Applying to UT Dallas as a Freshman

Applicants are considered “first-time freshmen” if the students’ first enrollment at a college or university, excluding summer, will occur at UT Dallas within two years of graduating from high school. Applicants are still considered “first-time freshmen” if they earn college credit before high school graduation. Applicants completing coursework at a post-secondary institution after high school graduation should consult transfer admission requirements.

Class of 2020 Profile | 3,229 total students

Here’s a snapshot of our freshman class:

The mid 50 percent ranges represent the middle 50 percent of students in the class of 2020 — they are not cutoffs or averages, but they provide a glimpse of the diversity of a competitive applicant.

Admission Review Criteria

All applicants are reviewed individually and holistically. Consideration is given to factors such as:

    • Overall grades in academic coursework and trends in achievement.
    • Strength of high school curriculum, including level of rigor (AP, IB, dual credit).
    • High school rank and GPA.
    • SAT I or ACT test scores.
    • Preparation for and ability to be successful in intended major.
    • Information provided in the résumé, optional essay and/or optional letters of recommendation.
      • Applicant can choose from essay topic A, B, or C.
      • Letters of recommendation are suggested, but not required, and limited to a maximum of three.

Please note: Students who cannot enroll in their first choice of major due to capacity constraints or major-specific requirements may be offered admission to an alternate program as outlined in their acceptance letter.

Texas Top 10%

As required by Texas law, students are automatically admitted to the University as first-time freshmen if they graduate in the top 10% of their class from an accredited Texas high school and successfully earn the Distinguished Level of Achievement. Applicants must have graduated from high school during one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which they seek admission as first-time freshmen and have not attempted any higher education credits since graduation from high school. Applicants admitted because they are in the top 10% of their high school class may be required to complete additional preparatory work before enrolling in the University or complete developmental coursework to remove any deficiencies in their readiness to successfully complete college-level work prior to University graduation.

Home-schooled & GED

As required by Texas Senate Bill 1543, applicants who present evidence of obtaining a non-traditional secondary education (for example, those who were home-schooled or earned a GED in lieu of a high school diploma) will be assigned a percentile rank comparable to the average class rank of students from traditional schools who have equivalent SAT or ACT test scores.

International Freshman Applicants

Additional Requirements for International Applicants+

English proficiency is required for all international student applicants from non-native English-speaking countries.

This requirement can be waived if an applicant:

  • Graduated or will graduate from a U.S. high school after attending 3 or more years.

Or

Or

  • Scores 560 or above on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) section of the SAT or 21 or above on the English section of the ACT. SAT and ACT scores are valid for five years from the testing date.

Minimum approved test scores and accepted testing agencies are listed below:

TOEFL iBT (Internet Based): 80
TOEFL (Paper Based): 550
IELTS: 6.5
PTE: 67
English 112 (provided by ELS Language Centers): Pass

International freshman applicants: please see additional documentation requirements.

Major-Specific Requirements

Jindal School of Management (JSOM)+

To declare a major within JSOM, students admitted to UT Dallas must meet a minimum score of 23 on the ACT or 1130 on the SAT.

Admitted students who do not meet this specification are eligible for the pre-business track and can declare a JSOM degree program after the pre-business track requirements have been completed.

The University of Texas at Dallas | Office of Admission and Enrollment 1-972-883-2270
Student Services Bldg | 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080-3021 1-800-889-2443