Study in Houston, The United States

About Houston

Houston is a large city in southeast Texas and, in the words of the University of Houston-Downtown, "America's fourth-largest city". Its universities reflect the city's economy: the University of Houston-Clear Lake was created to train professionals for the space programme, and it also teaches courses at the Texas Medical Center.

For an international student, Houston offers a wide choice of public and private universities, an intensive English programme on a university campus and a diverse, English-speaking city.

Studying in Houston

Our directory lists seven schools in Houston: five universities, one English language school and one international school.

• Rice University is a private research university on a 300-acre campus. It filed its state charter in 1891 and opened in 1912. It has 4,776 undergraduates and 4,104 graduate students, with an undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of just under 6 to 1, and schools of architecture, business, engineering and computing, humanities, music, natural sciences and social sciences.
• Texas Southern University, founded in 1927, is one of the largest historically Black universities in the United States. It has more than 8,400 students on a 150-acre campus and offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programmes in ten colleges and schools, including the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
• The University of Houston-Downtown, open since 1974, offers bachelor's degrees in 47 areas of study and 12 master's degrees aimed at career preparation, with an 18-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.
• The University of Houston-Clear Lake opened in 1974 near NASA's spaceflight centre. It has more than 7,770 students and over 90 degree programmes on a 524-acre campus in a nature preserve, with courses also at Pearland and the Texas Medical Center.
• The University of St. Thomas has been Houston's Catholic university since 1947. Its 33-acre campus is in the Montrose area, and its students come from 51 countries.

To learn English before a degree, the University of Houston Language and Culture Center has taught intensive English to international students since 1975 and says that more than 27,000 students have studied there. For younger students, The Village School, part of Nord Anglia Education, offers day schooling and five- and seven-day boarding.

Student visa and academic year

International students usually need an F student visa, which covers study at an accredited college or university or at an English language institute. After admission, the school's international student office sends a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes), which you present when you apply for the visa. According to EducationUSA, the academic year typically runs from September to May, and international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Cost of living for students

Costs vary widely between private and public universities. At Rice, College Navigator gives $64,144 in tuition and fees and $18,100 for food and housing on campus for 2024-25. Texas Southern University lists undergraduate out-of-state tuition and fees of $23,984 a year, the rate that applies to students from outside Texas. The University of Houston-Downtown states that it has the lowest tuition of any public university in Houston. Check each school's current cost of attendance before you budget.

Public transport is cheap. A local bus or METRORail ride costs $1.25, and college students with a RideMETRO Discount Fare Card ride for half price, according to METRO.

Getting around and daily life

METRO runs Houston's local buses, the METRORail light rail and Park & Ride commuter buses, whose fares range from $2 to $4.50 depending on the zone. Houston has two main airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

The climate is warm and humid. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Houston's Intercontinental Airport give an average of 53.8 °F (about 12 °C) in January and 85.1 °F (about 29.5 °C) in July. The University of St. Thomas campus mixes historic houses and modern buildings in the city's arts district, and the University of Houston-Downtown sits in the centre of the city.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Houston?

Our directory lists Rice University, Texas Southern University, the University of Houston-Downtown, the University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University of St. Thomas.

Can I learn English in Houston before starting a degree?

Yes. The University of Houston Language and Culture Center has offered intensive English for international students since 1975, including for students who plan to study at a U.S. university.

How much does a year at university in Houston cost?

It depends on the school. For 2024-25, Rice charged $64,144 in tuition and fees, while Texas Southern University lists $23,984 a year for out-of-state undergraduates, before housing and food.

Is there a student discount on public transport?

Yes. College students with a RideMETRO Discount Fare Card pay half the regular fare on local buses, METRORail and Park & Ride buses.