University of Houston
Houston, Texas · Public · 38,380 undergraduates · uh.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
76%
of 34,728 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1140 to 1310
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$31,680Est.Estimate
$48,780 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of Houston
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
76% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$48,780
a year in 2027-28, from a $48,780 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1220
Send your score
About 40% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1120, and yours is above it.
Named scholarships you may qualify for (1)
University of Houston National Merit Scholarship
Full tuition
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs National Merit Finalist standing.
1 more award needs a higher GPA or score. See every tier
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.
- Doesn't superscore: it uses the scores from one test date.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: Test Optional Admissions | Undergraduate Admissions | University of Houston · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov2Priority deadline · November 2, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- May3Other deadline · May 3, 2027
- May31Regular Decision · May 31, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
76%
of applicants were admitted: 26,312 of 34,728 for fall 2025.
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. 55% of them sent SAT scores and 7% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1140 to 1310
Reading and Writing 570 to 660
Math 560 to 660
ACT composite 22 to 28
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16009.4%
- 1200 to 139950%
- 1000 to 119936%
- 800 to 9994.5%
- 600 to 7990.2%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.46
- 4.02.7%
- 3.75 to 3.9922%
- 3.50 to 3.7427%
- 3.25 to 3.4922%
- 3.00 to 3.2415%
- 2.50 to 2.999.4%
- Below 2.501.3%
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
$31,680
a year, in state
$48,780
a year, out of state (tuition $28,590)
- Tuition (in state)$11,490
- Fees$1,090
- Food and housing$11,950
- Books and supplies$1,510
- Transportation and other$5,640
University of Houston published $29,932 in state for 2025-26. 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 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$8,468
- $30,001 to $48,000$8,553
- $48,001 to $75,000$8,529
- $75,001 to $110,000$13,799
- Over $110,000$21,065
Financial aid
57%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$12,066
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
8%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $3,779 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 1/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Cullen Leadership Scholarship
$1,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, stay a full-time student (12 credit hours each fall and spring), and reach 30 total credit hours by the end of your first year, 60 by the end of your second and 90 by the end of your third.
DetailsAcademic Excellence Scholarship
Competitive · No separate application
Competitive scholarships of various amounts; no fixed cutoffs published
Deadline: Application Nov. 2, 2026; supporting information Nov. 9, 2026. To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, stay a full-time student (12 credit hours each fall and spring), and reach 30 total credit hours by the end of your first year, 60 by the end of your second and 90 by the end of your third.
DetailsTier One Scholarship
Full cost of attendance
Competitive · Application required
- 1400+ SAT or 30+ ACT, top 10%, 1400 SAT or 30 ACT plus top 10% rank 'improve your chances' (not a cutoff); test-optional candidates considered; fall 2024 average awardee 1450 SAT / 34 ACT, top 3%, 3.98 unweighted core GPA
Deadline: November 2, 2026 (Tier One application and admission application; letter of recommendation; interview Dec 16-18 for finalists). To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, stay a full-time student (12 credit hours each fall and spring), and reach 30 total credit hours by the end of your first year, 60 by the end of your second and 90 by the end of your third.
DetailsUniversity of Houston National Merit Scholarship
Full tuition
National Merit · No separate application
- National Merit Finalist selecting UH as first choice with NMSC
To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, stay a full-time student (12 credit hours each fall and spring), and reach 30 total credit hours by the end of your first year, 60 by the end of your second and 90 by the end of your third.
Details
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
40 of 40
Earn credit with a score of 3
40 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,150Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1397 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1397 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AAS 2320 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1304 |
| Art History | 4 | 6 | ARTS 1303, 1304 |
| Biology | 3 | 8 | BIOL 1106, 1107, 1306, 1307 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | MATH 1325 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 2413 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 2413 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 2413, 2414 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 3 | CHEM 1305 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 4 | CHEM 1111, 1311 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | CHNS 1501 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | CHNS 1502 & 2311 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | CHNS 1502, 2311, 2312 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 1335 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 3 | POLS 3311 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | COSC 1336 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 7 | COSC 1336, 1437 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | COSC1336 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 1397 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 1301 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 6 | ENGL 1301, 1302 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 2316 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | GENERAL ELECTIVES |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 2312 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FREN 2311, FREN 2312 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 9 | FREN 2311, 2312, 3313 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 10 | GERM 1501, GERM 1502 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 13 | GERM 1501, GERM 1502, GERM 2311 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | GERM 1502, GERM 2311, GERM 2312 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 1301 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 10 | ITAL 1501 & 1502 or ITAL 1601 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 13 | ITAL 1501, 1502, 2311 or ITAL 1601, 2311 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 13 | ITAL 1501, 1502, 2311 or ITAL 1601, 2311, 2312 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | JPNS 1501 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | JPNS 1502, 2501 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 10 | JPNS 2501, 2502 |
| Latin | 3 | 6 | LATN 1301, 1302 |
| Latin | 4 | 9 | LATN 1301, 1302, 2311 |
| Latin | 5 | 12 | LATN 1301, 1302, 2311, 2312 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2301 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 2302 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 6 | MUSI 1301, 1303 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1101, 1301 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1102, 1302 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1102, 1302 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHYS 2326, 2126 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1101, 1301 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHYS 2125, 2325 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | MATH 1314 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 3 | MATH 2312 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 2301 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | Non-core Social Science elective hours |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | Non-core Social Science elective hours |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | SPAN 1505 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPAN 1505, 2311 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | SPAN 1505, 2311, 2312 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 2312 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 2312, 3301 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 6 | SPAN 2312, 3301, 3302 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 1342 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | GOVT 2305 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 6 | GOVT 2305, 2306 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 1301 or 1302 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIST 1301, 1302 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 2321 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
66%
Come back for a second year
87%
Typical earnings
$68,423
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Houston$58,222
- All colleges$54,104
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 61 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 University of Houston. The University of Houston logo is a trademark of the college.