How to get into Huston-Tillotson University
How to get into Huston-Tillotson: the historic Austin HBCU with rolling admission and a clear public-mission identity
39.1%
Acceptance rate
$26,709
In-state cost
What makes Huston-Tillotson University admissions different
Huston-Tillotson University is the oldest institution of higher education in Austin, a small private HBCU (~1,000 undergrads) located on the east side of downtown. HT is rolling-admission, test-optional, fee-free, and admits with a friendlier-than-headline math for students who meet the published academic minimums. The school's strongest programs are Education, Business Administration, Biology, and Kinesiology, and the W.E.B. Du Bois Honors Program is the academic home for the strongest admits.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply via Common App or the HT online application. The fee is waived and the school accepts rolling admission, but earlier applicants get first crack at housing and aid.
- 2.
Submit your high school transcript and one letter of recommendation. A 2.5+ unweighted GPA in college-prep coursework is the practical floor for admission; the W.E.B. Du Bois Honors Program looks for 3.5+ GPA and SAT 1100+ / ACT 22+.
- 3.
File the FAFSA (HT federal school code 003577). HT's posted cost of attendance is mid-range but the net price after Pell, institutional aid, and external HBCU scholarship sources can be near zero for Pell-eligible students.
- 4.
If applying for the Du Bois Honors Program, submit the supplemental application and the additional essay — Honors students get scholarship priority, an Honors thesis track, and access to study-abroad funding.
- 5.
If you are an Austin-area resident, leverage the school's local community-engagement programs (CSAFE, the Sandra Joy Anderson Community Health Center) in your supplement — HT explicitly recruits students who want urban civic engagement.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Treating HT as 'open admission' and waiting until July. HT does admit late but housing fills earlier and scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis.
- ✕
Skipping the Du Bois Honors application. Honors is the funded path through HT and the application is short.
- ✕
Not filing the FAFSA. Cost is the most important variable at a school whose sticker price is modest and whose institutional aid is meaningful only for filers.
The specifics for Huston-Tillotson University
Application deadlines
- PriorityMarch 1, 2026Drives housing and merit-aid consideration
- Du Bois HonorsMarch 1, 2026Supplemental application required
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Austin's oldest higher-ed institution ↗
HT is the oldest institution of higher education in Austin (founded 1875 through the merger of two earlier schools), the only HBCU in Central Texas, and the only private HBCU in the city.
W.E.B. Du Bois Honors Program
Selective honors track with scholarship priority, Honors-stamped seminars, study-abroad funding, and McNair Scholars pipeline preparation.
Urban-mission civic engagement
Strong integration with Austin civic programs through CSAFE (Center for Sustainability and Environmental Justice), the Sandra Joy Anderson Community Health Center, and east-Austin community-engagement partnerships.
Notable scholarships at Huston-Tillotson University
UNCF and Thurgood Marshall scholarships
HT participates in HBCU-wide scholarship pipelines that stack with institutional aid.
President's Scholarship
Awarded to top admits based on academic profile through the standard application.
What graduates actually do
Huston-Tillotson, Austin's only HBCU and the city's oldest institution of higher education (founded 1875), has produced a distinctive lineage of Texas Black educators, ministers, and civil rights figures. Alumni are concentrated in Austin-area education, social services, public health, and ministry, and the university has been a hub for civil rights organizing in Central Texas.
Notable alumni
- Azie Taylor Morton — 36th Treasurer of the United States
- Volma Overton — Civil rights leader, Austin NAACP president
Transfer pathway
Huston-Tillotson maintains a formal articulation agreement with Austin Community College, allowing AA/AS graduates to transfer with junior standing and most general-education credits applied. The university also welcomes transfers from other Texas community colleges and accepts up to 66 lower-division credits.
Articulation partners
Austin Community College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
HT is one of the friendliest selective HBCUs for borderline applicants who present a clear college-prep curriculum, a teacher recommendation, and a written interest in the school's urban-mission identity. Students with a 2.3-2.5 GPA who demonstrate growth in junior and senior years are routinely admitted through Provisional Admission with academic support requirements.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.