Start the Next Stage of Your Life

A beginning freshman student is an applicant who:

• recently graduated or soon will graduate from high school OR
• recently graduated or soon will graduate from high school and has completed transferable college credit while in high school OR
• is not a recent high school graduate or received a GED but has completed less than 12 transferable credit hours

Completed more than 12 transferable credit hours? Go to transfer students admission instructions.

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• Steps to Apply for Admission as a Freshman

  Step 1: Complete the Online Application for SHSU

  Complete an online application and pay the $50 non-refundable application fee.

  Alternatively, you may pay later by mailing a check (address below) or pay through the SHSU Self Service Center.

  Qualifying students may submit an application fee waiver request to SHSU Office of Admissions via mail at below address or email admissions@shsu.edu. Applicants must include the required supporting documents to request a fee waiver:

  • ACT Waiver Form or;
  • College Board Waiver Form or;
  • Letter from H.S. Counselor or Principal

  Mailing address:

  SHSU Admissions Office
  Box 2418
  Huntsville TX 77341-2418

  Step 2: Submit Your Transcripts

  Contact your high school to send an official transcript to SHSU.

  • Mail an official high school transcript to:
    Sam Houston State University
    Admissions Office
    Box 2418
    Huntsville TX 77341-2418
  • Or ask your high school to send an electronic official transcript to Sam Houston State University (code: 003606).
  • If transcripts are from a school outside of the U.S., the document must be translated and evaluated by a NACES accredited service or SDR Educational Consultants. International high school transcript evaluations must include a GPA on a U.S. 4.00 scale.
  • Please note that SHSU does not accept fax or emailed transcripts.

  Step 3: Submit Your Test Scores (Optional)

  Contact the appropriate testing agency to request an electronic submission of your test score be sent to SHSU.

  • Send SAT scores to school code 6643 for SHSU.
  • Send ACT scores to school code 4162 for SHSU.
• Automatic Admission for Freshmen

  Automatic Admission is granted when eligible prospective freshmen are in the Top 10% of their high school graduating class in one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which they are applying for admission with one of the following diploma types:

  • (HB5) Distinguished Achievement
  • (UAS) Distinguished

  Automatic Admission is granted when eligible prospective freshmen graduate high school with one of the following diploma types:

  • (HB5)* Foundations with Endorsement(s)
  • (HB5) Distinguished Achievement
  • (UAS) Recommended
  • (UAS) Distinguished
  • Or equivalent

  AND meet the requirements on the chart below (requirements are based on a 4.0 scale).

  • High School GPA Range	with Test score
    	ACT	SAT
    3.5 +	17	930
    3.0 - 3.49	19	1010
    2.5 - 2.99	22	1110
    2.25 - 2.49	25	1210
    2.24 & below	considered by holistic review

  
  

  • High School GPA Range	without Test Score
    	(Test Optional)
    3.5 +	Automatic Admission
    3.0 - 3.49
    2.5 - 2.99	considered by holistic review
    2.25 - 2.49
    2.24 & below

  
  

  If GPA and/or test scores do not fall within the ranges listed on the above table, applications will receive holistic review. Holistic review decisions are final.

  Students automatically admitted into SHSU still need to submit test scores to be considered for certain scholarships.

  The requirements summarized in the above table are for Texas high school students on the Recommended (UAS), Distinguished (UAS), Foundations with Endorsement(s) (HB5)*, or Distinguished Achievement (HB5) plans. Applicants from private schools or home schools must have an equivalent diploma type, and home school transcripts must be notarized. Graduates of a non-accredited high school and students who earned the GED must meet the requirements listed in the SHSU Undergraduate Catalog (catalog.shsu.edu).

  *The Endorsement earned must be noted on the transcript provided.

• Dual Credit

  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has a program implemented in Texas High schools for juniors and seniors to be able to enroll in college courses, through a local community college the high school has the agreement with, and receive academic credit for the high school course as well as college credit. This gives an opportunity for incoming freshman students to start their college career with college credits already.

  With dual credit, incoming freshman will have the allotted credits added to their college transcript, and it will appear as transfer credits. These courses will factor into their transfer GPA on their academic record. Once they start to take courses at Sam Houston State University, they will have a Transfer GPA and a SHSU GPA that will be combined together to give their Overall GPA.

  If a student wishes to retake the courses they originally received as dual credit, they are able to, and Sam Houston will report the highest grade received on their transcript.

  For more information on Dual Credit, you can find it on The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

• Scholarship Opportunities

  Visit our financial aid website to learn how to complete the FAFSA and to complete the Scholarship4Kats Application. You must be accepted to SHSU in order to complete a Scholarship4Kats application. Most scholarships available to fall applicants have an application priority deadline of November 1 with recipient selections through February.

• What Are the Application Deadlines
  • Fall: August 1
  • Spring: December 1
  • Summer: May 15