Here’s the first thing to know about paying for UT Austin: there’s no scholarship grid. A perfect GPA and a 35 ACT won’t trigger a dollar on their own. UT spends its money two ways. For Texas families, the big lever is need-based aid through the Texas Advance Commitment, which covers full tuition when family income is $100,000 or less. For everyone else, the money comes from a handful of invitation-only awards and honors programs. Almost none of them have a traditional application, so your job is to make sure your student is in every pool by the right dates.
Hazlewood Act Exemption & Forty Acres Scholars Program
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
Special Waivers Available
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at UT Austin (Read This First)
No automatic merit, period. High stats get your student into the conversation, not into a guaranteed award.
“No application” doesn’t mean “nothing to do.” Forty Acres, Terry and many UT awards run through the Scholarship Interest Form in MyStatus. It’s due Jan 15, and families who skip it quietly drop out of consideration.
File the FAFSA (or TASFA) by Jan 15 even if you think you earn too much. UT’s tuition help for Texas families reaches up to $125,000 in family income, and Impact, Terry and ULN all use FAFSA information.
Test scores are required, and UT does not superscore. Only your student’s best single test date counts.
Out-of-state families should plan on sticker price. The out-of-state tuition waiver only goes to students who already hold a $1,000+ UT scholarship, and spots are very limited.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No. University of Texas at Austin is test-required for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 27-33; SAT: 1250-1510.
Average net price? About $19,678/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. Institutional waivers are available.
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of Texas at Austin: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of Texas at Austin has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$500 to $1,300 more than the in-state total below.$1,200 to $2,900 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$26,323
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$10,858
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,465
Total billed cost
$26,323
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$58,019
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$42,554
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,465
Total billed cost
$58,019
That is $31,696 more per year than Texas residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $19,678 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
UT Austin does not offer a broad automatic out-of-state discount. Some nonresidents may qualify for a competitive scholarship tuition waiver that waives the nonresident portion of tuition; waivers are limited, competitive, and tied to specific UT-recognized scholarships.
Out-of-State Reality Check
UT doesn’t offer a regional tuition discount, and its big tuition promise (the Texas Advance Commitment) is for Texas residents only. The one path to in-state rates is a nonresident tuition waiver, which requires a UT scholarship of at least $1,000 first. In the College of Natural Sciences, about 5 to 7 students a year get one out of 60 to 70 who apply. Budget for full out-of-state tuition all four years and treat a waiver as a bonus.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at UT Austin
Is UT Austin really free for Texas families earning under $100,000?
Tuition is, if you qualify. Through the Texas Advance Commitment, Texas residents with financial need and a family adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $100,000 get tuition fully covered, and families up to $125,000 get partial help. There’s no separate application. Your student just needs to be admitted and file the FAFSA or TASFA. Keep in mind that “free tuition” isn’t “free college.” Housing, food, books, transportation and personal costs still add up to more than $20,000 a year.
Why does tuition change depending on the major?
UT charges a different flat rate by college. For 2026-27, Texas residents pay about $10,858 a year in Liberal Arts and up to about $13,576 in the McCombs School of Business. Out-of-state students pay about $42,554 to $51,106. The table above uses the Liberal Arts rate, so add a bit if your student is headed to business, engineering or nursing.
What does a full year actually cost once you add everything up?
UT’s own 2026-27 estimate for a Texas resident, including transportation ($1,840), books and supplies ($724) and personal expenses ($3,666), runs about $32,500 to $35,400. For out-of-state students it’s about $64,200 to $72,900. Those extra items aren’t on the UT bill, but they are part of the cost of attendance used to build your aid package.
How much can we save if our student lives at home?
A lot. UT budgets about $7,910 for housing and food for students living with parents, compared with roughly $15,400 to $15,600 on or near campus. That’s a savings of more than $7,000 a year.
What is Longhorn Fixed Tuition, and is it worth it?
It’s an optional plan for first-time UT undergrads that locks the tuition rate for four straight years. The fixed rate starts higher than regular tuition because it’s built on projected increases. The sweetener is the rebate: students who graduate on time and meet the credit-hour rules can get up to $1,000 back, and fixed-tuition students can get an extra $2,500. Students have to sign up by the 12th class day of their first semester.
Can out-of-state students get in-state tuition?
Only through the nonresident tuition waiver, and it’s narrow. Your student needs a University-administered scholarship worth at least $1,000, then a separate waiver application (in CNS it’s due Mar 15). Decisions come in the summer, after the May 1 enrollment deadline, and students must reapply every year.
Does UT tuition go up every year?
It can, but UT has held resident undergraduate tuition flat for 2025-26 and 2026-27. If you want certainty for all four years, that’s what Longhorn Fixed Tuition is for.
Late summer: The Scholarship Interest Form opens in MyStatus once your student has applied. The Texas Exes scholarship portal opens Sep 1.
Dec 1: Apply to UT to be in the scholarship pool. This is also the deadline for Plan II, Liberal Arts Honors, Canfield Business Honors and Engineering Honors.
Dec 10: Remaining honors application materials due.
Jan 15: Scholarship Interest Form and FAFSA/TASFA. This one date controls TAC, Terry, Impact, ULN and Forty Acres self-nomination.
Mar 1: Texas Exes scholarship application closes. Honors decisions come out.
Mar 15: Out-of-state tuition waiver applications (CNS) are due.
Parent rule of thumb: Jan 15 is the most important date on this list. Put it on the fridge.
