UT Austin Supplemental Essays 2026–27: Prompts & Tips

Applicants to University of Texas at Austin face a workload of three short-answer essays totalling about 900 words [1]. This guide covers the core short-answer prompts that every applicant must submit. The university may also require additional, program-specific essays depending on the college or honours programme you select.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION 1 (REQUIRED): Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major? Please limit your response to 250-300 words. (300 words)

What this prompt is really asking: The admissions committee is evaluating your "fit-to-major", looking for concrete evidence that your academic interests align with the specific program you selected. Because the university admits heavily based on major capacity, they need to see that your trajectory and past experiences directly support your first choice rather than a generic desire to attend the school.

A strong approach:

• Connect past to future: Detail how a specific class, independent project, or internship sparked your interest, and explain how the major builds on that foundation.
• Name specific resources: Identify the exact labs, upper-division electives, or professors within your chosen college that will help you reach your career goals.
• Show intellectual curiosity: Mention questions you want to answer or problems you want to solve, proving you have explored the field beyond a surface level.
• Be aggressively specific: Keep the focus tight on the major itself instead of general college aspirations, ensuring every sentence proves your readiness for this specific coursework.

Most common mistakes:

• Picking a major strategically: Attempting to game the system by applying to an "easier" major with the intent to transfer later usually backfires because your background will not align.
• Summarising your resume: Listing every related club or award wastes the word count; pick one or two deeply impactful experiences that prove your dedication.
• Writing about Austin: Focusing on the city's live music or tech scene ignores the core question, which is strictly about your academic fit for the curriculum.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION 2 (REQUIRED): Think of all the activities, both in and outside of school, that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are… (300 words)

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION 2 (REQUIRED): Think of all the activities, both in and outside of school, that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are you most proud of and why? (Guidance for students: This can include an extracurricular activity, a club/organization, volunteer activity, work or a family responsibility.) Please limit your response to 250-300 words.

What this prompt is really asking: This is an invitation to reveal what matters most to you by examining a single commitment in depth. The university wants to see the personal stakes behind your involvement, measuring the impact you made and the growth you experienced rather than the prestige of the title.

A strong approach:

• Choose depth over breadth: Focus on one specific activity, resisting the urge to group several related commitments together or list multiple achievements.
• Spotlight the why: Spend the majority of your words explaining the internal motivations and emotional resonance of the activity rather than just the mechanics of what you did.
• Highlight tangible impact: Describe a specific moment where your involvement changed an outcome, whether that was guiding a robotics team through a crisis or managing a tough shift at work.
• Vary your application: Select an experience that contrasts with or adds a new dimension to the academic focus you presented in the first short answer.

Most common mistakes:

• Repeating the Common App: Simply expanding on the description from your activities list fails to add the required layer of personal reflection.
• Focusing on the organisation: Spending too much time explaining how a club operates leaves too little space to discuss your personal role and growth.
• Choosing what sounds impressive: Picking a prestigious but superficial role over a deeply meaningful family responsibility or part-time job often results in a hollow essay.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION 3 (OPTIONAL): Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance. If your response to… (300 words)

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION 3 (OPTIONAL): Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance. If your response to this question is similar to one of the Common App Personal Essays, feel free to simply copy and paste the important parts of your essay here. Please limit your response to 250-300 words.

What this prompt is really asking: This space is strictly for providing context to your transcript. Admissions officers use this to understand any anomalies, such as a sudden dip in grades or a lack of specific coursework, ensuring they evaluate your academic record with all the facts.

A strong approach:

• Be direct and factual: State the challenge clearly without being overly dramatic, focusing on the timeline and the concrete effects it had on your studies.
• Focus on recovery: Detail the steps you took to overcome the obstacle, showing resilience and a proactive approach to managing your education.
• Provide missing context: Use this to explain scheduling conflicts, health emergencies, family responsibilities, or school limitations that are not obvious from your transcript.

Most common mistakes:

• Treating it as required: Filling this space when your academic record is steady and you faced no significant disruptions will only waste the reader's time.
• Making excuses: Blaming teachers or refusing to take accountability for a poor grade reflects poorly on your maturity and readiness for college coursework.
• Recycling a non-academic essay: Pasting a personal statement that does not directly address an impact on your academic performance ignores the prompt's specific requirement.

Program-specific essays

These prompts only appear for students who select specific majors, honours programmes, or colleges within their application. If you are not applying to the programme listed in bold, you will not write that essay.

