Undergraduate Admissions
Freshman Admission Overview
A freshman applicant to The University of Texas at Arlington must have graduated from an accredited high school or is on track to graduate from high school prior to enrollment at UT Arlington. Applicants must submit an application for admission, an application fee, an official high school transcript indicating rank-in-class and official scores on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). Applicants ranked in the Top 25% of their class are not required to submit official SAT or ACT scores, however are encouraged to do so to be eligible for scholarship opportunities. Students enrolled in dual credit courses at a college while in high school are encouraged to submit an official college transcript. If an admission offer is made prior to high school graduation, a second official transcript that identifies the graduation date and final class rank will be required prior to the first day of classes.
All applications for admission from prospective freshmen are reviewed individually. Decisions are based on factors that predict academic success: rank-in-class, scores on standardized admission tests, grades and advanced coursework.
Applicants who meet the minimum SAT/ACT requirements listed in this section or who graduated in the top 25 percent of their class from an accredited high school are guaranteed admission. Those who have a different pattern of rank and test scores will be considered on an individual basis and may be asked to submit additional information such as recommendations from teachers and counselors and/or a writing sample or an interview. Applicants who do not meet these admission criteria will be evaluated on the following factors:
- the socioeconomic background of the applicant
- whether the applicant would be the first generation of the applicant's family to attend or graduate from an institution of higher education
- whether the applicant has bilingual proficiency
- the applicant's responsibilities while attending school, including whether the applicant has been employed, whether the applicant has helped to raise children, or other similar factors
- the applicant's region of residence
- whether the applicant is a resident of a rural or urban area or a resident of a central city or suburban area in the state
- the applicant's involvement in community activities
- the applicant's extracurricular activities
- the applicant's commitment to a particular field of study
In addition to current university requirements for admission, Texas Education Code, Sections 51.803, 51.804, 51.804(2) require applicants to also have either:
- successfully completed the Texas curriculum requirements for the Foundation High School Program or its equivalent; OR
- satisfied ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks on the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant (minimum 18 on the English, 22 on Math, 21 on Reading, and 24 on Science) OR earned on the SAT assessment a score of at least 1,500 (Critical Reading + Math + Writing) out of 2,400 or the equivalent.
If the applicant does not meet admission requirements after individual review, admission may be deferred pending completion of a minimum of 24 transferable credit hours at another college with a grade point average of at least a 2.25. Students with at least a 2.0 but less than a 2.25 overall GPA are encouraged to apply and may be considered on a space available basis.
Current minimum freshman admissions requirements:
| Rank in High School Graduating Class | Minimum Acceptable SAT Score | Minimum Acceptable ACT Score |
|---|---|---|
| Top 25% | No minimum score. | No minimum score. |
| Second quarter | 1130 | 22 |
| Third quarter | Individual review | Individual review |
| Fourth quarter | Individual review | Individual review |
| No class rank | Individual review | Individual review |
| Minimum SAT scores are based on the highest Critical Reading score added to the highest Math score. | ||
| Engineering: For full-major status, applicants to the College of Engineering are required to present the following minimum test scores in addition to meeting other criteria specified in the College of Engineering section of this catalog: | 1200 | 28 |
| Prospective engineering majors who meet general university requirements for admission, but not the above listed test scores, will be reviewed and considered on the basis of individual merits by the College of Engineering for admission as pre-majors. |
Meeting the above minimum university admissions requirements does not guarantee admission.
An applicant is entitled to automatic admission if the applicant meets the minimum requirements and is a child of certain public servants who were killed or sustained a fatal injury in the line of duty.(Section 51.803(e), Texas Education Code.
Conditional Offers of Admission
Some first time in college applicants may be offered admission to UT Arlington with the condition that they participate in the MAVS RISE or similar program.
Entrance Examination
Freshman applicants for admission must take the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). The SAT is given nationally in October, November, December, January, April, May and June. Any student graduating from high school in 2006 or later, must also submit the writing score from the new SAT or the writing score from the ACT. Students taking the ACT should make sure they sign up for the writing exam since it is an optional component of the regular ACT. Test applications and a sample test bulletin can be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, College Board ATP, CN 6200, Princeton, N.J. 08541-6200 or online at www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html. The ACT is given nationally in October, December, February, March and June. Test applications and a sample test bulletin can be obtained from American College Testing Program, P.O. Box 414, Iowa City, Iowa 52243 or online at www.actstudent.org. Test applications can also be obtained from a local high school or from the Office of Testing Services at UT Arlington. Applications will not be accepted later than one month prior to the test date. The applicant should complete one of the examinations at least three months prior to the start of the semester for which admission is sought. Test scores are only considered official if they are received directly from the testing service or are included on an official transcript and are less than five years old.
Students age 25 or older as of the first day of classes for the term they wish to enroll are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Their admission will be determined by individual review.
High School Preparation
It is recommended that students complete the college preparatory program of study offered by their high schools. For purposes of admission as a freshman to the University, passing the General Educational Development Test (GED) is not considered to be the equivalent of graduating from high school. An applicant with a GED certification may be eligible for admission under the Individual Approval clause explained later in this section of the catalog.
In order for majors in architecture, engineering, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, and B.S. candidates in geology and psychology to start their mathematics sequence with analytic geometry, applicants should have at least 3 1/2 units of high school mathematics. Those who made low scores on the mathematics part of the SAT or the ACT examination are required to take, without credit toward a degree, the necessary mathematics courses prerequisite to taking analytic geometry.
Honors Academy Dual Credit Program
Honors Academy Dual Credit Program is designed for high school students who wish to earn college credit at UT Arlington while still attending high school. It is possible for students in some school districts to earn high school credit for their university course work. Students should contact their school district or one of the UTA dual credit programs for further information.
The Honors Academy Dual Credit Program offers on-campus and a limited number of online courses.
High School students can participate in UTA Dual Credit Programs by demonstrating college readiness through one of the following:
- Rank in the top 20% of your current class, or
- PSAT score of at least 480 on Evidenced-based reading and writing, and 530 on Math, or
- PLAN composite score of at least 23, or
- 3.5 unweighted grade point average (4.0 scale), or
- SAT score of at least 1070 in combined Critical Reading + Math (test taken prior to March 2016) or SAT score of at least 1140 in combined Evidence-based Reading + Math (redesigned test taken after March 2016), or
- ACT composite score of at least 23.
Additionally, students must satisfy the Texas Success Initiative requirement for college readiness (TSI) by achieving the minimum passing standards on the TSI Assessment Test or equivalent.
Equivalent methods to satisfy the TSI requirement include:
- Achieving an SAT score of at least 1070 in Critical Reading and Math (with a minimum score of 500 in Critical Reading and 500 in Math) if taken prior to March 2016, or
- An SAT score of 480 in Evidenced-based Reading and 530 in Math on the Redesigned SAT taken after March 2016; or
- An ACT composite score of at least 23 with scores of at least 19 in both Math and English.
- STAAR math score of at least 4000 for the Final Level II Score for Algebra II I exempts from the math requirement. STAAR English/language arts score of at least 2000 for the Final Level II Score for English III exempts from the reading and writing requirements.
Visit the UT Arlington TSI page for more information.
Students admitted into a dual credit program will be enrolled in regular University courses and will receive credit for the course work completed at the end of the semester.
A permanent academic record will be established for each student enrolled under a Dual Credit Program.
Granting of dual credit is subject to the policies of each independent school district under the guidelines of the Texas Education Agency.
Dual Credit Admission
To apply for the Honors Academy Dual Credit Program students must submit the following:
- Online Apply Texas One Application
- Application Fee: $75.00
- Official high school transcript (including any scores for admission/TSI)
- UT Arlington Dual Credit Admissions Agreement
- Course Selection form
Cost
The cost to participate in the Honors Academy Dual Credit Program is $50 per semester hour. Books and Parking are extra. Some courses have additional equipment and/or lab fees. Distance education courses are an additional $37.50 fee.
Upon completion of high school, an Honors Academy student who wishes to continue enrolling at UT Arlington must complete an Update Application for Admission and submit an official final high school transcript.
