Austin, the capital of the Lone Star State of Texas, is one of the most popular student cities in the USA. Austin is widely associated with its “Keep Austin Weird” spirit and its long-standing reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. When night falls, the streets, music venues, and entertainment districts become vibrant with students and young professionals looking for places to unwind.
Austin has continued to grow quickly. According to the latest city-reported Census Bureau estimate, Austin passed one million residents in 2025 and is now the 12th-most populous city in the United States. The city is also home to a large higher education community, including the University of Texas at Austin, which enrolled 55,000 students in Fall 2025.
If this interests you, we have prepared a list of affordable universities in Austin where you can study your chosen programs!
Affordable Schools in Austin for International Students
1. National American University
National American University is an online university offering flexible undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and diploma programs. Through its Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security, NAU offers strategic-security-related programs online, including a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Security and Protection Management, a Master of Science in Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies, and counterterrorism certificates.
Students in these programs study topics such as strategic security, intelligence, terrorism and counterterrorism, criminal justice, and protection management. In addition to Henley-Putnam programs, the university offers online undergraduate programs in areas such as business, accounting, technology, healthcare management, legal studies, and information technology.
2. University of Texas at Austin
Since 1883, the University of Texas at Austin has been one of the largest and most influential higher education providers in the Lone Star State. It enrolled 55,000 students in Fall 2025, including 44,314 undergraduates and 10,686 graduate students, and had 4,693 faculty members.
The University of Texas at Austin’s work is organized across 18 colleges and schools. It offers 156 undergraduate degree programs and many graduate options. In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, UT Austin was ranked No. 7 among public universities nationally and No. 30 overall.
3. Huston-Tillotson University
This higher education provider began as Huston-Tillotson College in 1952. It was formed following the merger of Samuel Huston College and Tillotson College. Since its inception, the school has been affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church. Huston-Tillotson College became Huston-Tillotson University in 2005.
Huston-Tillotson University is a faith-based HBCU in downtown Austin. It provides liberal arts and STEM education through certifications, associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees. Current undergraduate areas include biology, business administration, communication, computer science, criminal justice, education, environmental studies, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, psychology, and more. It also offers a hybrid MBA with a concentration in management.
4. Concordia University of Texas
Founded in 1926, Concordia University Texas is a private liberal arts university in Austin aligned with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The university offers traditional undergraduate, online undergraduate, nursing, and graduate options, with online undergraduate tuition charged per credit hour.
International students may consider this affordable university in Austin for its faith-informed liberal arts approach, Austin location, and programs delivered through traditional, online, and professional pathways. Its published 2026-2027 traditional undergraduate tuition is $25,900 for the academic year, with separate estimates for housing, food, books, supplies, personal expenses, and health insurance.
5. Texas Health and Science University
Texas Health and Science University is a specialized university in Austin with programs in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Its accredited program is the Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization, not a bachelor’s program. The program is designed to be completed in ten trimesters, or about 3.5 years, and includes 900 hours of clinical experience.
Its Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization requires 155 credits for graduation. Students must also meet admissions and graduation requirements, including 60 prior college credits for admission and a minimum 2.5 GPA for graduation. In addition to tuition, international students should check current admissions and student-account instructions for required fees, transcript evaluation, and I-20-related steps.
6. St. Edward’s University
Founded in 1885 by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St. Edward’s University is a private Catholic university in Austin, Texas. Its community includes students from many parts of the United States and abroad, with 63 countries and 37 states represented.
Although undergraduate tuition is high compared with some other schools on this list, St. Edward’s University reports that scholarships and grants reduced the average tuition paid by first-year students to $12,708 during the 2024-2025 academic year. The university automatically considers most applicants for merit scholarships, and first-year merit awards range from $14,000 to $30,000 annually.
St. Edward’s offers undergraduate programs such as Photography and Media Arts and Video Game Development, along with many other majors, minors, certificates, and graduate programs.
In the article above, we highlighted undergraduate tuition rates and selected programs at six affordable universities in Austin. Of all candidates, the University of Texas at Austin provides especially transparent tuition information through Texas One Stop. Students should compare tuition, fees, housing, financial aid, program fit, and visa requirements directly with each institution before applying.
Hopefully, this article on affordable universities in Austin, Texas, was insightful. If you are interested in studying abroad, specifically in the United States, check out our Study in the USA and the Available Programs for International Students!
