Last Updated on October 1, 2026
Quick answer: The ApplyTexas application is the statewide online application for Texas public universities and many private and community colleges. It opens August 1, and deadlines vary by school, with UT Austin and Texas A&M both using December 1. It collects academic, residency, activity, and employment details, plus essays and school-specific short answers.
What Is the ApplyTexas Application?
News flash: not every college accepts the Common Application. While trying to add a Texas school, you might notice that it’s not there! For some colleges, you have choices about which application system you can use, and the ApplyTexas application might be one of the options.
ApplyTexas is another online college submission system specifically for certain Texas schools, similar to other platforms like the Common Application or Coalition Application. [1] As one of the biggest states in the country, Texas provides many higher education options, especially for its residents. As a result, ApplyTexas was created through collaborative efforts between the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the colleges and universities represented on that site. [2]
You might be familiar with top Texas schools such as UT Austin or Baylor, but ApplyTexas lets you apply to Texas public universities, many community colleges, and a number of private colleges with one application. [2] If you’re a proud Texan or you’re hoping to move to the Lone Star State, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the application so you know what to expect. So, what sets ApplyTexas apart from the Common Application or the Coalition Application? Here is a look, section by section, at the different sections that make up ApplyTexas.
ApplyTexas Application Deadlines and Participating Schools
ApplyTexas opens on August 1, and deadlines differ by school. UT Austin’s regular fall deadline is December 1, with an October 15 early action option, [3] and Texas A&M’s fall deadline is also December 1. [4] You can’t start your application without knowing if the schools on your list use the ApplyTexas portal in the first place. Below is a list of four-year colleges that have accepted ApplyTexas. Participation can change, and many of these schools also accept the Common App or their own application (Baylor, for example, prefers its own online app or the Common App), [5] so confirm each school’s options on its admissions site.
Colleges That Accept ApplyTexas
- Abilene Christian University
- Angelo State University
- Austin College
- Baylor University
- Concordia University
- Dallas Baptist University
- Hardin-Simmons University
- Houston Christian University
- Huston-Tillotson University
- Lamar University
- LeTourneau University
- McMurry University
- Midwestern State University
- Our Lady of the Lake University
- Prairie View A&M University
- Sam Houston State University
- Schreiner University
- Southern Methodist University
- Southwestern University
- St. Edward’s University
- St. Mary’s University
- Stephen F. Austin State University
- Sul Ross State University
- Tarleton State University
- Texas A&M University (at College Station, Laredo, San Antonio, Galveston, Central Texas, Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Texarkana)
- Texas Christian University
- Texas Lutheran University
- Texas Southern University
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- Texas Wesleyan University
- Texas Woman’s University
- Trinity University
- University of the Incarnate Word
- University of Dallas
- University of Houston
- University of North Texas
- University of St. Thomas
- University of Texas (at Austin, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, Tyler, Rio Grande Valley, Permian Basin)
- West Texas A&M University
If you’re applying to a school which also happens to use the Common App, it’ll be easier for you to keep all your schools under one portal if possible. But if you’re applying to multiple schools in the state of Texas, chances are, you’re going to have to use this state-specific application system.
Sections of the ApplyTexas Application
Like all college applications, there are some materials that you will need in order to get started. For the ApplyTexas app, these include:
- A copy of your high school transcript
- Your standardized test scores
- Your extracurricular activities
- Contact information for your guardians and guidance counselor
- Parent employment information
- A personal statement
- Letters of recommendation
ApplyTexas is divided into different sections, much like other application systems, which ask information about your background and interests. The sections are:
- Biographical information
- Educational background
- Educational information
- Test scores
- Residency information
- Extracurricular and volunteer activities
- Employment information
- School-specific questions
These sections help admissions officers learn more about the context in which you grew up, how you spend your time after school, what you hope to study, how to contact you in case they need to ask a clarifying question, and more. All of these components add up to a more holistic picture of you as an applicant. School should be able to use all of this data to understand your background and interests.
Biographical & Education Information
The ApplyTexas application requests all of the standard biographical and educational information, including your contact, school, and demographic details. Admissions officers use your answers to learn more about where you grew up, the resources your schools provided you with, and how you compare to your peers. There is no right or wrong answer to these questions – the schools simply want to understand your circumstances better.
You might notice that you’re asked to denote whether you plan to enroll in a pre-professional program. This is a great way to show your future goals so that colleges can understand your ambitions. If you have extracurriculars that align with your interest, that’s even better.
Texas-Specific Questions and Automatic Admission
ApplyTexas also asks some questions for Texans specifically. Since ApplyTexas was created for public universities in Texas, the residency section asks detailed questions about where you and your parents or guardians have lived and for how long, which help determine whether you qualify as a Texas resident.
If you’re confused about whether these apply to you or not due to an unusual case, ask your guidance counselor. As you can see, ApplyTexas asks very specific questions about residency. Like most public universities, Texas public universities set aside most of their seats for Texas residents. So if you are a resident, your chances of being admitted to a Texas university are much higher. Residents may also qualify for automatic admission.
Texas residents who rank in the top 10% of their graduating class qualify for automatic admission to Texas public universities. [4] UT Austin is the exception: it sets a lower threshold, currently the top 5% of your class, [6] and its admission requirements have changed in recent years. If you reach this threshold, congratulations! You can go through the college application process with much less stress, knowing that you are going somewhere.