Automatic Scholarships at UT Austin
UT Austin does not award automatic merit scholarships based on GPA or test scores. What it does have is the Texas Advance Commitment (TAC), a need-based tuition guarantee for Texas residents. It works like an automatic award: no application, no essay, just admission plus a complete FAFSA or TASFA. If your family is in Texas and earns $125,000 or less, this is the card that matters most on this page.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidFull TuitionApp Requiredstate residencyservice
Hazlewood Act Exemption
📅 Deadline: Apply at the college each semester ✓ Renews
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
Texas veteran (entered service in Texas or Texas home of record, honorable separation), or a child 25 or younger using the veteran's unused hours after exhausting federal VA benefits; children and spouses of veterans killed or totally disabled in service get their own 150 hours; public colleges only
✚
Stacking & Combining
A tuition and mandatory fee exemption, not a check: up to 150 credit hours at any Texas public college. Housing, meals, and books are not covered. Counts as a resource, so it can reduce need-based aid in the same package. Most colleges require a new application every semester.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a University of Texas at Austin award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent TX page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Veterans, and the children of veterans who have already used up or been denied federal GI Bill benefits. The legacy transfer is where families stumble: the child must exhaust VA benefits first, must be 25 or under, and the 150 hours are shared with the veteran.
State AidFull TuitionApp Requiredstate residency
Highest Ranking Graduate Tuition Exemption
📅 Deadline: Certificate from the high school to the college registrar before the first semester Non-Renewable
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
Highest-ranking graduate of a TEA-accredited Texas high school; public colleges only; freshman year only (two regular semesters); mandatory fees not covered
✚
Stacking & Combining
Texas law exempts the valedictorian of every accredited Texas high school from tuition for the first two semesters at any public college. One year, not four, and it is tuition only. Applied to the bill before scholarships, so it stacks with everything.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a University of Texas at Austin award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent TX page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One student per Texas high school, and only the ones whose school sends the certificate to the registrar. It runs through the high school and the registrar rather than the scholarship office, which is why a surprising number of valedictorians never collect it.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
TEXAS Grant
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or TASFA by Jan 15 priority date ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 5 yrs)
$5,000–$10,798/yr
✔ Stackable
Texas resident with financial need (FAFSA or TASFA); at least 9 hours; entering within 16 months of high school graduation with no more than 30 college hours; public universities only; no prior bachelor's degree
✚
Stacking & Combining
Texas's main need grant for freshmen at public universities. The state targets about $2,500 a semester, with a ceiling of $5,399 a semester, so most awards land near $5,000 a year. Stacks with Pell and with every college award. From year two it takes a 2.5 GPA and 24 hours a year to keep.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a University of Texas at Austin award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent TX page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Need-based freshmen who had a complete file by January 15. Each college ranks its applicants by Student Aid Index and funds down the list until the money is gone, so a late FAFSA at a popular school usually means no TEXAS Grant even for a family that clearly qualifies.
State AidAutomaticstate residency
Texas First Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Automatic with the transcript designation Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Graduate early from a Texas public high school with the Texas First Early High School Completion designation; public colleges only; value scales with how many semesters early
✚
Stacking & Combining
A state credit applied to tuition and fees at a public college, worth roughly one to two semesters depending on how early the student graduated. Sits alongside college scholarships rather than replacing them. The designation has to be on the official transcript; transcripts sent through TREx do not carry it.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a University of Texas at Austin award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent TX page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who finished high school a semester or a year early under the Texas First program and whose counselor put the designation on the transcript. The paperwork, not the academics, is the filter.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Texas Advance Commitment (TAC)
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 (FAFSA or TASFA) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Texas residents with financial need; family AGI up to $125K
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pell, FSEOG and the Texas Grant are applied first. Outside scholarships can be used beyond tuition up to financial need.
💡
Strategic Detail
TAC is not merit aid, but it is the closest thing UT has to an automatic award. There is no application: admitted Texas residents with a complete FAFSA or TASFA and financial need are reviewed automatically. Federal and state grants are applied first and UT covers the rest of tuition. TAC students in on-campus housing also received a housing scholarship in 2025-26 ($2,500 with full tuition coverage, $1,500 with partial support). TAC will not appear by name in the financial aid portal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Texas families with demonstrated financial need and AGI up to $125,000 who finish the FAFSA or TASFA on time. Families often skip the FAFSA assuming they earn too much; at UT the line for help is $125,000 AGI.
Data last verified Oct 23, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: TAC won’t show up by name in your student’s financial aid portal. UT applies Pell, FSEOG and the Texas Grant first, then fills the rest of tuition with its own money. If the tuition line is covered, the commitment is working.
Automatic Aid: FAQs (UT Austin)
Does UT Austin give automatic scholarships for high GPA or test scores?
No. UT doesn’t publish a GPA or test-score chart that guarantees money. Strong stats help your student get noticed for invitation-only awards like Forty Acres and Impact, but nothing is automatic.
Who qualifies for the Texas Advance Commitment?
Texas residents pursuing a first bachelor’s degree who enroll full time, show financial need on the FAFSA or TASFA, and have a family AGI up to $125,000. Up to $100,000, tuition is fully covered. Between $100,000 and $125,000, students get partial tuition support.
How do we apply for TAC?
There’s nothing extra to apply for. Once your student is admitted and the FAFSA or TASFA file is complete, UT reviews them automatically. File by Jan 15 and finish any verification requests quickly.
Is there help with housing too?
