How to Get Into UT Austin: Admissions Stats + Tips

What’s Covered:

• How Hard Is It to Get Into UT Austin?
• Average Academic Profile of Accepted UT Austin Students
• What is UT Austin Looking for?
• How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into UT Austin 

The University of Texas at Austin serves as the flagship institution of the Texas public university system. With an undergraduate enrollment of more than 40,000 students, it ranks among the largest universities in the nation. Beyond its strong academic offerings, UT Austin attracts students with its powerhouse athletics program and the dynamic culture of the city it calls home.

Keep reading to learn the tips that have helped CollegeVine’s students gain admission to this vibrant and competitive Texas school.

How Hard Is It to Get Into UT Austin?

Getting into UT Austin takes hard work—last year, only 27% of applicants were admitted. The university received a record 72,885 applications in 2024-2025 and accepted 19,417 students. Of those, 9,210 actually enrolled.

Important admission dates:

How Do You Measure Up?

While the acceptance rate for UT Austin is incredibly low, your personal chances of acceptance may be higher or lower, depending on the strength of your profile. For example, if you’re a graduate from a Texas high school and are in the top 5% of your class, you are automatically admitted!

You can better understand your chances for admission to UT Austin, or any other school on your list, with our free admissions calculator. Using your grades, test scores, extracurriculars, and more, we’ll estimate your odds of acceptance and give you tips on improving your profile!

Average Academic Profile of Accepted UT Austin Students

GPA

UT Austin doesn’t publish data on the GPAs of admitted students. However, it’s reasonable to assume that successful applicants have strong academic records—typically earning high GPAs and graduating near the top of their class.

SAT/ACT

The middle 50% SAT range for admitted UT Austin students is 1230–1490, and the middle 50% ACT range is 27–33.

Class Rank

UT Austin doesn’t publish class-rank data for admitted students. However, like many top public universities, it attracts high-achieving applicants who typically graduate at or near the top of their class. Keep in mind that Texas students who graduate in the top 5% of their high school class qualify for automatic admission.

What is UT Austin Looking for?

While amazing grades and test scores are important, for many of the more selective schools, admission counselors are looking for those other qualities that set you apart and make you a unique student. At UT Austin, all admitted students meet a high academic standard, and the majority come from within the state—about 90% of each incoming class is from Texas.

The Office of Admissions outlines its “holistic review” for student applications. The website lists several factors that influence their decision-making, such as:

• Class rank
• Strength of academic background
• Test scores
• Honors and awards
• Accomplishment both in and out of the classroom
• Essays
• Recomendations
• Competitiveness of the major applied to

How do you set yourself apart from all the other applicants with a strong academic background?

UT Austin’s holistic review considers more than grades. Factors such as personal character, family background, work responsibilities, first-generation status, language spoken at home, notable life experiences, and community involvement all help admissions officers understand who you are beyond academics. Their goal is to build an engaged, diverse incoming class that enriches the university’s culture and community.

UT Austin describes its students as having “a bold spirit and competitiveness” and a campus environment that “encourages creativity and critical thinking while working to find solutions to real-world problems.”

The university also embraces Austin’s quirky culture and its unofficial slogan, “Keep Austin Weird.” Today, Austin owns it as a symbol of pride, and residents live up to the challenge. Austin has a rich live music scene, and many artists and musicians call it home.

How UT Austin Evaluates Applications

The Office of Admissions conducts a “holistic review” for student applications.

According to their 2024-2025 Common Data Set, UT Austin considers the following factors, without any specific level of importance:

• Academic rigor
• Class rank
• Test scores
• GPA
• Essay
• Recommendation letters
• Extracurricular activities
• Talent/ability
• Character/personal qualities
• First-generation
• Geographic residence
• State residence
• Religious affiliation/commitment
• Volunteer work
• Work experience

What UT Austin doesn’t consider when making admissions decisions is:

• Interview
• Alumni relation
• Level of interest

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into UT Austin 

1. Aim to do well in the most challenging classes available.

If you’re not a Texas resident, you’ll need an extremely compelling application and a strong profile—roughly 90% of the student body is from Texas.

