For students applying to UT Austin
UT Austin Supplemental Essays for 2026–27
UT Austin's supplemental essays are one 500-to-650-word essay and two short answers of about 250 to 300 words. Paste your notes and get them drafted.
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UT Austin short answers · example
- Why your first-choice major · openingThe 1994 Ford Ranger in our driveway hadn't started since I was nine. Dad and I rebuilt it over two summers, and the day the engine turned over, I wanted to know exactly why it worked.
- Activity you're most proud of · openingWe lost our first five matches because our robot tipped over every time it turned. As drivetrain lead, I had to admit the problem was my design.
- Plan · one story per answerMajor answer: the 1994 Ford Ranger. Proud answer: the robot that kept tipping over. Essay: the bait shop, already written for the Common App.
What you'll get
UT Austin's two short answers and essay drafted from your notes
- A first-choice major answer built from experiences you've actually had
- A most-proud-of answer that goes deep on one activity, job or family duty
- Word counts on every answer, plus the optional circumstances answer when you need it
UT Austin's 2026–27 prompts
UT Austin's essay and short answer prompts
First-year applicants submit one essay and the two required short answers; the third answer is optional. The wording below is copied from UT's essays and short answers page.
| Prompt | Exact wording | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Essay (required) | 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. | 500 to 650 words; your Common App personal essay counts |
| Short answer 1 (required) | Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major? | Up to 40 lines, about 250 to 300 words |
| Short answer 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.) | Up to 40 lines, about 250 to 300 words |
| Short answer 3 (optional) | Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance. | 250 to 300 words |
UT's freshman page for the 2026–27 cycle links to these prompts and gives the 250 to 300 word limit for the optional answer. Checked October 6, 2026.
Before and after
Your notes in. UT's short answers out.
Corpus Christi. Rebuilt a 1994 Ford Ranger with my dad over two summers (engine, brakes, clutch), it hadn't run since I was 9. FTC robotics, drivetrain lead junior year. We lost our first 5 matches because the robot tipped on turns. My design, so I lowered the center of gravity and we made regionals. Weekends at my uncle's bait shop since 15, it opens at 5 am, I count the minnows. Want mechanical engineering at UT. Common App essay is about the bait shop.
Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major? (opening) The 1994 Ford Ranger in our driveway hadn't started since I was nine. Dad and I rebuilt it over two summers, and the day the engine turned over, I wanted to know exactly why it worked. Which one are you most proud of and why? (opening) We lost our first five matches because our robot tipped over every time it turned. As drivetrain lead, I had to admit the problem was my design. Over [how many] weekends I rebuilt it with a lower center of gravity. We made regionals, and the first time we turned at full speed there, [what happened].
The truck goes to the major answer, the robot to the proud answer, and the bait shop stays in the essay. Brackets mark what only the student knows.
Real examples
UT answers and essays from admitted students
The major answers come from students admitted to UT, shared by an independent Texas admissions counselor. The essay was published by Connecticut College, which admitted its writer, and shows what an any-topic essay can do. Read them for structure, not topics to borrow.
Seven first-choice major answers
Admitted students · Tex Admissions blog · posted 2025
Answers to the same major question UT asks this year, for business, computer science, engineering, advertising and biology. The computer science answer moves from cold emails in eighth grade to a research project, one step per paragraph.
Read the major answers at Tex AdmissionsCooking conjures up a worldview
Elle Yarborough · Connecticut College · Class of 2028
UT lets you write on any topic, and this essay shows how far one ordinary morning can go. A snow-day pancake made with a friend becomes a portrait of who she cooks for and why.
Read Elle Yarborough's essay at Connecticut College
Links checked October 6, 2026.
Why it works
What essays and short answers does UT Austin require for 2026–27?
UT Austin asks 2026–27 first-year applicants for one essay and two required short answers, plus an optional third. The essay can be on any topic and should run 500 to 650 words, and your Common App personal essay counts. Each short answer is capped at 40 lines, about 250 to 300 words: why your first-choice major, and the activity you are most proud of. Every prompt is quoted above from UT's essays page. If you reuse your Common App essay, the short answers are where UT hears something new.
River's UT Austin writer drafts the short answers, and the essay if you still need one, from whatever you paste: notes, a résumé or your Common App essay. The major answer ties real experiences to the major you chose, since UT says it considers you for that first-choice major during review. The proud answer goes deep on one activity instead of listing five. Every answer shows its word count, and any detail only you know becomes a bracket to fill.