Admission to the Dual Credit Program does not guarantee acceptance to the university following high school graduation.
FERPA
Once the student attains the age of 18 or attends an institution of higher education, regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. Under FERPA, parents have no inherent rights of access to their students' education records.
Additional details are available at the FERPA website (http://www.uta.edu/records/about/ferpa.php).
Contact Information
UT Arlington Honors Academy Dual Credit Program
Box 19222
Arlington, TX 76019-0222
817-272-7215
Individual REVIEW
Graduation from an accredited high school is a prerequisite for admission to the University for most individuals. However, freshmen with the following educational profiles may be considered for admission under certain circumstances and will be automatically reviewed by Admissions officials:
- Graduates from unaccredited high schools
- Graduates from home schools
- Graduates with a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
- Students who are high school graduates and are age 25 or older. These students are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores.
- Texas residents age 21 or older who did not graduate from high school but scored at least 1090 on the SAT or 22 on the ACT.
Applicants should submit an admission application, application fee or fee waiver documentation, official transcripts of all high school grades completed from all unaccredited or home schools, official transcripts of all partially completed grades from accredited high schools, GED test scores if applicable, and official SAT or ACT test scores. Admission will be based on the freshman criteria stated in the Freshman Admission section of this catalog with emphasis placed on each individual's academic preparation and readiness to begin a college-level curriculum. Applicants with exceptional circumstances are encouraged to discuss their educational plans with an admission counselor.
Individuals age 25 or older who have graduated from an accredited high school may be considered for admission without taking the SAT or the ACT. Such students may, however, be ineligible for federal student aid under the "Ability to Benefit" rules. An individual admitted under this waiver will be required to enroll as an undeclared major until 30 semester hours have been successfully completed. An application for admission, an official copy of the high school transcript, official transcripts of all attempted college work and the application fee will be required for admission consideration. The testing waiver does not apply to international students who must submit the results of the SAT and TOEFL for admission purposes.
An applicant seeking admission under the Individual Review provisions who has any course credit from previous college enrollment must meet the University transfer requirements for all college work attempted. Passing the General Educational Development (GED) Test is not recognized by UT Arlington as being equivalent to graduation from an accredited high school.
Admission appeal
Students denied admission may appeal the decision by sending a letter of written appeal addressed to the Admissions Appeal Committee, The University of Texas at Arlington, Box 19111, Arlington, TX 76019. In the letter, students should provide the committee with the reason(s) they feel they should be admitted to the university and provide any additional information not provided at time of application including letters of recommendation, new transcripts, and new test scores. Students can expect a decision from the committee within two weeks from its receipt of the appeal.
Transfer Admission Overview
Prospective students who have graduated from high school or earned a GED, earned college level credit following high school graduation or earning a GED, and attempted college-level courses beyond 24 hours are considered transfer students. An applicant who is not eligible to continue at another institution for academic or disciplinary reasons is not eligible for admission to The University of Texas at Arlington. Applicants, whether a new or former student, who have attended another collegiate institution may not disregard any part of their academic record except as permitted under the "fresh start" option described in this section. Applicants who fail to list all previously attended institutions on their application for admission are subject to disciplinary action, including expulsion, and possible loss of credit for subsequent work taken at the University.
All college-level courses except those determined to be developmental or pre-college-level courses are used to compute a transfer grade point average. Grades earned in every course attempted are part of this calculation with the exception of 10 hours of repeated courses. In the case of repeated courses, the second course attempt is counted and the first forgiven even if the second attempt is a withdrawal. Subsequent attempts after the second time a course is taken are counted toward the grade point average calculated for transfer admission. To be considered for admission, transfer applicants must have a minimum 2.25 GPA on all previous college work. Students with at least a 2.0 but less than a 2.25 overall GPA are encouraged to apply and may be considered on a space available basis.