For 2025-26, UT ran a pilot housing scholarship for TAC students living on campus: $2,500 for students with full tuition coverage and $1,500 for partial support. No application was needed. Check UT’s TAC page for whether it continues for your student’s year.
Does TAC renew all four years?
Yes, as long as your student files a new FAFSA or TASFA each year, stays full time, still shows need, keeps at least a 2.0 GPA and completes 67% of attempted hours. Freshmen can receive it for up to four years.
Can out-of-state students get TAC?
No. TAC is for Texas residents only. Out-of-state students should look at the competitive awards in the next section and the nonresident tuition waiver in Hidden Gems.
Does UT superscore the SAT or ACT?
No. UT uses the highest score from one test date. Scores are required for admission, and official scores must arrive by Dec 10 for regular-deadline applicants.
UT’s top awards work differently from most schools. There’s no stack of scholarship applications to fill out. UT pulls candidates from the admission application, the Scholarship Interest Form and the FAFSA, then invites or nominates students. That means the quality of your student’s admission essays, résumé and short answers is doing double duty.
🎯 How Students Get Considered
Award
Who It’s For
How You Get in the Running
Forty Acres Scholars
In-state and out-of-state seniors (U.S. citizens or permanent residents)
Automatic with the UT application. Optional self-nomination on the Scholarship Interest Form by Jan 15.
Terry Foundation
Texas high school grads with financial need
Scholarship Interest Form through LASSO plus FAFSA. UT nominates finalists for an interview.
Impact Scholarship
Texas students making a difference in their communities
No application. Chosen from the admission file and FAFSA.
University Leadership Network
Incoming freshmen with financial need
No application. Invited based on FAFSA information.
Notice the pattern: three of the four depend on the FAFSA, and two depend on the Scholarship Interest Form. A student with great grades who skips both is invisible to most of this money.
Full RideAutomatic
Forty Acres Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 (UT application); Jan 15 (optional self-nomination) · 📢 Results: Spring ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full ride: tuition, fees, housing and living costs, plus enrichment funding for study abroad, internships and summer programs
✘ Not stackable
👥 ~Small cohort each year winners/yrHigh school seniors applying to UT Austin, in-state or out-of-state. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Transfer and international students are not eligible. McCombs applicants should also apply to Canfield Business Honors.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Forty Acres covers the full cost of attendance, so other awards usually cannot raise the total package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Forty Acres no longer has its own application. Every student who applies to UT through the Common App or ApplyTexas is automatically a candidate. Students who want to raise their hand can answer the Forty Acres question on the Scholarship Interest Form in MyStatus and add an expanded résumé and essay by Jan 15. Only students who advance to the semifinal round are contacted.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who stand out for leadership in several areas, real intellectual curiosity and service, and who are comfortable talking with adults. Finalists are invited to a Finalist Weekend, so interview presence matters.
Full RideAutomatic
Terry Foundation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 (Scholarship Interest Form and FAFSA) · 📢 Results: Spring ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
Last-dollar full ride: covers tuition, fees, books and reasonable on-campus living costs after other aid
✔ Stackable
Texas high school graduates who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, qualify for in-state tuition and federal aid, and show financial need on the FAFSA. Must live in the Terry residence hall the first year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Terry is a last-dollar award. Grants and other scholarships are applied first and Terry fills the remaining on-campus cost, so outside awards usually lower the Terry amount rather than add to the total.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Terry Foundation does not take applications directly from students. UT reviews candidates and nominates finalists for a Terry interview. To be considered, log into LASSO, find the Terry Foundation Scholarship, and complete the Scholarship Interest Form. UT has about 200 Terry Scholars on campus right now.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Selection weighs leadership and character, grades, and financial need equally. A strong interview is required; no one receives the scholarship without one.
Automatic
Impact Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 (UT application); Jan 15 (FAFSA) ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$12,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Texas students; holistic review includes financial need
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Counts toward the cost-of-attendance cap like all UT aid. If total aid runs over, loans are reduced first.
💡
Strategic Detail
There is no application. UT picks Impact Scholars from admitted Texas students based on leadership, academics, perseverance, commitment to their school and community, and the information on their FAFSA. Winners usually find out through a surprise visit from UT admissions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted Texas students who are clearly making a difference at home: leading something in their school or community, pushing through hardship, and doing well in class. Financial need is part of the review.
Automatic
University Leadership Network (ULN)
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 (financial aid completion) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
ULN is added on top of other grants and scholarships. If total aid goes over cost of attendance, loans are reduced first.
💡
Strategic Detail
ULN is an incentive-based scholarship. Students earn it by following a four-year plan with leadership training, 30 credit hours a year, and about 10 hours a week of experiential learning such as internships in years two through four. There is no application; students are invited based on their FAFSA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen with financial need and strong potential who are ready for a structured cohort with weekly expectations.
Data last verified Oct 23, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Is there a separate application for the Forty Acres Scholars Program?
Not anymore. Applying to UT through the Common App or ApplyTexas automatically makes your student a candidate. If they want to raise their hand, they can answer the Forty Acres question on the Scholarship Interest Form in MyStatus and submit an expanded résumé and essay by Jan 15. Only semifinalists are contacted.
Can out-of-state students win Forty Acres?
Yes. It’s open to in-state and out-of-state seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. It’s one of the few big UT awards that isn’t limited to Texans.
How does a student apply for the Terry Scholarship at UT?
Students can’t apply to the Terry Foundation directly. They complete the Scholarship Interest Form through LASSO and file the FAFSA, UT nominates finalists, and the Foundation interviews them in late March or early April. Terry covers tuition, fees, books and on-campus living after other aid, and first-year scholars live in the Terry residence hall.
