UT Austin ACT: Average Scores, Ranges, and What You Need to Know

The average composite ACT score at UT Austin is 31, placing it well above the national average of around 19.5, which reflects the school's commitment to academic excellence. With a middle 50% range stretching from 27 to 33, UT Austin is moderately selective, meaning you will face meaningful competition but the school does consider applicants with a broader range of test scores than ultra-elite universities. The fact that students with a 27 ACT can gain admission shows that a strong ACT score alone is not the determining factor in your acceptance, though scoring higher within this range certainly helps your chances.

A good ACT score for UT Austin typically means aiming for at least the middle range, which is 27 to 33. However, it is crucial to understand that a high ACT score does not guarantee your admission to UT Austin. Many applicants with scores of 32 or even 33 are rejected each year because UT Austin evaluates you as a complete person through a holistic process. Your essays, extracurricular activities, leadership experiences, letters of recommendation, and how you have challenged yourself academically all play significant roles in the decision. The school is particularly interested in how you align with UT Austin's core values of learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility.

While there is no official hard minimum, you should aim for at least a 27 to have a realistic chance of being competitively considered if you are applying from outside Texas or if you are not in the top 6% of your Texas high school class. Scoring below 27 would put you well below the 25th percentile of admitted students, and an ACT score in the low 20s would make acceptance significantly more challenging unless you have truly exceptional strengths elsewhere in your application. That said, UT Austin states it conducts an individualized holistic review, so if your ACT is lower but you have other meaningful accomplishments, do not discount your chances completely. However, be realistic about the uphill battle if your score falls notably below their typical range.

UT Austin will require all applicants for Fall 2025 to submit either an SAT or ACT score as part of their undergraduate application. The university reinstated this requirement after four years of test-optional admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants must submit official test scores directly from the testing agency by the application deadline. The ACT writing section is optional, meaning you do not need to take or submit the writing portion. This represents a significant change from recent years, so verify you understand the current requirement before submitting your application.

UT Austin does not employ a superscoring method for the ACT, which means the school will not combine your best individual section scores from different test dates to create a higher composite. Instead, UT Austin considers the strongest single composite score from any one test date that you submit. You can and should submit all your ACT scores to show your testing history, and the admissions committee will use your best overall composite. This policy differs from schools that superscore, so you cannot improve your Math score on one test date and your English score on another and have those combined together.

Understanding how UT Austin evaluates your ACT score requires recognizing that standardized testing is just one component of a much broader holistic admissions review. The university uses test scores to confirm academic readiness and to match students with appropriate majors and support programs, but your score does not make the case for admission on its own. Your high school transcript, the rigor of your coursework, your GPA, essays, letters of recommendation, and demonstrated character all carry significant weight. Even applicants with a 33 ACT can be rejected because admissions officers are looking for students who will thrive at UT Austin and contribute meaningfully to the campus community. The test score helps prove you can handle the academic demands, but it does not reveal who you are as a person or what you will bring to campus.

At a selective public university like UT Austin, having a competitive ACT score actually narrows down the applicant pool rather than setting you apart from other high-scoring applicants. Admissions officers focus on what makes you distinctive as a student and person. They want to understand your values, what drives your curiosity, what obstacles you have overcome, and how you will enrich the UT Austin community. Your ACT score signals that you have the intellectual capability to succeed in UT Austin's rigorous programs, but the rest of your application demonstrates whether you truly deserve one of the limited spots available in a class of thousands of qualified applicants. This is why students with a 29 or 30 ACT sometimes gain admission while students with a 33 are denied, because the admissions team is evaluating the full person, not just the test score.

AdmitStudio users who have found success at top colleges often approach their applications as a single, cohesive story, not a checklist of impressive achievements. Rather than treating essays, activities, and recommendations as separate pieces, they focus on presenting themselves as a clear, memorable individual with defined values, motivations, and strengths. Their essays help admissions officers understand why they pursued certain activities, how their experiences shaped them, and what kind of person they would be on campus. This clarity makes it easier for readers to grasp who the applicant is within just a few minutes of review.

AdmitStudio users who are successful also tend to use their essays to connect and reinforce the rest of their application, not repeat it. The essay highlights a few core traits, such as curiosity, leadership, resilience, or initiative, while the activities list and recommendations quietly support those same traits with evidence. By aligning every part of the application around a consistent narrative, these students stand out not because they try to be extraordinary, but because they are specific, authentic, and intentional. Admissions officers come away with a strong sense of the applicant's identity and how they would uniquely contribute to the university community.