Freshman Transfers
(less than 24 college hours completed)
Applicants who meet the transfer student definition above and who have completed fewer than 24 hours of transferable credit must have a grade point average of at least 2.25 to be admitted. In addition, they must meet the admission requirements for entering freshmen at UT Arlington. Freshman transfer students must submit: 1) an official score report from a national administration of the SAT I or ACT, 2) an official high school transcript showing graduation and rank-in-class, 3) a completed undergraduate application form, 4) official transcripts of all college work attempted, and 5) the application fee or fee waiver documentation. Students taking college classes while still in high school will be considered freshmen instead of transfer students.
Transfers With Sophomore or Higher Classification
(24 or more college hours completed)
Applicants who meet the transfer student definition above and who have completed 24 or more hours of transferable credit must have at least a 2.25 grade point average to be admitted. Students taking college classes while still in high school will be considered freshmen instead of transfer students.
Prospective transfer students who have completed 24 or more transferable credit hours must submit: 1) an undergraduate application for admission, 2) an official transcript from each accredited college or community college attended, and 3) the application fee or fee waiver documentation.
Transfers With Degrees
An applicant who has received a degree from another accredited senior college or university will be admitted as a degreed undergraduate. Acceptance into specific academic programs will be subject to the criteria set by each academic department. Applicants seeking a second baccalaureate degree must submit an application for admission, application fee, and an official transcript from each college attended as an undergraduate student to the Office of Admissions. The applicant should submit required credentials for admission by the priority deadline date. Non-degree seeking applicants must submit an application for admission, application fee, and an official transcript from the degree-granting institution. An applicant who wishes to take graduate course work before gaining admission to the Graduate School should contact the Office of Admissions and the graduate advisor in the appropriate academic department.
Credit Evaluation
The Office of Admissions completes an evaluation of transfer credit for all admitted degree-seeking students. This evaluation does not constitute approval of the credit for use toward a degree. Decisions on which transferred courses satisfy degree requirements are solely within the jurisdiction of a student's academic department. Policies governing the evaluation of transfer credit include the following:
- Transfer credit is generally awarded for academic course credit earned from regionally accredited institutions or from institutions that are candidates for regional accreditation if the course credit was earned during the candidacy period.
- Occupational or some workforce courses from junior/community colleges, developmental courses, and courses classified as below freshman level by the sending institution are not transferable and will not count toward a degree.
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Workforce courses that are agreed upon in articulation agreements between accredited institutions of higher education and UT Arlington are transferable. In addition, where workforce courses support a degree program, the Dean of the college may approve those courses. Courses earned as part of an Associate of Applied Science program from a regionally accredited school are accepted, with some limitations, for the Bachelor of Science in University Studies degrees.
- Junior/community college courses transfer as lower-division (freshman or sophomore) credit. Undergraduate courses from senior colleges transfer at the same level, lower- or upper-division, as they were taken.
- Graduate level course work may be transferred as upper-division credit at the written request of the student. Any graduate courses transferred in as upper-division undergraduate work will not be eligible for use at a later date in the graduate school.
- No limit is placed on the total amount of course credit accepted in transfer from either junior or senior institutions. However, use of transfer credit toward a degree may be limited by the student's academic department.
- Credit-by-examination earned at other institutions is treated as transfer credit only if the sending institution posts such credit on the student's transcript with regular catalog course numbers and with a grade of at least C, with the symbol CR, or with a similar designation representing credit earned without letter grade.
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Evaluation of military transcripts that include ACE, AARTS, DD214, SMART, CCAF and the Defense Language Institute are evaluated for all admitted students. Eligible former members of the armed forces admitted as an undergraduate or readmitted as an undergraduate (after having withdrawn to perform military service) will be given course credit for all physical education courses the institution requires for an undergraduate degree and for additional semester credit hours, not to exceed 12, to satisfy any elective course requirements for the student’s degree program for courses outside the student’s major or minor. To be eligible, the student must have graduated from a public or private high school accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the US Department of Defense and is an honorably discharged former member of the armed forces of the United States who completed at least two years of service in the armed forces or discharged because of a disability per Texas Education Code, Section 51.3042. The University of Texas at Arlington will determine whether to award lower division academic course credit after a student is admitted to the university and has submitted the any of the following to the Office of Admissions:
A. An official ACE military transcript that describes the substance of the training completed by the student and verifies the student's successful completion of that training, as well as the recommended ACE credit to be awarded.
