The University of Houston (UH) was founded in 1927 and is located in Houston, the largest city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest institution in the University of Texas System and serves as the flagship university of the University of Houston System. It is a public research university with a 667-acre campus, 16 colleges, and a current enrollment of over 46,000 students, making it one of the largest universities in the Houston area. It was the first university in Texas to be designated as an “R1—Highest Level of Research Activity” institution.
Global Rankings and Academic Strengths
The University of Houston ranked #132 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities rankings (up 12 spots from 2025) and 8th in Texas. It ranked #651–660 in the 2025 QS World University Rankings and #401–500 in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings, 19 programs at the University of Houston Law Center ranked in the top 50 nationally. The part-time law program ranked 5th in the U.S., healthcare law ranked 9th, and intellectual property law ranked 7th. The flagship UH Cullen School of Engineering ranks 8th in the U.S. for Petroleum Engineering and 34th for Chemical Engineering, with Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Computer Engineering also ranking among the top in the nation; the flagship business school is also highly renowned nationwide, with programs such as Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, and Business Analytics all performing exceptionally well.
The top five most popular majors among students are, in order: Business, Computer and Information Science, Psychology, Engineering, and Biological and Biomedical Sciences.
Application Requirements and Admission Difficulty
UH is an international student-friendly university with an admission rate of approximately 66%–70%, making it a moderately selective institution. The average high school GPA of admitted students is 3.73, with average SAT scores ranging from 1150 to 1330 and average ACT scores from 23 to 28. While SAT or ACT scores are not mandatory, submitting them increases the likelihood of admission. International students must achieve a TOEFL score of 79 or higher, or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for international students at UH is very affordable. The average tuition and fees for international undergraduates are $45,970 (including room and board), with total costs averaging approximately $47,000—significantly lower than many private universities in the U.S. In 2025, The Princeton Review ranked it as one of the Best Value Colleges in the U.S. Sixty-four percent of international students receive need-based financial aid, with an average net cost of approximately $13,900, and the university offers a wide range of on-campus scholarships and merit-based grants.
Graduate Employment Prospects
Engineering and business majors command higher salaries. Located in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., the University of Houston offers students a unique advantage in employment due to its close ties to energy, healthcare, aerospace, and technology companies in the surrounding area. 72% of graduates secure employment. Major employers include Amazon, ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, Baker Hughes, and NASA. The average starting salary for graduates is $36,427, and the average salary after five years is $63,161. The Steps to Getting Into an American University Diploma
Steps to Obtain Your Degree
Submit an international student application and pay the application fee. The application fee for international students applying through the Common App or ApplyTexas is $90. After admission, complete the major and major-specific courses provided by the university (meeting the required credits) and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Submit a graduation application. After review by the department office, the Registrar’s Office will issue the degree certificate. The physical certificate will be mailed to the address listed in the myUH system within 6–8 weeks of issuance.
