2. Admission

A comprehensive college education depends on a robust exchange of ideas, exposure to differing cultures, preparing for the challenges of an increasingly diverse workforce, and acquiring competencies required of future leaders. The University handles a very large number of applications and must select from among this highly qualified pool only the number of students it can accommodate. In addition to an assessment of the academic strength of an applicant's record, admission decisions result from an individualized, holistic review of each applicant, taking into consideration the many ways the academically qualified individual might contribute to, and benefit from, the rich, diverse, and challenging educational environment of the University.

As authorized by the Board of Regents and beginning with applicants for summer 2005, and subject to the approval of the chancellor, the University of Texas at Austin has added race and ethnicity to the criteria considered for student admission and for awarding of scholarships and fellowships in those cases when an individualized and full-file review is conducted as part of the selection process.

The procedures and criteria for admission given in this chapter are effective as of the date of publication but are subject to change by action of the Texas Legislature or the Board of Regents.

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, and international students are outlined below. Further inquiry may be addressed to The University of Texas at Austin, Office of Admissions, P O Box 8058, Austin TX 78713-8058. In compliance with the Federal Student Right-to-Know Act, information about graduation rates and crime statistics is available from the Office of Admissions.

Prospective students are encouraged to apply early for the enrollment period in which they are interested. Although no preference is given for early application, beginning the process early allows ample time for applicants to assure that their applications are complete by the deadline.

Because there are more qualified applicants than can be instructed by the faculty or accommodated in the facilities, it is often necessary to admit a limited number of applicants from among those who are qualified. The University also controls enrollment in specific programs by limiting the admission of new students. Information about additional admission requirements for some undergraduate programs is given later in this chapter.

Application deadlines. All application materials must be received in the Office of Admissions by the following deadlines.

Application processing fee. A nonrefundable fee of $50 is required of applicants for undergraduate admission to the University. An applicant who presents academic credentials from any country other than the United States when applying for admission must submit a nonrefundable fee of $75. In cases where the applicant is subject to two fees simultaneously, only the higher fee is required.

To request an exemption from the application processing fee, an applicant must submit a copy of one of the following:

1. A financial award letter
2. An approved test fee waiver from the ACT, SAT, GRE, or GMAT
3. The applicant's parent's or guardian's income tax returns for the past two years or the applicant's own returns, if he or she was not claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer
4. A financial aid transcript from an institution the applicant previously attended

Enrollment deposit. Applicants admitted to the University as undergraduates for the summer or fall must pay an enrollment deposit of $200 to indicate that they accept the offer of admission. The deposit is applied to the payment of fees when the student enrolls. Students who demonstrate financial need may qualify for assistance to cover the amount of the deposit.

Freshman Admission

Freshman applicants are encouraged to use the resources of the Freshman Admissions Center, located in John W. Hargis Hall at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Red River Street. Freshman admission counselors provide detailed information about admission to the University and assist prospective students with the application process. Students may also communicate with admission counselors through Be a Longhorn. The site offers a counselor finder, event registration, access to personal information like application status and admission decisions, and details about admission, academics, financial aid, housing, and more.

Texas high school graduates ranked in the top 10 percent of their class. In accordance with Texas Education Code 51.803, students are admissible to the University as first-time freshmen if they (1) graduated in the top 10 percent of their class from an accredited Texas high school and (2) submit all required credentials by the appropriate deadline. Applicants must have graduated from high school during one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which they seek admission. Applicants who are admitted because they are in the top 10 percent of their high school class may be required to complete additional preparatory work before enrolling; they may also be required to remove any deficiencies in units of high school coursework before graduating from the University.

Texas high school graduates not ranked in the top 10 percent of their class and all graduates of out-of-state high schools. Applicants who are not eligible for consideration under the provisions of Texas Education Code 51.803 must normally have graduated from an accredited high school and have completed the unit requirements prescribed in the section "High School Preparation." Exceptions for students with nontraditional high school preparation are described later in this chapter.

