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University of Austin

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Apply for Our Free High School Honors Programs

University of Austin (UATX) High School Honors Programs are free, immersive pre-college experiences that introduce exceptional high school students to the University through rigorous college-level seminars; engaging discussions with UATX faculty, staff, and students; and a vibrant intellectual community. Participants experience firsthand what makes a UATX education distinctive while exploring big ideas, building lasting friendships, and exploring whether the University is the right fit for them.


High schoolers can apply to the UATX Honors Programs in five minutes by completing the form at the bottom of this page. 


Admission to one High School Honors Program is admission to all of them—students are welcome to attend as many programs as they wish. All Honors Programs are entirely free of charge, including meals, for everyone. 


Upon admission, students will receive a separate program registration form to confirm attendance. Students who wish to receive more than one registration form (e.g., for two programs in different locations) upon admission should note that in the form below. 


Program Locations & Dates

High School Honors: New York City (Manhattan) | Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026

High School Honors: Austin | Sunday, November 1, 2026 

More information is available here. 

2027 locations and dates will be announced soon!


Program Information

High School Honors Programs take place on a Saturday or on a Sunday from mid-morning through the afternoon. Honors: Austin (November 1) will also include some optional activities the evening prior, on October 31, as well as the option to conclude the trip with a customized Campus Visit day on Monday, November 2.


Saturday Honors programs typically open at 9:30AM and conclude around 5PM, while the Sunday programs usually begin at 11:30AM and conclude around 6PM.


Students should refer to the emails they receive after registration for more specific schedule information and the name and address of the program venue.  


All Honors students participate in UATX faculty-led seminars and enjoy breakfast and lunch with motivated peers. Parents and other guests are invited to join their students later in the day for a UATX presentation, Q&A, and reception—an opportunity to learn more about the University; meet faculty, current UATX students, and staff; and connect with other families.


Seminar topics and professors will be announced at least several weeks before each program date, and registered students will be asked to submit their preferences. Each Honors program will include at least one STEM seminar and at least one Arts or Humanities seminar. 


All Honors seminars and programming are for enrichment only, not for college credit. 

 

Honors programs are non-residential, and students are expected to be accompanied by an adult outside of programming.


Admission & Eligibility Requirements

Students normally must be at least 13 years old and enrolled as a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior in high school to apply for admission. Homeschoolers are welcome. 


International students are eligible to apply to High School Honors. However, please note that, at this time, all applicants to the UATX undergraduate program must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. UATX may accept international students once all its legal and regulatory requirements are met, but the University cannot guarantee this or specify a timeframe. 


Recent high school graduates are sometimes permitted to apply to High School Honors at the University's discretion. Students in this category should email admissions@uaustin.org.


Students who have taken any standardized test (PSAT, CLT10, SAT, ACT, or CLT), should report their highest score or superscore in their application, below.


Students who have not yet taken a standardized test should email their latest school transcript or report card -- unofficial copies are fine, and may be sent in any file type or as photos or screenshots -- to admissions@uaustin.org as soon as possible after submitting their application. 


The student, not a parent or guardian, should apply for admission with his or her own email address.  


Automatic Admission

Eligible students will be automatically admitted to the High School Honors Programs if they meet any of the following criteria: 

  • Scored a 1300 or higher on the SAT or an equivalent score on the ACT, CLT, PSAT, or CLT10
  • Hold a 3.5 or higher unweighted school GPA
  • Have been admitted or conditionally admitted to the UATX undergraduate program but have not yet enrolled full time at UATX or at another college or university 
  • Are an alumnus of an UATX Honors or Futures program, or of the UATX 2026 Summer Fellowship, and have not yet enrolled full time at any university. Program alumni need not fill out the application again: they can simply email admissons@uaustin.org to request the registration form for any future program. 

Alternative Admissions

Students who do not meet the auto-admit threshold and are not program alumni may still be admitted at UATX's discretion, space permitting.


Apply or secure your auto-admission by completing the form below. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.


Questions or requests? Contact UATX Admissions by phone or text at 1-737-377-2488, or email admissions@uaustin.org. 

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