#551 in the world · QS 2027

University of Houston

A big, diverse public research university in the heart of Houston, with assured admission for strong Texas students.

Houston, Texas, United States Public research university Founded 1927 Official website

Acceptance rate: 76%; First-year students entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26)
Students: 48,950; 40,366 undergraduates
International: 6%; of students
Student–faculty: 23:1; ratio
Tuition: $27,776; 2026-27

About UH

The University of Houston opened in 1927 as Houston Junior College and became a four-year university in 1934. Its main campus covers southeast Houston along Cullen Boulevard, southeast of downtown, and it is the flagship of the University of Houston System. In fall 2025 it enrolled 48,950 students, including 40,366 undergraduates, making it one of the largest universities in Texas.

UH is organised into fifteen colleges plus an interdisciplinary Honors College, including the Cullen College of Engineering, the C. T. Bauer College of Business, the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership (which runs an on-campus Hilton hotel staffed by students), the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, the Law Center and a young College of Medicine. It is a Carnegie R1 university with research centers in areas such as superconductivity, energy and space, and its Energy Research Park occupies the former Schlumberger headquarters.

Admission is broad and partly automatic: UH admitted 26,312 of 34,728 first-year applicants for fall 2025 (75.8%), and Texas-style assured admission applies if you are in the top 10% of your class, have a 3.5+ core GPA, or score 1250+ SAT or 26+ ACT. It suits independent, career-focused students who want to study in America's fourth-largest city, with its energy, medical and aerospace employers.

In Tempore

“In Time” — university motto

Why students choose UH

Assured admission for applicants in the top 10%, with a 3.5+ unweighted core GPA, or with 1250+ SAT or 26+ ACT, and a test-optional route through fall 2030.

The Cougar Promise covers tuition and mandatory fees for eligible Texas residents with family incomes up to $65,000, with tuition support up to $125,000.

Career-focused colleges in a major city: Bauer's entrepreneurship program, the Hilton College's student-staffed hotel, and engineering and energy research tied to Houston's industries.

The Tier One Scholarship covers full tuition and fees for four years plus two years of housing and meals, with research and study abroad stipends.

Admissions

First-year students entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26)

26,312 admitted from 34,728 applicants

SAT 1140–1310

1000120014001600

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

ACT 22–28

2024283236

Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.

6,669 first-years enrolled. By residency: 21,788 of 28,115 Texas applicants admitted (77%), 3,033 of 4,866 out-of-state applicants (62%) and 1,491 of 1,747 international applicants (85%). Texas applicants who meet an assured-admission pathway are admitted automatically; others get individual review of essay and resume. Some majors have additional requirements.

Testing Test-optional for all freshman applicants through fall 2030; you choose on the application whether to be reviewed with or without scores. UH uses the highest single total or composite score and does not superscore. Scores must be no more than five years old.

Grades Average high school GPA of enrolled first-years was 3.46 (CDS 2025-26). 55% submitted SAT and 7% ACT scores. For assured admission, UH recalculates an unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale using only English, math, science and social studies grades.

Typical entry requirements

Assured admission (any one)	Top 10% of high school class, or 3.5+ unweighted core GPA, or 1250+ SAT / 26+ ACT
International freshmen	Official transcripts from all schools attended plus English proficiency; some majors require SAT/ACT scores
English language	IELTS 6.5 Minimums: TOEFL iBT 4.0 (on the scale introduced in January 2026), IELTS 6.5 overall or Duolingo 105. Waived for a diploma from an accredited US school or completion of secondary school in a listed English-speaking country; Level 6 of UH's Intensive English Program also qualifies. Scores expire after two years.

Deadlines

Fall 2027 scholarship priority deadline Non-binding Next deadline · In 27 days

November 2, 2026

Supporting information (fee, self-reported transcript, test scores if used) due November 9, 2026. Required for Academic Excellence Scholarship priority and the Tier One Scholarship application. Same date for international applicants.
Fall 2027 international freshman deadline Non-binding In ~7 months

May 3, 2027

Supporting information (fee, test scores, official transcripts) due May 10, 2027.
Fall 2027 US freshman deadline Non-binding In ~8 months

May 31, 2027

Supporting information due June 7, 2027. Decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Dates are from UH's incoming and international freshman pages for fall 2027. UH has no Early Decision or Early Action; the November 2 scholarship priority date is the key early deadline. Cougar Promise eligibility requires admission documents and FAFSA/TASFA by January 15 (fall 2026 dates shown on UH's site).

How to apply

Common App or ApplyTexas; one essay (Common App prompts 1, 2, 3 or 5) and activities/resume, which cannot be added after submitting; $75 fee ($90 international); self-reported core grades in the myUH portal; SAT/ACT optional. Recommendations are not considered in general admission.

What admissions looks for

Academic record first: GPA and test scores (if submitted) are rated important and rigor is considered in the CDS.
Class rank and Texas college-readiness standards, which drive the assured-admission pathways.
For applicants outside the assured pathways, the essay and resume of extracurricular activities are used in individual review.
Preparation for majors with additional requirements, which exceed general university admission standards.

Tips for applying to UH

1 Check whether you meet an assured pathway (top 10%, 3.5 core GPA, or 1250 SAT/26 ACT) before deciding whether to send scores.
2 Finish your essay and activities before you hit submit: UH does not accept them afterwards.
3 Apply and complete supporting items by November 2 and 9, 2026 to be considered for the Academic Excellence and Tier One scholarships.
4 Self-report only your English, math, science and social studies courses, exactly as shown on your transcript.
5 Texas families earning under $125,000 should file the FAFSA or TASFA early to qualify for the Cougar Promise.