What is the Impact Scholarship and how do you get it?
It’s $12,000 a year ($48,000 over four years) for Texas students who are making a difference in their communities. There’s no application. UT looks at leadership, academics, perseverance, community commitment and FAFSA information, and winners are usually surprised with the news by UT admissions.
What does ULN require in return?
The University Leadership Network pays up to $5,000 a year, but students earn it. They follow a four-year plan with leadership training, take 30 credit hours a year, and spend about 10 hours a week on experiential learning, like internships, in years two through four.
Can my student win more than one of these?
All UT aid is capped at the cost of attendance. Full rides like Forty Acres and Terry already cover that cost, so a second award usually replaces part of the first rather than adding to it. ULN and Impact can combine with grants until the cap is reached, and if aid runs over, loans are cut first.
What should students do to prepare?
Treat the admission essays, short answers and résumé as scholarship applications, because at UT they are. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder help organize activities and leadership into something reviewers can actually see.
At UT, the smaller awards are spread across different systems. Most families only ever log into one of them.
MyStatus: complete the Scholarship Interest Form by Jan 15.
Texas Exes portal: one application for hundreds of alumni scholarships, due Mar 1.
LASSO: UT’s scholarship system, where Terry, First Abroad and continuing-student awards live.
Parent translation: the Texas Exes application is a separate site from UT. Families who don’t know that miss the easiest $1,000 to $2,000 on this page.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These won’t make headlines, but they’re how UT students chip away at the bill year after year. Several of them start after your student is enrolled, so this section is as much a four-year plan as a senior-year checklist.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Texas Exes Scholarships (General and Chapter)
📅 Deadline: Mar 1 · 📢 Results: Spring Non-Renewable
$500–$10,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with UT aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Create an account at texasexes.academicworks.com, complete the general application and any follow-up questions it triggers, and submit by Mar 1.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
One application in the Texas Exes portal (open Sep 1 to Mar 1) puts a student in line for general, chapter and named scholarships. Chapter scholarships alone pay out more than $870,000 a year. Most recipients hear in May or June, after the May 1 enrollment deadline.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a clear story: hometown ties for chapter awards, leadership, service, family background or a specific career interest. Different donors weigh different things, so filling out every section matters.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
First-Generation Endowed Scholarships (UT-Wide)
📅 Deadline: UT scholarship cycle ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
First-gen funds stack with federal Pell, Texas grants, and other UT aid up to cost of attendance. Several distinct endowments exist, a student can sometimes be matched to more than one in the same cycle.
💡
Strategic Detail
These live inside LASSO (UT's internal scholarship platform) rather than on the main scholarships page, they don't show up until after admission and login. Families who don't log into LASSO and search miss them entirely.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-generation students with documented financial need and solid academic progress at UT. Donor criteria vary widely; the consistent winners complete FAFSA early and update MyStatus with full first-gen background.
App Required
First Abroad Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 of the first year at UT (via LASSO) Non-Renewable
$3,000
✔ Stackable
First-generation students (neither parent has a four-year degree) in their first year at UT, with a FAFSA on file and in good standing. Transfers from four-year schools are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
First Abroad stacks with other UT aid and outside scholarships up to cost of attendance for the term abroad. Many first-gen students underestimate how much existing aid can travel with them on a UT-approved program, this is additive.
📄
How to Apply
In the first semester at UT, apply through LASSO by Dec 1 with a FAFSA on file.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
A $3,000 award for first-gen students to study abroad later in college. Students apply during their first fall at UT, not as high school seniors, and late applications are not accepted.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-gen students who apply in their first semester, before most classmates are even thinking about study abroad.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Longhorn Band Endowed Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies (post-placement) ✓ Renews
$1,200–$3,500
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Band scholarships stack with UT institutional aid and outside awards up to cost of attendance. They often layer cleanly with departmental scholarships because they're funded separately.
💡
Strategic Detail
Longhorn Band endowments funded scholarships for more than 200 members in 2025, with awards from $1,200 to $3,500. Students earn a spot through the band audition first; scholarship consideration follows.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Active band members in good standing who stay with the band across semesters.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Moody College of Communication Endowments
📅 Deadline: Varies (post-enrollment, typically spring) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Moody endowments stack with UT-wide aid and outside scholarships up to cost of attendance. Because they're college-specific, they often layer cleanly on top of need-based packages.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through Moody College's internal scholarship system after admission to the college; most funds use a single application that matches students to multiple donor awards.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Incoming freshmen are considered through UT's freshman scholarship process. Moody's own scholarship application is for current students, so new Moody students should plan to apply in their first spring.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Communication majors whose focus aligns with donor themes, journalism, advertising, public relations, public service media. Strong writing samples and clear career direction matter more than raw GPA.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Cockrell School of Engineering Endowments
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 (Engineering Honors, incoming); May 1 (Engineering Scholarship Application, current students) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Cockrell endowments stack with UT-wide aid up to cost of attendance. Engineering majors often see these layer with departmental scholarships within their specific discipline (ECE, ME, ChemE, etc.).
