What separated UT Austin accepted vs. rejected applicants this cycle? Above all, where they live. The University of Texas at Austin admits about 27% of applicants by its College Scorecard rate, but that number blends two very different pools: Texas residents, many admitted automatically by class rank, and everyone else, who compete for a small, capped share of seats.
We compared 68 UT Austin applicants from self-reported 2026 r/collegeresults posts: 26 admitted, 35 rejected and 7 waitlisted. Most were from outside Texas. This is part of a larger comparison of accepted vs. rejected applicants at top colleges, which explains how the data was collected. (UT Austin's official rate is well above the 15% cutoff used for that article's pooled numbers, so its decisions aren't in the pooled figures there.)
People who post results skew strong, and 26 admits is a small group. Compare the two groups with each other, not with your own odds, and treat a gap of a few people as possible noise.
Texas residents did far better
11 of 16 Texas residents in the sample were admitted (69%), versus 11 of 40 out-of-state and international applicants (28%). Twelve posters didn't say where they live and are left out of this split.
That matches UT Austin's own numbers. Its Common Data Set shows in-state applicants admitted at 35.9% and out-of-state applicants at 7.5% (Fall 2025). Two Texas laws drive the gap. Texas residents in the top 5% of their high school class (the threshold for fall 2026) are admitted automatically. And because UT Austin uses that lower threshold, state law caps non-resident first-year admits at 10% of the entering class. We explain both in Texas guaranteed admission, and compare residency gaps at other flagships in in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates.
UT Austin admitted student GPA and SAT
| Admitted | Rejected or waitlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| Median unweighted GPA | 4.0 (18 stated) | 3.95 (34 stated) |
| Median weighted GPA | 4.60 (14 stated) | 4.51 (30 stated) |
| Median SAT (scores sent) | 1540 (23 people) | 1540 (33 people) |
| Median AP/IB courses | 13 | 11.5 |
| National-level award | 81% | 74% |
Grades and course load leaned toward admits: 11 of the 18 admits who stated a GPA had a 4.0, versus 14 of 34 among everyone else, and admits took a couple more AP or IB courses. The SAT medians were identical, and 67 of the 68 sent scores. UT Austin requires test scores again, so nearly everyone in this sample submitted them. (Too few admits sent an ACT to compare.)
Which activities UT Austin admits listed more often
- Research: 81% of admits versus 57% of everyone else.
- A competition placement award: 81% versus 62%.
- Debate, speech or Model UN: 46% versus 29%.
- A selective summer program: 42% versus 24%.
- Scouting or civic groups: 31% versus 12%.
- Journalism: 23% versus 7%.
And some showed up more often among applicants who weren't admitted:
- National Merit: 23% of admits versus 50%, the biggest gap at UT Austin.
- Clubs and honor societies: 31% versus 50%.
- AP Scholar: 27% versus 40%.
The National Merit result looks backward, but it's mostly about where those applicants live. 21 of the 27 applicants who listed National Merit didn't name Texas as home, and only 4 of those 21 were admitted. They were competing for the small, capped share of non-resident seats, so the award came bundled with the hardest residency status. Research and competition results, as at Georgia Tech and UIUC, lined up with admission.
Major choice matters too
UT Austin admits students to a specific major, and its computer science and engineering programs are far more competitive than the campus rate. In this sample, computer science applicants were admitted 9 times out of 25, and engineering applicants 10 out of 27, while biology and health applicants fared worst (2 out of 11). These groups are small, so treat the split as a hint. We cover why in why engineering admissions are more competitive than you think.
Early action and deferrals
Most applicants who named a round applied by the early deadline: 16 of the 18 admits who stated one, and 19 of the 23 non-admits. 18 said they were deferred, and 5 of those were admitted later.
What UT Austin applicants can take from this
- From out of state, treat UT Austin as a reach. The official out-of-state rate is 7.5%, and state law caps non-resident seats.
- If you're a Texas resident, check your class rank first. The top 5% are admitted automatically for fall 2026, though not necessarily to their first-choice major.
- See which Texas high schools feed UT. State data shows Westlake, Allen, and Westwood sent the most 2024 graduates -- see UT Austin's top feeder high schools.
- Research and competition results showed up more among admits than test-score honors did.
UT Austin's College Intel page carries the same applicant-profile comparison, updated as new posts are logged.
Sources
- College Intel's tally of self-reported r/collegeresults posts, 2026 admissions cycle (404 posts logged as of Oct 9, 2026; 68 with a UT Austin decision). Recruited athletes and transfer applicants excluded. Aggregates only; no individual post is reproduced, and no figure rests on fewer than 3 people.
- UT Austin Common Data Set, Fall 2025 (in-state and out-of-state admit rates), and Texas automatic-admission law, as cited in in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates and Texas guaranteed admission
- College Scorecard -- U.S. Department of Education (UT Austin's official admission rate)