What are your chances?

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

Texas residents, estimated tuition and mandatory fees for two 15-hour semesters (may vary by college) Tuition $11,888

+ typical on-campus housing ($5,230) and meal plan ($6,056) per academic year, as reported in section g of the cds 2025-26 (which notes final 2026-27 costs were not yet available) $11,286 ≈ $23,174 per year

Out-of-state and international students, estimated tuition and mandatory fees for two 15-hour semesters Tuition $27,776

Tuition Typical on-campus housing ($5,230) and meal plan ($6,056) per academic year, as reported in section G of the CDS 2025-26 (which notes final 2026-27 costs were not yet available)

Financial aid

Need-based aid is awarded from the FAFSA (or TASFA for eligible Texas residents), and the Cougar Promise covers tuition and fees for Texas residents with family incomes up to $65,000. Merit awards include the Academic Excellence Scholarship, the invitation-only Distinguished Scholarship, National Merit awards and the Tier One Scholarship (full tuition and fees for four years plus two years of housing and meals). International undergraduates receive limited institutional aid.

Full tuition and required fees for 4 years, plus 2 years of on-campus housing and meals
Tier One Scholarship: Tuition and fees covered up to $65,000 family income; tuition support up to $125,000
Cougar Promise income threshold: $4,355
Average institutional aid to nonresident undergraduates (CDS 2025-26)

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters

Entrepreneurship (C. T. Bauer College of Business)

The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship's undergraduate program has been named the No. 1 undergraduate entrepreneurship program for seven consecutive years; its selective BBA admits 30-40 students a year.

Hospitality Leadership (Conrad N. Hilton College)

Students train in the on-campus Hilton University of Houston hotel, founded with a gift from Conrad N. Hilton and staffed by students.

Creative Writing (College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences)

A creative writing program co-founded by alumnus Donald Barthelme, offering poetry, fiction and nonfiction.

Architecture (Gerald D. Hines College)

A NAAB-accredited architecture school; the Tier One Scholarship extends to five years for architecture students.

Honors College

An interdisciplinary honors college in the academic core of campus, with first-year Honors students housed together in Cougar Village.

Research

Carnegie R1 classification with more than 35 research centers and institutes, including the Texas Center for Superconductivity.
The 74-acre UH Energy Research Park, developed by Schlumberger in 1953 and acquired by UH in 2009.
Research thrusts in cyber and physical security, drug discovery, sustainable infrastructure, energy transition and accessible health care.

Schools & faculties

Cullen College of Engineering
C. T. Bauer College of Business
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership
Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design
College of Technology
College of Optometry
Hobby School of Public Affairs
Honors College
University of Houston Law Center
College of Medicine

Graduation rate

66%

First-year students who return

87%

College Scorecard: median earnings of $62,377 ten years after entry (and $52,768 six years after entry) for federally aided students.

Student life

UH has more than 500 student organisations and on-campus housing, with first-years and first-year Honors students living in Cougar Village and others in the Moody Towers, The Quad and University Lofts. Spring brings Frontier Fiesta, a student-run recreation of a 19th-century Western town that dates back to the 1940s. The Houston Cougars compete in the Big 12 Conference, and the Phi Slama Jama basketball teams of the early 1980s featuring Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler remain part of campus lore.

Houston Cougars: 17 NCAA Division I teams in the Big 12 Conference, which UH joined on July 1, 2023.
Frontier Fiesta, a student-run spring festival dating to the 1940s.
Men's golf has won 16 NCAA national championships, and men's basketball has reached seven Final Fours.
More than 500 student organizations and the student-run CoogRadio.

Housing. First-year students, including Honors students, live in Cougar Village I and II; other halls include the 18-story Moody Towers and The Quad for sophomores and up.

Location

UH sits in Houston's Third Ward, southeast of downtown along Cullen Boulevard, with a METRO rail stop at the campus edge. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the US and a centre for energy, aerospace and medicine, which gives students a deep pool of internships. The university also runs instructional sites in suburban Sugar Land and Katy.

Nearest airport: William P. Hobby Airport (HOU); George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Notable alumni

JP
Jim Parsons

Actor, The Big Bang Theory
HO
Hakeem Olajuwon

NBA Hall of Fame center
CL
Carl Lewis

Olympic track and field champion
EW
Elizabeth Warren

US Senator from Massachusetts (BS 1970)
JV
Jack Valenti

President of the Motion Picture Association of America (BBA)
L
Lizzo

Singer and rapper
JN
Jim Nantz

CBS Sports broadcaster
JS
Julian Schnabel

Artist and filmmaker

Frequently asked questions

What is the University of Houston's acceptance rate?

UH admitted 26,312 of 34,728 first-year applicants for fall 2025, an acceptance rate of about 76%.

Does UH offer automatic admission?

Yes. You are admitted automatically if you are in the top 10% of your class, have a 3.5+ unweighted core GPA as calculated by UH, or score 1250+ on the SAT or 26+ on the ACT. Other applicants are reviewed individually using their essay and resume.

Is the University of Houston test-optional?

Yes, through fall 2030. You choose on your application whether to be reviewed with or without SAT/ACT scores, and UH says you are not disadvantaged without them.

When should I apply to UH for fall 2027?

Apply by November 2, 2026 (supporting items by November 9) for scholarship priority and the Tier One Scholarship. The final fall 2027 deadline is May 31, 2027 for US applicants and May 3, 2027 for international applicants.

What English test score does UH require?

International applicants need TOEFL iBT 4.0 on the new scale, IELTS 6.5 overall or Duolingo 105, unless they completed high school in the US or a listed English-speaking country.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.