Austin College

PREPARING GRADUATES THROUGH ACTIVE LEARNING!

Austin College is a private, residential, co-educational college dedicated to educating undergraduate students in the liberal arts and sciences, with selected professional and pre-professional programs. Founded by the Presbyterian Church in 1849, Austin College continues its relationship with the church. It is committed to a heritage that values personal growth, justice, community, and service. An Austin College education emphasizes academic excellence, intellectual and personal integrity, and participation in community life. Thus, Austin College affirms the importance of:

• A community that through its size, diversity, and programs fosters lively intellectual and social interaction among persons of different origins, experiences, beliefs, accomplishments, and goals.

• A program that does not discriminate with regard to religion or creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, age, or economic status.

• A faculty that acknowledges teaching, sustained by an active commitment to professional growth and development, as its primary responsibility.

• A student body of committed learners, actively involved in the programs of the college and in service to the greater community.

• A climate of civility and respect that encourages free inquiry and the open expression of ideas.

• A non-sectarian education that fosters the exploration and development of values through an awareness of the world’s religious, philosophical, and cultural traditions.

The mission of Austin College is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences in order to prepare them for rewarding careers and for full, engaged, and meaningful lives.

A Community of Active Leaders:

• 9 of every 10 Austin College students volunteer, and each year, our students contribute over 16,000 service hours annually—a 2023 value of $508,800 each year.
• TEDxAustinCollege offers leadership and event production experience, presenting ideas worth sharing around the globe
• Students in our Environmental Studies Program have been leading field trips for area elementary schoolers since 2002 at the Sneed Environmental Research Area, hosting 37 schools and 11,600 students through hands-on lessons about prairie restoration. 1,100 Austin College students, faculty, and staff have contributed to the restoration effort. In 2020, the Sneed Prairie Restoration project won a prestigious Texas Environmental Excellence Award in the Education category from TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality).

General Facts:

• Founded in 1849, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas under its original charter
• North of Dallas 100-acre environmentally green campus
• 1,138 students from 24 states, 14 countries, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
• 11:1 student to faculty ratio, average class size of 16
• 7% of the student body represent ethnic minorities; 25.4% are Hispanic. 27.8% of our students are first-generation college students, and 29.3% are Pell-eligible
• NCAA Division III athletics involve more than 32% of the student body in 14 varsity teams
• The Austin College Teaching Program has students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and teaching certification in 4.5-years
• In partnership with Austin College, Texas Tech University offers a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication & Innovation with classes on the Austin College campus.
• Austin College gets 100% of its electricity from wind energy, and our greenhouse gas emissions have declined 44% since 2008, despite a growing campus.

Recognition:

• Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change The Way You Think About Colleges
• Forbes: America’s Top Colleges
• Money Magazine: Best Colleges in America 2023
• The Princeton Review: Best 389 Colleges
• U.S. News & World Report: Top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges; top 40 in Best Value, top 50 colleges for Social Mobility
• Wall Street Journal: Top Colleges in Texas

In addition to your transcripts, supplemental application materials including those listed below may be required.

• Recommended Minimum GPA: 3.0
• English language requirements
• TOEFL: 80 minimum, 100 recommended
• IELTS: 6.5 minimum
• Duolingo English Test: 110 minimum
• Personal Essay or Writing Sample: Required
• Certificate of Finance: Required
• Additional admissions documents may be required upon request

*Austin conducts a holistic review of each application, taking into account academic, personal, and co-curricular factors when reaching admission decisions.

For additional information on admission requirements, kindly contact our admissions counsellor!