Applicants who have never attended another college or university or have never earned college credit through non-traditional methods (i.e. military credit or credit from specialized schools) should apply for admission as freshmen. Students who have earned college level credits by participating in a dual enrollment program or have earned credit by examination (IB, AP, CLEP) while in high school also are considered freshmen.

Students must submit all admission documents, outlined below, directly to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the schools attended, and official test scores must be sent directly from the appropriate testing agency. All transcripts in languages other than English or Spanish must be accompanied by an English translation prepared by the educational institution, an American Consulate, or a certified English translator. All documents submitted to the University become part of the official files of the University and cannot be released or returned to you or another institution.

 

Documents Required: Freshmen applicants must submit the following:

Application for admission found at www.applytexas.org

Official* SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test), ACT (American College Test), or ACCUPLACER score report.

Official high school transcript indicating adequate high school preparation, rank, and graduation (actual or expected) date.  TO be considered official, academic transcripts must be mailed directly from the issuing high school to the Office of Admission and Recruitment.

$15.00 late application fee if applying after the priority deadline

International Baccalaureate transcript, if applicable

GED certificate if the applicant did not graduate from high school

Official* score report(s) verifying AP (Advanced Placement), CLEP (College Level Examination Program), SAT II Subject Exams, DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests), or UTEP departmental examination scores; military AARTS or SMART transcript, if applicable

* SAT, ACT or ACCUPLACER Test scores recorded as part of the high school transcript are also considered official.  All other test scores must be sent to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment directly from the testing agency.

Applicants who received a high school equivalency certificate are eligible for admission if they have an average standard score of 45 or higher on the GED. A minimum SAT score of 920 or a minimum ACT score of 20 is required of applicants whose high school class would have graduated within the past 5 years and who pass the English version of the GED. All applicants passing the Spanish version of the GED must submit scores of 1,000 or higher on the PAA. Applicants who meet the Spanish GED and PAA requirements are admitted into the bilingual Inter-American Science and Humanities Program.

 

Path 1: Top 10% Graduates

    Individuals are admissible to UTEP as first-time, first-year students if they graduated from a Texas high school in the top 10% of their graduating classes and submit all required credentials.  After admission, students must take the ACCUPLACER to determine first-semester course placement in reading, writing, and mathematics and must register for these courses with the approval of their advisors.  Applicants who are not in the top 10% of their graduating classes may qualify for admission based on their high school rankings and standardized test scores, ACCUPLACER scores, or through UTEP’s Reviewed Admission Programs.

 

Path 2:  High School Rank and Test Scores

    Texas high school graduates and all graduates of out-of-state high schools are admissible as first-time, first-year students if they meet any of the criteria listed below:

HS Rank in Class	Minimum SAT Combined Score (Verbal + Math)	OR	Minimum ACT Composite Score
Top 25%	No minimum, but scores must be submitted	OR	No minimum, but scores must be submitted
Second 25%	920	OR	19
Third 25 %	970	OR	20
Fourth 25%,	1010	OR	21
No HS rank, GED, unaccredited HS, or home school program	1010	OR	21

     After admission, students must take the ACCUPLACER to determine first-semester course placement in reading, writing, and mathematics and must register for these courses with the approval of their advisors. Applicants who do not meet these criteria may qualify for admission based on their ACCUPLACER scores or through UTEP’s Reviewed Admission Programs.

 

Path 3:  College Readiness

    Graduates of public high schools in Texas Educational Service Center Region 19 take the ACCUPLACER placement examination in their junior or senior years as a component of the El Paso Region College Readiness Initiative (CRI).  If they qualify to take UTEP college-level courses in English and mathematics, they are admitted as first-time, first-year students. All required credentials, including required test scores, must be submitted to complete their admission files.  The ACCUPLACER scores required to take college-level courses are as follows:

Reading = 78-120

            Writing:  Essay = 5 + Sentence Skills = 80-120 or Essay = 6-8

College Math = 20-80 

 

    Graduates of private high schools, home schools, public schools outside of Region 19, or those who have GEDs can also take the ACCUPLACER and be admitted to UTEP using the College Readiness standard. This may be done at UTEP, El Paso Community College, or ACCUPLACER test sites around the country.  To find an ACCUPLACER test site outside of El Paso, check with college and university testing offices in your area or call the College Board toll-free at (866) 607-5223. Students are encouraged to begin math and English requirements during the first semester of enrollment and continue until complete.

Although taking and submitting the ACT or SAT is not an admissions requirement for Top 10% students and students choosing the College Readiness path, students are strongly encouraged to take the ACT and SAT to ensure eligibility for scholarships and other types of merit-based financial assistance.

Applicants who do not meet these criteria may qualify for admission through UTEP’s Reviewed Admission Programs.

 

Path 4: Reviewed Admission Programs

First time, first-year students who do not meet the admission requirements as stated above are eligible for admission through the University’s Reviewed Admission Programs.  The Accelerated Preparation Program and the START Program offer mathematics and/or English (reading and writing) instruction during the first term of enrollment to prepare students for successful completion of college-level mathematics and English courses. Students admitted under UTEP’s Reviewed Admission Programs must attend New Student Orientation, be advised every term by an academic advisor, complete at least nine hours of courses based on ACCUPLACER scores, and earn a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA).

 

Accelerated Preparation Program

Admission to the Accelerated Preparation Program is open to Texas residents and non-residents who are first-time, first-year students.  Admission is based on ACCUPLACER test scores. Students who score in the ACCUPLACER ranges outlined below will automatically be admitted into the Accelerated Preparation Program:

 

Reading = 31-77

Writing: Essay = 3-5**+ Sentence Skills = 20-79

Arithmetic = 71-120

**Students scoring 3 or 4 on the essay exam will enroll in English 0311; students scoring 5 and falling within the sentence skills score above will be required to enroll in a supplemental English lab in addition to English 1311.

