AUSTIN, Texas — After nearly a month into its fall semester, the University of Texas at Austin has reached record high applications, enrollments and graduation numbers.
According to UT, first-year student applications went up by more than 10% from 2023-2024, with more than 72,000 applicants this year and roughly 9,200 students in the current class.
Enrollment increased by 1.5%, with freshman retention rates reaching a new record of 96.7%.
The university said housing costs are also less expensive this year, in part thanks to its housing scholarship program, which was first introduced in 2023. This funding focuses on students from low and middle-income backgrounds.
UT Austin president Jay Hartzell said demand for the university is at an all-time high, "And once students arrive, they are performing better than ever, graduating sooner, taking on less debt, launching their careers and creating more room for additional students to come and be part of this community."
While more students are enrolling in the university, a higher percentage are also completing their higher education.
From 2013 to 2024, four-year graduation rates rose from roughly 52% to 74.8% total, including growth among students eligible for Pell grants, as well as Black, Hispanic and first-generation undergraduates.
Out of all undergraduate and graduate Longhorns, Hispanic students make up 25.5% of the population, while 22.4% are Asian and 5.4% are Black.
The average net school fees decreased by roughly 29% this year compared to 2020. This is especially beneficial for students able to receive Pell grants, including those who use the UT for Me program.
The university says it complied these numbers on the 12th day of the 2024 fall semester.
