University of Houston

For Fall 2025, 34,728 first-year students applied to Houston, 26,312 were admitted and 6,669 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 75.8%.

Source: UH Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.

By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025

Source: UH Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.

By school or major. UH's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university, with no rate by college or major.

Source: UH Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Early plans. UH has no early decision or early action plan. Its November 2 scholarship priority deadline is an earlier filing date, not an early decision.

Source: UH Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

You apply to UH with a major. These majors ask for more than the university's own requirements:

• Architecture and Design. Fall entry only. Every applicant sends a portfolio by the February 1 priority deadline.
• College of the Arts. A separate College of the Arts application. Music, theatre and dance applicants also audition; art, graphic design, painting, photography/video and sculpture applicants send a portfolio; art history applicants send an essay.
• Bauer College of Business. Automatic admission with one of: top 5% of your class, a 3.9 core GPA, or a 1350 SAT or 29 ACT with at least a 3.8 core GPA.
• Cullen College of Engineering. One of: top 10% of your class, a 3.8 core GPA, or a 1400 SAT or 32 ACT with at least a 3.0 core GPA.
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Automatic admission with one of: top 10%, a 3.8 core GPA, or a 1400 SAT or 32 ACT with at least a 3.0 core GPA. You also need 2 units of biology, chemistry or physics, 4 of English, 2 of algebra, 1 of geometry and 1 of precalculus.
• Nursing. You apply as Pre-Nursing. Automatic admission with one of: top 10%, a 3.8 core GPA, or a 1300 SAT or 27 ACT, plus 1 unit of biology, 2 more science units, 1 of algebra, 1 of geometry, 1 more math unit and 3 of English.

Source: UH Undergraduate Admissions, Freshman Majors with Additional Requirements (fall 2027) (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

92 majors across 12 schools. Every undergraduate major UH Admissions lists on its Colleges and Degrees page, grouped by the college that offers it. Pre-professional tracks, minors, certificates and graduate programs are left out.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

The application opens August 1, 2026, and the fee is $75. Supporting information (the fee, the transcript grades you enter yourself and any test scores) is due November 9, 2026 for the scholarship priority deadline and June 7, 2027 for the final deadline. UH does not publish decision dates.

Source: UH Undergraduate Admissions, Freshman Admissions Process (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

UH is test-optional through June 1, 2030, which covers every term through fall 2030. You choose on the application whether you are reviewed with or without scores, and you are not disadvantaged without them. If you send scores, UH uses your highest total or composite and does not superscore; scores may be no more than five years old. A 1250 SAT or 26 ACT is one of three ways to earn assured admission, alongside top 10% of your class or a 3.5 unweighted GPA in English, math, science and social studies.

Source: UH Undergraduate Admissions, Test Optional Admissions (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The Common Data Set also says UH is test-optional and that applicants decide whether their score is used, with scores due by June 1.

Source: UH Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028

Not announced yet. When we checked Houston's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.

Source: UH Undergraduate Admissions, Test Optional Admissions (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The published cost of a year at Houston, 2026-2027:

For a full-time first-year student living on campus. When UH filed these figures it marked its final 2026-2027 costs as not yet available, so treat them as estimates. Tuition varies by college.

Source: UH Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections G1 and G5. Read Oct 1, 2026.

Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:

What first-year, full-time, in-state students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from UH's aid offer.

Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Chosen for how close each is to University of Houston on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.

• University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · Public73.9% admitted$18,209 average net price
• Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX · Public69.1% admitted$19,070 average net price
• Oklahoma State UniversityStillwater, OK · Public73.7% admitted$17,447 average net price
• The University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX · Public69.1% admitted$18,267 average net price
• University of OklahomaNorman, OK · Public77.6% admitted$15,300 average net price

Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.