B. An official high school transcript from an accredited public or private high school or high school operated by the U.S. Department of Defense indicating the student's official graduation.
C. The student's DD214 indicating that the student was honorably discharged AND completed at least two (2) years of military service OR was discharged because of disability.
- Credit in which a grade of D was earned is not transferable and will not count toward a degree.
- Grade Point Averages earned at other institutions are not transferred to UT Arlington.
- Transfer credit evaluations.
- University course numbers may be modified in transfer credit evaluations to reflect differences in the number of credit hours. For example, if a course has 4 hours from the sending institution such as Mathematics “College Algebra,” the course will be brought in as MATHTRAN 1000, since UT Arlington’s “College Algebra” is a three-hour course.
- Courses taught at other institutions often have no direct UT Arlington equivalents, but may be accepted in transfer. If such a course is in a discipline offered at the University, credit without a specific course number is awarded in the appropriate academic department. General elective credit may be awarded if no equivalent department exists at the University; use of elective credit toward a degree may be restricted by the student's academic department.
- Courses taught at other institutions that are determined to be developmental are not accepted as transfer credit. Transfer credit of English courses taught at institutions in non-native English-speaking countries may be restricted or not accepted.
Transfer of Lower Division Course Credit
UT Arlington operates in accordance with Section 61.821, et seq., of the Texas Education Code. This statute recognizes that all lower division academic courses are fully transferable among public institutions and count toward the same degree at any public college or university in Texas. As such, any Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved core or field of study curricula are fully transferable to equivalent UT Arlington academic programs with the following stipulations:
- No institution shall be required to accept in transfer more credit hours in a major than the number set out in the applicable Coordinating Board-approved Transfer Curriculum for that major, as prescribed by the current issue of the Coordinating Board's guide, Transfer of Credit Policies and Curricula.
- In any major for which there is not a Coordinating Board-approved Transfer Curriculum, no institution shall be required to accept in transfer more lower division course credit in the major applicable to a baccalaureate degree than the institution allows their non-transfer students in that major.
- The university will only accept grades of C or higher in transfer credit.
- No university shall be required to accept in transfer or toward a degree more than sixty-six (66) semester credit hours of academic credits earned by a student in a community college. Universities, however, may choose to accept additional credit hours.
UT Arlington is also a participant in the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS), a voluntary, co-operative effort among 136 Texas community colleges and universities to facilitate transfer of freshman and sophomore level general academic coursework. In alignment with Texas Education Code, Section 61.830, TCCNS provides a shared, uniform set of course designations for students and their advisors to use in determining both course equivalency and degree applicability of transfer credit on a statewide basis. When students transfer between two participating TCCNS institutions, a course taken at the sending institution transfers as the course carrying the same TCCNS designation at the receiving institution. For additional information, visit https://www.tccns.org/.
Catalog Eligibility for Texas Community College Transfers
A student transferring from an accredited public community college in Texas has the same choice of catalog, designating degree requirements, that would have been possible if the student's dates of attendance at the University had been the same as the dates of attendance at the community college. However, the student's choice of major may affect whether or not transferable course work may be counted toward a degree.
Resolution of Transfer Disputes
If the University refuses to accept lower-division credit earned at another Texas public institution of higher education, students and the institution where the credit was earned will be given written notice that the transfer credit was denied. If the denial of transfer credit is contested, the University will attempt to resolve the issue with the student and the sending institution according to applicable rules and guidelines of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. If the dispute is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction or to the satisfaction of the sending institution within 45 days of the initial notification, the University will notify the Coordinating Board of the denial of the transfer credit and the reason for the denial. The Coordinating Board will resolve the dispute and notify all involved parties of its findings. For more information contact the Office of Admissions at 817-272-6287.
Former and Continuing Students
A student who has attended UT Arlington previously, but has not been enrolled for one calendar year must reapply for admission by submitting an application for admission and application fee to the Office of Admissions. Continuing students, those who have been officially enrolled at UT Arlington during the calendar year, do not need to reapply for admission.
