Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Please keep your essay between 500–650 words (typically two to three paragraphs).
The Common App personal essay will complete the UT Austin essay requirement.
Spring 2025 Essays
All freshman Spring 2025 applicants must submit Topic A in ApplyTexas.
Please keep your essay between 500–700 words (typically two to three paragraphs).
Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?
You can submit your essays:
*Students do not need to submit other Common App essays. We’ll only review what is required.
Submit the required short answers to prompts in your admission application. Answers are limited to no more than 40 lines, or about 250–300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph.
Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.
Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.
You can submit your short answers with either your Common App or Apply Texas application. Short answer responses must be completed in order to submit your application.
Transfer applicants must submit one essay responding to Topic A. Applicants to the School of Architecture are required to upload Topic D in addition to Topic A.
The statement of purpose will provide an opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances that you feel could add value to your application. You may also want to explain unique aspects of your academic background or valued experiences you may have had that relate to your academic discipline. The statement of purpose is not meant to be a listing of accomplishments in high school/college or a record of your participation in school-related activities. Rather, this is your opportunity to address the admission committee directly and to let us know more about you as an individual, in a manner that your transcripts and the other application information cannot convey.
Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study, describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?
You can submit your essays: