UT Dallas > Office of Admission and Enrollment > Freshman Admissions > Criteria

Freshman Admissions: Criteria

You are considered a first-time freshman applicant if you’ve completed AP, IB, and/or college credit courses during high school — including during the summer after graduation.

Applicants who have completed coursework at a college or university after high school graduation (excluding the summer) should apply for transfer admission.

Freshman Application Dates (Domestic & International)

August 1	CommonApp and ApplyTexas applications open
December 1	Priority Admission Application Deadline*
May 1	Regular Application

*Completed applications received by December 1 will be reviewed for the AES award.

Admission Review Criteria

Every student brings something unique to our community that encompasses achievements, experiences and viewpoints. All applicants are reviewed individually and holistically. Consideration is given to the following factors:

Overall grades in academic coursework and trends in achievement.
Strength of high school curriculum, including the level of rigor (AP, IB, dual credit).
High school rank and GPA.
SAT I or ACT scores, if available.
Preparation for and ability to be successful in the intended major.
Information is provided in optional supplemental materials. We encourage all applicants to submit supplemental materials, including:
- A resume.
- An application essay response.
- Letter(s) of recommendation (limited to a maximum of three).

Texas Top 10%

As Texas law requires, students will be automatically admitted to UT Dallas 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 college-level coursework 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 developmental coursework to remove any deficiencies in their readiness to complete college-level work before University graduation.

Home-Schooled and 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 instead of a high school diploma) will be assigned a percentile rank compared to the average class rank of students from traditional schools who have equivalent SAT or ACT scores.

Major-Specific Requirements

Students not admitted into their first choice of major due to capacity constraints or major-specific requirements may be offered admission to a different major as outlined in their acceptance letter.

International Applicants

International applicants must meet the criteria for freshman admission and additional steps, such as satisfying the English proficiency requirement. Be sure to review the international applicant’s webpage for a list of additional required materials for a complete application.

Questions?

Admission Counseling

Our admission counselors are here to help guide you through the entire admission process — from choosing your school and submitting your application to preparing for enrollment.