You can apply with the Common App or ApplyTexas, and UT's FAQ says the choice won't affect your decision. Early Action closes October 15, with supplemental materials due October 22. The regular deadline is December 1, with materials by December 10. UT also asks for at least one official SAT or ACT score, per its freshman page. Once your answers are drafted, the college essay grader scores each one the way a reader would.
What lands in your doc
What's in your UT Austin answers
- A first-choice major answer built from two or three real experiences, in the order they happened
- A most-proud-of answer that goes deep on one activity, job or family responsibility
- The optional special circumstances answer, brief and factual, written only when your notes call for it
- A 500 to 650 word essay on any topic, if you don't have one yet
- Word counts on every answer, kept inside UT's 40-line, roughly 300-word short answer limit
- A list of brackets to fill and a check that the essay and answers never repeat
How it works
From your notes to UT's short answers
Paste your notes
Drop in your activities, a résumé or your Common App essay. Bullet points are completely fine.
Pick what to write
Draft both required short answers together, add the optional one, or write the essay.
Get every answer
Every draft appears in your doc with an exact word count and brackets for missing details.
Polish and submit
Fill the brackets, read the set aloud, then paste it into the Common App or ApplyTexas.
How to write UT Austin's short answers yourself
Start with the major answer, because UT reads it next to the major you picked. List two or three experiences that pulled you toward the field: a class, a job, a project or a problem at home. Put them in order and show what each one taught you about the actual work. UT's FAQ suggests choosing a first-choice major that matches your interests and strengths, not only a career plan, so let the answer show both.
For the activity you're most proud of, choose depth over prestige. UT's own guidance says the answer can cover a club, volunteering, a job or a family responsibility. Pick one, open on a specific moment, then explain why it makes you proud: what you built, fixed or kept going when it got hard. A paragraph about walking your cousins home from school every afternoon can say more than a list of officer titles.
Save the optional special circumstances answer for something real that affected your grades, such as an illness, a move or long work hours. State the facts briefly and say what changed afterward. Then read your essay and short answers together and cut any story that appears twice. If a detail matters to two answers, keep it in the one where it does more work. Keep each short answer inside 40 lines and close to 250 to 300 words, and read everything aloud once before you hit submit. Also applying to Illinois? See Illinois' 2026–27 prompts.
Questions applicants ask
Common questions
How many essays does UT Austin require?
One essay and two short answers. The essay can be on any topic and should be 500 to 650 words, and your Common App personal essay meets that requirement. The two required short answers ask why you chose your first-choice major and which activity you are most proud of. A third, optional answer covers special circumstances, per UT's essays page.
Can I use my Common App essay for UT Austin?
Yes. UT says the Common App personal essay completes its essay requirement, and you don't need to send any other Common App essays because UT reviews only what it requires. If you apply through ApplyTexas instead, you can submit an essay with the application or upload it later through MyStatus, UT's applicant portal. Still need an essay? The college essay writer drafts one from your notes.
How long are UT Austin short answers?
Each short answer is limited to 40 lines, which UT describes as about 250 to 300 words, usually one paragraph. Aim for that range and make sure the whole answer fits before you submit. The optional special circumstances answer has the same 250 to 300 word limit on UT's freshman page. Both required answers must be complete before the application will submit.
Should I answer UT's optional special circumstances prompt?
Only if something real affected your grades, such as an illness, a family move or heavy work hours. UT asks for background on events that may have affected your high school academic performance, so keep it factual: what happened, when, and what changed afterward. UT says optional items are not required for admission consideration, so leave it blank if nothing applies.
When are UT Austin's 2026–27 deadlines?
Early Action applications are due October 15, with supplemental materials by October 22. The regular deadline is December 1, with materials by December 10. Early Action applicants get a decision or a deferral by January 15, 2027, and everyone else hears by February 15, 2027, per UT's freshman page. Early Action at UT is not binding.
Should I apply to UT with the Common App or ApplyTexas?
Either one works. UT encourages summer and fall applicants to use the Common App, but its FAQ says it has no preference and your choice will not affect your decision. Submit only one application. The short answers are part of both applications, and you must finish them before you can submit.
Does the UT Austin essay writer cost anything?
Not to start. River's Free plan needs no credit card and includes AI usage every month. Your UT answers are saved in your own River workspace, so you can grade them, rewrite a sentence or compare versions later. Run out and it simply waits for next month's reset, or you can move to a paid plan from $14 a month, listed on the pricing page.
Your next step
More for your application
Show UT why this major fits you
Paste your notes, résumé or Common App essay. River drafts UT's short answers inside UT's limits.