Getting in
For Fall 2025, 53,841 first-year students applied to UT Knoxville, 23,464 were admitted and 7,143 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 43.6%.
Source: UT Knoxville Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | 11,980 | 8,725 | 72.8% |
| Out-of-state | 41,408 | 14,526 | 35.1% |
| International | 452 | 213 | 47.1% |
Source: UT Knoxville Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. UT Knoxville's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university, with no rate by college or major.
Source: UT Knoxville Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early action. UT Knoxville has no early decision. Its Common Data Set lists a nonbinding early action plan but gives no early action counts, so there is no early action acceptance rate.
Source: UT Knoxville Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Programs with extra requirements
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
You apply to UT with a first-choice major. Some colleges ask for more:
- Tickle College of Engineering. Admission uses your core GPA and test scores: a Success Prediction Indicator of at least 60 and an ACT math score of 25 or SAT math of 590. Students below the test-score criteria get a holistic review, and the class may be limited by space.
- College of Nursing. Test scores are required, and you must mark Nursing as your first-choice major to be considered for direct entry.
- Natalie L. Haslam College of Music. Depending on the concentration you choose, you may need to audition, interview or both.
- College of Architecture and Design. A portfolio of your artwork is recommended but not required. Faculty of the School of Architecture or School of Interior Architecture decide admission.
Students who do not meet the engineering criteria can start as University Exploratory students and apply to the college again later.
Source: UT Admissions, First-Year Student Applications (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
98 majors across 12 schools. Every undergraduate major in UT Knoxville's 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, grouped by the college that offers it, with the degree it leads to. Concentrations, minors, certificates and the nursing tracks for registered nurses and second-degree students are left out.
Herbert College of Agriculture12
- Bioinformatics (BS)
- Agricultural Business (BS in Agricultural and Resource Economics)
- Natural Resource and Environmental Economics (BS in Agricultural and Resource Economics)
- Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (BS in Agriculture)
- Animal and Veterinary Science (BS in Animal Science)
- Biosystems Engineering (BS in Biosystems Engineering)
- Construction Science and Management (BS in Construction Science and Management)
- Environmental Science (BS in Environmental Science)
- Food Science (BS in Food Science)
- Forestry (BS in Forestry)
- Plant Sciences (BS in Plant Sciences)
- Wildlife and Fisheries Science (BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Architecture and Design3
A portfolio of your artwork is recommended but not required.
Source: UT Admissions, First-Year Student Applications (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Architecture (Bachelor of Architecture)
- Graphic Design (BFA in Graphic Design)
- Interior Architecture (BS in Interior Architecture)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Arts and Sciences34
- Anthropology (BA)
- Art History (BA)
- Art (BA)
- Cinema Studies (BA)
- Classics (BA)
- College Scholars (BA)
- Economics (BA)
- English (BA)
- Geography (BA)
- Global Studies (BA)
- History (BA)
- Interdisciplinary Programs (BA)
- Philosophy (BA)
- Physics (BA)
- Political Science (BA)
- Psychology (BA)
- Religious Studies (BA)
- Sociology (BA)
- Sustainability (BA)
- Theatre (BA)
- World Languages and Cultures (BA)
- Studio Art (BFA)
- Biological Sciences (BS)
- Chemistry (BS)
- Geographic Information Science and Technology (BS)
- Geology and Environmental Science (BS)
- Interdisciplinary Programs (BS)
- Mathematics (BS)
- Medical Laboratory Science (BS)
- Neuroscience (BS)
- Physics (BS)
- Pre-Professional Programs (BS)
- Statistics (BS)
- Chemistry (BS, ACS Certified)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Haslam College of Business8
- Accounting (BS in Business Administration)
- Business Analytics (BS in Business Administration)
- Economics (BS in Business Administration)
- Finance (BS in Business Administration)
- Human Resource Management (BS in Business Administration)
- Management (BS in Business Administration)
- Marketing (BS in Business Administration)
- Supply Chain Management (BS in Business Administration)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Communication and Information6
- Communication Studies (BA in Communication)
- Advertising (BS in Communication)
- Journalism and Media (BS in Communication)
- Public Relations (BS in Communication)
- Communication and Information (BS in Communication and Information)
- Information Sciences (BS in Information Sciences)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences12
- Recreational Therapy (BS)
- Sport Management (BS)
- Audiology and Speech Pathology (BS in Audiology and Speech Pathology)
- Deaf Studies (BS in Education)
- Education (BS in Education)
- Special Education (BS in Education)
- Human Development and Family Science (BS in Health and Human Sciences)
- Nutrition (BS in Health and Human Sciences)
- Kinesiology (BS in Kinesiology)
- Public Health (BS in Public Health)
- Hospitality and Tourism Management (BS in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management)
- Retail and Merchandising Management (BS in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies4
- Applied Artificial Intelligence (BS in Applied Artificial Intelligence)
- Applied Cybersecurity (BS in Applied Cybersecurity)
- Data Science (BS in Data Science)
- Innovative Transdisciplinary Studies (BS in Innovative Transdisciplinary Studies)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Tickle College of Engineering13
Admission to the college uses your core GPA and test scores, and the class may be limited by space.
