Texas College Admission Requirements

Complete guide to high school course requirements, testing standards, and admission criteria for Texas colleges and universities.

High School Course Requirements

Texas requires 26 credits for high school graduation. Here's the breakdown for college-bound students.

Minimum Graduation Plan
26 Credits Required
English4 credits
Mathematics4 credits
Science4 credits
Social Studies4 credits
Foreign Languages2 credits
Fine Arts1 credits
Physical Education1 credits
Other Requirements2 credits
Electives5.5 credits
Recommended College Prep Plan
Recommended for College
English4 credits
Mathematics4 credits
Science4 credits
Social Studies4 credits
Foreign Languages3 credits
Fine Arts1 credits
Physical Education1 credits
Other Requirements2 credits
Electives3.5 credits

Additional foreign language credit improves college admission chances

Standardized Testing

Most Texas universities require either SAT or ACT scores for admission consideration.

SAT Requirements
Score Range: 400-1600

Test Sections:

  • Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
  • Mathematics

Texas Average: 1230

ACT Requirements
Score Range: 1-36

Test Sections:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Reading
  • Science

Texas Average: 25

GPA & Class Rank

Academic performance requirements for Texas college admission.

Automatic Admission
Guaranteed

Class Rank Requirements:

  • UT Austin: Top 6% of graduating class
  • Other Texas Public Universities: Top 10% of graduating class

Students meeting rank requirements are guaranteed admission regardless of test scores.

Competitive Admission
Holistic Review

Competitive Standards:

  • Minimum GPA: 3.0+ for most universities
  • Competitive GPA: 3.5+ for selective programs
  • Highly Selective: 3.8+ for top-tier universities

Non-rank eligible students evaluated on GPA, test scores, essays, and activities.

Top Texas Universities

Admission statistics for major Texas universities to help gauge competitiveness.

University of Texas at Austin
31% Admission Rate
Average GPA
3.8-4.0
SAT Range
1350-1520
ACT Range
31-35
Special Notes
Top 6% automatic admission
Texas A&M University
63% Admission Rate
Average GPA
3.5-4.0
SAT Range
1270-1420
ACT Range
28-32
Special Notes
Top 10% automatic admission
Rice University
8% Admission Rate
Average GPA
3.9-4.0
SAT Range
1470-1570
ACT Range
33-35
Special Notes
Highly selective private university
University of Houston
66% Admission Rate
Average GPA
3.4-3.9
SAT Range
1200-1360
ACT Range
26-30
Special Notes
Top 10% automatic admission

Planning Resources

Tools and guides to help you meet Texas college admission requirements.

Course Planning

Plan your high school courses to meet all Texas university requirements.

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Test Preparation

Resources for SAT and ACT test preparation and practice.

Practice Tests
College Directory

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