📄
How to Apply
Incoming: check the Engineering Honors interest box on the UT application by Dec 1. Enrolled: submit the Engineering Scholarship Application by May 1 each year.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Cockrell gave undergraduates more than $10 million in merit awards last year. Incoming freshmen are considered through the Engineering Honors Program application (Dec 1). Once enrolled, students use one Engineering Scholarship Application each year, due May 1, for new awards and renewals. Cockrell does not offer scholarships to incoming transfer or international students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Engineering students with strong academic performance and a clear technical focus area. Donors often target specific disciplines, so students who clarify their major path early appear in more pools.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
College of Natural Sciences Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies (post-enrollment, typically spring) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
CNS scholarships stack with UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance. Research-tied awards sometimes include a stipend separate from the scholarship, this can be a real additional income stream.
📄
How to Apply
List a CNS major first, apply by Dec 1, and file the FAFSA. Incoming freshmen do not fill out a separate CNS application.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Admitted freshmen with a CNS first-choice major are considered automatically. It is competitive: for fall 2026, CNS offered scholarships to about 3% of eligible admits. Offers usually arrive by email in early March, and only students receiving an offer are notified.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top CNS admits. Criteria mix merit, leadership and need depending on the fund.
App Required
Nonresident Tuition Waiver (CNS)
📅 Deadline: Mar 15 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Out-of-state students who hold a UT scholarship of $1,000 or more
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applies on top of the qualifying scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
The application usually opens in mid-January and is due Mar 15. Request the link from scholarships@cns.utexas.edu and submit even if admission or scholarship status is still pending.
💡
Strategic Detail
UT can waive the out-of-state portion of tuition for nonresidents who hold a University-administered scholarship of at least $1,000. In the College of Natural Sciences it is extremely limited: about 60 to 70 students apply and 5 to 7 receive it each year. Decisions come in the summer, after the May 1 enrollment deadline, and the waiver must be reapplied for every year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Out-of-state CNS students who already hold a $1,000+ UT scholarship. Budget for full out-of-state tuition all four years and treat a waiver as a bonus.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
ISSS / Texas Global International Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Texas Global deadlines (varies) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Because international students aren't eligible for federal aid, these awards layer with any private outside scholarships and any departmental funding. Stack potential is limited by UT's overall cost-of-attendance cap.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through Texas Global's ISSS scholarship portal; submit financial documentation, current academic standing, and a statement of need.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
International families often assume there's no UT aid for them, these are the awards that disprove that, though they're modest. The bigger value is signaling to ISSS that the student is on the radar for emergency funds too.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Continuing international undergraduates with documented need and good academic standing. The pool is small and most awards go to students at the boundary between affording UT and dropping below full-time.
Data last verified Oct 23, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What are Texas Exes scholarships, and how much are they?
The Texas Exes alumni association runs more than 600 scholarships through one application at texasexes.academicworks.com. Awards range from about $500 to $10,000, and most one-time awards are $1,000 to $2,000. Incoming freshmen apply between Sep 1 and Mar 1. Chapter scholarships tied to your hometown come through the same application.
When do Texas Exes winners find out?
Most recipients hear in May or June. That’s after the May 1 enrollment deadline, so don’t count Texas Exes money when you’re comparing offers.
Are there scholarships for current UT students, not just incoming freshmen?
Yes. UT’s Continuing and Transfer Scholarship Application opens in November and is due Mar 15. Engineering students also submit the Cockrell Engineering Scholarship Application by May 1 each year, and Moody’s college scholarships are aimed at current students.
Is there help for first-generation students?
Yes. UT has endowed scholarships for first-gen students, and the First Abroad Scholarship gives first-gen students $3,000 toward study abroad. First Abroad is applied for in your student’s first fall at UT, through LASSO by Dec 1, with no late applications.
Does Longhorn Band offer scholarships?
Yes. Band endowments funded scholarships for more than 200 members in 2025, with awards from $1,200 to $3,500. Your student has to audition and earn a spot first.
How does the out-of-state tuition waiver work?
A nonresident student who holds a University-administered scholarship of at least $1,000 can apply to pay Texas resident tuition. In the College of Natural Sciences, about 5 to 7 students a year receive it out of 60 to 70 applicants. The application is due Mar 15, decisions come in the summer, and students reapply every year.
UT doesn’t have one big honors college. It has more than 15 honors programs spread across its colleges, from Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors to Turing Scholars in computer science and Canfield Business Honors in McCombs. Each one has its own short application, and which programs your student can apply to depends on the majors they list on the UT application.
Apply by: Dec 1 with the UT application (Plan II, Liberal Arts Honors, Canfield and Engineering Honors all use this date)
Honors materials due: Dec 10
Decisions: Mar 1
Early Action: Plan II doesn’t take part in Early Action, so its applicants should plan on Dec 1
Honors Programs & Scholarships
App Required
Plan II Honors
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Mar 1 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Plan II admission carries no guaranteed money. Plan II applicants can be considered for a Dedman Distinguished Scholars invitation, and honors students compete for the same UT and Texas Exes scholarships as everyone else.
📄
How to Apply
List a Liberal Arts major among your choices and complete the Plan II essays (a five-sentence personal statement and a 250-word humanities short answer) plus an expanded résumé by Dec 1. Plan II does not take part in Early Action. Decisions by Mar 1.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Plan II is the academic crown jewel at UT for non-STEM students, and admission, even without aid, opens doors to the most generous honors scholarships. Students can apply to both Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors, but can only enroll in one.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with elite academic rigor and standout writing, Plan II reviewers look for analytical depth in essays, not just stats. Many admits have published writing, debate experience, or research portfolios.
Automatic
Plan II Honors: Incoming Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 (Plan II application) · 📢 Results: Mar 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Plan II incoming scholarships stack with UT institutional aid and outside awards up to cost of attendance. Top Plan II admits may be referred to Dedman Distinguished Scholars consideration, which is a separate tier entirely.
