering.
• Fall admission:  Entering students must begin their studies in a fall semester

Fall-only admission:  Entering students in all majors must begin their studies in a fall semester.

• Submit additional Butler School of Music application
• Complete an audition or interview
• (Art History only) Submit response to major-specific short answer question
• (Studio Art only) Submit art portfolio
• Submit creative work in response to design prompt
• Complete additional steps such as audition, interview or portfolio related to your interests
• Complete an audition or interview 
• Submit recent work samples and a creative work in response to design prompt
• Calculus readiness requirement:  To be considered for admission to the Jackson School of Geosciences, students must be  calculus ready
• Chemistry 301
• Geological Sciences 401  or  303
• Mathematics 408C , or  408K , or equivalent
• Biology 311C

Transfer Recommendations

• Mathematics 408L  and  408M ,  408D , or equivalent
• Geological Sciences 401  or  303  with a grade of at least  B- ​
• Fall and Summer admission:  Entering students may begin their studies in a fall or summer semester
• Fall and Summer admission:  Entering students may begin their studies in a fall or summer semester 
• Honors programs:  Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors applicants must complete the online Honors Program application and submit the additional materials.
• Environmental Science (geographical sciences):  To be considered for admission to environmental science, students must be  calculus ready
• Fall-only admission:  Plan II and environmental science students must begin their studies in a fall semester
• Plan II:  The Plan II major is not currently available to transfer applicants.
• Undeclared:  The Undeclared major in Liberal Arts is not available to transfer applicants.
• Transfer credit for  Biology 311C ,  Chemistry 301 , and  Mathematics 408C ,  408K , or  408N  with a grade of at least  C-  in each
• Transfer credit for  Geological Sciences 401  or  303  with a grade of at least  B-
• Honors programs:  Natural sciences honors program applicants must complete the online Honors Program application and submit the additional materials
• Environmental science (biological sciences):  To be considered for admission to environmental science, students must be  calculus ready
• Fall-only admission:  Environmental science and Statistics and Data Science students must begin their studies in a fall semester
• ​Fall-only admission:  Computer science and environmental science students must begin their studies in a fall semester.
• Undeclared:  The Undeclared major in Natural Sciences is not available to transfer applicants.
• Transfer credit for  Biology 311C ,  Chemistry 301 , and  Mathematics 408C ,  408K , or  408N  with a grade of at least a  C-  in each

Transfer Recommendations (to be competitive for all natural sciences majors):

• Minimum of 30 transferable semester hours
• GPA in math and science:  Minimum grade point average of 3.00 in mathematics and science coursework is preferred for consideration. A GPA above 3.00, however, is generally needed to be competitive for admission.
• First-choice major:  Preference is given to applicants who select a Natural Sciences major as their first-choice major and who have transfer credit for at least one college-level calculus course.
• ​ Mathematics 408C ,  408D ,  408K ,  408L ,  408M ,  408N , or  408S
• Statistics and Data Sciences 301
• ​ Biology 311C ,  311D
• Chemistry 301 ,  302
• Computer Science 311 ,  312
• Physics 303K ,  303L
• or majors level equivalents
• Essay A:  Submit Essay A describing how the intended major would impact achievement of the student's educational and career goals
• Short answer questions:  Submit responses to major specific short answer questions​
• Essay A:  Submit Essay A with a focus on goals of becoming a nurse and/or a career in nursing
• Recommended GPA:  To be competitive, applicants should have a minimum 3.5 transfer GPA
• 24 hours by deadline:  Submit transcript showing 24 hours of completed coursework by the application deadline.
• Chemistry 301 ,  Statistics and Data Sciences 301 , and  Biology 311C
• Additional documents:  ​ Additional documents  may be required for applicants with an associate's degree in nursing

Admission to the College of Pharmacy is not available to freshman applicants

Transfer Applicants

• Pharm CAS Application:  Apply to the professional pharmacy program (PharmD) by completing the PharmCAS application and the College of Pharmacy Supplemental Application
• Essay:  Submit Essay A with a focus on how social work would prepare a student to achieve education and career goals.

Some undergraduate academic programs admit new students as undeclared or entry-level majors within a college or school. In such cases, students must meet certain requirements—earn a certain grade point average in specified coursework, for example—to move into upper-level study. In some cases, students must apply for admission to a concentration or to a professional program after meeting the specified requirements.

Prospective undergraduate students and applicants should review online information provided by the  colleges and schools  that offer the majors in which they are interested and should consult the  Undergraduate Catalog  for details.

Readmission of Former Undergraduate Students

Readmission following military service.

Former University students who were not enrolled the previous fall or spring semester must apply for readmission. Students who completed the requirements for a degree from the University in the previous semester or summer semester must also apply for readmission. (Former graduate students who have never been enrolled at UT Austin as undergraduates and who wish to take undergraduate courses must apply for undergraduate transfer admission.) Application materials must be submitted by the deadline for former students . To be eligible to re-enroll, a former student who has subsequently attended another college must submit an official transcript from each college showing a grade point average of at least 2.50 on a 4.00 scale for all transferable coursework the student has undertaken since leaving the University. (Students who have taken only one transferable course in their absence must earn at least a 2.00 on that course.) Each application will be reviewed by the office of Admissions for continued eligibility. Readmission requires official approval from the Office of Admissions.  This requirement does not apply to work taken during a summer semester that falls between consecutive spring and fall semesters in which the student is enrolled at the University.

A student who leaves the University on academic warning will be on academic warning when readmitted, even if they have attended another institution in the interim.  Students previously dismissed from the university for academic reasons, contact the dean’s office of your college or school before applying to find out if you are eligible to re-enter.

Former students who wish to enter the School of Law, the Graduate School, or the graduate program of the McCombs School of Business for the first time must meet the requirements and deadlines given in the appropriate section of this chapter. Additional information about graduate and law programs is given in their respective catalogs.

In accordance with section 51.9242 of the Texas Education Code, a student who withdraws from the University in order to perform required military service will be readmitted for any semester that begins within a year after the student’s release from required service. The student is not required to apply for readmission or pay an application fee. However, the student must submit the Notification of Intent to Re-Enroll. This form allows the University to prepare for the former student’s return. If the form is submitted late, the student’s registration may be delayed. To prevent a delay, the former student should submit the form at least two weeks before they expect to register for classes.

This policy applies to students who withdraw for service with the United States armed forces or the Texas National Guard; however, it does not apply to students who withdraw solely to perform one or more training exercises as members of the Texas National Guard.

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2023-2024 General Information Catalog

2022-2023 General Information Catalog

2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

2022-2023 Graduate Catalog

2022-2024 Law School Catalog

2022-2023 Medical School Catalog

2022-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

University of Texas at Austin 2023-24 Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Oct 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Dec 1

You Have: 

University of Texas at Austin 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 1 essay of 500-700 words; 3 essays of 250-300 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Why , Additional Info , Personal statement

All freshman applicants must submit a required essay, Topic A in ApplyTexas and the UT Austin Required Essay in the Coalition application. Please keep your essay between 500–700 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Tell us your story. what unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today (500-700 words).

Whether you’re using the Coalition or ApplyTexas to apply to UT Austin, you’ll have many opportunities to document your greatest high school achievements. So for this essay, it’s important that you focus on telling a personal story (it’s right there in the prompt!) that doesn’t appear elsewhere on your application. What opportunities and challenges were specific to your high school experience? The goal isn’t to craft a list, so aim to focus on one central story that describes either an opportunity or a challenge. When brainstorming , on the other hand, we recommend writing the longest list you can think of: two columns or a Venn diagram documenting every hurtle or special chance you got throughout high school. 

As you consider your “opportunities,” keep in mind that your reflection on the event or opportunity that shaped who you are today will be a source of great insight for admissions. Maybe being fluent in Tagalog opened up a unique opportunity for you to start an online exchange between your school and a school in the Philippines.  Or were you invited to perform with your dance group at a community event? Did this experience launch you to seek out other performance opportunities, spurring your interest in entrepreneurship? As you sift through your “challenges” route, aim to showcase qualities like resilience, perseverance, or simply an ability to turn lemons into lemonade. Perhaps the long commutes on the bus between home, school, and your internship taught you about time management or inspired an interest in urban planning. The challenges you choose to write about can be serious (dealing with bullies or discovering a learning disability) or seemingly banal (a public speaking #fail). While the possibilities are almost endless, students should be careful not to choose challenges that may seem trite (getting a B on a big project or winning lottery tickets to Hamilton). 

Regardless of the direction you choose to pursue, remember to make sure that admissions is learning something new about you through personal anecdotes and specific details. 

All applicants must submit three required short answers responding to prompts in your admissions application. Answers are limited to no more than 40 lines, or about 250–300 words, typically the length of one paragraph.

Note special requirements: architecture, art and art history, nursing, and social work require additional short answer questions of their applicants. , required short answer 1: , why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major.

This prompt sounds simple enough: describe what you want to study and why you like it so much that you’re willing to dedicate four years of your life to it (at the very least). While you might be tempted to get technical or poetic in your response, your reader will expect you to connect your intended major to some prior experience and/or passion. In other words, tell a story. Lucky for you, we would have advised you to start with an anecdote anyway. The most memorable essays spring from concrete descriptions of your experiences. What excites you and why? When was the last time you got drawn down a Reddit rabbit hole – and what was the topic? While you don’t need to pinpoint the exact moment you became interested in ancient history or calculus, try to zero in on some inspiring experience. What was the best TED Talk you ever watched? The first time you spoke to your new friend in ASL? Your story should showcase your unique connection to your chosen course of study. And don’t forget to talk about UT Austin! By the end of your essay, your reader should not only know why you are passionate about your chosen major, but also what excites you about Austin’s program. In admissions, we call that your fit!

Oh and a quick shoutout to all the undecideds out there: don’t worry! If you can’t decide, then tell a story that demonstrates your wide range of interests or natural curiosity. Focus on the opportunities UT Austin offers across departments and how you plan to explore once you arrive on campus. It’s normal to want to try new things at the start of college!

Required Short Answer 2:

Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community, or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at ut..

In short, this is an essay about diversity and the aspects of your life and experience that distinguish you from your peers. For some applicants, the answer might be obvious: you might have been the only one at your school with a certain background, belief system, or inherited skill set. But whether this prompt seems like it was made for you or just a total head-scratcher, we encourage you to dig a little deeper than your first thought. What about your history, experiences, perspectives, or talents might be worth highlighting for an admissions officer? And how can the experience, perspective, or talent you choose enrich the learning environment at UT Austin?