If a former student has attended another college or university since last enrolling at UT Arlington, the student must submit official transcripts from all institutions attended. Academic performance in such work may be factored into the enrollment/eligibility process. Former students on academic probation or suspension upon resigning from UT Arlington may be required to obtain special permission to re-enroll from the academic dean's office of their intended major or from the University Advising Center.
Any student who withdraws from the University to perform active military service (not including Texas National Guard training exercises) will not have to reapply for admission, but will be readmitted upon a request made within one year of being released from active military services and may be eligible for the same financial assistance provided before the student's withdrawal. This right to readmission is afforded under Section 51.9242, Texas Education Code.
Applicants cannot be re-admitted without required credentials. Former international students seeking readmission must refer to the catalog requirements for international students.
Transient Admission Overview
Undergraduate students who are pursuing degrees at other colleges and universities during the long session (fall and spring semesters) and wish to continue their studies at the University for one semester may be admitted to some undergraduate programs as transient students. Individuals who wish to enroll as a transient student must submit an admission application, application fee and official transcript from their home campus. Admittance requires good academic standing from the home institution. Transient students will be classified as non-degree seeking students and therefore are not eligible for Financial Aid through UT Arlington. Transient students may not enroll in two consecutive semesters at UT Arlington. A transient student who wishes to be admitted to the University on a regular basis must apply for admission in accordance with the procedures, criteria and deadlines governing transfer admission. All transcripts from previously attended institutions must be submitted. Students who attend the University as transient students and then are admitted on a regular basis are immediately subject to the University's academic regulations as well as the rules of the Texas Success Initiative (see section below). In particular, such students will be placed on scholastic probation upon enrollment if their grade point average for work undertaken as a transient student at the University is below 2.0. All transient students are classified as non-degree seeking and therefore not eligible for Financial Aid.
Texas Success Initiative Overview
All new entering UT Arlington undergraduate degree-seeking students must meet the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). (Texas Education Code, Section 51.3062 and 19 Texas Administrative Code §4.51, et seq.)
The Texas Success Initiative has been developed by the state legislature to ensure student success at institutions of higher education. The two major steps of the program are (1) assessment of each student's academic skills in reading, writing, and math before enrolling and, (2) advisement into appropriate developmental coursework for any academic skills that need improvement. Under the Texas Success Initiative, all new incoming students must take the TSI Assessment test unless the student is exempt.
You are exempt if you:
- took the SAT I less than 5 years ago and scored: 1) at least 480 on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion and 2) 530 on the math portion (There is no combined score.)
- took the ACT less than 5 years ago and made a qualifying score of 23 composite, with 19 English and 19 math.
- took the STAAR EOC exams less than 5 years ago and made a qualifying English III score of 4000+ and Algebra II score of 4000+.
- took the TAKS test less than 5 years ago and made a qualifying score of 2200 on the math subsection and/or 2200 on the English Language Arts subsection, with a score of at least 3 on the writing subsection.
- have a bachelor's or associate degree from an institution of higher education.
- are serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and have been serving for at least three years preceding enrollment.
- were honorably discharged, retired or released from active duty on or after August 1, 1990 as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States.
- a student who has previously attended any institution and has been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution.
- a student who is enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level-One certificates, 42 or fewer semester credit hours or the equivalent) at a public junior college, a public technical institute, or a public state college.
- are a non-degree seeking or non-certificate-seeking student.
Taking the TSI Assessment
UT Arlington requires incoming students who are not exempt to take the TSI Assessment Exam. The UT Arlington Testing Services office offers the opportunity for students to take this exam.
If you took the TSI Assessment and did not have the scores sent to UT Arlington, please contact Testing Services.
If you attended a Texas public college for dual credit while you were in high school or are transferring from a Texas public college, your test scores should be listed on the transcript you submit to UT Arlington. It is your responsibility to ask your community college to send an official transcript to the UT Arlington Office of Admissions.
If you do not pass a section of the TSI Assessment, you are required to enroll in developmental coursework for the failed areas. You should speak with your advisor to ensure that you are enrolled in the right courses.