Undergraduate Enrollment

37,389

Points of Distinction

• In the top 50 of the U.S. News and World Report listing of national universities for 2008
• Honors programs include the nationally known multidisciplinary Plan II major
• Sixteen colleges and schools employ top faculty in their fields
• Baccalaureate through doctoral degree programs, plus special professional educational levels

The state’s flagship university attracts more than 37,000 undergraduates to its centrally located Austin campus. Although the University of Texas at Austin owns 350 acres throughout the capital city, the main campus sits just north of the Texas state capitol and is distinguished by the main building’s iconic Tower. Sixteen colleges and schools employ the top faculty in their fields and offer more than 125 undergraduate majors. Programs in the biological sciences, liberal arts, government, natural sciences, and business attract the most students. The university also has a number of distinct freshman honors programs, one of which is the highly selective and well-regarded Plan II, a rigorous multidisciplinary curriculum.

Given the university’s high enrollment, competition for spots in the 14 on-campus residence halls is stiff. Thanks to recent zoning changes in the nearby West Campus neighborhood, an explosion of multistory condominium development is providing some relief from the housing crunch.

Not all students can afford to live so close to campus, but it’s easy to see why so many want to. Among the University of Texas’s many jewels are the Blanton Museum of Art, with its prestigious Latin American collection, and the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, with its newly acquired materials of Tennessee Williams and John Steinbeck. Big 12 showdowns featuring the football team and men’s and women’s basketball teams take place within walking distance of the Tower.

Off-campus hangouts are more than plentiful. On the Drag (Guadalupe Street), across from campus, a constantly changing lineup of coffee shops, clothing stores, and casual eateries caters to students and the rest of the university community. Locally owned Kerbey Lane Cafe’s campus location serves breakfast around the clock as well as healthy lunches and dinners. Trudy’s Texas Star, just a few blocks north, serves memorable migas, enchilada plates, and drink specials. Across the street from Trudy’s is Spider House, a laid-back coffeehouse that attracts both students and locals. The legendary Cactus Cafe, in the Texas Union, hosts nationally known singer-songwriters, and students also find plenty of live music throughout the Sixth Street entertainment district.