Big Changes at the University of Texas

Today, we’re breaking down recent news surrounding UT Austin’s auto-admission policy and UT tuition coverage, including how these shifts may impact you!

As application and enrollment numbers continue to rise for the nine schools within the University of Texas system, big changes are coming this way for students preparing to apply to UT Austin during the next admissions cycle (2025-2026).

UT Austin Lowers Auto Admittance to Top 5%

September brought big admissions news when UT Austin’s President, Jay Hartzell, announced they would be lowering their automatic admittance threshold from the top 6% of graduating Texas high school students to the top 5% for the Fall 2026 application season. This change is already reflected on their website.

This is actually the third time UT Austin has lowered its auto-admit policy since Texas House Bill 588 was originally passed in 1997, requiring public schools in Texas to guarantee acceptance to the top 10% of graduating seniors.

Year	Policy
1997	Texas passes House Bill 588, requiring Texas public universities to admit the top 10% of the state's graduating high school students
2009	UT Austin changes their auto admit policy from the top 10% to the top 7%
2017	UT Austin announces they are once again dropping from the top 7% to the top 6%
2024	UT Austin decreased their auto admit threshold from the top 6% to the top 5%

Last year, UT Austin was ranked #30 in the top US national universities and #7 in the top US public universities. For the 2024-2025 application season, they also received a record number of applications (more than 73,000—a 10% increase from the year before). As UT Austin continues to climb in the national rankings, we can expect the school to become increasingly more competitive.

UT system expands tuition coverage

In mid-November, a committee of the UT Board of Regents granted preliminary approval to expand the Promise Plus Program, a need-based financial aid initiative established in 2022 that aims at making undergraduate education more accessible and affordable for students at public Texas universities. Under the new plan, eligible students attending one of the nine UT system campuses will receive free tuition and fees starting in fall 2026 if their family has a combined annual income of $100,000 or less. Students must be Texas residents, enrolled full-time, submit the FAFSA and/or TASFA, and demonstrate financial need.

This is a great opportunity for students to graduate with less student debt (the overall debt of UT system graduates declined from 54% in 2019 to 48% in 2023), setting themselves up for stronger entry into the workforce or graduate programs.

Check out each school's specific program, policies, and eligibility information below:

UT Arlington - Blaze Forward
UT Austin - Texas Advance Commitment
UT Dallas - Comet Promise
UT El Paso - Paydirt Promise
UT Permian Basin - Falcon Free
UT Rio Grande Valley - Tuition Advantage
UT San Antonio - Bold Promise
Stephen F. Austin State University - Purple Promise Guarantee
UT Tyler - Patriot Promise

What does this mean for Texas students?

Both of these changes reflect the increasing popularity of UT schools, especially for in-state students. Additionally, UT Austin’s new auto admit policy could usher in lower admission thresholds for other Texas schools (like Texas A&M and UT Dallas), so class rank and GPA are more important now than ever before!

Colleges will utilize the junior year GPA and class rank of applicants during the admissions process, but to start off on the right foot, students need to focus on these factors from the first semester of freshman year. To stay on the top of their academic success, students will need to strategically plan what courses they will take and take more active steps to keep their grades up if they start to slip, including implementing time management techniques and securing tutoring.

B2A Can Help!

With our Steps Program (for 7th-11th graders), B2A offers 1:1 counseling with top admissions professionals who can help you and your family stay on track for college applications. Whether you're entering high school or preparing to graduate, our expert counselors can guide you in course planning and offer strategies to help you balance your time between academics and extracurriculars. We also offer tutoring services, as well as test preparation.