With about 42,000 undergraduate students, the University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest schools in the country. But despite its size, UT-Austin is known for its strong sense of community, a vibrant alumni network and — of course — the Longhorns football program.
The university offers more than 170 undergraduate degrees across 13 colleges, including its School of Architecture, McCombs School of Business and Moody College of Communication. It’s also a top school in terms of affordability, with an average annual cost around $20,000. Through UT’s Longhorn Fixed Tuition program, first-time undergrads can lock in a fixed tuition rate for four consecutive academic years.
It may be easy to feel like a small calf in a giant corral at UT, but students find their niche by joining some of the more than 1,000 organizations on campus. Plus, attending UT gains students entry into an alumni community known as Texas Exes, which numbers roughly 110,000. Notable alumni include Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Durant and Wes Anderson.
One of the biggest events of the year in college football is the Red River Rivalry when students and fans pack the Cotton Bowl — half in burnt orange and half in crimson — for the annual showdown against the University of Oklahoma Sooners during the Texas State Fair.
During downtime, students can hang out on the Drag — a lively stretch of Guadalupe Street lined with restaurants, cafés and the University Co-op bookstore. Thanks to UT’s central location, it’s easy to cool off in Barton Springs, paddle board on Lady Bird Lake or catch a concert in the "live music capital of the world.”
