The University of Texas in the city of Austin is a public college and research facility. It opened in 1883 near the state capitol building, and has gone on to become one of the nation’s leading public universities. It’s recognized as one of the eight “Public Ivy” institutions. 

More than 50,000 students are enrolled here, making this one of the best-attended universities in the nation when satellite campuses are ignored. Beyond its strong reputation for academic research and high enrollment, the University of Texas is also well-known in the college sports arena and has one of the most successful athletic programs in the nation.

Student Life
The University of Texas campus has 14 residence halls, with room for more than 7,000 students to live on campus. Students are encouraged to get involved with on-campus activities, with more than a thousand student-led organizations available. 

The first fraternity opened in 1883, and the Greek system is still a major component of student life. Roughly 10 percent of the student population is involved in a total of 57 fraternity and sorority chapters. 

Off campus, the city of Austin has blossomed into one of the United States’ “it” cities. The parks, cafés and live-music clubs in Austin are outstanding, and they attract a eclectic group artists and musicians.  

Diversity
The University of Texas isn’t diverse as some of its counterparts, but it does have a strong contingent of Hispanic and Asian-American students. International students make up about five percent of the student body. Many come from South Korea, though more than a hundred countries are represented in all.

International Student and Scholar Services looks after these international students and visitors scholars, providing them with resources to understand and integrate with the host culture. Academic advisors are also prepared to help international students navigate the complex laws and regulations that apply to non-residents. 

Academic Programs & Resources
The top undergraduate majors at the University of Texas are business, psychology and biological sciences. Opposite this, most graduate students are enrolled in business administration, pharmacy or electrical and computer engineering. The university’s accounting and communications programs are also highly regarded.

Classroom size certainly varies but can quite large at the introductory level. As with most public universities, professors lecture in large halls before teaching assistants address specific questions or concerns in laboratories or discussion groups. Graduate students enjoy a higher level of access to the university’s leading professors.  

Faculty & Staff
The university employs more than 2,700 faculty members – roughly one for every 17 students. Dozens of professors are members of the National Academy and have been honored recipients of the Pulitzer Prizes, National Medals and prestigious Nobel Prizes.

The University of Texas is a prolific research facility, responsible for hundreds of patents and new technologies over the years. Today’s resident researchers are making great strides in new energy development, especially in the area of biofuels, renewable power and carbon dioxide storage. This sort of up-to-the-minute relevance attracts greater numbers of graduate students and assistant researchers each year.

Safety, Health & Wellness
As with any university of this size, world-class sport and leisure facilities are available to students. The administration also promotes regular wellness initiatives to encourage better overall health. 

Safety is a high priority on campus. SURE Walk offers escorts from the library to the residence halls, while UTPD provides late-night escorts and quick response to blue-light emergency phones across campus.

Student healthcare is provided through University Health Services. The general clinic is open Monday through Friday, while the emergency clinic operates on weekends and Mondays. The cost of healthcare and pharmaceuticals is subsidized through tuition, but insurance is still important in case of critical emergencies, which are transferred off campus.


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