Maybe you grew up in a military family that moved around a lot, and you want to write about how this experience has shaped your ability to make new connections super quickly. Perhaps you’ll teach your floor-mates about what makes for a great ice breaker. Maybe you were raised on a farm and developed a strong work ethic at a young age as you helped your parents tend to the fields. Perhaps you will be a natural leader in group projects and take initiative in the many clubs you’d like to join. Be sure to connect your personal story to a future vision of yourself at UT Austin. The most important thing to remember for this prompt is that your experience, perspective, or talent is dynamic and specific to you and who you are, and no one else.

Required Short Answer 3:

The core purpose of the university of texas at austin is, “to transform lives for the benefit of society.” please share how you believe your experience at ut-austin will prepare you to “change the world” after you graduate..

UT Austin seeks to invite movers and shakers to campus, students who dream of a better tomorrow and have a plan to make it happen. Admissions wants to know what change you would like to effect in the world. Maybe you want to be at the forefront of the fight against climate change and global warming. How do you plan to contribute and how will your time at UT Austin set you up for carbon neutral success? Perhaps you would like to see more reparations in place for marginalized and historically deprived communities in the United States. Will UT Austin’s Race, Indigeneity, and Migration major help prepare you for a career in public service?

However you decide to answer this prompt, be sure to show admissions that you care about the wellbeing of others. And make sure they know you want to be part of positive change and will make UT Austin proud long after graduation.

Optional Short Answer 4:

Please share background on events or special circumstances that may have impacted your high school academic performance..

T his essay is perfect for students who have encountered outstanding challenges, and need an opportunity to explain them. In fact, we recommend saving those details for an Additional Info essay, so that you can use the rest of your application to highlight other parts of your amazing personality. So, if something has happened that affected your academic performance, this is a great opportunity to explain the circumstances. Did a COVID-19 infection during your junior year cause your participation in clubs and activities to take a hit? Did a family emergency cause an overall drop in your GPA? A drop in grades or a gap in your resume does not define you. Remember to make this essay not about the things you couldn’t control, but the actions you took to improve the situation. You don’t want to come off as a victim of circumstance, but as a resilient person who can take steps to positively affect their situation.

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UT Austin Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are UT Austin's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into UT Austin and build a strong application.

School location: Austin, TX

This school is also known as: University of Texas at Austin

Admissions Rate: 31.4%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at UT Austin is 31.4% . For every 100 applicants, 31 are admitted.

This means the school is very selective . If you meet UT Austin's requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you'll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

UT Austin GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.83

The average GPA at UT Austin is 3.83 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. This school did not officially report its average GPA, but we've estimated it here using data from over 1,000 schools.)

With a GPA of 3.83, UT Austin requires you to be near the top of your class , and well above average. Your transcript should show mostly A's. Ideally, you will also have taken several AP or IB classes to show that you can handle academics at a college level.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.83, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate . This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

UT Austin hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to UT Austin will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

UT Austin SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1355

The average SAT score composite at UT Austin is a 1355 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes UT Austin Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.

UT Austin SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1240, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1470. In other words, a 1240 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1470 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

UT Austin has the Score Choice policy of "Contact School."

This means that the school wants you to contact them to learn more about their Score Choice policies. Keep reading - we may have extra notes about this from our own expert research.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

UT Austin ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, UT Austin likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 30

The average ACT score at UT Austin is 30. This score makes UT Austin Strongly Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 27, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 33.

Even though UT Austin likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 27 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 30 and above that a 27 will look academically weak.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 33 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to UT Austin, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 33.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

UT Austin considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission . If you're able to score a 1470 SAT or a 33 ACT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in.

For a school as selective as UT Austin, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. We'll cover those details next.

But if you apply with a score below a 1470 SAT or a 33 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in. There are just too many other applicants with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

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Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of UT Austin here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Not accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement Required for all freshmen
• Letters of Recommendation x Recommended
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $75
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests
• Scores Due in Office None

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 2
• Social Studies 4
• Electives 6

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes December 1 March 1

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 110 Austin, TX 78705
• Phone: (512) 471-3434 x3434
• Fax: (512) 475-7475

Our Expert's Notes

We did more detailed research into this school's admissions process and found the following information:

Note the final application deadline of December 1st for fall entry, which is the same deadline for the scholarship application (which can be accessed from the general UT application). Also, make sure to consult the page of extra requirements for programs like Engineering, Nursing, and Fine Arts.

For the Honors Programs (available in Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences, and the Plan II program), you must submit both the regular UT application as well as an honors application by the December 1st deadline. More information, including requirements for specific honors programs, available here.

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in UT Austin, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to UT Austin.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than UT Austin. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for UT Austin, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for UT Austin, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If UT Austin is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the UT Austin essay prompts? With tips from a Harvard graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the UT Austin essay requirements will give you the tools to write UT Austin essays sure to stand out in admissions.

If you need help responding to the UT Austin essay prompts, click  here  to create your free CollegeAdvisor.com account or  schedule a free advising consultation  with an Admissions Expert by calling (844) 343-6272.

UT Austin  Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• UT Austin has an acceptance rate of 32% —  U.S. News  ranks UT Austin as a most selective school.
• We recommend answering all of the UT Austin essay prompts authentically and thoroughly in order to maximize your admissions odds.

Does the University of Texas at Austin have essays?

Yes. All applicants to UT Austin must complete several UT essay prompts. You can access the UT Austin essay prompts through  ApplyTexas  or the  Coalition App . You can also review the full list of application requirements—including the UT essay prompts—on the UT Austin  website .

Keep in mind that UT Austin does  not  use the  Common App . All UT Austin application materials must be submitted through ApplyTexas or through the Coalition App. This includes your responses to the UT Austin essay prompts.

How many essays does the University of Texas at Austin require?

All fall 2021 applicants must complete five UT Austin essay prompts—one long-form essay of 500-700 words and four short answer questions of 250-300 words each.

Since UT Austin does not accept the Common Application, there’s no need to worry about the Common App personal statement. The Coalition App also has a personal statement—UT Austin applicants are not required to complete this, however.

So what does this mean? In the absence of a Common App/Coalition App personal statement, you’ll want to think about your long-form UT Austin supplemental essay the same way you’d think about your  Common App essay . In other words, your first UT Austin supplemental essay should give the admissions team a unique window into who you are and what matters to you.

We’ll discuss how to use the UT Austin essay requirements to your advantage throughout this guide.

How important are the University of Texas at Austin essays?

The UT Austin essay prompts are incredibly important in the admissions process. While UT considers a variety of factors when reviewing applications, your UT essays allow your readers to understand who you are beyond your grades and test scores. Think of the UT Austin essay requirements as a tool to help the admissions team understand who you are in your own words.

Strong UT Austin essays can make or break your applications. This means it’s important to draft, proofread, and edit your UT essays as much as possible before you press submit. Don’t underestimate the UT Austin essay prompts!

How do I write a University of Texas at Austin essay?

The UT Austin essay prompts are intended to help the admissions team learn more about you. At their core, your UT Austin supplemental essays should help UT admissions understand who you are.

To make your UT essays stand out, you’ll want to be as authentic as possible. Use the UT essay prompts to tell your story and help the admissions team understand why they should admit you.

Now, let’s discuss the UT Austin essay requirements!

UT Austin Essay Prompts: Long-form Essay (Required)

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today? (500-700 words)

The long-form UT essay prompt is entirely open-ended—and that’s the point! Let’s break down this first UT Austin supplemental essay.

The first of the UT essay prompts asks you to discuss “unique opportunities or challenges” that you’ve experienced throughout high school. With 700 words, this UT essay gives you plenty of space to tell a detailed story about how your identity has developed. Maybe you’ve struggled with dyslexia while pursuing an interest in poetry; maybe you’ve had to support yourself and your family by working a job throughout high school. Whatever topic you choose for the first of the UT Austin essay prompts, make sure it has “shaped who you are today.”

If you’re struggling to find a topic for this UT Austin essay, start with a timed  brainstorming  session. Set a timer for ten minutes. Then, write down every significant experience from high school that comes to mind. These experiences can be related to academic coursework, extracurricular activities, or personal experiences. Don’t hold yourself back—a strong topic for this UT Austin supplemental essay could come from anywhere.

Choosing an experience

Once you have this list, look for any experiences that have particularly defined who you are and how you operate in the world. Think about this list in the context of your overall application. What story can you tell in your UT essay that would complement the other aspects of your application, including your academic interests and extracurricular activities? For example, has a health challenge led to a desire to pursue a career in medicine? Or, did you have the opportunity to attend a famous art installation and it led to you pursuing art-centric extracurriculars during high school?

If you’re stuck between ideas, try a few timed freewrites for this first of the UT essay prompts. If you can’t stop writing about a certain topic, chances are that it would make a good UT Austin essay! Additionally, while this prompt does allow you to discuss multiple experiences, you’ll have the most luck if you stick to one topic.

Drafting your essay

Once you’ve chosen a topic, it’s time to start drafting. Since you have up to 700 words in this UT Austin essay, you have plenty of space to tell your story in detail. Like your Common App Personal Statement, you might choose to begin your first UT essay with an engaging anecdote to help draw your reader in. Then, explain your chosen experience or challenge. Discuss how this experience made you who you are, using as many specific details as possible. Finally, end your UT Austin supplemental essay with a glance into the future as you consider how this experience will inform your growth in college.

While you’ll want to provide enough context to help your reader understand your topic, you should spend most of your first UT essay talking about how this experience has informed your identity and worldview. What lessons did you take from this experience? In what ways did it shift your perspective? How have you grown as a result of this experience? How will this experience continue to influence you?

Telling your story

Keep in mind that this UT Austin essay prompts you to “tell  your  story.” This means that, fundamentally, your first UT Austin essay should be about you. While this might seem obvious, it can be easy to lose sight of this requirement. For instance, if you choose to describe a volunteering project, you might accidentally spend most of your essay describing the people you helped rather than your own experience. Similarly, if you write about an extracurricular club, you might spend more time detailing how that club runs rather than explaining your connection to it.

Remember, your reader should come away from your UT Austin supplemental essay with a solid sense of who you are and how you relate to the world around you. If your essay fulfills these two requirements, you’re on the right track. This same advice applies to many of the UT essay prompts!

UT Austin Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your response to the first of the UT essay prompts describe one experience or challenge that has made you who you are?
• Do you engage your reader with specific anecdotes and vivid language?
• Do you avoid clichés or topics that might not be appropriate for a college essay?
• Is your essay about you?
• Does your essay teach your reader something new about you that isn’t obvious from the rest of your application?

How do you answer the UT Austin short answers?

As you may have noticed from the UT Austin essay requirements, all students applying in fall 2021 must respond to four short-answer UT Austin essay prompts. While each response is limited to 250-300 words, you should still spend time brainstorming and drafting your short answer UT essays.