Source: UT Admissions, First-Year Student Applications (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Aerospace Engineering (BS in Aerospace Engineering)
- Biomedical Engineering (BS in Biomedical Engineering)
- Chemical Engineering (BS in Chemical Engineering)
- Civil Engineering (BS in Civil Engineering)
- Computer Engineering (BS in Computer Engineering)
- Computer Science (BS in Computer Science)
- Electrical Engineering (BS in Electrical Engineering)
- Applied Engineering (BS in Engineering)
- Environmental Engineering (BS in Environmental Engineering)
- Industrial Engineering (BS in Industrial Engineering)
- Materials Science and Engineering (BS in Materials Science and Engineering)
- Mechanical Engineering (BS in Mechanical Engineering)
- Nuclear Engineering (BS in Nuclear Engineering)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Natalie L. Haslam College of Music2
Depending on the concentration you choose, you may need to audition, interview or both.
Source: UT Admissions, First-Year Student Applications (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
- Music (BA)
- Music (BM)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Nursing1
- Nursing (BS in Nursing)Extra requirement: Test scores are required, and you must mark Nursing as your first-choice major to be considered for direct entry.
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
College of Social Work1
- Social Work (BS in Social Work)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs2
- Civic and Constitutional Thought (BA)
- Public Affairs (BS in Public Affairs)
Source: UT Knoxville 2026-2027 Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Source: UT Admissions, First-Year Student Applications (opens in a new tab), for the extra requirements. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Action | November 1 | Early December for Tennessee residents, mid December for out-of-state applicants | No |
| Regular Decision | January 5 | Early March | No |
These deadlines are for submitting the application. Your grades and test scores, entered in UT's STARS academic record, are due by the materials deadline: November 15 for Early Action and January 20 for Regular Decision. Enrollment confirmation is due May 1.
Source: UT Admissions, Important Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Neither plan is binding. Early action is nonbinding and not restrictive, so you can apply early to other schools too.
Source: UT Knoxville Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
UT Knoxville requires the ACT or SAT from every first-year applicant, a rule the University of Tennessee System set for all its campuses. Report your scores by January 20, 2027; only tests taken through December 2026 count. UT superscores, and the ACT Science section is not required for fall 2027. Official scores are due by May 15, 2027.
Source: UT Admissions, First Year Test Score Policy (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as required to be considered for admission for fall 2027 applicants. It lists January 15 as the score date; the admissions page says January 20.
Source: UT Knoxville Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked UT Knoxville'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: UT Admissions, Important Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at UT Knoxville, 2026-2027:
| Item | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $11,560 | $31,672 |
| Fees | $2,464 | $2,806 |
| Housing (on campus) | $9,572 | $9,572 |
| Food | $5,166 | $5,166 |
| Books, course materials, supplies and equipment | $1,598 | $1,598 |
| Transportation | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Personal expenses | $3,042 | $3,042 |
| Loan fees | $92 | $92 |
| Total | $36,994 | $57,448 |
Source: UT One Stop, Cost of Attending UT - Undergraduate Student (2026-27) (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 11, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $10,029 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,162 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,206 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,627 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,688 |
| All incomes | $18,976 |
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 UT's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to University of Tennessee, Knoxville on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL · Public46.9% admitted$24,323 average net price
University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL · Public42.8% admitted$10,411 average net price
Clemson UniversityClemson, SC · Public42.4% admitted$22,253 average net price
University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park, MD · Public45% admitted$15,678 average net price
University of California, DavisDavis, CA · Public44.3% admitted$14,741 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.