Even though UT Austin doesn’t publicize the average GPA of incoming students, you should still aim for the same GPA as similar selective universities. Consider the University of Florida or the University of Virginia as examples.

Having a competitive transcript is important. Most selective schools expect applicants to have mostly A’s while taking the most challenging courses available to them. This means take AP classes if they are available to you. At highly reputable schools like UT Austin, you should aim to take between five and eight AP classes during high school.

If your GPA is on the lower side and you’re still early in high school, you have time to raise it. But if you’re a junior or senior, boosting your GPA becomes more difficult—so the most effective way to strengthen your academic profile is by earning a strong SAT or ACT score.

2. Aim for a 1490 SAT and 33 ACT.

After four years of test-optional admissions, UT Austin will require SAT or ACT scores again for students applying for the Fall 2025 semester and beyond. Aim for a score within the middle 50% of accepted students. At UT Austin, that’s:

• Middle 50% SAT: 1230–1490
• Middle 50% ACT: 27–33

The closer you are to the high end of the scale, the more competitive your application becomes.

To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• How to Get a Perfect 36 Score on the ACT
• More SAT Info and Tips
• More ACT Info and Tips

3. Aim to be in the top 5% of your high school class.

If you’re a Texas resident, the simplest way to gain admission to UT Austin is to graduate in the top 5% of your class, which guarantees automatic acceptance. For out-of-state students, finishing in the top 5% places you among the most competitive applicants.

4. Cultivate at least one or two Tier 1-2 extracurriculars (find your “spike”).

For extracurricular activities, it’s best to focus on one or two well-developed interests, including a standout passion often called a “spike.” Avoid listing a broad array of unrelated activities.

How colleges view your activities outside the classroom is best understood through the lens of the Four Tiers of Extracurriculars:

• Tier One examples include: winning prestigious national competitions in the performing or visual arts, being a highly recruited athlete, or receiving national academic awards.

• Tier Two examples include: impressive leadership abilities and roles such as Model UN President, all-state musician or athlete, and activities that demonstrate great commitment and involvement.

• Tier Three examples include: achievements in participation, such as being selected for an honor band or the athletic player of the week. Serving as a secretary or treasurer of a club shows responsibility.

• Tier Four examples include: Any activity done outside of the classroom. These are the extracurriculars seen most often on applications, and while they aren’t the standout achievements like those of the higher tiers, they still illustrate who you are beyond academics. Membership in various clubs, playing on sports teams, or regular volunteering are all tier four activities.

5. Write engaging essays.

Once you clear the academic thresholds, essays are the best way to set yourself apart from other applicants. You want to share your authentic voice and demonstrate your fit with the school.

CollegeVine has already looked into the details for you. Check out our essay breakdown for advice on writing a strong UT Austin essay. We also have guides for writing essays for colleges and universities across the country.

Last year, UT Austin introduced an Early Action admission option, replacing its previous priority deadline. Students who are serious about attending the university benefit from applying early, as Early Action applicants generally have an advantage in the admissions process.

6. Consider getting recommendation letters.

Recommendation letters are an excellent way for admission staff to get to know you as a person. They also suggest creating a resume for yourself, describing your achievements and preparation for college. Include your interests and your goals for your education, your career, and life.

Recommendation letters are optional and useful in providing additional context to your application or information that you have not already provided elsewhere through your resume or transcript. When submitting a recommendation letter or two, consider asking mentors, teachers, or others who know you well inside or outside of your high school.

How to Apply to UT Austin

Deadlines

Application Requirements for UT Austin

Required:

• Common Application
• $75 application fee (waivers are available)
• Essay and short answers
• SAT/ACT scores
• High school transcripts and class rank

As applicable:

• Any college transcripts you may have
• Student information form

Optional:

• Resume
• Letters of recommendation (up to two)
• Classic learning test
• Optional short answer

Once you have submitted your application, you can use UT Austin’s system MyStatus as a checklist to track your progress and submit additional documents. Be sure to monitor this regularly and complete any tasks on the list before application deadlines. Only when your application is listed as “complete” can you be sure that you have submitted everything.

Learn more about UT Austin

• What Is UT Austin Known For?
• How to Write the UT Austin Essays 2025-2026
• What Is Automatic Admission to Texas Schools?