In this section, we’ll break down each of the short-answer UT Austin essay prompts. Let’s get started!

Short Answer UT Austin Essay Prompts: Question 1 (Required)

Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major? (250-300 words)

The first of the short-answer UT Austin essay prompts asks you to explain your academic interests in more detail. On your UT Austin application, you will identify your intended major; while this intended major is non-binding, you should still think carefully about which major you choose. The major you describe will influence how your readers approach your application, providing greater context for your academic achievements and overall candidate profile. For more advice on choosing a major for your college applications, check out our  article .

Make sure the major you choose to discuss genuinely intrigues you. Don’t say you want to study applied math just to seem intelligent. Remember, the best answers to the UT essay prompts will be the most genuine! If you’re undecided, that’s okay—just choose a major that aligns with your interests. The UT Austin essay requirements aren’t intended to force you to choose a field of study before you’re ready—they’re just meant to help you discuss your academic interests in more detail.

Keep it concise

With only 250-300 words in this UT Austin essay, you shouldn’t waste your time on elaborate anecdotes. While you can (and should!) include strong details to help your responses to the UT essay prompts stand out, you should spend most of your UT essay directly discussing your chosen major. Break down why it matters to you and how you hope to engage with it at UT Austin.

Cut to the chase with a description of what you want to study and why it appeals to you. Be as specific and personal as possible. Avoid general statements like “I just want to study geology because it interests me”; instead, talk about  why  it interests you. Maybe you visited the Grand Canyon as a kid and have been fascinated by rock formations ever since. Whatever you discuss, be sure to tie it back to your identity.

• Do you identify a major that genuinely interests you?
• Does your chosen major support your  application narrative ?
• Do you cite the specific reasons why this major appeals to you?
• Does your UT essay illustrate your intellect?

Short Answer UT Austin Essay Prompts: Question 2 (Required)

Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community, or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at UT. (250-300 words)

The second of the short answer UT Austin essay prompts addresses your relationship to your community. Through this UT Austin supplemental essay, the admissions team hopes to understand how you will make an impact on their campus.

Overall, the UT Austin essay requirements should help you show the admissions team how your experiences will inform who you will be at UT. This essay is no exception. This UT essay prompt asks you to address how your “experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities” will help you positively influence the UT community. Note that UT asks you to provide specific details about how your background impacts your role as a community member. That is, they want you to state, in precise terms, how your experiences will help you contribute to UT.

Try brainstorming

You might start this UT Austin supplemental essay with a brainstorming session. Make two lists: one that describes formative experiences, perspectives, talents, and leadership roles, and one that describes your key values and character traits. Once you have these lists, look at how they overlap. For instance, maybe you stated on your values list that you care about showing compassion to others and noted on your experience list that you spend every weekend taking care of your younger brother. Intersections like this will form a strong foundation for your UT essay.

You only have 250-300 words, so once again, you should be relatively brief. Don’t tell longwinded stories; instead, focus on specific experiences you’ve had and how they’ll help you impact your future community at UT. Once you’ve written your first draft, be sure to revise. Every word of your UT essay should make a difference!

• Do you describe particular experiences, perspectives, talents, or leadership roles you’ve had?
• Does your UT essay clarify the specific ways you’ll impact the UT community?
• Does your essay complement the other elements of your application?

Short Answer UT Austin Essay Prompts: Question 3 (Required)

The core purpose of The University of Texas at Austin is, “To Transform Lives for the Benefit of Society.” Please share how you believe your experience at UT-Austin will prepare you to “Change the World” after you graduate. (250-300 words)

In looking at the UT Austin essay requirements, you might have noticed that there’s no conventional “Why UT” essay. However, while it may not seem like it, this is essentially a “Why UT” essay. If you’ve spent time on the UT website, you’ve probably noticed their tagline: “What starts here changes the world.” So, how will you change the world with the skills you develop at UT?

This UT Austin supplemental essay asks for two things. First, it asks you to paint a picture of what your time at UT might look like. Then, it asks you to describe how your experiences will help you change the world after you leave UT.

For inspiration, check out the UT website or their  YouTube channel . You might also look through UT’s list of  student organizations  for a bit more inspiration. Think about the kind of person you would be at UT. What would you study? Which clubs would you join? How would you spend your time? Be as specific as possible—your UT Austin supplemental essay should show that you’ve done your research.

Then, transition to your postgraduate plans. How would the UT experience you envision help you impact the broader world? What skills would UT give you that would help you in your chosen career, both in the practical and the personal sense?

• Does your UT essay specify why UT—and only UT—will help you meet your future goals?
• Do you state specific reasons why UT will prepare you for your future career?
• Does your UT Austin supplemental essay describe how UT will help you positively influence the world after you graduate?

Short Answer UT Austin Essay Prompts: Question 4 (Required)

Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance, including the possible effects of COVID-19. (250-300 words)

According to the UT Austin website, this UT Austin supplemental essay question is required for all students applying in fall 2021, though it will become optional for students who submit their applications in the spring. Double-check your Coalition App or ApplyTexas requirements before drafting your response. Still, it’s in your best interest to think about how you might respond to the last of the UT Austin essay prompts.

Is there any context that your readers should understand in order to best evaluate your application? For example, maybe you had a bad bout with COVID just before taking the SAT, or had to care for a sick family member during exam season. You might even use this space to talk about how virtual learning impacted your education over the last year and a half.

While many students will use this space to discuss the impact of COVID-19, that’s not the only way you can approach this UT Austin essay prompt. This UT essay question gives you the space to discuss any other “events or special circumstances” that have complicated your high school experience. Additionally, while you should proofread your work carefully, you can approach this UT essay with less artistry than the rest of the UT Austin essay requirements. Above all, make sure that your essay communicates how your education was disrupted so that UT admissions can evaluate your application fairly.

• Do you describe how your education was disrupted, either by COVID-19 or by other factors?
• Does your UT Austin essay provide specific details?
• Is your essay free from any grammatical or spelling errors?

UT Austin Essay Requirements: Final Thoughts

While the UT Austin essay requirements might seem overwhelming, don’t be discouraged. If you start your UT Austin essays early and give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm and draft, you should be in great shape. Don’t be intimidated by the UT Austin essay requirements—instead, use them to your advantage. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on UT Austin was written by Abbie Sage, Harvard ‘21. Want more help responding to the UT essay prompts? Click  here  to create your free CollegeAdvisor.com account or  schedule a free advising assessment  with an Admissions Expert by calling (844) 343-6272.

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University of Texas at Austin: Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics

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The University of Texas at Austin is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 32%. UT Austin is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. Considering applying to this selective school? Here are the UT Austin admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Why the University of Texas?

• Location: Austin, Texas
• Campus Features: The Main Building's tower stands 307 feet above UT Austin's attractive 423-acre main campus. The university also has a large research campus in North Austin.
• Student/Faculty Ratio: 18:1
• Athletics: The Texas Longhorns compete in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference .
• Highlights : With over 50,000 students, UT Austin is one of the largest universities in the country. The school is an excellent value for in-state students, and McCombs is one of the best business schools for undergraduates . For its many strengths, UT Austin earned a place among the top Texas colleges , top South Central colleges , and top national public universities .

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, UT Austin had an acceptance rate of 32%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 32 students were admitted, making UT Austin's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

The University of Texas at Austin requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 79% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of UT Austin's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to UT Austin scored between 620 and 720, while 25% scored below 620 and 25% scored above 720. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 610 and 760, while 25% scored below 610 and 25% scored above 760. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1480 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at UT Austin.

Requirements

The University of Texas at Austin does not require SAT Subject Tests, nor does it require the optional SAT essay exam. That said, it can be to your advantage to take the essay exam for your score can be used for class placement purposes. UT Austin does not superscore SAT results; your highest total (ERW and Math) SAT score will be considered.

ACT Scores and Requirements

UT Austin requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 54% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of UT Austin's admitted students fall within the top 15% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 27 and 33, while 25% scored above 33 and 25% scored below 27.

UT Austin does not require the optional ACT writing exam, nor does the university require students to take any SAT Subject Tests if they take the ACT. Note that UT Austin does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered.

GPA and Class Rank

The University of Texas at Austin does not provide data about admitted students' high school GPAs. In 2019, 87% of admitted students who provided data indicated that they ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in graph is self-reported by applicants to the University of Texas at Austin. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

The University of Texas at Austin has a competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance rate and high average GPAs and SAT/ACT scores. However, UT Austin has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule . Be sure to improve your application by submitting an optional activities resumé and optional letters of recommendation . Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and test scores are outside UT Austin's average range.

As the graph above shows, the higher your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, the better your chances of getting in. That said, realize that hidden beneath the blue and green on the graph is a lot of red—some students with excellent transcripts and strong standardized test results still get rejected from the University of Texas.

The rejection of a seemingly qualified student can be the result of many factors: lack of depth or accomplishment in extracurricular activities; failure to demonstrate leadership ability; a lack of challenging AP, IB or Honors courses; a sloppy admissions essay; and more. Also, out-of-state applicants will face a higher admissions bar than Texas students. The opposite is also true—a number of students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics , the UT Austin Office of Admissions .

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International Students

You should apply for international freshman admission if:

• If you are a high school senior or a student who has completed high school and has not yet enrolled at another college or university after graduation.
• You are neither a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• You did not graduate from a Texas high school.

If you are an international transfer student, see our International Transfer page for more information.

International Transfer

Summer/Fall Enrollment

• Application Opens August 1
• Early Action Deadline October 15
• Regular Decision Deadline December 1
• Early Action Decisions Released January 15
• Admission Decisions Released February 15

Spring Enrollment

• Application Opens March 1
• Application Deadline September 1
• Admission Decisions Released December 1

Online Application

International freshman applicants are encouraged to use the ApplyTexas application. You may also use the Common App .

Application Materials

Required for ALL freshman applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who are not graduating from a Texas high school.

Application Fee

Pay the non-refundable application fee of $90 when you submit your application. Fee waivers are not available for international students. If you are not able to pay your fee online using a credit card , you can mail your payment in U.S. dollars. Make checks payable to The University of Texas at Austin and write your UT EID on your check or money order. Do not send cash or personal checks.

Essays and Short Answers

Along with your application, submit at least one essay and complete the required short answer prompts. The essay topic and requirements as well as short answer prompts can be found on the ApplyTexas application form. You can submit your essay with your application or later in MyStatus.