 

During the first semester at UTEP, students in the program must enroll in the English and/or math courses required based on their ACCUPLACER scores. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be maintained and academic advising is required. Students in the Accelerated Preparation Program will be advised by advisors in their respective academic colleges or the Academic Advising Center.

First-time, first-year students who are residents of Texas and who do not meet the requirements for admission as stated in pathways 1, 2 or 3 are eligible for provisional admission through the University’s START Program. START students must: 

• Enroll in the College of Liberal Arts as START majors  
• Attend New Student Orientation  
• Be advised by the Academic Advising Center  
• Earn a grade of “C” or better in at least 9 hours of prescribed courses from at least two of the following areas: English, mathematics, natural science, foreign language, social sciences, and humanities. English and Math courses required based on the students ACCUPLACER scores must be included in the minimum 9 hours.
• Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Summer enrollment is recommended for START students.  Once these requirements have been met, the student is fully admitted to UTEP and may change majors.

If the student does not meet these requirements during the first semester but has at least a 1.5 cumulative GPA, an additional START semester will be allowed. START students who do not satisfy these requirements have two options if they wish to re-enroll at UTEP:

1. Apply for readmission and reinstatement by the START Manager after 2 calendar years have elapsed since the end of the last period of attendance; or

2. Apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions and Recruitment after attending another college or university at which a minimum of 12 semester hours of college-level work with grades of “C” or better in each course were earned and a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA was maintained.

   Under extenuating circumstances, an ineligible START student may petition for reinstatement through the Academic Advising Center.

    

Applicants who do not meet the requirements for transfer admission described above or whose individual circumstances are highly unusual with respect to their academic credentials may apply to be reviewed on an individual basis. This review gives consideration to the applicant’s high school and college record, the strength of academic preparation, types of courses taken, and grades earned in specific courses.  Performance on standardized tests is also considered.  Applicants may submit additional material or an essay for consideration in evaluating their potential for success at UTEP. Such material can document, for example, the applicant’s work experience; achievements, honors, and awards; responsibilities while attending school, including child or elder care or other major responsibilities; bilingual proficiency; socioeconomic background; residency status; involvement in community and extra-curricular activities; whether the applicant is a first-generation college student; commitment to a particular field of study; strengths and talents that might not be apparent from the academic record, and experiences in surmounting obstacles in pursuit of higher education.  Letters of recommendation from high school teachers, counselors, supervisors, and activity leaders are also appropriate.  

 

Programa Interamericano Estudiantil (PIE)

Programa Interamericano Estudiantil is a bilingual instruction program designed for students from Spanish-speaking countries who wish to attend UTEP but who need to improve their English. We welcome your application if you scored 1000 or higher on the PAA. The Programa Interamericano coordinates first-level content courses taught in Spanish (for example, U.S. History) that students may take while enrolling in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses to increase your English language proficiency. Once ESOL 1610 has been completed with a grade of “C” or better, students may change into their major of choice, and use the courses taken toward their graduation requirements. To further assist students academically, academic advising is required every semester in the Academic Advising Center.

 

Junior Scholars Program

The Junior Scholars Program is a cooperative effort between The University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso area public and private schools that allows qualified students to enroll in regular University courses while attending high school. Hours earned will count as University credit and some courses may also be approved to apply toward high school graduation requirements. For more information on this program, contact Student Success Programs at (915) 747-5858.

 

Early Admission Program

The University's Early Admission Program allows students to enroll concurrently in high school and University courses if they are in their last semester of high school and meet the requirements for first-year admission.  Students interested in early admission, must also submit a letter of recommendation from their high school counselor or principal. Continued high school enrollment is a condition of the Early Admission Program. For more information, contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment at (915) 747-5890.

 

Flexible Admission Program (FLEX)

The Flexible Admission Program is designed for our first-time, non-traditional students who have never attended a college or university and who do not intend to pursue a degree at the time of admission. FLEX students, may take selected basic courses to meet their personal educational objectives or to complete courses in a particular field for professional reasons. FLEX Program applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be at least 23 years of age,
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States,
• Have had no previous college or university experience,
• Complete the undergraduate application for admission.

Once admitted under this option, students are subject to the same tuition, fees, and regulations as degree-seeking students. A maximum of 30 semester hours may be accumulated while in the FLEX Program, and the Director of Admissions must approve any FLEX enrollment beyond 30 hours. Students who choose to change from FLEX to degree-seeking status are required to meet all the requirements for regular admission. The late application fee does not apply to you as a FLEX applicant. Admission into a non-degree program such as FLEX excludes you from participation in federally funded financial aid programs.

 

German Abitur Program

    German NATO forces stationed at Ft. Bliss often have children whose high school education has been interrupted by their family’s move to the United States.   UTEP has developed a 60 hour academic curriculum that the German Ministry of Education considers to be equivalent to completion of the diploma required for admission to higher education in Germany (Abitur).  Students who complete this curriculum at UTEP can be considered for admission to German universities when they return home.  In order to participate in the Abitur program, students must apply for admission, submit documents showing completion of a United States high school diploma or its equivalent, provide a statement of financial support, and submit satisfactory TOEFL, SAT, or ACT scores as determined by the Admissions Office.  Abitur students will be advised by the Academic Advising Center during their enrollment at UTEP.