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Undergraduate Admissions

Prospective students may apply to the Hines College of Architecture and Design as a First Time in College, International Student, Transfer Student, or Change of Major applicant. An explanation of applicant types and respective application processes for each are detailed below. All applicants, regardless of applicant type must submit a portfolio, which includes a statement of interest. The portfolio and statement of interest must be uploaded to SlideRoom, not to the ApplyTexas or the Common Application.

Click on the applicant type that best describes you for more detailed information about your application process.

  • First-Time Freshmen (FTIC)
    First-Time in College students are applicants who have earned a standard high school diploma from a public or regionally accredited high school in the United States or its equivalent and have earned fewer than 15 credit hours of transferable college credit through Advanced Placement (AP), Dual-Credit Enrollment, or enrollment in a community college.
  • International Students
    International applicants plan to attend the University of Houston with citizenship from a country outside the U.S. and have no college coursework (or are transferring less than 15 credit hours from an accredited university). Irrespective of their immigrant status, e.g., resident alien or visa holder, applicants who have academic credentials earned outside the U.S. must also apply as an International Applicant.
  • Transfer Students (TR)
    Transfer students at UH are defined as individuals transferring to UH with 15 or more semester credit hours earned from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • Change of Majors (COM)
    Applicants who have attended the University of Houston for at least one full semester (Fall or Spring) may be considered a Change of Major applicant by the Hines College. Change of Major applicants must follow the same application deadlines. FTIC, International, or Transfer Applicants cannot apply to change majors during new student orientation.

For FTIC, International Students, and Transfer Students, admission to the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design is a two-stage process.

Stage One: Applicants must apply to the University of Houston with either Architecture, Interior Architecture, Industrial Design, or Environmental Design as their first-choice major. Applicants must also submit their portfolio through the Hines College of Architecture and Design’s SlideRoom portal.
Stage Two: The University of Houston’s Office Admissions forwards the applications of students who have been admitted to the University of Houston to the College of Architecture and Design for a college-level review. Only applications with Architecture, Interior Architecture, Industrial Design, or Environmental Design as their first-choice major will be reviewed for possible admission.

Change of Major students are those students who have attended the University of Houston for at least one semester. These applicants apply through SlideRoom ONLY.

All applicants, regardless of applicant type must submit official transcripts to the University of Houston Office of Admissions.


Application Status

FTIC, Transfer, and International Applicants can check the status of their University of Houston application by logging into myUH to verify information.

FTIC, Transfer, and International admission decisions will be communicated to these applicants through UH Admissions. Change of Major applicants will be notified of their admission status by the Hines College via email. No communication will be released from UH Admissions to Change of Major applicants.


Our Community

In alignment with the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accreditation requirements for the Bachelor of Architecture, the Hines College's student body reflects the diverse make-up of Houston’s communities and the people we are committed to serving.

All applicants are reviewed with the understanding that they offer unique experiences and viewpoints reflecting their various backgrounds. The Hines College excels in many areas, and the excellence of our students can be expressed in different forms, including academic accomplishments, artistic skills, and extracurricular engagement, among many others.

All applicants are required to submit a statement of interest along with a portfolio of creative works. Together, these admissions materials provide insights into the applicant’s interests, personal histories, and stories, as well as their potential to excel in a design program.