“Texas A&M System R2 research university in Stephenville”
Tarleton State University is a public research university in Stephenville, Texas, established in 1899 through a $100,000 bequest from Erath County pioneer John Tarleton. Originally founded as John Tarleton College, the institution joined the Texas A&M University System in 1917 as one of its founding members and was renamed Tarleton State University when the Texas Legislature granted it university status in 1973. Today Tarleton enrolls more than 18,000 students drawn from roughly 229 Texas counties, 47 U.S. states, and 32 countries, with nearly 140 degree programs distributed across eight academic colleges — including the newly established College of Leadership and Military Studies. Academic life at Tarleton spans eight colleges: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Graduate Studies, Health Sciences and Human Services, Liberal and Fine Arts, Science and Technology, and Leadership and Military Studies. Agriculture is central to the Tarleton identity — the university operates a research dairy, a working ranch, and the Southwest Regional Dairy Center — and the College of Business is AACSB-accredited. The College of Health Sciences and Human Services houses nursing (BSN), social work, and a growing medical laboratory science program that anchors the summer international intake. Tarleton is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) with a deep commitment to first-generation students, and average class sizes hover around 22 — a feature the institution has preserved even as enrollment has grown rapidly. Tarleton's 754-acre main campus sits in Stephenville — a quintessential Texan college town 70 miles southwest of Fort Worth — and the university also delivers classes in Fort Worth, Waco, and Bryan, plus a robust online platform. The Texans compete in NCAA Division I athletics (recently elevated from Division II) in the United Athletic Conference, and the Division I FCS football program placed 6th nationally in the final 2025 polls. For international students, Tarleton's acceptance rate is 94%, tuition is assessed at the non-resident (out-of-state) rate (roughly $18,000/year in tuition alone), and the International Services & Programs office provides immigration advising, mandatory new-international-student orientation, and support through graduation.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Test Required — All applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official SourceFall (International)
Earlier international deadline than domestic; allow at least 60 days for international document processing.
Spring (International)
International freshmen must have a complete file by November 1.
Summer (International)
Summer intake limited, primarily Medical Laboratory Science majors.
Fall (Domestic)
Priority consideration date; rolling review after.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$8,302
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$18,142
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Tarleton's historical core: operates the Southwest Regional Dairy Center, a working ranch, and offers strong animal science, agribusiness, horticulture, and wildlife programs; central to the university's identity.
AACSB-accredited business college serving students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, and online; strong programs in accounting, finance, management, and supply chain management.
Home to BSN nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Social Work, and Kinesiology; partnerships with Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health, and regional health systems for clinical rotations.
Hosts computer science, engineering, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and geosciences — including several STEM-designated programs that support the 24-month OPT extension.
One of the largest teacher-preparation programs in Texas, offering undergraduate and graduate pathways including doctoral programs in educational leadership.
Tarleton's eighth and newest academic college, established to serve military-affiliated students; offers leadership and military studies degrees with a strong ROTC presence.
Three-year hands-on curriculum blending classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences to prepare practice-ready clinicians.
Hands-on biology degree preparing students for careers in science, health, and environmental fields.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $18,142
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