Activities, Community Service, and Honors Sections
The ApplyTexas application organizes your activities differently than the Common App does. ApplyTexas splits extracurricular activities from community service, and it gives honors, awards, and talents a section of their own.
Take advantage of this setup. Say you’re a Girl Scout, and your extracurricular section is already crowded. Something like this could be categorized as community service. Be strategic in how you classify your activities and how you organize your activities list. Arrange the order in each section by impressiveness as well as importance to you.
Space to describe your involvement and impact in each entry is limited. Be very straightforward and use powerful language. If an extracurricular activity is very important to you, you can consider using one of your essays to elaborate further.
Employment Information
While the Common App asks you to describe work experience on the activities list, the ApplyTexas app has a completely separate employment section. However, you are not allowed to describe your job; you only input your employer, hours per week, and the dates that you worked. Admissions officers appreciate students who are responsible and hardworking, so carefully filling out this section can work very well in your favor.
Think carefully about what you characterize as a job. Is tutoring considered a job, or an extracurricular, or a volunteering experience? Because ApplyTexas has so many different categories, think critically about where each activity belongs. A good rule of thumb is that if you got paid for your work, no matter how limited, place this experience in the job section.
ApplyTexas Essays and Short Answers
Most Texas universities include custom questions – which is the ApplyTexas version of supplemental essays. These essays usually ask why you’ve chosen a certain major or how you hope to contribute to campus. Texas A&M asks several short answers, including why you chose your major and why Texas A&M, [4] while UT Austin asks two short answers of about 250 to 300 words each: why you chose your first-choice major and which activity you are most proud of. [7] Don’t set yourself up for a lot of last minute stress if you find out about extra requirements right before you submit!
Essay Prompts A, B, and C
While the Common Application requires a 650-word essay, ApplyTexas requirements vary. The prompts that are required depend entirely on the school. Texas A&M asks for an essay of up to 750 words on the Essay A prompt, [4] while UT Austin accepts an essay of 500 to 650 words on any topic you choose. [7] Each school sets its own length limit, so check the word count on every college’s admissions page before you write. The prompts are below:
Essay A: Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?
This essay prompt is similar to a personal statement you might write if you’re using the Common App or Coalition App. What are some things that admissions officers must know about you? Make sure you write a story that’s unique to you. The goal of this essay is to help make you memorable. Don’t write about a math test you scored well on (everyone’s had their fair share of solid test performances) or a person you admire (because they’re not you). The story you narrate should have a deep connection to you, since you’re the one who is applying to college. You could write about adversity that you’ve had to overcome such as an illness, loss of a family member, a natural disaster, etc.
You can also use this prompt to talk about your opportunities. Have you been able to engage in an activity most of your peers haven’t? Think hard about whether the topic truly separates you or not.
Essay B: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.
With this question, you have free reign. Since there is so little space to describe your activities, this could be a good place to expand on your most meaningful one. Talk about your activity, why it’s important to you, and how you developed that specific interest. The activity could be tied to the theme of your application, to highlight that you’re committed to what you’re interested in and have actively pursued it.
The prompt also mentions that you can talk about a part of your identity. This could be your ethnic background, culture, languages you speak, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic class, or even an unusual hobby that defines you – anything that you believe has played an essential role in who you are, how you think, and how you act. Make sure you go beyond just mentioning what the identity is. Talk about how it has shaped your perspective and why it is important to you.
Essay C: You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?
Writing this essay should be fun! Use your imagination; there are no limits. Wherever you choose to go, think critically about why and try to relate it back to your application. Having an overall theme of your application will help you get noticed in the college admissions process. The prompt doesn’t state that you have to go to a real place – so you can even include fictional locations. This question is a great way to show admissions officers how your mind works and what characteristics of a community you value. Don’t pick a common answer such as Antarctica or Hogwarts. Think carefully about why you’ve made the choice and what your personal connection to the place is.
While answering any of these prompts, it’s important to really SHOW who you are. Don’t just say, “I am a nice person;” show the admissions officers by describing situations when you were kind. Make sure you start ahead of time and have your friends, family, and teachers read your essays for edits. The more feedback, the better!
Applying for Scholarships Through ApplyTexas
The ApplyTexas app is unique because some schools let you apply for scholarships directly through it. Participating schools have included:
- Texas A&M University
- Texas Tech University
- UT Austin
- UT San Antonio
- UT Tyler
If your school isn’t on the scholarship drop down menu (which includes the schools in the list above), then check their website and follow directions from there. Again, make sure that you do individualized research for each school on your list! Scholarship deadlines differ at each one. Check each school’s financial aid site for its current scholarship deadline.
It may seem time consuming to have to fill out yet another application besides the Common App, but the ApplyTexas application is pretty similar. So if you’ve already done the Common App, filling out this one should be very straightforward. If you are a Texas resident, applying to a public Texas university could really help your chances of getting accepted. Texas offers various remarkable universities, just be aware that they use a different application system!
Get Expert Help With Your ApplyTexas Application
From organizing your activity lists and community service sections to tackling Essay A and the custom university prompts, InGenius Prep can help you present a clear, compelling narrative. Our counselors know exactly what Texas admissions offices look for and can help you maximize your chances at your top-choice schools.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Get a clear, honest read on which path actually fits your goals, and the specific next steps to build a competitive application. Click here to book your complimentary consultation.