Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas · Private · 11,026 undergraduates · tcu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
48%
of 22,680 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1110 to 1330
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$93,330Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Texas Christian University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
48% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$93,330
a year in 2027-28, from a $93,330 sticker price
What to do with your 1240
Send your score
About 57% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1040, and yours is above it.
Named scholarships you may qualify for (1)
National Merit and National Achievement Scholarships
$2,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs National Merit Finalist standing.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Testing Policy (SAT/ACT) · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Feb1Early Decision II · February 1, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Feb1Regular Decision · February 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
48%
of applicants were admitted: 10,906 of 22,680 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 1/1.
Early Decision
Binding. 68% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
3,676 students were offered a spot; 396 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 27% of them sent SAT scores and 21% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1110 to 1330
Reading and Writing 560 to 680
Math 540 to 660
ACT composite 26 to 31
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160013%
- 1200 to 139950%
- 1000 to 119926%
- 800 to 99911%
- 600 to 7991.2%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$93,330
a year
- Tuition$69,180
- Fees$90
- Food and housing$19,530
- Books and supplies$730
- Transportation and other$3,800
Texas Christian University published $89,742 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$22,363
- $30,001 to $48,000$12,610
- $48,001 to $75,000$19,790
- $75,001 to $110,000$34,094
- Over $110,000$54,791
Financial aid
79%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$50,804
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
38%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $24,703 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 2/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 5/1
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Dean's Scholarship
$32,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA after your first year and a 3.25 college GPA after that, and pass at least 24 credit hours each year (fall and spring).
DetailsFaculty Scholarship
$30,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA after your first year and a 3.25 college GPA after that, and pass at least 24 credit hours each year (fall and spring).
DetailsTCU Scholarship
$27,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA after your first year and a 3.25 college GPA after that, and pass at least 24 credit hours each year (fall and spring).
DetailsFounders' Scholarship
$17,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA after your first year and a 3.25 college GPA after that, and pass at least 24 credit hours each year (fall and spring).
Details
Show 4 more scholarships
Purple and White Scholarship
$12,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA after your first year and a 3.25 college GPA after that, and pass at least 24 credit hours each year (fall and spring).
DetailsChancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition
Competitive · Application required
Deadline: November 1, 2026 (TCU EA/ED I application); November 15, 2026 (John V. Roach Honors College application). To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA after your first year and a 3.25 college GPA after that, and pass at least 24 credit hours each year (fall and spring).
DetailsSTEM Scholars Program
Full cost of attendance
Competitive · In-state students · Application required
- must attend a high school within 16 counties of the North Central Texas Region; separate STEM Scholar Program application
Deadline: November 15 (priority application deadline).
DetailsNational Merit and National Achievement Scholarships
$2,000 a year
National Merit · No separate application
- National Merit (or National Achievement) Finalist; for National Merit, must designate TCU as first choice
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
37 of 37
Earn credit with a score of 3
19 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,920Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | CRES 20103 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | 10043 |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | 10003 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | 10000 |
| Biology | 5 | 8 | 10000, 10511/13 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | 10283 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | 10524 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | 10524 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 8 | 10524, 20524 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 3 | MATH 10283 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | MATH 10524 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3 | 10113 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | 10113, 10125 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 10153, 10163 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | 10153, 10163, 20053 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | 10153, 10163, 20053, 20063 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POSC 10000 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | 10403 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | 10103 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | 10803 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 6 | 10803, 20803 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | 10803 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 6 | 10803, 10103 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | ENSC 10143 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | 10223 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 10153,10163 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | 10153, 10163, 20053 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | 10153, 10163, 20053, 20063 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 10153, 10163 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | 10153, 10163, 20053 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | 10153, 10163, 20053, 20063 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | 10500 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 10153, 10163 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | 10153, 10163, 20053 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | 10153, 10163, 20053, 20063 |
| Latin | 3 | 6 | 10153, 10163 |
| Latin | 4 | 9 | 10153, 10163, 20053 |
| Latin | 5 | 12 | 10153, 10163, 20053, 20063 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | 10233 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | 10223 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUSI 10003 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 6 | MUSI 10003, THEA 31503 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | 10154 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | 10164 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | 20484 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | 20474 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | MATH 10054 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYC 10213 |
| Research | 4 | 3 | TRAN 10001 |
| Seminar | 4 | 3 | TRAN 10001 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | 10103, 10203 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 12 | 10103, 10203, 20103, 20203 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | SPAN 10103, 10203, 20103 and 20203 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 6 | 10103, 10203 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 12 | 10103, 10203, 20103, 20203 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 12 | SPAN 10103, 10203, 20103 and 20203 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | 10043 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POSC 10000 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | 10603, 10613 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | 10550 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
86%
Come back for a second year
93%
Typical earnings
$77,334
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Texas Christian University$92,288
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 33 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Texas Christian University. The Texas Christian University logo is a trademark of the college.