💡
Strategic Detail
The scholarship tier is internal to Plan II, students don't apply separately, but the size of the award varies widely by year and cohort. Treat this as a 'Plan II admission + maybe' outcome, not a guarantee.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Plan II admits with the strongest academic profiles or demonstrated need within the cohort. The award is a recognition layer on top of Plan II admission, not every Plan II student receives one.
App Required
Liberal Arts Honors (LAH)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Mar 1 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
LAH applicants may also be considered for a Dedman Distinguished Scholarship invitation. Continuing LAH scholarships open up after the first year.
📄
How to Apply
Apply by Dec 1, select LAH on the UT admission application and complete LAH-specific essays. Decisions released by Mar 1.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
LAH is less famous than Plan II but covers a much broader set of liberal arts majors. Students who don't want Plan II's interdisciplinary breadth often find LAH a better fit for a specific humanities or social sciences focus.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong writers headed for liberal arts majors who can articulate intellectual direction, LAH cares about fit with the seminar model. Stats matter, but voice in essays matters more.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Liberal Arts Honors: Continuing Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Spring (varies) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Continuing LAH scholarships stack with other UT aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through LAH's internal scholarship process during sophomore through senior years, current LAH or Humanities Honors enrollment plus solid academic standing required.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
This tier doesn't help with the incoming-freshman decision, it kicks in after the student is already in LAH. Worth noting in a four-year financial plan, but not actionable for new admits.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Continuing honors students with strong academic standing and clear progress in the program. Reviewers want evidence the student is using LAH, seminar engagement, faculty relationships, research direction.
Full RideApp Required
Dedman Distinguished Scholars
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Spring ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full cost of attendance (tuition, housing, books and education-related expenses) plus enrichment funding
✘ Not stackable
👥 ~A handful per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers the full cost of attendance, so other awards usually cannot raise the total.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UT by Dec 1 with a Liberal Arts major and complete the Plan II or Liberal Arts Honors application. Selected students receive an invitation.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Dedman is invitation only. Students are considered through the Plan II Honors and Liberal Arts Honors applications; there is no separate Dedman application. UT describes it as covering tuition, housing, books and all education-related expenses.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors applicants. Recent classes have had four to six Dedman Scholars.
App Required
Canfield Business Honors (CBHP)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Mar 1 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
CBHP admission is academic, direct scholarship value varies by year. Strong CBHP students often layer department-specific McCombs endowments on top of any honors-tied funding.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to McCombs as Unspecified Business with CBHP honors prompts on the UT application by Dec 1, CBHP admission is part of McCombs holistic review.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CBHP isn't primarily a scholarship, it's a cohort honors program with a tight curriculum. The financial value tends to come from the network, the internship pipeline, and McCombs department awards layered on top.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with top academics, demonstrated leadership, and clear business or analytical focus. CBHP is one of the most selective honors business programs in the country, fit and direction matter as much as stats.
App Required
Engineering Honors (EHP)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Mar 1 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
EHP admission opens consideration for Cockrell departmental scholarships and named research awards. The honors track also positions students well for the Engineering Research Scholarship and other late-year competitive funds.
📄
How to Apply
Indicate EHP interest on the UT admission application by Dec 1; some engineering majors include EHP review automatically, others may require an honors prompt or supplemental short answer.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Cockrell School awards merit scholarships to first-year Engineering Honors students and may offer honors housing. There are no extra essays; selection uses the regular application, and a résumé is recommended. Check the honors interest box on the UT application by Dec 1.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Top engineering admits with strong rigor, research interest, and résumé signal (competitions, hackathons, advanced coursework). EHP reviewers want students who'll push beyond standard engineering curriculum.
Automatic
Dean's Scholars Honors Scholarships (CNS)
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) · 📢 Results: Mar 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Dean's Scholars stipends stack with UT institutional aid and CNS departmental scholarships up to cost of attendance. The honors program also unlocks research opportunities that come with their own stipends, these are often separate from the scholarship line.
💡
Strategic Detail
All admitted Dean's Scholars are considered for these endowed scholarships with no separate application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Dean's Scholars admits with top-tier STEM academics and research potential. The program selects for students who'll engage with faculty-led research early, not just earn high grades.
App Required
Turing Scholars (Computer Science Honors)
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Turing admission itself carries no guaranteed dollar figure, but Turing students are consistently first in line for College of Natural Sciences departmental awards and paid research placements. Those layer on top of any UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List Computer Science as a major on the UT admission application and complete the Turing Scholars honors application by the Dec 10 honors deadline. Requires a writing prompt on activities and achievements relevant to computer science, a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The most sought-after honors program at UT and the one families ask about by name. Turing is gated behind selecting Computer Science as a major, so a student who applies to UT undecided cannot be considered. Admission to Turing is decided separately from admission to UT and separately from admission to CS.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with deep, demonstrated computing work: competitive programming, meaningful personal projects, research, or advanced coursework well past AP Computer Science. This is one of the most selective undergraduate CS programs in the country and the essay needs technical substance, not enthusiasm.