Your High School Transcripts and Any College Transcripts

Please submit documentation showing that you have completed (or will be completing) an accredited secondary school series equivalent to that of a U.S. high school. Please ensure your official record or transcript (mark sheet) shows your secondary work and grades (or marks) from 9th to at least the end of 11th grade. You will need to include 9th grade even if that work was completed at a different institution. You should also include copies of your official final examinations taken at the end of the secondary school program, including external exams such as the General Certificate of Education (GCE) “O” and “A” level examinations, school leaving certificates and matriculation exams. If you have earned any college credit (including dual credit) while in high school, submit official transcripts to UT Austin. Please provide official English translations together with the original language records. Transcripts must be submitted by the deadline.

Transcript Info

High School Prerequisites

You must  complete or be on track to complete certain high school coursework to be competitive for admission.

High School Prerequisites 

SAT/ACT Scores

Students should submit at least one set of scores directly from the testing agency. We do not require the SAT Essay or ACT Writing scores. Scores included in transcripts and copies of score reports don’t meet this requirement. When you ask the testing agency to send your scores, use the codes the agencies have designated for UT Austin:

SAT — 6882 ACT — 4240

Additional Materials

The following materials may be required. These items must be received by the appropriate deadline.

Major-specific items

Certain majors have specific items they may ask for in addition to your application. Please be sure to review any additional items required by your first and second choice majors by visiting their college or school page. Items can be submitted in MyStatus.

Colleges & Degrees

TOEFL/IELTS

If applicable, submit either an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Not sure if you need to submit the TOEFL or IELTS? Visit our Info For International page .

Optional Materials

The optional items below are NOT required for admission consideration. However, you may include them as part of your application for admission if submitted by the appropriate deadline. Please submit all documents in MyStatus.

Expanded Resume

You may choose to submit an expanded resume offering additional information about your achievements, activities, leadership positions and student employment.

Letters of Recommendation

You may submit up to two optional letters of recommendation with your admission application. These letters may be from mentors or people who know you well and can include teachers, although we recommend providing letters from sources outside of your high school. The letter should be able to give additional context or information to support your admission that is not already provided in your application or other submitted documents (resume, transcripts). Letters of recommendation are not accepted via email.

SAT Subject Tests

You are not required to submit SAT Subject Test scores as part of a complete application for admission. However, you can submit these scores in certain situations. For example, home-schooled students may send them if they feel they reflect academic potential, or those hoping to earn course credit by examination may submit them for consideration after the application cycle is complete.

Course Credit by Examination

Once you’ve submitted your online application, you can track the completion of your application and submit additional documents in MyStatus. Be sure to regularly monitor MyStatus until your application is listed as complete and submit any outstanding to-do items prior to the deadlines.

Check MyStatus

You may be asked for additional information after you submit your application. Check MyStatus to stay up to date.

Complete Your Housing Application

You can apply for housing before you receive an admission decision. Housing is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend applying as soon as possible.

Check Your Email

We’ll alert you about your admission decision, financial aid awards, housing contract and other important details via email. Be sure to check your email regularly.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the ApplyTexas Essays 2023-2024 + Examples

Born from the collaboration between the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and various public and private universities around the state, ApplyTexas is a wide-spanning application that allows its users to apply to hundreds of Texan colleges. Like the Common App, it offers a platform for students—natively Texan or not—to send off the same information to many schools, although each school may require differing additional information. 

Unlike the Common App, ApplyTexas may be used to apply to the community colleges, public four-years, participating private schools, graduate programs, and even scholarships within Texan borders. For this article’s purposes, we will be focusing primarily on ApplyTexas’s 150+ four-year colleges and universities. Check out our full list of Texan colleges .

Read this ApplyTexas essay example to inspire your own writing.

Which Colleges Require Which Essays?

As for the ApplyTexas essays, there are three main prompts — prompts A, B, and C — but some colleges will only require some, keep others optional, or not accept certain prompts at all. They may also have additional short answer questions and supplements of their own. Even the recommended word count varies between schools.

Here’s a quick snapshot into the unique essay requirements of a few top ApplyTexas colleges:

University of Texas at Austin:

• Topic A is required.
• 4 short answer responses, 1 of which is optional (250-300 words).
• Additional major-specific materials/requirements for art/art history, architecture, nursing, and social work programs .
• Also accepts the Common App.

Southern Methodist University:

• Topic A essay required, B is optional. 
• Also accepts the Common App, Coalition Application, and its own application.

Texas A&M University, College Station:

• Topic A is required. 
• 4 additional short answers for all applicants, 1 of which is optional.
• 1 short answer for applicants to the College of Engineering.

Baylor University, Waco:

• Choose between Topic A, B or C (optional). 
• Also accepts the Common App and its own application.

Texas Christian University:

• Any essay topic on the ApplyTexas application (optional)
• 3 additional short answer questions, 1 of which is optional.
• Any essay topic on the ApplyTexas application (optional).

Never ignore optional prompts! Taking the time to complete them shows that you truly care about the school. Ignoring them will make admissions officers wonder if you even like it enough to actually attend it if accepted.

If you are applying to any of these universities and feel you would rather use the Coalition Application or the Common Application, see our Coalition Application Essay Guide and our Common Application Essay Guide . Keep in mind that essay requirements will vary depending on which platform you use. For instance, some schools (SMU, TCU, Baylor) may have additional short essays if you use the Common App.

If you still feel ApplyTexas is the platform for you, read on!

Before You Begin

It’s important to verify that your desired schools are featured on the ApplyTexas platform. Certain private schools—Rice University, for example—use the Common Application instead of ApplyTexas.

And while all the public universities in Texas accept ApplyTexas, some of them also accept the Common Application and Coalition Application, as we’ve seen. The Common Application , Coalition Application , and ApplyTexas offer tools to determine whether a university is included in their platform. Be sure to verify which application is better suited to your college list. Many students can tackle all their schools with just the Common App, but others may have to use a couple different platforms.

Approaching the ApplyTexas Essays

So you’ve worked through the application form, requested copies of your transcript and recommendation letters, effectively described your extracurriculars, and sent in your scores, if any. All that remains now are the essays: your best shot at showing admissions officers how you think, who you are, what matters to you, and why!

As you may remember, ApplyTexas contains three essay prompts: Topics A, B, and C. Each school may have different essay requirements, so it is best to familiarize yourself with all of them. For instance, even if you’re bursting with knowledge about your future major, these essays are an opportunity to speak holistically with regards to your life and experience.

Essay-Writing Strategies

With few parameters aside from the word limit of approximately 800 words (and with each school often setting different word counts), the ApplyTexas essay may seem intimidating. Luckily, the prompts can act as a creative and procedural tether. Whereas students applying via Common Application may begin by shaping a central idea before matching it up to one of the various prompts, ApplyTexas essays grow from the prompt up . Because of this, the best brainstorming and organizational practices for each prompt are unique. The one factor that remains ubiquitously relevant is writing — good writing. Before we get into the details of ideation and organization for each prompt, we’ll review some ways to ensure your writing is clear, communicative, and evocative.

Tips for writing well:

• Show, don’t tell (you’ve heard it before, but it’s worth hearing again!)
• Use active, rather than passive, sentence construction.
• Write with precision.
• Avoid clichés

The somewhat hackneyed advice of “Show, don’t tell” is nevertheless crucial to writing a compelling application essay. The meaning of showing a reader rather than telling them is best interpreted literally. Imagine you’re outside your house and you see a dog skateboarding on it’s two front paws. You run inside, eager to { tell, show } whoever is home. You fling open the door and narrowly avoid a collision with your brother, still unlacing his shoes from basketball practice.

You tell him: “Aamir, I just saw a dog skateboarding on its two front paws!”

You show him: You grab Aamir by the corner of his Jersey. “Come quick” you squeal, and he stumbles out after you, tripping on his laces. Thankfully, the dog is still there. “Just look,” you breathe out, already mesmerized by the wind rushing through the schnauzer’s mustache. Wobbling ever so slightly, the pup remains confident as he shreds the inclined blacktop of the cul-de-sac. Then, a moment later, it’s over. Unaware of the scale of his accomplishment, the dog scratches behind his right ear. You look over at Aamir. “Whoa.”

Out of these two scenarios, we can be sure that Aamir will only remember the second. It’s much the same for admissions committees; they’re more likely to remember you if you show them what you want to communicate. Now, showing doesn’t need to be much longer than telling. In fact, succinct writing is just as important as descriptive writing. Abandoning the literal narrative of “showing,” we’re left with something like this: A schnauzer puppy from the cul-de-sac was balanced on his front paws—miraculously, on a skateboard. Man, that dog could shred.

Using active voice is another crucial component of clean, clear writing. It’s also pretty simple. Make sure your sentence’s subject performs the action indicated by the verb. For example, instead of writing “the skateboard was maneuvered by a schnauzer,” you would opt for, “the schnauzer maneuvered the skateboard.” The only exception to this rule is when you want to bring explicit attention to the person or thing affected by an action. Our story is actually a decent example. What’s more noteworthy? The skateboarding? Or the fact that a dog is doing it? An acceptable passive construction might look like this: “the skateboard—would you believe it—was being maneuvered by none other than the schnauzer from across the cul-de-sac.” In this instance, we’re able to use passive voice to create humor and suspense. That being said, the vast majority of your sentences should employ the active voice.

The active voice is also a big part of writing with precision , and word choice may also make writing precise or imprecise. For example, while “evasive” is a synonym of “oblique” in one sense, it would nevertheless be embarrassing to write that, “John sat in the armchair evasive to the television.” Rather than picturing a chair positioned diagonally (obliquely) from the television, readers are left wondering what in the world an evasive chair might be. So use your thesaurus — carefully. 

It is common for burgeoning writers to get a little too adjective-happy. Adjectives’ power correlates inversely with their use. If each of your sentences is flush with adjectives, you’re diluting their impact.

Finally, avoid any clichés, aphorisms, etc. that fail to add value to your essay. Admissions officers will read countless essays boasting “Be the change you want to see in the world.”  If you’re tempted to use a hackneyed phrase, find its seed instead. Clichés are cliché because they stem from important thoughts, universal truths, and romantic principles. In the case of “Be the change you want to see in the world,” the seed might be an individual’s ability to impact a community, or to transform outdated and unjust systems. The seed of a clichéd phrase may still be worth writing about, but it’s important that you write authentically and originally.

Dissecting the Prompts

ApplyTexas features two sets of prompts, one for incoming freshmen (both domestic and international) and one for transfer, transient, or readmit applications. In this article, we will cover the first set to help freshman applicants. Want to know your chances at an ApplyTexas school? Calculate your chances for free right now.

While different schools require different combinations of essays, most students should be prepared to deal with topics A, B, and C. Students intent on pursuing a degree related to art and design should also be ready to answer topic D. Check out this ApplyTexas database to scout out which schools will require which essays . 

