On June 25, the UT Board of Trustees approved updated admissions requirements to the in-state guaranteed admission policy that will be applicable to the Fall 2025 first-year class.
Tennessee high school residents attending a high school in Tennessee who apply by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s early action deadlines and meet the following criteria will be offered guaranteed admission to UT:
- Score a 24+ ACT composite (SAT 1160+) with both a 19+ Math ACT subscore (510+ SAT Math) AND 19+ English ACT subscore (500+ SAT (ER + W)) AND
- Achieve one of the following:
- Earn a 4.0+ UT Core GPA
- Be among the Top 10% of their high school graduating class
The highest subscore in each subject area for any tests received or self-reported will be used in application review.
In order to qualify for Guaranteed Admission, students must submit an application by November 1 and complete their application by self-reporting high school grades and ACT/SAT scores by November 15. We encourage you to refer to the ACT score releases to guide your test submission and the timeline for scores to be released.
High school counselors must provide Top 10% information to UT no later than November 15 for students to be eligible for this policy. Tennessee high school counselors can provide this information in the High School Counselor Portal via Slate.org on the Top 10% tab. High school counselors can review information on creating an account or logging in by visiting our High School Counselors resources page.
We know you probably have a lot of questions about this policy change, so we’ve answered a few below!
I don’t meet the criteria for Guaranteed Admission, how does this impact my chances of being admitted?
Don’t worry—UT still has a holistic review process in place so all students are reviewed for admission even if they don’t meet guaranteed admissions criteria. In fact, we are reviewing and enhancing our holistic review process to enable greater access to a UT degree!
We currently have a competitive but holistic admissions process where we look at every part of your application, weigh your experience and preparation in academic areas, and the following factors:
- Rigor of your high school curriculum
- Difficulty of senior-level coursework
- College and academic program
- Standardized test scores
- Extracurricular or leadership activities
- Jobs and volunteer experience
- Awards
- Special talents or skills
- Optional supporting statement
- Optional letter(s) of recommendation
How will I know if I am in the Top 10% of my graduating class?
The Top 10% is determined based on your 6th semester grades (spring semester of your junior year) via information provided by an official school representative, such as your high school college guidance counselor. We’ve contacted all Tennessee high schools to provide details on how counselors and administrators can submit Top 10% information so you don’t have to!