App Required
Texas Honors Computer Science and Business (Texas CSB)
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
CSB students sit in two colleges, which means they can be matched to both CNS and McCombs donor scholarships. That dual eligibility is the quiet financial advantage of the program and it stacks with UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List both Computer Science and Business on the UT admission application, one as first choice and one as second, and complete the Texas CSB honors application by Dec 10. Requires a 500-word writing prompt, a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Among the hardest admits at UT. CSB requires listing both majors correctly on the application, and students who list only one cannot be considered. Changing major selections later requires emailing admissions and waiting three to five business days, so this needs to be right the first time.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who can articulate a genuine reason for pairing computing with business rather than treating CSB as a back door into CS. Reviewers look for evidence in the high school record: startup work, product building, quantitative competitions, or business coursework alongside strong math.
App Required
Texas Honors Electrical and Computer Engineering and Business (Texas ECB)
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Like CSB, ECB students hold standing in two colleges and can be matched to both Cockrell and McCombs endowments. Those awards layer with UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List both Electrical and Computer Engineering and Business on the UT admission application, one as first choice and one as second, and complete the Texas ECB honors application by Dec 10. Requires a 500-word writing prompt, a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The engineering counterpart to Texas CSB and just as tightly gated by major selection. Cockrell also runs a separate Electrical and Computer Engineering Honors track for students who want ECE without the business dual degree.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with hardware or systems experience (robotics, embedded work, engineering competitions) who can make a credible case for the business half. The program is small and reviewers weed out applicants who clearly want engineering alone.
App Required
Moody College Honors
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Moody Honors students are positioned early for the college's donor endowments, which are among the more generous college-specific funds at UT and run up past $10,000. Those stack with UT-wide aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List any Moody College of Communication major as your first choice on the UT admission application and complete the Moody Honors application by Dec 10. Requires a 250-word writing prompt on a communication discipline.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The shortest writing prompt of any UT honors program at 250 words, and one of the least-crowded applicant pools relative to the money behind Moody. Requires Moody as first-choice major.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with real communication output: school paper, podcast, film work, campaign or PR experience. The prompt asks for an argued position about a communication discipline, so reviewers can tell quickly who has actually worked in the field.
App Required
Health Science Scholars (CNS Honors)
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Health Science Scholars share the CNS honors scholarship pool with Dean's Scholars and Polymathic Scholars, and many of those awards carry research stipends separate from the scholarship line. Everything stacks with UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List any College of Natural Sciences major on the UT admission application and complete the Natural Sciences honors application by Dec 10, naming Health Science Scholars as your program of fit. Requires a writing prompt, a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
One of three CNS honors tracks. Families often assume Dean's Scholars is the only one worth applying to, but Health Science Scholars is the better fit for a pre-health student and the applicant pools are judged separately.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pre-health students with clinical or research exposure who can explain why a cohort honors structure fits them. The CNS prompt asks applicants to pick one of three programs and justify the fit, so a generic pre-med essay reads poorly here.
App Required
Polymathic Scholars (CNS Honors)
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Polymathic Scholars draw from the same CNS honors scholarship pool as Dean's Scholars and Health Science Scholars, and the self-designed thesis track often opens faculty research funding on top.
📄
How to Apply
List any College of Natural Sciences major on the UT admission application and complete the Natural Sciences honors application by Dec 10, naming Polymathic Scholars as your program of fit. Requires a writing prompt, a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The least-known of the three CNS honors programs and often the most winnable for a strong science student whose profile is broad rather than narrowly specialized.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Science students with a genuine second intellectual life, whether that is philosophy, policy, art, or languages. Polymathic rewards students who want to build a custom field of study rather than follow a standard major track.
App Required
Civics Honors
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Program-tied awards stack with UT institutional aid and outside scholarships up to cost of attendance. Because the program is newer, the applicant pool is smaller than comparably sized honors programs at UT.
📄
How to Apply
List Civics Honors as one of your major selections on the UT admission application and follow the program instructions by the Dec 10 honors deadline. A letter of recommendation and resume are highly recommended but not required.
💡
Strategic Detail
Civics Honors is a major selection, not a checkbox, which trips up applicants who expect to add it later. No required essay beyond the program instructions, making it one of the lower-effort honors applications at UT.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students headed for law, policy, government, or public service who can show sustained engagement: debate, model UN, campaign or legislative work, civic writing. Reviewers are building small seminar cohorts and weigh fit heavily.
App Required
Great Books Honors
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Program awards stack with UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List Great Books Honors as one of your major selections on the UT admission application and follow the program instructions by the Dec 10 honors deadline. A letter of recommendation and resume are highly recommended but not required.
💡
Strategic Detail
Like Civics Honors, this is a major selection rather than an add-on. It is the closest thing UT offers to a great-books college inside a large public research university.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Serious readers. Students who can point to books they chose to read outside a syllabus and say something interesting about them. The cohort is small and the seminar format means fit matters more than raw statistics.
App Required
Texas Robotics Honors
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Texas Robotics students sit inside their home college for scholarship purposes, so Cockrell or CNS endowments apply normally. Lab placements frequently carry their own stipends separate from any scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
List Aerospace Engineering, Computational Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Computer Science as your first-choice major and complete the Texas Robotics honors application by Dec 10. Requires a 500-word writing prompt.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Restricted to five specific first-choice majors. A student who lists Computer Science second rather than first is locked out, which is the most common avoidable mistake with this program.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with hands-on build history: FIRST or VEX competition, autonomous vehicle work, drone or embedded projects. The prompt asks what impact the student wants to make in robotics, and vague answers do not survive.