• For the Robotics program: "ROBOTICS PROGRAM INTEREST (REQUIRED) Why are you interested in robotics? How will this undergraduate robotics program help you achieve your personal and/or career goals? What impact do you hope to make in the field of robotics? Please limit your response to 500 words."
• For Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences: "HONORS IN ADVANCED HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SCIENCES HONORS (HAHF) PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION NOTE: You will also be required to submit a résumé (attach your résumé in the Activities section) and one letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher which you can upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Self-report any AP or IB scores you may have taken or plan to take on your résumé. In the Human Development and Family Sciences department, we examine individual and family development from infancy to old age, with a focus on how social, community, cultural, and policy contexts may shape development. Why have you chosen to apply to the HAHF Honors Program? What makes you a good fit? Please limit your response to no more than 500 words."
• For Honors in Advanced Human Development and Family Sciences (ApplyTexas variant): "HONORS IN ADVANCED HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SCIENCES HONORS (HAHF) PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION NOTE: You will also be required to submit a résumé and one letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher via MyStatus after you submit your ApplyTexas application. Self-report any AP or IB scores you may have taken or plan to take on your résumé. What knowledge, skills, or experiences do you hope to gain through participation in HAHF Honors, including its research opportunities? How do you hope it will support your academic and professional goals? Please limit your response to no more than 500 words."
• For Cockrell-McCombs B.S./M.S. Honors: "COCKRELL-McCOMBS B.S./M.S. HONORS ESSAY QUESTION The Cockrell-McCombs BS/MS Honors Program is a unique program that integrates engineering and business education from the start. The program provides the fundamentals of engineering and business to develop the leaders needed to ensure economic growth and national security. Why do you see this as a combination of skills that would help you achieve your career goals? Please limit your response to no more than 500 words."
• For Texas Honors Computer Science and Business: "TEXAS HONORS COMPUTER SCIENCE AND BUSINESS (TEXAS CSB) PROGRAM NOTE: To be considered for Texas CSB, students must choose Business and Computer Science for their first and second choice majors. Either major may be listed first, students are encouraged to always list their most preferred major first. You will also be required to submit a résumé (attach your résumé in the Activities section) and one letter of recommendation from an academic source (teacher, professor) which you can upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Texas CSB is an innovative dual degree program looking for students who are dedicated to both computer science and business. Why do you see this as a powerful combination of skills for your career goals? What have you done in high school to prepare you for computer science and business course work? Please limit your response to no more than 500 words. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Texas CSB website for additional requirements to complete their application."
• For Turing Scholars: "TURING SCHOLARS ESSAY QUESTION NOTE: You will also be required to submit a résumé (attach your résumé in the Activities section) and one letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher which you can upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Self-report any AP or IB scores you may have taken or plan to take on your résumé. Describe your significant activities, employment, and achievements, particularly those relevant to the study of computer science. Also describe your educational and career goals. Please limit your response to no more than 500 words."
• For Honors Electrical and Computer Engineering and Business: "HONORS ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS (ECB) PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION NOTE: To be considered for Honors ECE & Business, students must choose Business and Electrical and Computer Engineering for their first and second choice majors. Either major may be listed first, students are encouraged to always list their most preferred major first. You will also be required to submit a résumé (attach your résumé in the Activities section) and one letter of recommendation from an academic source (teacher, professor) which you can upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Texas Honors Electrical and Computer Engineering and Business (Texas ECB) is a powerful dual degree program looking for students who are dedicated to both an electrical and computer engineering and business honors education. Why do you see this as a combination of skills for your career goals? What have you done in high school, in the classroom and outside, to prepare you for honors engineering and business course work? Please limit your response to no more than 500 words. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Texas ECB website for additional requirements to complete their application."
• For Electrical and Computer Engineering Honors: "ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ECE) HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION NOTE: You will also be required to submit a résumé (attach your résumé in the Activities section) and one letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher which you can upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Self-report any AP or IB scores you may have taken or plan to take on your résumé. Describe your significant activities, employment, and achievements, particularly those relevant to the study of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Also describe your educational and career goals. Please limit your response to no more than 500 words."
• For Natural Sciences Honors: "NATURAL SCIENCES HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION Each of the three CNS Honors Programs has a distinct profile. Why are you a good fit for the Dean’s Scholars, Health Science Scholars, or Polymathic Scholars program? How will you contribute to that community? Please limit your response to no more than 350 words"
• For the School of Nursing: "NURSING SHORT ANSWER QUESTION (REQUIRED): Discuss the factors that have influenced your motivation and deep desire to pursue a career in Nursing. Please include any activities and/or life experiences that are related. Please limit your response to 250-300 words."
• For Canfield Business Honors: "CANFIELD BUSINESS HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION REQUIREMENTS : In addition to this essay, you will also be required to submit a résumé (attach your résumé in the Activities section) and one letter of recommendation from an academic source (teacher, professor) which you can upload via your MyStatus account after you submit your Common Application. By answering this short-answer question, you also acknowledge that you have read the Business Honors Program honor code and promise to subscribe to and defend it. ACKNOWLEDGMENT: I understand that my résumé and other application materials may be shared, for review purposes, with external reviewers like faculty and alumni who are not employed by The University of Texas at Austin. Teamwork and community are pillars of the Canfield Business Honors Program. When reviewing your resume, is there a particular aspect that reflects these values? Tell us more about this experience and how you will bring these values to Canfield Business Honors. Limit your response to 300 words."
• For Liberal Arts Honors or Plan II Honors: "LIBERAL ARTS HONORS PROGRAM AND/OR PLAN II HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION #2 Note: You will also be required to submit a résumé which you can submit with this application (attach your résumé in the Activities section) or upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Help us get to know you better. Please write five sentences (numbered 1 to 5) that give us some insight into you, your life, your interests and your experiences. There are no right answers: feel free to be creative and think outside the box."
• For Liberal Arts Honors (First Question): "LIBERAL ARTS HONOR PROGRAM ESSAY QUESTION #1 Note: First-choice selection of a Liberal Arts major is strongly encouraged. You will also be required to submit a résumé which you can submit with this application (attach it to the Activities section) or upload via MyStatus after you submit your Common Application. Prospective students cite many reasons for pursuing education in the liberal arts, and we would like to know why you want to do so. In 250 words or less, tell us why you want to study the liberal arts. Consider (but don’t feel obligated to answer all) questions like: Why should anyone study liberal arts at all? Why does the world need the liberal arts? What does your liberal arts degree get you? What will you do with your liberal arts education?"
• For Residency evaluation: "General Comments: Is there any additional information that you believe your college should know in evaluating your eligibility to be classified as a resident? If so, please provide it here"