Here are this year’s prompts:

• Topic A: Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?
• Topic B: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.
• Topic C: You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?
• Topic D (specific to majors in architecture, art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education): Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Notice how you are encouraged to speak about an opportunity or a challenge. Many students believe that they must talk about a tragedy in order to grab the attention of admissions officers, but this isn’t true. An essay can easily be thoughtful, insightful, and an engaging read without utilizing this specific emotional appeal.

Still, stories about difficult circumstances are often memorable. They are most effective when focused primarily on the student’s journey of working through the challenge instead of the challenge itself. Check out Collegevine’s article if you would like more tips on writing about challenges .

You’re trying to stand out, so beware of overused tropes like the following:

• Mental illness: It takes enormous strength to heal from and learn to manage a mental illness. Still, they may be tricky to write about. Read our article for more information on covering mental illness and disabilities within your application .
• Getting a bad grade in a class but then working hard to raise it.
• Sports stories such as winning/losing the “big game” or getting injured.
• Death of a pet or family member.
• Mission trip which made you realize how lucky and privileged you are.

Side note : Sometimes students face challenges that are outside of their control and which have negatively impacted their academic and/or extracurricular performance. If this has been your experience, and you don’t plan to explain them within this essay response, you may ask one of your recommenders to do so through their letter of recommendation.

Now, there’s no such thing as a “bad” or “good” essay topic; students have gotten into top schools with essays about Costco, pizza deliveries, and sparkling water. It often matters less so what you write about than how you write about it! 

These common essay topics are only doable when well-written, specific, and featuring a fresh take. The story of how fixing your Calculus grade taught you the value of hard work is not nearly as interesting as that of a student who is diagnosed with dyscalculia—a disability which creates a difficulty in understanding and working with math and numbers—and then opens up a dyscalculia awareness club with plans to become a special education teacher. The latter story would demonstrate the student’s ability to turn preconceived weaknesses into strengths, and admissions officers will quickly see that though he may initially struggle with long division, this student is nonetheless a creative problem-solver.

Please be aware that although it is possible to make a “common” topic interesting, it is easier to write about a situation that is unique to begin with. Also, don’t feel pressured to write about a challenge, especially if the situation has happened so recently that you haven’t fully finished processing or growing from it.

With all of this in mind, let’s get into brainstorming! Many people begin their ideation process through writing long lists or even talking into their phones in an untethered stream-of-consciousness. Do whatever it takes to get your creative juices flowing! 

As you reflect, you may consider these questions:

• Which values and skills do you hold closest to your heart? Honesty? Hard work? Clear communication? Diversity? Environmental stewardship? Activism? Where did these priorities come from?
• What are you most grateful for? What are you most proud of? What risks have you taken which have paid off?
• What do you like to do? When and how did you get into it?
• How would your family and friends say you have changed for the better over the years, and why?
• Look back at your list of extracurricular activities. Which ones were challenging and/or special opportunities? When have you tried something new?

Practice self-compassion while considering topics, and know that none are too big or too small. You can write about anything from taking a summer math class (even though you’re more of an English person) to being a camp counselor to giving your first speech in front of a crowd.

Overall, the admissions officers are looking for growth. They want to see the circumstances you turned into opportunities for improvement. You may even reflect upon a situation that initially seemed like an unpleasant challenge but later revealed itself as a hidden opportunity. For example, you may have reluctantly let your friend drag you to a business club meeting before discovering a passion for economics and rising as a club leader.

Ideally, your story will be unique and offer a fresh perspective. Be specific about the challenge or opportunity you were presented with, and think about how it changed you for the better. 

Remember, they are literally asking for you to “tell [them] your story,” so consider using a narrative format, especially if storytelling is a talent of yours. 

Here’s a general outline: 

• If you choose to go with a traditional storytelling format, we recommend beginning with a vivid anecdote featuring rich imagery to draw the reader in or an unexpected premise which makes one have to read on in order to fully understand. 
• From there, you may dive into who you were at the time, how you felt and how you acted, before moving towards your turning point—the challenge or opportunity—from which you decided to grow. 
• Explain how, exactly, the turning point influenced you. Ask yourself: How did it make you feel? Excited and ready for more, or initially anxious? How did it impact you? Perhaps you learned something new about yourself, or maybe now you’re kinder, more confident, or a harder worker. 
• To mix it up a bit, you could even play with sequencing, perhaps starting with a moment of success before reflecting on all of the growth you had to complete to get to that point.

Finally, you are human, so you don’t have to portray yourself as perfect in the end. You are using this essay to talk about what may be one of your greatest strengths or sources of pride, but make sure to stay balanced with a humble tone.

Here’s an Example Essay for Topic A:

The morning of the Model United Nation conference, I walked into Committee feeling confident  about my research. We were simulating the Nuremberg Trials – a series of post-World War II  proceedings for war crimes – and my portfolio was of the Soviet Judge Major General Iona  Nikitchenko. Until that day, the infamous Nazi regime had only been a chapter in my history  textbook; however, the conference’s unveiling of each defendant’s crimes brought those horrors  to life. The previous night, I had organized my research, proofread my position paper and gone  over Judge Nikitchenko’s pertinent statements. I aimed to find the perfect balance between his  stance and my own.

As I walked into committee anticipating a battle of wits, my director abruptly called out to me.  “I’m afraid we’ve received a late confirmation from another delegate who will be representing  Judge Nikitchenko. You, on the other hand, are now the defense attorney, Otto Stahmer.”  Everyone around me buzzed around the room in excitement, coordinating with their allies and  developing strategies against their enemies, oblivious to the bomb that had just dropped on me.  I felt frozen in my tracks, and it seemed that only rage against the careless delegate who had  confirmed her presence so late could pull me out of my trance. After having spent a month  painstakingly crafting my verdicts and gathering evidence against the Nazis, I now needed to  reverse my stance only three hours before the first session.

Gradually, anger gave way to utter panic. My research was fundamental to my performance, and without it, I knew I could add little to the Trials. But confident in my ability, my director  optimistically recommended constructing an impromptu defense. Nervously, I began my  research anew. Despite feeling hopeless, as I read through the prosecution’s arguments, I  uncovered substantial loopholes. I noticed a lack of conclusive evidence against the defendants  and certain inconsistencies in testimonies.

My discovery energized me, inspiring me to revisit  the historical overview in my conference “Background Guide” and to search the web for other  relevant articles. Some Nazi prisoners had been treated as “guilty” before their court dates.  While I had brushed this information under the carpet while developing my position as a judge,  it now became the focus of my defense. I began scratching out a new argument, centered on the premise that the allied countries had violated the fundamental rule that, a defendant was “not guilty” until proven otherwise.

At the end of the three hours, I felt better prepared. The first session began, and with bravado, I  raised my placard to speak. Microphone in hand, I turned to face my audience. “Greetings  delegates. I, Otto Stahmer would like to…….” I suddenly blanked. Utter dread permeated my  body as I tried to recall my thoughts in vain. “Defence Attorney, Stahmer we’ll come back to  you,” my Committee Director broke the silence as I tottered back to my seat, flushed with  embarrassment. Despite my shame, I was undeterred. I needed to vindicate my director’s faith  in me. I pulled out my notes, refocused, and began outlining my arguments in a more clear and  direct manner. Thereafter, I spoke articulately, confidently putting forth my points. I was  overjoyed when Secretariat members congratulated me on my fine performance.

Going into the conference, I believed that preparation was the key to success. I wouldn’t say I  disagree with that statement now, but I believe adaptability is equally important. My ability to  problem-solve in the face of an unforeseen challenge proved advantageous in the art of  diplomacy. Not only did this experience transform me into a confident and eloquent delegate at  that conference, but it also helped me become a more flexible and creative thinker in a variety of other capacities. Now that I know I can adapt under pressure, I look forward to engaging in  activities that will push me to be even quicker on my feet.

Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.

This prompt is a more varied than the first one, and gives you more leeway in choosing what you’ll actually be talking about. Someone’s identity, talents, and interests, might be linked together but they just as easily might not. Either way, don’t worry. With regards to this prompt, there is no ideal angle. Let’s break down what it could mean to address each of these categories.

Identity can refer to any number of traits that you feel define you. This includes race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and other more community-based identities such as gamer, athlete, artist, weaver, dancer, Democrat, etc. Your identity is simply what makes you, you. Essays about identity are a great opportunity to demonstrate your critical and political acuity, personal convictions, and social history. However, they also pose certain risks. The premise of writing about identity is that you’ll demonstrate what makes you unique as a person. Even though many of us share certain identity traits, we’ve all experienced them differently. It’s especially important to focus on those details. Essays about identity that lack individual texture risk making you appear almost clone-like. That being said, there is no topic that is inherently cliché for this prompt.

Talent is a topic that will surely feel familiar to you as a prospective college applicant. Frankly, that’s what can make it tricky to write an essay about your talents—it risks echoing the several other parts of an application that are designed to draw out and display your talents for an admissions committee. Even so, if you believe that you have gained an especially insightful lesson or reflection from one of your listed activities, it may still be worth writing about. Just make sure you’re elaborating on your talents rather than reiterating them. Beyond the talents already featured in your application, many applicants have a talent that stands out from their formal talents and activities. One might be a master bird-caller, for example, but not have it listed as an extracurricular. Often times, writing about a wild-card talent is a way to introduce a facet of your personality that would otherwise remain invisible. The topic of talent also gives you the opportunity to write about certain interpersonal skills that might be especially important to you but impossible to express on a resume. For example, if you cultivate your skills as a listener and have a well-formulated political or philosophical imperative for doing so, that could make a great topic.

Interests are unique from talents in that you need not necessarily be good at them. They might not even be skills-related to begin with. For example, you might be supremely interested in pigeons but unable to include that interest in any other part of the application. Interests can make for especially unique, quirky, and fascinating essays. That being said, such essays also risk missing the whole point of the prompt. You need to tell the committee about yourself. If you choose to write about an obscure interest, it’ll be crucial to relate it back to your personality, outlook, or identity.

Now that we’ve addressed the differences between the subsections of this prompt, let’s review some ways in which you can brainstorm. While writing about identity, talents, or interests will result in slightly different essays, the goal is the same: to show the admissions committee—through your own eyes—who exactly you are.

The first step in brainstorming for this prompt is making a list of your defining characteristics. As you do this, you’ll want to prioritize characteristics that paint you in a generally positive light. While you don’t want to brag, you definitely want to be optimistic about who you are.

Second , you should make a sort of genealogy for each characteristic. How did they come to be so important to you? What experiences built up to the point where you’d consider a trait to be essential to your personality?

