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Freshman Students (U.S. Only)

At the University of Houston, you'll find degree programs that will pave the way to the future you envision—whether you want to build the physical foundations of the future as an engineer or architect, shape young minds as an educator, or study how far humanity has already come as an anthropologist. These are just a few of the areas of study available, taught by world-renowned faculty members.

You are a freshman if you:

  • are a student without college credit or
  • earned college credit prior to high school graduation (dual credit/early college high school)* or
  • earned less than 15 transferable hours of college credit after earning a GED or high school diploma* and
  • are a U.S. citizen, have applied for permanent residency, or qualify for Texas residency based on Senate Bill 1528

*Only credit earned from an institution accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations will be accepted. 

You are an international freshman if you:

  • are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and
  • are not graduating from a Texas high school after three years in residence in Texas (please review Senate Bill 1528)

We're Test Optional

Applicants have the option to apply for admission with or without a test score for the following academic terms: spring 2024, summer 2024 and fall 2024. Applicants are not disadvantaged by applying without a test score. If you have already submitted an application, but would like to change how you'll be considered for admission (with or without a test score), please complete the Admissions Review Option Change form.

Complete the University of Houston application for admission using either the ApplyTexas Application or The Common Application. Submit just one application.

On your application, you will select whether you want your application to be reviewed with a test score or without a test score. Be sure to complete the short admissions essay and tell us about your extracurricular activities.

Applying With a Test Score (ACT/SAT)

If you are applying for admissions with a test score, have your ACT or SAT score(s) sent directly from the testing agency to us.

University of Houston ACT Code:   4236
University of Houston SAT Code:  6870

If applying for admission with test scores, we will use the highest total or composite score submitted. To comply with Texas Success Initiative standards, scores may not be more than 5 years old at the time of submission.

Applying Without a Test Score

All applicants applying without a test score must submit a short admissions essay and extracurricular activities—both can be submitted through Common App or ApplyTexas. Make sure to complete these sections before you finish and submit your application. You will not be able to go back and add your admissions essay or extracurricular activities once you’ve submitted your application.

If you don't meet the assured admissions requirements, we may require additional documentation (like updated grades), which we'll request from you to help us make our decision.

Admissions Review Option Change Form

Admission Requirements

Texas Education Code (TEC) 51.803-51.809 requires all students meet college readiness standards to be eligible for admission at a Texas Four-Year Public Institution. Read about the Texas Uniform Admission Policy.

On your application, you will select whether you want your application to be reviewed with a test score or without a test score. The admission criteria for each choice is below.

With Test Score
Class Rank SAT or ACT Admission Type
Top 10% No Minimum No Minimum Assured Admission
11 - 25% 1080 21 Assured Admission
26 - 50% 1170 24 Assured Admission
51% and Lower, No Rank —   —   Individual Review*

Without Test Score
Class Rank Calculated Unweighted GPA** Admission Type
Top 10% No Minimum Assured Admission
11 - 25% 3.40 or higher Assured Admission
lower than 3.40  Individual Review*
26 - 50% 3.45 or higher Assured Admission
lower than 3.45 Individual Review*
51% and Lower, No Rank —  Individual Review*

*If you don't meet the assured admissions requirements, we may consider additional factors in the admissions process. If we require additional documentation, we'll request those materials from you.

 **This unweighted GPA will be calculated by the University of Houston (out of a 4.0 scale) using English, math, science, and social studies grades on your transcript. Extracurricular classes will not be included. 

Admission requirements are different for international students. For more information, visit uh.edu/international.

GED or home schooled applicants will be considered for admission by individual review.

Majors With Additional Requirements

Some majors have additional requirements on top of the ones listed above. Find out more information about majors with additional requirements for freshmen.

State of Texas Uniform Admissions Policy

No Class Rank

We recognize some applicants attend non-traditional or non-ranking schools who do not provide a class rank. Applicants without a class rank will still be considered for admissions by individual review.

If you attend a school that does not provide you with a rank on your transcript, a statement of rank provided by a school administrator is sufficient. The statement of rank should include a student's name, UH ID and ranking displayed in a #/# format (e.g. 12/1927). Rank statements that list quartiles (eg. Top 20 percent, Top 30 percent, etc.)  will not be used in our evaluation for admission. Rank statements should be submitted to admissions@uh.edu.

How to Send Transcripts

Self-report your transcript information. Visit your task list in your  my.uh.edu self-service portal to self-report your transcript information. You'll only report your math, science, English, and social studies classes. 

View our self-reporting guide or watch our video tutorial for step-by-step instructions. 

If you cannot self-report your transcript, ask your school administrator to send your official transcript data electronically through an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system, e.g. TREx (for Texas institutions) 

We do not accept hard copy transcripts. Applicants are required to self report academic information or provide using an EDI. For more information about transcript submission guidelines, please visit Submitting Official High School and College Transcripts Guidelines.

Application Fee

Pay the nonrefundable $75 application fee ($90 for international students) with a credit card or debit card. Payment can be made in your myUH self-service portal or before submitting the admissions application.

Freshman may qualify for an application fee waiver. Simply complete the National Association for College Admissions Counseling Fee Waiver Form and submit a PDF copy through your myUH account using the following steps:

  1. Log in to your myUH account
  2. Select the "Student Center" tile
  3. Locate your To-Do List on the top right side of the page
  4. Select "Details/Upload Document"
  5. Select the "Upload/View Document" link for the "UGRD Fee Waiver Form"
  6. Select the "Upload File" button and select your completed Fee Waiver Form in PDF format and navigate through the prompts

Deadlines

Term Application Type Open Date Application Due Supporting Information* Due
Spring 2024 U.S. Freshman 8/1/2023 12/4/2023 12/11/2023
International Freshman 8/1/2023 11/6/2023 11/13/2023
Summer 2024 U.S. Freshman 8/1/2023 5/1/2024 5/8/2024
International Freshman 8/1/2023 4/1/2024 4/8/2024
Fall 2024 U.S. Freshman 8/1/2023 6/3/2024 6/10/2024
International Freshman 8/1/2023 5/6/2024 5/13/2024

Fall 2024 Scholarship Priority Deadlines

  • Deadline to submit the admissions application: Nov. 1, 2023
  • Deadline to submit the supporting information*: Nov. 8, 2023

*Supporting information includes application fee, self-reporting transcript information, test scores (if applicable). If applying without test scores, supporting information also includes your essay and resume. You can request to change to admissions without a test score by submitting this form.

 

Dual Credit & Early College High School

All students who are currently enrolled in high school at the time of their admissions application to UH must apply as a freshman (regardless of the number of college credit hours they have earned in high school). Applying as a freshman allows all dual credit and early college high school students to take advantage of the financial, academic, and housing opportunities that are specifically set aside for freshman students transitioning from high school to college.

Work hard. Get credit.

You deserve to get as much credit as you can for your work at your previous institution. Meet our new Transfer Credit Estimator, your guide to estimating how many course credits may transfer
to your chosen degree program at the University of Houston.


Learn more

Earning an Associate’s Degree in high school does not guarantee admission to UH and does not classify an applicant as a transfer student. However, earning an Associate’s Degree will be taken into consideration during admission review.

Speak with an Admissions Representative

Admissions representatives are experts when it comes to applying to the University of Houston. If you'd like to talk to an admissions representative for admissions support, you can schedule a virtual admissions advising appointment, or contact us by phone at 713-743-1010, option 4 or by email at admissions@uh.edu. Please note that admissions representatives do not provide support with course selection or registration.