Want to study in Texas? Part of the Deep South region, Texas is more than just rodeos, barbecues, country music and cowboys, with plenty to explore while you live and study here. Due to its large scale (itโs the second-biggest US state, after Alaska), Texas is a state of multitudes, from the liberal, eclectic state capital Austin to the socially conservative โBible Beltโ territory in the stateโs east. It also differs significantly in climate and geography depending on where you are. The east is swampy and forested, while the south-eastern Gulf Coast is tropical and often uncomfortably humid. There are mountainous deserts in the west and the snowy plains of Panhandle in the north.
In short, your experience of Texas will vary wildly depending on which of the top universities in Texas you study at. The area is likely to be of particular interest to anyone interested in working in the stateโs thriving energy industry after graduation. Largely due to Texasโs petroleum reserves which were discovered in the early 1900s, the energy industry has underpinned the economic growth of the state, helping other industries and the stateโs higher education system to develop in turn. Texas also has a strong standing in the technology, biomedical sciences and aerospace sectors.
Keep reading to find out more about the top universities in Texas, and the Texan cities where you could be spending your student years.
Top universities in Texas
University of Texas at Austin
If youโre interested in studying in Texas youโll find plenty of choice, including seven universities in Texas which feature in the QS World University Rankingsยฎ 2018. The highest-ranked is the University of Texas at Austin, placed 67th in the world, and itโs the flagship institution of the stateโs public university system. Boasting 17 libraries and seven museums, the university holds one of the countryโs largest research budgets, and is also the home of several renowned sports teams, known as the Texas Longhorns.
Another of the stateโs leading institutions is Rice University, ranked 89th in the world. A private research university, Rice University has an enrolment of just over 6,600 students. Itโs best known for its applied science programs and is situated on a 295-acre campus near the Houston Museum District.
Top universities in Texas, based on the QS World University Rankingsยฎ 2018:
University of Texas at Austin (ranked 67th in the world)
Rice University (89th)
Texas A&M University (joint 195th)
University of Texas at Dallas (421-430*)
University of Houston (601-650)
Southern Methodist University (701-750)
Texas Tech University (701-750)
Baylor University (801-1000)
*For information about ranking categories, and answers to other frequently asked questions, click here.
Top student cities in Texas
Dallas
Dallas
Once a global symbol of the entire US, thanks to the hit TV series with the cityโs name, Dallas is mostly known as the city of cowboys and cheerleaders. It canโt be summed up just by its stereotypes, however; Dallas also boasts the largest arts district in the US and some brilliant museums, as well as tourist-attracting memorials for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Home to the University of Texas at Dallas, as well as the Southern Methodist University, Dallas has a sizeable student population and has plenty to offer.
Houston
Home to another two of the top universities in Texas (Rice University and the University of Houston), Houston is the stateโs largest city and the fourth largest in the US. Simultaneously laid-back and high-powered, Houston offers a cultured city scene combined with popular celebrations such as week-long rodeos and barbeque cook-offs. Among our top Texan cities for students, Houston is the closest to the coast, and the famous Bay Area Houston is just a half-hour drive outside of the center. Houston was a new entry in the QS Best Student Cities in 2017 at 92nd.
Austin
State capital Austin is renowned for its eclectic community, with tattooed creatives and suited millionaires living in close proximity to each other. The locals revel in Austinโs so called weirdness โ youโll even see bumper stickers, t-shirts and other merchandise bearing the slogan โKeep Austin Weirdโ.
Local watering holes have a long-held performance culture, famous for launching the careers of the likes of Janis Joplin and Willie Nelson. Today, Austinโs lively music scene means that almost any night of the week you can go to a gig featuring music of almost any genre. The University of Texas at Austin, established just 44 years after the city itself was founded in 1839, continues to play a central role in the cityโs life and development.
Facts about Texas
Texas
Texas was the fifth most affordable US state for international students according to a 2017 report published by Finder.com. The average spend by Texasโ 82,184 international students was US$23,119 a year.
Population of 28.3 million, only beaten by California as the most populous state
Almost a third of Texasโs population is Spanish-speaking
The state has no official language, due to the variety of different tongues found here
The name Texas derives from a Caddo Indian word meaning allies, which is why the state motto is โfriendshipโ
The term “six flags over Texas” refers to the several nations that have ruled over the region
Texas has the second greatest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in the US, after California
The list of famous Texans is very impressive โ a few examples are former president George W. Bush, singers from Janice Joplin to Beyoncรฉ, actors Woody Harrelson and Renรฉe Zellweger, and comedian Steve Martin.
The stateโs Waggoner Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and, at 520,000 acres, is bigger than the entire country of Mauritius
There are nearly 250 cities in Texas with a population over 10,000, and 28 with populations over 100,000
Texan cattle, although in decline in the last few years, still number around 11 million
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