Finally , you’re going to need to rank your traits and their accompanying genealogies. For some students, who have a very central and defining trait, this won’t be tricky at all. But for students who are less certain what to write about, it will be important to prioritize the traits with the most interesting genealogies. Seeing as you want to show the committee rather than tell them, it’s crucial that you pick a trait that has a compelling history—that fits into a narrative or intellectual picture of yourself. This is especially essential for students intent on taking a more creative tone with this prompt. While an obscure interest can be interesting and endearing, it needs to have a compelling genesis and impact within your personal history.

Here’s an Example Essay for Topic B:

In one of the side streets of Rabat, one of the many winding corridors in the Medina, a long-abandoned house is standing, dilapidated from its years of neglect. The windows have been smashed; valuable materials have been ripped out of the floor and graffiti smears peeling walls. Yet remnants of its old life still remain intact; photo albums clutch family moments as cobwebs dangle from their spines. A mini plastic basketball hoop clings to a wall and a handmade poster above it reads “Senior League: Armond – Junior: Sasha and Lucy” but the faded yellow of the net suggests that no games have been played here for a long time. Not since we left. Mom left him just as I was turning four. The relationship had been emotionally stressful for the past few years and the threat of physical danger forced her to make a secret escape with us. We left everything behind.

Thousands of miles away and thirteen years later, I have never been back. I have never met him. As young as I was, I have not been oblivious to his absence. Even now, there are moments when I experience this emptiness inside of me. A sensation so overwhelming, I can’t believe I have managed to ignore it for so long. I lie down, close my eyes and grieve. Not just for him but for the life I never had, or at least, the one I left behind and can no longer remember. As the tears stop, I slowly drift to sleep. Sometimes I dream that he has unexpectedly turned up on the doorstep of our Chicago house especially for me. I open the door and immediately recognize him. I jump into his arms, simultaneously crying and laughing. I wake up, the empty feeling has passed and I know that he will never come. But I can’t help romanticizing the first time we meet.

However, going on eighteen, reality is soon catching up with me. Four years ago at the age of eighteen my brother, Armond, travelled to Morocco to meet him. Last year my sister, Sasha, did the same. So now, it is my turn; my own rite of passage awaits me. I have been waiting for this opportunity my whole life, even imagined it ten times over. But the more I thought about it, the more I doubted it. As the youngest in the family, I have striven to emulate my siblings in many ways. I could feel the assumption that I would go to meet him just as they did. However, I know that I am not yet ready. Unlike Sasha and Armond, my memories of Rabat are just a haze. I do not know whether they are real, or dreams or stories I have been told. I don’t understand any Arabic, and his English is very broken. And most of all, I cannot remember his face. The emptiness still comes back every now and then. But I know that the hole is not father-shaped, and if I meet him now, he might think it is. What I need to do first is to find out who I am before I can know what shape that hole really is. And when I know, I will understand what it would mean to meet him. For now at least, that tired old home stays suspended; a three-dimensional snapshot of my forgotten childhood. I like to think it’s waiting for me; waiting for when I’m ready to go back.

You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

Topic C stands opposed to Topics A and B in that it is almost entirely oriented towards the future. While each of your essays should demonstrate a degree of imagination, this prompt also carries the most overt call for creativity. There are two main genres of responses to prompts like this. The first genre adds to the forecasting effort found throughout your whole application. The second represents a creative departure from the path of your ambitions.

Choosing a Genre:

Forecasting is what you do when you make promises or predictions about what you’ll do with an educational opportunity. You’re forecasting when you tell UT Austin that you want to attend their engineering program in order to realize your dream of developing clean, public transportation. You’re forecasting when you draw conclusions from your past accomplishments to predict your future success. The act of applying to a school is inherently future-oriented. That being said, good applications demand cohesion and balance. An application that is too future-oriented will leave the admissions officers wondering who exactly you are . An application that is too auto-ethnographic will leave them wondering about your ambitions .

A forecast oriented answer to topic C will likely link-up with other parts of your application. For example, the engineering student from the example above might write that they’re holding a ticket for the very first 100% green, interstate transportation system—a system that they’ve spent the past 15 years building from the ground up. In this case, the essay looks back from a future point in which the student has fulfilled the ambitions they forecasted. It’s also possible to write this essay looking forward. Students that hope to attend medical school or law school might write about holding a “ticket” to their tertiary degree. These essays would go on to imagine the important, transformative work that those students would accomplish when they get to medical/law school.

Here’s an Example Essay for Topic C:

I’m holding a flyer that declares the date and time—this coming Tuesday at 7:30 PM—for a meeting of the Low Carbon Emissions Workers’ Union. Twelve years ago, when I started my undergraduate degree in public policy, the union was only a flicker of a thought, housed somewhere in the back of my mind. Still, those years were crucial. With every class I took, whether in policy studies, environmental science, or history, that flicker grew stronger. Following my interest in labor, I developed a rapport with the university employees that kept things rolling on campus—the people that took care of us, really. For my senior thesis, I made it my mission to collect and present an oral history of labor on campus. Many university workers expressed a sense of relief at being employed by the university. It allowed for decent wages and preserved the dignity of it’s workforce through open dialogue and worker representation. Through this sense of relief—or rather, through its negative—my thesis became invested in the alternatives for these laborers, in what lay on the other side of their relief. Though they were specifically skilled in care work, janitorial work, landscaping, and more, most of them told me that outside the university there was little opportunity for the advancement of worker’s interests. Finding work on a free-lance basis or through predatory placement companies, these care-laborers were largely on their own.

After graduating, I stayed in touch with my contacts at the university. Throughout law school, I made time to continue coordinating with them. We were hatching a revolutionary idea. Our goal was to create a union that could unite the various forms of under-the-radar care-work that was so often left out of organized bargaining units. The plan that we finally realized was even bigger than that. Not only would it unite domestic workers, janitors, and landscapers, its umbrella would extend to cover teachers, day-care supervisors, nurses, artists, and agricultural workers. This was the Low Carbon Emissions Workers’ Union. While it contained specifically oriented compartments, each aimed at advancing the rights of a particular sub-group of laborers, its superstructure was perhaps the more significant. In the same way that my senior thesis became invested in its negative all those years ago, this union stood as a foil to the socially and environmentally destructive tendencies of so many economic giants. We mobilized and housed research regarding Green-GDP, environmentally adjusted Gini coefficients, and other methods aimed at illuminating the real cost of having an economy predicated on environmental exploitation. As a political and intellectual force, the union gained ground in reevaluating the ways in which we value certain kinds of labor over others.

I’m smiling as I tack the flyer to the community board at my old university. I step back to look at it. “I can’t believe this is where it all started,” I think to myself. “Well, see you all this Tuesday.”

The genre of creative departure allows you to focus more on your personality, imagination, and capacity for critical thought. If you feel that your application already does enough to forecast your ambitions, you may opt to write about something completely unrelated. Especially for students applying to creative programs such as theatre or studio art, this can be a good moment to demonstrate your fit. Students who pick this genre can write about almost literally anything. The ticket in your hand could be for a time-machine to the Renaissance, a one-way expedition to Mars, or a mysterious back-alley puppet show. The important thing is that you use the premise of your essay to reflect on the world in a mature and thoughtful manner.

Here’s another Example Essay for Topic C:

“Take a number” buzzes an automated voice from somewhere inside the ticket booth. I reach out and tear off a slip of blue paper. 96. “Great,” I snort, “might as well settle in for the long haul.”

Someone behind me notices my annoyance and pipes up.

“I know right? I’ve never seen the time machines so crowded in my life.”

“Me neither,” I respond, “application season I guess.”

“Must be. Damn ticket prompts.”

I turn around to address my queue-compatriot. He’s a tall guy, pretty built for our age—probably a football player or something. He looks anxiously down the line, craning his neck to see something or someone just out of view.

“What’s got your nerves up?” I ask, “where are you headed?”

“You know,” he shrugged, “the usual. Off to 1904 to encourage Hitler to pursue his passion for painting. I’m just worried she’s gonna get there first.” I stepped out of line to see where he was looking. Fourth in line was a girl decked out in all black, determination etched into her features.

“Is she carrying a rail-gun?” I ask, stepping back into line. Football nods. “Yeesh…that’s a bit extreme but to each their own I guess. Wonder how the AdComms are gonna feel about that.”

Football fidgets for a few minutes before asking, “And you? What’s your plan?”

“Way back. Off to the early fifth-century to help Pelagius argue against St. Augustine.”

“Pelagius. He was an early theologian that rallied against Augustine’s notion of original sin.”

Football nods. “So all that with Eve and the apple, yeah?”

“Exactly. The doctrine of original sin says that because Adam and Eve had the apple, every human from then on was infected with their sin. That’s one of the reasons babies are baptized, to cleanse them. It’s behind a whole host of other things too. All the indulgences that people paid into the church, our long-standing association of sexuality with guilt and impurity, not to mention most of the pessimistic philosophies surrounding human depravity.”

Football chuckles. “So let’s say you win” he proposes, “then what? Babies don’t get baptized? There are still nineteen people ahead of us. You might want to change plans.”

My brow furrows a bit as I consider his suggestion. “I don’t know,” I say, “Pelagius argued for a whole lot of things. He was a big proponent of free will and accountability. He thought we should do good for the sake of good, not for salvation. He even countered a lot of hang-ups that endure to this day—bedroom stuff, bathroom stuff, all of it. Where Augustine saw sin and depravity, Pelagius saw beauty and Grace.” I continue. “I mean, I’m not even religious. I just think we could use a sort of ‘reset’ for our collective psyche. People are too caught up in hating themselves. We’re subconsciously misanthropic and it hurts. It hurts when a corporation takes advantage of a mining community because profit is the only legitimate motive in a world that seems like a lost cause. It hurts all the young people who hate their bodies and strive for an unrealistic ‘cleanliness’ from deformity and irregularity. It hurts women who get told they’ll be ‘second-hand stock’ if they have sex before marriage. It hurts when the police open fire in a neighborhood because they’re scared a kid might do it first.”

“Yeah” he nods, “hey, do you mind if I tag along? Mine might be a lost cause anyways—that girl was scary.”

Just then my number comes up on the time machine’s display. I look up at Football. “Sure. Why not. Oh, and I don’t think I caught your name.”

“It’s Bryan.”

“Well Bryan, we’re off.”

(Please Note: The essay in this section is specific to certain college majors and is not required by all colleges/universities that accept the Apply Texas Application. If you are not applying for a major in Architecture, Art, Art History, Design, Studio Art, Visual Art Studies/Art Education, you are not required to write this essay.)

Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space affected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?”

