


The University of Houston is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees. Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole; it is distinct from accreditation of an individual degree program.
Some professional programs have additional, field-specific oversight or accreditation - for example, engineering, business, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and optometry programs operate within their respective professional accreditation frameworks. Applicants pursuing licensure should verify the specific program's current status and whether it meets the requirements of the state where they intend to practice. Institutional accreditation is relevant to federal financial-aid eligibility and often to transfer-credit review, but it does not require another college to accept every UH course.
First-year applicants generally submit an undergraduate application, a secondary-school record, and evidence of high school completion or an accepted equivalent. UH is not an open-admission institution: in the reported admissions cycle, it admitted about 74% of first-year applicants.
Academic preparation matters. UH reviews coursework and grades, and individual majors can have additional standards. SAT or ACT treatment can vary by admission route and application cycle, so applicants should check the current freshman admission and assured-admission criteria before deciding whether to send scores. Among enrolled first-time students in the reported data, 55% submitted SAT scores and 7% submitted ACT scores; those shares do not establish a testing requirement. Recommendations may be considered but are not generally required. Applicants whose education does not meet UH's English-proficiency exemption rules may need an accepted English-language test, such as TOEFL.
UH accepts applications through its published undergraduate application channels, with deadlines that differ by entry term and applicant type. Students seeking a selective major, scholarship, or housing should check its separate timeline rather than rely only on the general admission deadline. Advanced Placement credit may be available under UH's score and course-equivalency rules.
The reported undergraduate application fee is $75. Applicants should confirm the fee displayed for their application route and residency or international-applicant category before submitting, because those categories may be charged differently.
Applicants with financial need can review UH's undergraduate fee-waiver instructions and the waiver request offered by their application platform. Eligibility and documentation rules matter: a waiver request is not the same as an automatic waiver, and applicants should arrange it before paying or submitting if the application instructions require that sequence. An application fee is separate from any later enrollment, orientation, housing, or tuition charge.
UH students have access to Army and Air Force ROTC units on campus. Navy ROTC participation is available through a cooperating host institution rather than a UH-based Navy unit.
ROTC combines college coursework with military training and a potential path to a commission. Participation, scholarship selection, medical and fitness standards, and any resulting service obligation are governed by the relevant military branch; joining a class does not automatically confer a scholarship. Students considering Navy ROTC in particular should confirm cross-enrollment logistics and course travel with the host unit before building a semester schedule.
UH accepts transfer applications for fall, spring, and summer entry. Transfer admission depends on an applicant's transferable college work, academic record, and intended program; eligibility for admission is separate from whether every previously completed course will count toward a UH degree.
UH's transfer criteria distinguish applicants who have enough transferable college credits to be evaluated primarily as transfers from those who must also meet freshman requirements. Published GPA thresholds and additional requirements can differ by major, so applicants should check the criteria for their entry term and college. Official transcripts from every college attended are normally necessary. UH provides transfer-credit planning and equivalency resources, but an unofficial equivalency search is not a final degree audit. After admission, students should obtain an official evaluation and review it with an academic adviser, especially when a course must satisfy a major prerequisite rather than merely count as an elective. Community-college students can also ask about applicable transfer pathways and limits on credits usable toward their chosen degree.
UH students can explore study abroad through its Learning Abroad services, including exchange and other approved international programs. Options can range from a short faculty-led experience to a semester or longer abroad, depending on the major, destination, and available programs.
Before committing, students need academic approval for how overseas courses will apply to their degree. Program charges, travel, insurance, and living expenses differ from ordinary campus costs; existing aid does not necessarily cover every expense or every program. Learning Abroad advising can help students compare UH-led opportunities with partner or third-party options, review safety and travel requirements, and identify scholarships or aid rules that apply to a particular program.
27% of admitted students enrolled (6,218 of 23,446)
Regular application deadline
June 1Application fee
$75Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoMedian composite SAT score
1235Median composite ACT score
26Percent of students submitting ACT scores
7%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
55%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
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 at a cooperating host institutionROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit on campusStudy abroad
YesWeekend/evening college
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
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.