Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If you rank in the top 75 percent of your high school graduating class, and your class rank and test scores place you near the assured admission requirements, you may be eligible for our holistic review process. Spaces fill quickly and applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.

For admission, a high school class rank is required.

If your high school does not rank, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will assign you a class rank based on an individual review of your academic credentials. This review will take into account curriculum and grades, as well as other factors. You are encouraged to send us your high school's profile, as well.

In accordance with Senate Bill 1543 (SB1543), applicants for admission who present evidence of completion of a nontraditional secondary education without an official class rank will have a class rank assigned by Texas State. The class rank will be comparable to the average class rank of other applicants who have equivalent ACT or SAT scores. A nontraditional secondary education includes Homeschool and GED graduates. Texas State requires an official homeschool or GED transcript to demonstrate evidence of completion.

Keep in mind that assigning you a rank may make your admission process take a while longer.

For more information regarding the admission process for applicants from non-ranking schools or other educational programs, contact your freshman Admission Counselor.

A transfer student is someone who has completed credit hours after he or she has graduated from high school. If you are in high school and have dual credit hours, you will need to meet freshman admission standards and have a 2.0 GPA in transferable coursework.

Please refer to the Submitting Required Application Documents webpage to find instructions for sending admissions materials and supporting documents to us.

Mail:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666

Or visit our Contact Us page for more ways to reach us.

Visit our Freshmen Admissions Requirements page to learn more about our Assured Admission criteria and our holistic review process.

Applications should be completed by the Admission Priority Dates posted for each term.

Texas State is committed to making college affordable to all students and will either waive or defer the application fee for students who demonstrate financial need.

For deferrals, we accept the following fee waivers:

• SAT
• ACT
• NACAC
• Common App

If you submit any one of these fee waivers, your application fee will be deferred and payment of the fee will not be required to complete your application. If you enroll at Texas State, the deferred application fee will be added to your semester bill, along with all other tuition and fee charges, and any financial aid you qualify for may be used to pay the fee. 
Note: You will not be billed for a deferred application fee if you do not enroll at Texas State.

If you submit a FAFSA and are eligible for a Pell Grant, your application fee will be fully waived and not added to your semester bill.

Texas State does not require a Letter of Recommendation. However, if you choose to submit one, please make sure it includes the applicant's full legal name, date of birth and home address.

Texas State is test optional for all applicants ranked in the top 75% of their high school class.

For students who choose to submit a score or are ranked in the fourth quartile and required to submit a score, Texas State does not prefer one test over another and will accept either for admission purposes. Test sub-scores are not combined or super-scored. The composite score which is the best from a single sitting will be used to determine admission eligibility. 

Please note the old SAT (taken before March 2016) score taken into consideration in our initial review is the sum of the Critical Reading and Math sections only. An ACT/SAT Writing section score is recommended but not required for admissions consideration.

Submitting an application essay is recommended but not required. If you choose to submit an essay, you may select from Topics A, B, or C of the ApplyTexas application or any of the 7 prompts on the Common App. Essay topics can be viewed on the Freshman Admission Essays page as well as on page nine of the ApplyTexas application.

Our national and assured (e.g. National Merit, President's Honors and Achievement) scholarships are automatically awarded during the admission process for those with certain awards, test scores, or other criteria. To apply for competitive scholarships, please fill out the Texas State Scholarship Application as well as ApplyTexas essay topic A. The deadline for scholarship applications is December 15th of your senior year. More information is available by visiting the freshman scholarship website.

To change start terms, please visit the online Request to Change Start Term form. Provide answers to the questions there and follow the instructions given. You may have actions to complete outside the form (in ApplyTexas or CommonApp), or you may see a "submit" button to send your information to Admissions. 

NOTE: International applicants will be required to pay a new application fee when changing terms. Admitted international students who have already requested their I-20 must also complete the I-20 Deferment form.

Please visit the Estimate Cost of Attendance page on the International Student and Scholar Services website.

Freshman applicants who are, or will be, graduates of foreign secondary schools must demonstrate above average academic achievement. Above average academic achievement is demonstrated by means of class rank (i.e. being ranked by your school in the top half of the class) or have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. Applications must also have an education equivalent to that of a U.S. high school graduate. Freshmen who are, or will be, graduates of a U.S. high school and who have completed at least two years in a U.S. high school must meet the freshman admission requirements established for U.S. citizens.

Transfer applicants, regardless of whether they attended college at a foreign institution or in the U.S., must meet regular transfer admission requirements.

Some programs at Texas State require that students complete additional requirements, on top of what is needed to earn general admission to the University. These program entry requirements could include having a higher GPA, taking certain courses or participating in an audition process. Admission to Texas State does not guarantee acceptance into these programs.

No. Your application fee pays for the evaluation, so you must apply for admission and pay the fee in order to have your transcript evaluated.

You are not required to submit an ACT/SAT score unless you have attended at least 2 years of high school in the U.S. An ACT/SAT score is required for scholarship consideration, however (Freshman Assured, etc.).

Yes. All applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirements to help ensure success as a student.

Texas State University requires that all school transcript records be sent directly from your school via mail/package service or online from a secure website (E Script, Parchment, etc.). You may mail or deliver a transcript in person if it is in an envelope signed and sealed by a school official. We will need transcripts from every school you've attended.

Mailing Address:

Texas State University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666

You may submit transcripts via any means for an admission decision, but you will still need to provide an official final document to continue enrollment.

To change start terms, please visit the online Request to Change Start Term form. Provide answers to the questions there and follow the instructions given. You may have actions to complete outside the form (in ApplyTexas or CommonApp), or you may see a "submit" button to send your information to Admissions. 

NOTE: International applicants will be required to pay a new application fee when changing terms. Admitted international students who have already requested their I-20 must also complete the I-20 Deferment form.

International applicants are not eligible for an application fee waiver and must pay the fee before any documents will be processed or their application for admission considered.