Topic D is a situational prompt for students looking to engage with art, design, and image. Unlike topics A and B, topic D is specifically asking you to tell a story. Regardless of the mode of narrative you employ, your essay should start with a moment of confrontation, observation, and reaction. Whether you engage with a piece of art or a lecture from design class, this step is crucial. It is here that you will demonstrate your ability to sift through your feelings about art, pulling out the concrete variables and specific vocabularies to describe why the art made you feel that way in the first place. It’s unsurprising that the prompt is so intent on drawing this out from you—understanding how art has impacted you is the first step towards creating art to impact others.

The second part of this process should move you beyond the moment of interaction detailed in step one, either to the present or the future. In this section, you’ll want to set your compass, so to speak. Using the lessons from part one, you should forecast the ways in which your future ambitions will be uniquely impactful. This can include anything from aperture to allegory. Whether technical or philosophical, your art is largely a product of your inspiration—being able to trace and predict this link demonstrates your maturity as a budding artist or designer.

Here’s an Example Essay for Topic D:

Standing in the Musée de l’Orangerie, surrounded on all sides by Monet’s Water Lilies, I felt myself melt away. The noise of the room seemed to dim, even as my perception heightened. I was somewhere else. The water lilies had swallowed me whole. They were beautiful, certainly, but also tense. One of the lesser-known iterations, flush with the purples, golds, and oranges of autumn, reminded me of the fluttering dance of falling leaves. And yet, its leaves were static—not because they weren’t real; they were real to me in that moment—but because of the water’s tension. Tethered to the surface of the pond, equally unable to float up or down, the leaves were trapped in a planar prison. The painting was practically bursting with the energy of an infinite autumn, but the water held it all together with its sticky buoyancy. Surface tension is far crueler than gravity, I thought to myself. My throat tightened and I felt paralyzed, peacefully imprisoned along with the lilies and leaves.

“Huh.” My brother stepped up beside me. “Look, you can see the canvas poking through,” he whispered, nudging me. He was right. As my eyes latched onto those bare fibers I felt a gust of release; I was back in the room.

To this day, that remains one of my most intense experiences with art. While it wasn’t exactly euphoric, it was transformative. Spanning the whole wall, the water lilies are all you can see; they colonize your reality. It was that quality—the quality of transportation out of time and space—that has stayed with me most. Monet’s techniques, brushstrokes that infuse the canvas with texture and momentum, allowed for a sort of virtual reality. VR before VR. It was the power of that experience that prompted me to combine my art with contemporary VR techniques. My first VR project pays homage to the water lilies. Putting on the headset, you find yourself in a blue green film, replete with flowers of every kind. It’s peaceful but when you try to move you find that the further you stray, the slower you get. A few feet out and you’re snapped back to the start. The piece explores movement and energy through anxiety and ensnarement.

As I continue my education in fine art, I’m primed to explore the range of possibilities allowed by VR technology. I’m eager to create landscape experiences that more directly implicate art and embodiment. My current project also takes inspiration from Monet’s impressionism. Entering the reality, one finds oneself on the top of flower-freckled hillside, umbrella in hand despite the blue skies. It is windy and the grasses sway around you. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, you begin to blow away, to disperse, until there’s nothing left. The viewer is utterly gone, yet utterly present.

Want to learn more about how to write the ApplyTexas essays? Check out one of our popular recorded live streams on this topic.

Where to Get Your ApplyTexas Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your ApplyTexas essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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University of Texas at Austin

Essay requirements.

Academic Requirements

Costs & Scholarships

Depending on which application they use, all first-year applicants will complete either the UT Austin Required Essay (in the Common App), or the Topic A (in ApplyTexas application).

Essay Question

This is a required essay for all students, 500 to 700 words.

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Required Short Answer Questions

All questions have to be answered, about 250 to 300 words per prompt.

250 to 300 words

Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?

Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at UT.

The core purpose of The University of Texas at Austin is, “To Transform Lives for the Benefit of Society.” Please share how you believe your experience at UT Austin will prepare you to “Change the World” after you graduate.

Optional Short Answer

Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.

Helpful Resources

How To Answer The “Why This College” Essay Prompt

We’ll go over the best ways to approach the 'Why This College" essay and provide helpful tips to help you write an effective essay that impresses admission officers.

How To Format & Structure Your College Application Essay

Your essays are a chance for admissions officers to get to know you beyond your grades, test scores, and ECLs. But how do you craft essays that reflect who you are AND impress the admissions officers?

Everything You Need To Know About The Supplemental Essays

Supplemental essays are required by many highly selective institutions in addition to the personal essay included in your Common Application. You can learn all about what they are and why they’re important here.

Get Your Essay Reviewed

Feel confident when submitting your college application essay by getting it reviewed by a professional admissions expert..

Freshman Admissions: Criteria

You are considered a first-time freshman applicant if you’ve completed AP, IB, and/or college credit courses during high school — including during the summer after graduation.

Applicants who have completed coursework at a college or university after high school graduation (excluding the summer) should apply for transfer admission .

Freshman Application Dates (Domestic & International)

Admission review criteria.

Every student brings something unique to our community that encompasses achievements, experiences and viewpoints. All applicants are reviewed individually and holistically. Consideration is given to the following factors:

• Overall grades in academic coursework and trends in achievement.
• Strength of high school curriculum, including the level of rigor (AP, IB, dual credit).
• High school rank and GPA.
• SAT I or ACT test scores, if available.
• Preparation for and ability to be successful in the intended major.
• An application essay response from ApplyTexas .
• Letter(s) of recommendation (limited to a maximum of three).

Texas Top 10%

As Texas law requires, students will be automatically admitted to UT Dallas as first-time freshmen if they graduate in the top 10% of their class from an accredited Texas high school and successfully earn the Distinguished Level of Achievement . Applicants must have graduated from high school during one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which they seek admission as first-time freshmen and have not attempted any college-level coursework since graduation from high school.

Applicants admitted because they are in the top 10% of their high school class may be required to complete additional preparatory work before enrolling in the University or developmental coursework to remove any deficiencies in their readiness to complete college-level work before University graduation.

Home-Schooled and GED

As required by Texas Senate Bill 1543, applicants who present evidence of obtaining a non-traditional secondary education (for example, those who were home-schooled or earned a GED instead of a high school diploma) will be assigned a percentile rank compared to the average class rank of students from traditional schools who have equivalent SAT or ACT test scores.

Major-Specific Requirements

Students not admitted into their first choice of major due to capacity constraints or major-specific requirements may be offered admission to a different major as outlined in their acceptance letter.

International Applicants

International applicants must meet the criteria for freshman admission and additional steps, such as satisfying the English proficiency requirement. Be sure to review the international applicant’s webpage for a list of additional required materials for a complete application.

Admission Counseling

Our admission counselors are here to help guide you through the entire admission process — from choosing your school and submitting your application to preparing for enrollment.

Contact us or use our counselor locator tool to email your assigned UT Dallas admission counselor directly.

Freshman Admissions

Office of Admission and Enrollment [email protected] 972-883-2270 Meet with a Counselor

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© The University of Texas at Dallas

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UTSA has a streamlined application process, and our admissions counselors are standing by to help you with a wide range of services and materials.

Before you Apply

Before you get started, take note of these important details:

• There are two ways to apply to UTSA, ApplyTexas and Common App . Pick one! Please do not submit an application on both platforms. Students interested in a fully online degree program should apply through UTSA Online .
• Please submit only one application per term.
• You are responsible for ensuring that all required documentation is received at UTSA by the application deadline (not postmarked).
• An Admission decision cannot be processed until your admission file is complete (i.e. UTSA has received your application, fees, test scores, documentation, etc.)
• All documents in support of an application become the property of UTSA and cannot be returned.
• Offers of admission are valid only for the term indicated in the admittance letter.

How to Apply

Follow the steps below on how to apply to UTSA as a freshman.

• Freshman Cost & Aid
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1. Review Freshman Admission Requirements

Freshman admission requirements.

Certain majors have additional requirements to be admitted directly into the academic program. Review our major pages to see if there are any additional requirements. Students who are admitted to the university are not guaranteed admission to a specific academic program.

Please Note: SAT or ACT test scores are not required for admission, but are considered if submitted. Neither score is preferred more than the other. Submit your SAT or ACT test scores directly from the testing agency. UTSA Institutional Test Code for ACT is 4239, and the test code for SAT is 6919.

• Test Scores : Old SAT (SAT taken prior to March 2016) combines Math + Critical Reading. New SAT (SAT taken March 2016 and after) combines Math + Evidence Based Reading & Writing. Test scores must be submitted from the testing agency. UTSA’s code for ACT is 4239. UTSA’s code for SAT is 6919.
• Class Rank : High school class ranking is required for graduates of accredited public or private high schools. For applicants whose high school transcript does not present a rank, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will assign a rank.
• Committee Review : Meeting the stated scores for Committee Review does not guarantee admission. If you are to be considered for admission through committee review, submission of essay A and two letters of recommendations are highly suggested.
• Dual Credit : If you’ve received dual college credits, please submit official college transcripts (not required for a decision).
• Military Credit : If you served in the military, please submit your Joint Service Transcript.
• Early Admission : If graduating early from high school, submit a recommendation letter from your guidance counselor.

2. Submit Admission Application

Submit admission application.

Submit an application either through ApplyTexas or Common App . Please submit only one application per term. Students interested in a fully online degree program should apply through UTSA Online .

ApplyTexas is the Texas public university application platform that allows you to apply to multiple Texas public universities through one portal.

• Create an account on ApplyTexas. You will be assigned a login and password. Keep these for your records.
• Edit and complete your ApplyTexas Profile. Your profile responses help determine which application type(s) you should use. If you’ve already completed your profile, you can go to the next step.
• Start a new application to UTSA by clicking the “Start/Edit Application” button and “Start a New Application”. Then select “Four-year college/university” and then select “University of Texas at San Antonio – (San Antonio)”
• Note: Students who are still in high school who seek to earn college credit through a dual enrollment program while still in high school should select “dual credit application”
• Select your semester
• Select your first choice major
• You’ll get redirected to your “My Application” page. Find the “University of Texas at San Antonio” box (it will be a blue box with orange borders) and click on “+ Admission Application” to find the additional questions you must answer, including questions specific to UTSA and the essay portion. Click on each of the links and follow the prompts on the screen to answer the questions.
• Once UTSA receives your application, you will get an email from “UTSA One Stop”. Be sure to complete the rest of the steps in the admission process to have a “complete” admission file.

UTSA is also available on the Common App, a national application platform that allows students to apply to multiple participating universities across the United States through one portal.