App Required
Cockrell-McCombs B.S./M.S. Honors Program
📅 Deadline: Dec 10 (honors application) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
The integrated structure shortens time to a master's degree, which is a real cost saving that most families never price out. Undergraduate scholarships apply normally and stack with UT institutional aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
List Mechanical Engineering or Petroleum Engineering as your major on the UT admission application and complete the Cockrell-McCombs honors application by Dec 10. Requires a 500-word writing prompt on why the engineering and business combination fits your career goals.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Restricted to two majors only. The financial value here is structural rather than a scholarship line: finishing a master's in less total time at UT rates is worth more than most merit awards on this page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Mechanical or petroleum engineering applicants with a clear commercial or leadership orientation. Reviewers want a specific career picture, not a general interest in business.
Data last verified Oct 23, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Most UT honors programs are about the classes, advising and community, not a guaranteed check. The ones with documented money are Dedman (full cost of attendance, by invitation), Dean’s Scholars endowed scholarships, and first-year merit scholarships in Engineering Honors.
Major Choice Gates Honors: Turing Scholars requires a computer science major. Texas CSB needs both Computer Science and Business listed as first and second choice. Texas Robotics only accepts certain first-choice majors. If your student lists the wrong majors, the honors application simply won’t appear. Changing majors after applying means emailing admissions and waiting three to five business days, so get it right before you hit submit.
Where the Honors Money Actually Is
Dedman Distinguished Scholars: Covers tuition, housing, books and education-related expenses. Invitation only, drawn from Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors applicants.
Dean’s Scholars (Natural Sciences): Endowed scholarships worth roughly one-quarter to one-half of tuition. Every admitted Dean’s Scholar is considered.
Engineering Honors: The Cockrell School awards merit scholarships to first-year participants and may offer honors housing.
Everything else: Honors students still compete for UT-wide, college and Texas Exes scholarships like everyone else.
Honors Programs: FAQs (UT Austin)
Does UT Austin have an Honors College?
No. UT runs separate honors programs inside its colleges. Your student applies to specific programs, like Plan II, Turing Scholars or Canfield Business Honors, rather than one honors college.
When is the honors deadline?
UT’s honors application deadline is Dec 10, but Plan II, Liberal Arts Honors, Canfield Business Honors and Engineering Honors all say Dec 1. Treat Dec 1 as the real date for everything.
Can my student get into UT but not the honors program?
Yes. Admission to UT and admission to an honors program are decided separately.
How do students get considered for the Dedman Scholarship?
There’s no separate application. Dedman Scholars are invited from students who apply to Plan II Honors or Liberal Arts Honors. Recent classes have had four to six Dedman Scholars, so it’s a small group.
Which honors programs need a letter of recommendation?
Canfield Business Honors, Texas CSB and Texas ECB want a letter from a teacher (not a counselor). Turing Scholars, Electrical and Computer Engineering Honors and the Natural Sciences honors programs want one from a math or science teacher. Plan II and Liberal Arts Honors ask for an expanded résumé instead.
Is Engineering Honors a separate essay?
No. Students just check the interest box on the UT application. Cockrell uses the regular application materials, and a résumé is recommended.
UT Austin is the flagship of the University of Texas System and one of the biggest research universities in the country, with more than 44,000 undergraduates. What surprises a lot of families is how deep the bench is. In U.S. News’ 2027 undergraduate rankings, 20 of UT’s 37 ranked programs landed in the national top 10. And the size doesn’t slow students down: UT’s four-year graduation rate hit a record 77.7%.
Nationally Known Program: McCombs School of Business is ranked No. 6 in the country for undergraduate business, with accounting at No. 3, management information systems at No. 4, and finance and marketing tied at No. 5. Getting into McCombs is its own challenge, but the career pipeline into Texas and national firms is a big reason families choose UT.
Cockrell School of Engineering: Petroleum engineering is ranked No. 1 in the nation, with chemical and civil engineering at No. 4. Cockrell overall is No. 11.
Computer Science: Home to the Turing Scholars honors program and the Texas CSB dual degree that pairs computer science with business.
Natural Sciences: A huge college with three of its own honors programs (Dean’s Scholars, Health Science Scholars and Polymathic Scholars), a strong pre-health pipeline, and a top-five ranked environmental program.
Moody College of Communication: Journalism, advertising, public relations and Radio-Television-Film, with Austin’s media and tech scene right outside the door.
Jackson School of Geosciences: A standalone geosciences school with close ties to energy and environmental careers.
Plan II Honors: UT’s interdisciplinary liberal arts honors major, a small-college experience inside a giant university.
🔗 Official UT Austin Links
Use UT Austin’s official pages below to confirm deadlines, scholarship rules and costs. Dates and amounts can change each year, so always double-check here before you submit anything.
UT Austin is a different kind of scholarship school. There’s no merit chart to hit, so the “know your number” strategy that works at a lot of big publics doesn’t apply here. For Texas families, the real story is the Texas Advance Commitment: if your family earns $100,000 or less and shows need, a top-10 public university’s tuition is covered. For students chasing the big awards, Forty Acres, Terry, Impact and Dedman all come down to the same habits. Write admission essays like they’re scholarship essays, fill out the Scholarship Interest Form, and file the FAFSA by Jan 15.
Out-of-state families should go in clear-eyed. UT is one of the best public universities in the country, but most nonresidents pay full price, and the tuition waiver is a long shot. If you’re comparing UT against schools that offer guaranteed merit, run the Net Price Calculator before you fall in love.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
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Leo is the founder of CollegeReadyParent and a parent who went through the college money maze with his own daughter. He builds free, plain-English guides for middle-income and first-generation families, with no paywall and no lead forms. More about Leo →
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__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
