


UT Austin is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, commonly called SACSCOC, to award degrees. Institutional accreditation concerns the university as a whole, rather than certifying that every individual major meets a profession's requirements.
Some programs hold separate specialized accreditation. For example, students considering engineering should check the accreditation of their specific program through ABET, rather than assume that accreditation of one engineering degree covers all engineering degrees. Similar program-specific checks matter in fields such as business, nursing, and architecture.
Institutional accreditation is relevant to federal financial aid eligibility and can matter when students seek to transfer credit or apply to graduate programs. It does not compel another college to accept a particular course, nor does it automatically satisfy a state's professional licensing rules.
First-year admission to UT Austin is selective, not open admission. Applicants generally submit an application, a high school record showing completion of the required preparatory curriculum, essays or short answers, and any materials required for their chosen major. Applicants with an equivalent secondary-school credential should follow the university's instructions for that credential.
UT Austin requires SAT or ACT scores for current first-year admission cycles; older test-optional statistics should not be mistaken for the current policy. Applicants should check the requirements for their entry term, including score-submission instructions and whether a program requests a portfolio, audition, or other supplemental material. International applicants may also need to document English-language proficiency under the university's applicable rules.
In the reported first-year admissions figures, 19,417 of 72,885 applicants were admitted - about 27%. That institution-wide rate does not predict an individual applicant's chances in a particular major. Texas's automatic-admission rules also require careful reading: eligibility for university admission and placement in a preferred major are distinct decisions, and the qualifying class-rank threshold can change by entry year. UT Austin publishes separate fall deadlines and application instructions for first-year and transfer applicants; submitting by the applicable deadline matters more than treating admission as rolling.
UT Austin's standard undergraduate application fee for U.S. applicants is $75. Applicants outside that category should check the fee shown for their application type, as international and graduate application charges can differ. An application fee is separate from tuition, housing charges, and any later enrollment costs.
Eligible students can request an application-fee waiver through the undergraduate application process. The university describes waiver routes for applicants with qualifying financial need; supporting information may be required. Applicants should complete the waiver request as directed when submitting the application rather than pay first and assume a later refund. Graduate applicants should use the waiver rules for their particular graduate application.
UT Austin has on-campus Army, Air Force, and Naval ROTC programs. These are officer-training paths alongside a student's academic degree, not separate undergraduate majors.
Participation and scholarship eligibility are not identical. A student may be able to explore introductory ROTC coursework without already holding a scholarship, while a scholarship or later contracting can carry medical, citizenship, academic, and military-service conditions. Naval ROTC applicants should also examine the program's Navy and Marine Corps options. Prospective cadets and midshipmen should confirm current entry procedures and service commitments with the relevant UT Austin unit before accepting an award.
UT Austin admits transfer applicants who have completed qualifying college work after high school, but transfer admission is competitive and major-specific. Its general transfer pathway calls for at least 24 transferable semester hours completed or in progress by the applicable deadline. Meeting that credit threshold does not guarantee admission or acceptance of every course toward a degree.
Transfer applicants submit an application and transcripts from every college attended. Requirements can differ by school or major, and some majors are unavailable in particular entry terms. UT Austin has transfer entry opportunities beyond fall, but applicants should check the published term-by-term major availability and deadlines before planning a spring or summer move.
Texas students can use published transfer-equivalency and degree-planning resources to estimate how coursework may apply. An equivalency listing is useful for planning, but the official evaluation after admission determines accepted credit; the receiving college or department determines whether it fulfills a specific major requirement. Students with substantial prior coursework should also check UT Austin's in-residence and upper-division degree requirements.
UT Austin offers education-abroad options that include exchange programs, faculty-led courses, and programs arranged through approved partners. Depending on the program, students may study abroad during a semester, summer, or another shorter academic period.
The practical questions are whether a program fits the student's degree plan, how courses receive UT Austin credit, and what it will cost after available aid. Education Abroad advising and a student's academic adviser can help establish course approval before departure. Scholarships and some financial aid may be usable for eligible programs, but coverage depends on the program, award conditions, and student eligibility. Partner-run programs should not be assumed to have the same fees or administrative arrangements as UT Austin-led courses.
47% of admitted students enrolled (9,210 of 19,417)
Regular application deadline
December 1Application fee
$75Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoMedian composite SAT score
1365Median composite ACT score
30Percent of students submitting ACT scores
18%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
56%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
Considered but not requiredSecondary school rank
Considered but not requiredSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
RequiredRecommendations
Considered but not requiredFormal demonstration of competencies
Considered but not requiredAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
RequiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
NoAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesOrientation program
YesDisabilities services
YesOff-campus study
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Navy
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit on campusStudy abroad
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
YesPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
YesGenerally accepts credits
YesAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Spring, SummerData last updated on November 5, 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.