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Texas Southern University

#469 in US ranking Houston, TX
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

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Texas Southern University award
Texas Southern University award

Cost

Cost / year
$26,907
Tuition & fees
$9,173
Avg. aid
$8,193
Receiving aid
97%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
97%
SAT range
800–1000
ACT range
15–19

Outcomes

Graduation rate
22%
Median salary
$40,744
1 yr after graduation

What is the accreditation of Texas Southern University?

Texas Southern University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole; accreditation or approval of a particular professional program is a separate question.

For students, institutional accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid and can matter when seeking transfer credit or admission to further study. It does not require another college to accept every course. Fields leading to licensure may also have program-specific accreditation, examination, and state-board requirements. Applicants considering law, pharmacy, education, or another licensed profession should check the current status and requirements for the exact program and state where they intend to practice.

What are the admission requirements at Texas Southern University?

First-year applicants to Texas Southern University generally apply with evidence of high school graduation or an accepted equivalent and an academic record. Admission is not open admission: the university reviews applicants rather than enrolling everyone who applies.

Reported admissions information identifies secondary-school GPA and class rank as application considerations, while SAT and ACT scores are considered but not universally required. Applicants should follow the instructions for their entry term to determine whether a transcript must show class rank or whether their school may report that it does not rank students. Recommendations and college-preparatory coursework may inform review without being universal requirements. International applicants may need to document English proficiency; applicants to selective or professional programs may face additional rules.

For perspective, the reported first-year admissions cycle included 9,391 applicants and 9,101 admissions, an acceptance rate of about 97%. That figure describes one past applicant pool, not an individual applicant's chances or eligibility for a particular major. Applicants should confirm the deadline and document checklist for their intended term before submitting.

What are the application fees and waivers at Texas Southern University?

The reported Texas Southern University undergraduate application fee is $42. This is an application charge, not a tuition payment or a deposit securing a place in a class.

Fees can differ by application route or applicant category and can change between cycles. Applicants seeking a waiver should check the current application instructions for eligibility and required documentation before paying or submitting: a waiver is not necessarily available as a refund afterward. Graduate and professional applicants should use their program's fee schedule rather than assume the undergraduate charge applies.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Texas Southern University?

Army ROTC is available on Texas Southern University's campus. Reported ROTC arrangements also indicate access to Air Force and Navy ROTC through cooperating host institutions, rather than separate TSU-operated units for those branches.

Students considering an off-campus unit should confirm its current cross-enrollment agreement, travel and scheduling requirements, and how its courses fit their degree plan. ROTC participation and ROTC scholarship selection are distinct processes. Eligibility, medical and fitness standards, scholarship terms, and any military service obligation depend on the branch and the student's contract; joining an introductory course does not necessarily mean accepting a commission or a scholarship.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Texas Southern University?

Texas Southern University accepts transfer applications and generally considers credits from other accredited institutions. Transfer admission and the application of individual courses toward a TSU degree are separate decisions.

Reported entry options include fall, spring, and summer. Transfer applicants should expect to provide official transcripts from each college attended; the applicable GPA standard and any high-school-record requirement depend on the current admissions policy and their prior coursework. A department may impose further prerequisites, particularly for a sequenced major or professional program.

Before enrolling, applicants can request an official credit evaluation and compare the results with their intended degree plan. The important questions are not just how many credits transfer, but whether they satisfy general education, major, prerequisite, and minimum TSU-credit requirements. Students transferring from a Texas community college should also ask an adviser how the Texas core curriculum applies to their record.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Texas Southern University?

Students interested in studying abroad should investigate Texas Southern University's current international education offerings and the approval process for their specific major. Availability, destinations, and program formats can vary by term.

Before committing to a university-arranged, faculty-led, partner, or third-party program, a student needs written confirmation of how its courses will count toward a TSU degree. They should also establish the full program cost, passport and visa requirements, insurance arrangements, and whether their particular grants, loans, or scholarships can be used. Professional-program students may have tighter sequencing or placement rules than other undergraduates.

Texas Southern University Admissions Factors

SAT range
800–1000
4001600
ACT range
15–19
136
Acceptance rate
97%

Acceptance rate vs. median

This school
97%
Texas
84%
US
78%

18% of admitted students enrolled (1,628 of 9,101)

ACT scores of enrolled students

ACT in range 6-11
ACT in range 12-17
ACT in range 18-23
ACT in range 24-29
ACT in range 30-36

Texas Southern University Admissions

Applicants
Total: 9,391
Admission
Total: 9,101
Enrolled
Total: 1,628
Women
Men

How to Apply to Texas Southern University

Regular application deadline

May 31

Application fee

$42

Early Decision

No

Early Action

No

Texas Southern University First-Year Students

Where first-year students come from

In-state: 1,263
Out-of-state: 333

Freshmen vs. transfer students

Freshmen: 1,628
Transfer: 448

Texas Southern University Admission Requirements

Median composite SAT score

910

Median composite ACT score

17

Percent of students submitting ACT scores

14%

Percent of students submitting SAT scores

37%

High school completions

General Educational Development (GED) required

Computer required

No

Computer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution

No

Secondary school GPA

Required

Secondary school rank

Required

Secondary school record

Considered but not required

Completion of college-preparatory program

Considered but not required

Recommendations

Considered but not required

Formal demonstration of competencies

Considered but not required

Admission test scores

Considered but not required

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language

Required

Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)

Neither required nor recommended

Open admission policy

No

Dual credit

No

Credit for life experiences

Yes

Advanced placement (AP) credits

Yes

Special learning opportunities

Orientation program

Yes

Disabilities services

Yes

Off-campus study

Yes

ROTC-Army

ROTC branch unit on campus

ROTC-Navy

ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institution

ROTC-Air Force

ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institution

Study abroad

Yes

Weekend/evening college

Yes

Student can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization

Yes

Preparation at another institution required

No

Approved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher

Yes

Texas Southern University Transfer Acceptance Rate

Accept ACE recommendation for credit

Yes

Possible transfer

Fall, Spring, Summer

Data last updated on November 2, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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