Admission Criteria

Admission Criteria for Applicants with International Academic Credentials

Freshman Applicants
with International Academic Credentials

An applicant who has never attended a post-secondary school will be considered a freshman applicant. Freshman applicants with international academic credentials must meet the following criteria:

• Completion of 12 years of secondary education or equivalent, or in the progress of completing the last year of secondary education.
• A minimum of the equivalent of a “B” average in all academic studies of secondary schooling
• English Language Proficiency Requirement
• SAT or ACT scores.* Applicants receiving secondary education in a native English-speaking country (click here for country list) or through an educational system of a native English-speaking country, such as the British “O” and “A” Levels must have:
  • SAT I - A minimum of SAT I Total (Critical Reading + Math) = 1100 with a minimum of Critical Reading = 500 and a minimum of Math = 500. Scores should be sent through The College Board (code 6870) OR;
  • ACT - A Minimum of ACT composite = 24 with minimum of English = 19 and minimum of Math = 19. Scores should be sent through ACT (code 4236).

*SAT or ACT test scores are highly recommended for all international freshman applicants. If you are an international freshman graduating from a U.S. accredited high school, you must meet the admissions requirements for U.S. freshmen.

Transfer Applicants
with International Academic Credentials

Applicants with less than one year of full-time, university-level education outside the U.S. at a non-U.S. accredited institution must meet criteria for Freshman with International Academic Credentials. All International applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement. Transfer applicants with international academic credentials must meet the following criteria:

Architecture Majors

Application priority deadline is February 1st. Admission is granted for the fall semester only. Applicants are encouraged to submit an 8.5"x11" portfolio clearly marked with the student's name, contact information and myUH ID. Portfolios will only be returned to applicants, who include stamped envelopes with the appropriate postage.

Business Majors

Applicants with between 15 and 60 semester hours must have a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average, including any attempted transfer courses.

Applicants with more than 60 semester hours must have a 3.0 or higher grade point average on the last 60 hours of college-level coursework, including any attempted transfer courses. If the 60th semester hour occurs in the middle of a semester, all grades for that semester are included in the calculation.

Applicants who have attempted coursework at the University of Houston must also have at least a 2.5 or higher cumulative grade point average at the University of Houston.

NOTE: The calculation of transfer GPA includes all transfer work, including courses that did not transfer because of a low grade. In addition, grades of "I" (Incomplete) are calculated as grades of "F".

Education Majors

• Pre-Health Majors must have a 2.3 GPA
• Pre-Teaching and Learning Majors must have a 2.5 GPA

Engineering Majors

To be admitted, students must have attempted at least one college level English course, at least one calculus course, and at least one college level science course in the areas listed. In the calculation of each GPA, all attempts count, even if repeated.

• Economics Majorsneed a 2.25 or higher cumulative GPA.
• Human Nutrition and Foods Majors
  
  • Applicants who have completed 15-29 hours of coursework need a 2.50 GPA.
  • Applicants who have completed 30 semester hours or more must have a 2.30 GPA or higher.
• Kinesiology Majors
  
  • Applicants who have completed 15-29 hours of coursework need a 2.50 GPA.
  • Applicants who have completed 30 semester hours or more must have a 2.30 GPA or higher.
• Music Majorsneed a 2.50 GPA in all music courses earned and need to audition for the Moores School of Music faculty on their primary instrument or voice prior to admission. See more information about auditions.
• Theatre/Dance Majors must audition.

Assured Admissions for files completed by March 1.

Applicants with 15 or more hours must meet the following conditions for approval into NSM:

• Complete a minimum of 6 semester hours of Mathematics and Science courses.
• 2.00 GPA or greater in ALLcollege-level Mathematics and Science courses attempted that are applicable to degrees offered by the NSM departments.

Assured Admissions for files completed after March 1.

Applicants with 15 or more hours must meet the following conditions for approval into NSM:

• 2.50 GPA or greater in ALL college-level work attempted.
• 2.50 GPA or greater in ALL college-level Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology, Mathematics and Physics courses attempted.
• 2.50 GPA or greater in ALL courses from either CATEGORY I or CATEGORY II attempted.

CATEGORY I
Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Geology, Geophysics, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Mathematical Biology and Physics majors:

• Must have successfully completed at least one of the following college level math courses.
  - MATH 1330
  - MATH 1431
  - MATH 1432
• Must have successfully completed at least one of the following science courses for science majors.
  - BIOL 1361 - GEOL 1330 - GEOL 1340 - PHYS 1301
  - BIOL 1362 - GEOL 1376 - GEOL 1350 - PHYS 1321
  - GEOL 1302 - CHEM 1331 - CHEM 1332

CATEGORY II
Mathematics and Computer Science majors:

• Must have successfully completed at least two of the following college-level calculus or computer science courses.
  - COSC 1410 - MATH 1432
  - MATH 1431 - MATH 2433

• Biotechnology: 2.25 GPA
• Computer Engineering Technology: 2.25 GPA
• Computer Information Systems: 2.50 GPA
• Electrical Power Engineering Technology: 2.25 GPA
• Mechanical Engineering Technology: 2.25 GPA

If you are an international transfer student that has only completed community college or university-level education at a U.S. accredited institution, you must meet the admissions requirements for U.S. transfer.

Post-Baccalaureate Applicants
with International Academic Credentials

Post-baccalaureate applicants are those who have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher prior to enrolling in UH. If admitted to UH, Post-baccalaureate students can take undergraduate courses, pursue a second degree, or complete prerequisites for graduate programs. Applicants are required to meet admissions criteria for transfer applicants.

Graduate Applicants
with International Academic Credentials

Graduate and professional programs have individual admissions process and requirements. International graduate students should contact their chosen college or program to learn about their application and admission requirements. For a listing of all the graduate and professional programs offered by the University of Houston please go to Graduate & Professional Programs. Graduate admission criteria are established both by the Graduate School and by the graduate program of study. The minimum academic criteria for graduate admission include:

• Official academic credentials documenting completed prerequisite academic work that gives evidence of ability to pursue a graduate program in your chosen area. Consult your intended graduate program for more information.
• Earned a degree of 4 or more years that is equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor degree, or higher degree from an accredited college or university prior to beginning graduate studies.
• Earned a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) equivalent to or higher than the minimum for your chosen graduate college criteria.&
• Evidence of satisfactory English Proficiency on the TOEFL or IELTS standardized exams as required by your graduate program.

Graduate applications are processed through the combined efforts of the Office of International Admissions and the individual colleges and departments. The Office of International Admissions is primarily responsible for evaluating foreign credentials for the graduate departments. Individual admissions decisions are however, the sole responsibility of the graduate department to which the student has applied.