• Create an account on Common App for “First Year Students”. You will create your log–in and password. Keep these for your records.
• Once your account is created, go to the “My Colleges” tab, click “add a college” and search for “The University of Texas at San Antonio. Click the (+) plus button to add college.
• Complete and submit your application by going back to the “My Colleges” tab, selecting “The University of Texas at San Antonio,” and then clicking to fill out the Application starting with Questions, then Recommenders and FERPA and Review and Submit Common App. Follow the prompts on the screen to answer the questions.

3. Pay Application Fee or Submit Fee Waiver

Pay application fee.

The application fee for UTSA is $70. It is a non-refundable fee.

Pay Fee Online

You can pay your application fee via credit card when applying through ApplyTexas or after you submit your application through the myUTSA Account Classic View student portal. After we receive you application, you will get an email from UTSA to activate your myUTSA Account which will allow you to login to your myUTSA Account. Once logged in, click on the “Future Roadrunner” tab, then click “Check your Admissions Status”, select your application term, and scroll to the bottom for the payment button.

Pay Fee by Check or Money Order

If you prefer to pay via check or money order, you can make it out to “The University of Texas at San Antonio”. Please include applicant’s full name and date of birth so the payment matches the correct application. It can be mailed to the following address:

The University of Texas at San Antonio Office of Undergraduate Admissions One UTSA Circle San Antonio, Texas 78249

Fee Waivers

Eligible freshmen applicants who demonstrate financial need can submit an application fee waiver to cover the application fee. A submission does not mean your fees are waived. You must first be eligible and submit the correct documentation to support your request. UTSA’s Office of Undergraduate Admission will review your request. If your fee waiver request is denied, you will be required to pay the application fee. International, Transfer, Readmits, Special Undergraduate, and graduate applicants are not eligible for application fee waivers .

4. Submit Academic Records

Submit academic records.

Freshman must submit a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). For students who meet SRAR exceptions , a High School or GED Transcript are required. The Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) is a tool that allows applicants to self-report their courses, grades, class rank, and other academic information. Beginning Fall 2022, UTSA is requiring first-time freshman applicants to submit a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) instead of an official sixth-semester high school transcript.

5. Submit Additional Documentation

Submit additional documentation.

Once you have your myUTSA ID, you can Check your admission status by logging into your myUTSA Account Classic View to see all the remaining items, documents, or forms that are required to complete your admissions file. All documentation must be submitted by the admission deadline (not postmarked).

Test Scores

Submit your SAT or ACT test scores directly from the testing agency. SAT or ACT tests are not required for admission, but are considered if submitted. Neither score is preferred more than the other. UTSA Institutional Test Code for ACT is 4239, and the test score for SAT is 6919.

International students who need to submit an English language proficiency test score can submit any of the following: TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced, iTEP Academic.

If you are to be considered for admission through committee review, submission of essay A on ApplyTexas or any open prompt on Common App is highly encouraged.

Letters of Recommendation

If you are to be considered for admission through committee review, two letters of recommendations are highly encouraged. Letters of recommendations can be submitted via the Document Uploader .

• Click “Upload a New Document”
• Select Department: “Undergraduate Admissions”
• Select the Term you applied for
• Select Category: “Outstanding Admission Application Items
• Select Document: “Letters of Recommendation”

Dual Credit Transcripts

If you’ve received dual college credits, please submit the official college transcripts. Ask your school to send your official dual credit college transcript to UTSA through SPEEDE. Electronic Parchment, E-Script PDF and Naviance transcripts can be sent to [email protected].

International Documents

For international students, each country requires specific documentation when applying to UTSA and all submitted documents must be translated into English: North America , South America , Asia , Europe , Africa , Oceania .

When to Apply

Admissions application opens.

We encourage students to apply as soon as the admissions application for the term they are interested in opens up. Applications open a year prior to the deadline. Please note open dates are subject to change.

Admissions Deadline

All required documents, transcripts, fees, and test scores must be on file by 5:00 p.m. on the date of the deadline. Deadlines that fall on a weekend or UTSA holiday will be extended until 5:00 p.m. the following business day. Applicants whose files are not completed by the final deadline will not be considered for admission to UTSA for the semester to which they applied. Students interested in fully online programs should follow UTSA Online deadlines .

Applicants have the right to appeal decisions of the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Students requesting an appeal must do so by submitting the Appeal for Undergraduate Admission form and any other requested documents as outlined on the form. The appeal must be received by the Appeal Deadline for the term of the application. Deadlines which fall on a weekend or UTSA holiday will be extended until 5:00 p.m. the following business day.

After you Apply

• 1. Check Email
• 2. Claim myUTSA ID
• 3. Check Status
• 4. Apply for Scholarships

Check Your Email

Once you submit your application, you will receive a thank you email from ApplyTexas or Common App, not UTSA. It can take up to two business days for the application to be received by UTSA once it is submitted.

Once UTSA receives your application, you will receive an e-mail from our One Stop Enrollment Center (UTSA One Stop) confirming the receipt of your application. Shortly after, you will also receive a second email from “UTSA Accounts” to claim your myUTSA ID.

Claim Your myUTSA ID

You will be issued your “myUTSA ID” once UTSA receives your admission application. Your myUTSA ID consists of 3 letters and 3 numbers (example: abc123), which will provide you access to your myUTSA Account Classic View where you can check your admission status.

Your myUTSA ID must be activated and a passphrase created by the applicant before they will be able to access any UTSA systems. If you run into any issues claiming your myUTSA ID, please contact UTSA Tech Cafe at 210-458-5555.

Check Your Admission Status

Once you have your myUTSA ID, you can log into your myUTSA Account Classic View to check your admission status . Most information is conveniently organized under the “Future Roadrunner” tab. You’ll be able to review your admission status, see your missing application item, and if you’re admitted to UTSA, you’ll see additional information such as your Rowdy Ready Checklist and your Academic Standing.

Apply for Scholarhips & Financial Aid

With your myUTSA ID and passphrase, you can now access the UTSA Scholarship HUB , which is a single-source platform for students to find various scholarship opportunities available to apply to, including the Scholarship Hub’s General Application . The general application will instantly put you in the pool of scholarships that are managed by the UTSA Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. After you submit the Scholarship Hub’s General Application, we encourage you to continuously return back to the Scholarship Hub to check for additional scholarship opportunities provided by other UTSA offices.

Also, don’t forget Financial Aid! Even if you don’t think you will qualify for federal aid, we recommend all students submit a FAFSA . If you are not a US citizen, but eligible for Texas aid, submit the TASFA . Both FAFSA/TASFA are free, fairly quick to complete, and can help factor into additional items like grants and scholarship opportunities. If you need any help, reach out to your admission counselor!

Apply before Jan 15

January 15 is the deadline for our Distinguished Presidential Scholarship (DPS). Fall freshman applicants who apply and get admitted to UTSA by January 15 will be given automatic consideration for this scholarship valued at up to $20,000 for up to four years if renewal eligibility is maintained. Don’t miss out! We also offer other financial aid opportunities with different deadlines.

Documents and Test Scores

Admission requirements, master’s and doctoral programs.

The minimum requirement for admission to any master’s or doctoral degree program at UT Dallas is an earned UT Dallas baccalaureate degree or its equivalent and a record indicative of readiness for graduate work. Some doctoral programs may require an earned master’s degree or its equivalent for admission.

Note: Applicants with three-year undergraduate degrees will be considered for admission into our master’s programs. Their candidacy will be reviewed holistically considering all of the following variables: admission test scores, English proficiency scores if applicable, undergraduate grade point average, official transcripts from all previous institutions, undergraduate degree major and awarding institution, resume, recommendations, and personal objective statement.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Admission to graduate-level certificate programs requires a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Many certificate programs do not require admissions tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) unless or until a student seeks admission to a related master’s program.

Non-Degree Seeking Graduate Student

A student wishing to take graduate-level coursework without becoming a candidate for a graduate degree may apply for admission to UT Dallas as a non-degree-seeking graduate student. Admission as a non-degree-seeking student requires a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. 

Submitting Documents When You Apply

Upload copies of the following documents within your online application to avoid processing delays:

• Official transcript.
• Degree certificate — provide only if you graduated from an  international institution . 
• Official GRE/GMAT test score, if required.
• English Proficiency  exam score, if required. 
• Other supplemental documents include your essay, resume and letter of recommendation.

Transcripts and test scores submitted with your application are considered unofficial but will suffice to review your application for an admission decision. If you are granted admission, you will need to submit official copies of your documents to the Office of Admission and Enrollment before you are allowed to enroll in class.

If you upload a copy of your documents within your online application, you do not need to submit another copy within the application or in Galaxy – doing so will cause delays in processing your application. If you have submitted your application and still need to submit additional documents, such as your transcript, essay, resume or letter of recommendation, you may upload the documents through your Orion Applicant Center inside the  Admissions Forms folder  in Galaxy.

Applications and all supporting documents and transcripts must be postmarked by the  application and documentation deadline .

Additional Requirements

Individual graduate programs may require official GRE/GMAT test scores and other supplemental documents such as an essay, resume and letter of recommendation. To avoid processing delays, applicants should review additional program requirements to ensure the completion of their application.

Applicants applying from outside of the United States should also carefully review the requirements for international students .

After admission , there may also be additional requirements that must be met before you can register for classes.

File Requirements for Uploading Documents

• PDF file, scanned and saved. Photos are not acceptable.
• File size should be 10MB or less
• The resolution should be legible but no more than 300 dpi.
• Black and white scans only.
• Scans must be of your official and original document that was issued by the registrar. Online printouts, grade reports or unofficial transcripts are not acceptable.
• If you download a document (i.e., PDF) from an institution or testing agency, rescan it before uploading it, as these documents are typically encrypted.
• Transcripts with several pages should be uploaded as one file. Include all pages, front and back, in the correct order according to the transcript legend.
• Preview your documents during uploading to ensure the scan quality is readable.

Test Scores

Requirements.

The GRE/GMAT may be required or optional for some graduate-level programs. GRE/GMAT scores are not the sole criterion for making an admission decision or terminating consideration of an application. Each degree program sets its own criteria for what constitutes a satisfactory score. Check the  program-specific  page to determine if the GRE/GMAT is required. Scores must not be more than five years old from the test date to be acceptable for admission review. Applicants should upload a copy of their original score report when applying.

Submitting Documents After Admission

If admitted, you must submit your official, final academic documents and test scores to the Office of Admission and Enrollment. To be considered official, your documents must be delivered to UT Dallas directly from the sending institution or testing agency. Please visit our  steps after admission  page for more information.

©  The University of Texas at Dallas Office of Admission and Enrollment 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021 (972) 883-2270

UT Dallas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its programs and activities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, admission and enrollment. For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Compliance .

University of North Texas | UNT

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Want to see your chances of admission at University of North Texas | UNT?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of North Texas | UNT’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?