Applications received by the deadline are evaluated individually. Admission decisions are based on an assessment of the following:

1. Class rank
2. Strength of academic background, including the number of courses taken in mathematics, science, and foreign language
3. SAT I or ACT scores
4. Record of achievements, honors, and awards
5. Special accomplishments, work, and service both in and out of school
6. Essays
7. Special circumstances that put academic achievements into context
8. Recommendations (although not required)
9. Competitiveness of the major to which the student applies

No specific class rank, test score, or other qualification by itself ensures admission, except top-10-percent rank, described in the section "Freshman Admission." As a state-assisted institution, the University reserves a majority of its spaces for Texas residents. Consequently, the admission of nonresidents is highly competitive.

Enrollment pressures at the University may not permit admission of all who qualify for certain academic programs. When this occurs, the Office of Admissions will, within applicable law, admit 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 admission requirements for some undergraduate programs are described later in this chapter.

The director of admissions may admit to the University recipients of bona fide scholarships designated by the president.

Coordinated Admission Program

A Texas resident who graduates from high school with the required units listed in the section "High School Preparation" and who completes an application for admission by the required deadline, but is not offered regular admission for the summer of fall, is eligible for admission through the Coordinated Admission Program (CAP). CAP students spend their freshman year in residence at a University of Texas System component institution other than UT Austin. Students choose from a list of participating institutions when they sign a CAP contract.

If the student satisfies the CAP requirements below, he or she is guaranteed admission to the University of Texas at Austin in the fall semester of the following year as a regular student. Students are guaranteed admission into the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Natural Sciences. Those who wish to be admitted to a liberal arts or natural sciences program with enrollment restrictions, or to a program in another college or school, are considered in comparison with other students seeking to enter that program.

If the student does not meet the requirements below, he or she no longer is guaranteed admission to UT Austin; if the student still wishes to enter UT Austin, he or she may apply as a transfer student, and the application will be evaluated as part of the competitive transfer pool.

Nonresidents are not eligible for the Coordinated Admission Program.

2004-2005 CAP Requirements

These requirements apply to CAP students attending a participating UT System component in 2004-2005. To complete the 2004-2005 Coordinated Admission Program and enter UT Austin in fall 2005, the student must

1. Complete at least thirty semester hours of transferable coursework in residence at the UT System component institution at which he or she enrolls
2. Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 upon completion of those hours
3. Complete requirements 1 and 2 by July 1, 2005

Credit the student earns by examination does not count toward the thirty semester hour requirement, nor does any college credit the student earns prior to his or her fall semester in CAP.

2005-2006 CAP Requirements

These requirements apply to CAP students attending a participating UT System component in 2005-2006. To complete the 2005-2006 Coordinated Admission Program and enter UT Austin in fall 2006, the student must

1. Complete at least thirty hours of approved coursework with a grade point average of at least 3.20 in residence during the fall and spring semesters at the UT System component institution at which he or she enrolls
2. Complete at least one mathematics course from the list of approved courses as part of the required thirty hours
3. Complete requirements 1 and 2 by June 1, 2006

Although applicants offered CAP participation do not need to apply to the UT System component institution, they must meet the admission requirements of the institution they choose to attend.

Next File in Chapter 2

General Information
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - The University
Chapter 2 - Admission
Chapter 3 - Registration, Fees, and Deposits
Chapter 4 - Academic Policies and Procedures
Chapter 5 - Student Affairs
Chapter 6 - Libraries and Other Academic Resources
Chapter 7 - The Texas Exes
Appendix A - Residency Regulations
Appendix B - Official Extracurricular Student Activities
Appendix C - Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities
Appendix D - Policy on Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Appendix E - Policy on Sexual Misconduct
Appendix F - Prohibition of Hazing
Appendix G - Policy on AIDS and HIV Infection
Appendix H - Prohibition of Sexual Assault
Appendix I - Nondiscrimination Policy
Appendix J - Prohibition of Campus Violence
Appendix K - Student Travel Policy for University-Organized or Sponsored Events
Appendix L - Student Travel Policy for Registered Student Organizations
Appendix M - Rules of Conduct for Students for Protecting the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers
Appendix N - Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence to Students
Statistical Summaries

Related Information
Catalogs
Course Schedules
Academic Calendars
Office of Admissions

Office of the Registrar
University of Texas at Austin

17 August 2004. Office of the Registrar

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