you were asked to apply for housing since application submission time…
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My understanding is that housing fills quickly, so it’s better to apply early, even if not yet admitted or selected for the chosen major.
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Yes, we didn’t notice the tiny link on the side. I think it’s kinda gross the fee is non-refundable given how difficult it is to get in.
We are a wait and see for Jan 15th. Lots of schools have that day for a deadline.
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Definitely not only for admitted!
Housing at UT is so under pressure, you could’ve applied for housing as soon as you applied to UT and your transcript was processed (so people have been applying since August 2025 for Fall 2026 housing).
The order of dorm selection is by the date you pay the nonrefundable $100 fee. So last cycle, August/September got 1st pick. Popular dorms go fast. December applicants for housing got last day pick (leftovers). There is an open swap opportunity to try to better what you get though although it is hit or miss. Those that waited past mid-March to apply for housing (waiting on Rice and ivy day acceptances) were not even offered a contract because they ran out. They had to go with off-campus housing.
This nonrefundable application before acceptance is not uncommon - same deal at TAMU, Texas Tech, UTSA, and many others where freshmen are not guaranteed on campus housing. UT only has space to house approx. 60% of freshmen in the dorms.
The pressure continues after freshmen year too! Many sign contracts for sophomore year in Sept/Oct of freshmen year and/or apply for UT Housing on 8/1 for the following year before they ever move into the dorms as freshmen.
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I’m not eager to blow $100 on a long-shot acceptance so what about people who register as soon as RD decisions come on on Jan 15? Are all the spots gone by then?
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It just depends on the cycle. Some years are more popular than others for on campus for both incoming freshmen and small% who return to dorms another year.
They started handing out contracts last cycle February 15th to those who were admitted, accepted the admission ($200 enrollment fee) and had applied/paid the $100 for housing in the order of the $100 payment. This was half a month earlier than normal since they had historically started that process on March 1.
You then have 2 weeks to sign the contract, pay the $300 dorm prepayment, and return the contract or you “go to the end of the line” which at that point means you risk not getting a contract at all. They then send out batches of contracts on the 1st and 15th of the month until they get enough back signed that they run out. I only know last cycle they ran out for those that applied MidMarch and beyond because those that delayed applying reported so in different reddit/FB forums.
FYI It is also possible to get “passed over” if you do not accept admission and pay the $200 enrollment waiting on Rice/ivy/other acceptances. If you dont accept/pay the $200 enrollment, they skip you and send contracts to the next person on the list who accepted/paid $200 enrollment. It is possible to have a very early housing selection timestamp of August 1 for that $100 and if you wait too long to accept admission/pay the $200 enrollment, you get passed over for housing contracts so long they run out of contracts. That nuance has bitten a few people in the butt too.
Always good to know their processes to make the best decisions for your student!
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I would also say, from historical numbers, if you apply around Jan 15th for housing you will most likely get a contract (if you accept admission/pay the $200 enrollment without delay). It will be a last pick for dorms unless you find a roommate with an early timestamp. If 2 students form an official roommate group prior to UT closing that tool (end of May last year), the roommate with the earliest timestamp selects for both people…a great way to improve your odds of getting a popular dorm or private bath.
January 15th is only 4 weeks away. But remember, they deferred 95% of applicants last cycle to RD (which 2/9 last cycle). I hope they dont do that again but they tend to follow their own trends for the majority of things.
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Did anyone else get excited to get a card from the office of admissions this week only to find it was a holiday card? Great gesture and cool card, but it was definitely a false alarm!!
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Not so much false excitement but curious as to it at least means you’re accepted.
That wave wasn’t small. It was very substantial. At least for in state. I know so many kids from a diverse group of high schools acress the state that got in. Some autos, most not. It is so confusing. Curious if you got in for Moody, Advertising, RTF, Journalism. I have seen students with Advertising, Journalism, and Leadership. Any RTF/Journalism?
Was it a physical card received in the mail? My daughter (OOS) received a holiday greeting email today.
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It was a physical card. The return address was Office of Admissions. So a total fake out!!
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Yes. A physical card sent with a longhorn pic on the front.
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Thanks. I think my daughter got the email version. lol.
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Time will tell.
Kevin Martin seems to be an expert on all things UT. He said he will be updating the data and his blog when he knows more. He commented on this one with a short blurb, same as last December, as “very small”. You might just have been in one of those “favored” districts that got the early xmas present (some high dollar districts near DFW come to mind).
Kevin’s blog for all cycles and history for UT Admssions since he went from being a UT Admissions Officer to college consultant can be found in the link: "When might I receive my UT-Austin major decision? Does UT have rolling admissions for freshman?" — Tex Admissions
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The cards were sent last cycle and the cycle before, it is just marketing.
If you want to talk “signs” of acceptance give it a few weeks and ask me about the topic “UT portal astrology.” Or search for it in the 2029 or 2028 CC official threads to pass the next 4 weeks.
We just saw the email too, so I’m guessing your hard copy is in the mail.
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Here too and after reading this I hope my daughter doesn’t want to go there. Sounds like housing is a clown show and they are extracting money from people because of how poorly they run it. Only 60% of freshman get a dorm. What do the other 40% do? Live on the street?
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It’s not -that- bad. Our D22 is OOS, was accepted quite early (in like Mid November / Thanksgiving time if memory serves) and we did not put down a housing deposit until she had been wait listed by UNC at end of January. She got University Dorm housing smoothly (and it was very convenient to her campus classes, Guadalupe strip, DKR Stadium and the Rec Center) her first year, and as a sophomore the following year. They do tend to send out - housing renewals quite early (for both University Housing and the UT associated private housing). But there are a large number of University Associated Private Housing apartments which are immediately adjacent to the Campus, especially on the west side. And what many need to put this into perspective is that the size of the UT Austin Campus (acreage not student numbers) is very compact compared to other large enrollment schools;
UT Austin: Approx 431 Acres (Main Campus) with 54k students
Purdue University: Approx 2,200 Acres (Main Campus) 52k Students
U Michigan: Approx 3,200 Acres with 50-52k Students
Texas A&M: Approx 5,500 Acres with 79k Students
Even UNC Chapel Hill has approx 760 acres with 30k total students (grad/UG)
Because the Campus is so compact even off campus housing options (of which there are a lot) are often comparatively much closer to all Campus facilities than they are for “on Campus” housing at other major schools.
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I’m a freshman and I live off-campus. It’s not bad and it’s much cheaper than the dorms. Many kids do it–I actually had the option to dorm and chose not to
Also, everyone who put their deposit down before late March last year got a dorm contract. There’s definitely no rush to do so before January unless you’re really gunning for a specific dorm, and even then I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Some of those who put the deposit down after then still got a supplemental contract.
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