University of Houston

Houston, TX · founded 1927 · 47,000 students · public research university · Big 12 Conference

Known for: A major public research university and member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), celebrated for its law center, business school, and engineering programs, as well as its diverse student body and strong ties to the energy industry.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #184
QS World: #651
Times Higher Education: #601

Top programmes

Law (especially Health Law, Intellectual Property)
Business (Bauer College)
Engineering
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Optometry
Creative Writing

Notable alumni

Jim Parsons — Actor, known for 'The Big Bang Theory'
Randy Quaid — Actor
Liz Murray — Motivational speaker, subject of film 'Homeless to Harvard'
Larry McMurtry — Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 'Lonesome Dove'
Kenny Rogers — Country music icon
Carl Lewis — Olympic track and field legend
Hakeem Olajuwon — NBA Hall of Famer
Elvin Hayes — NBA Hall of Famer

Traditions

Frontier Fiesta (student-run festival)
Homecoming and the 'Cage' rally
The Cougar Walk (football team entrance)
Shasta's Birthday Celebration

If University of Houston were…

As a food: Houston's Viet-Cajun crawfish — A fusion born from the city's incredible diversity that works better than it has any right to—UH is where Vietnamese immigrants' kids study engineering alongside third-generation Tejanos and Nigerian pre-meds, all thrivi
As an athlete: Hakeem Olajuwon — Literally a UH alum who became an NBA legend, representing the university's ability to take hungry, diverse talent and develop it into excellence. Phi Slama Jama put Houston on the map; the university keeps that underdog
As a person alive today: Jim Parsons — UH theater grad who became a household name, embodying the school's ethos that you don't need coastal pedigree to make it big—just talent, work ethic, and the grit that comes from navigating a massive commuter campus in
As a historical figure: Sam Houston — Namesake of the city, pragmatic frontier leader who built something functional and enduring rather than elegant—UH serves the sprawling, diverse, working city with the same roll-up-your-sleeves practicality that won Texa
As a movie or TV show: Friday Night Lights (TV series) — Texas grit, diverse characters grinding toward something better, deep community ties despite not being the fanciest program in the state. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose—that's UH's commuter-student-to-professional p
As a US president: Bill Clinton — Scrappy, charming, built a coalition from incredibly diverse constituencies, and turned a non-elite background into serious political muscle. UH's rise to R1 status mirrors that trajectory—underestimated, then undeniable
As a city: Houston — It literally is Houston—sprawling, diverse, hot, unpretentious, car-dependent, economically powerful, where people from everywhere come to work hard and build something without asking permission from old-money gatekeeper
As an element: Aluminum — Abundant, versatile, essential to modern industry (aerospace, construction, energy), and way more useful than precious metals for actually building things. UH produces the engineers and professionals who keep Houston—and
As a car: 2017 Honda Accord LX — Houston's commuter-heavy diversity demands reliable urban pragmatism—a vehicle that navigates 610 traffic and strip-mall parking with equal competence, affordable enough for working students juggling jobs and classes. It

Campus life

A vibrant, diverse, and urban campus with a strong commuter base but growing residential life. Social scene includes a robust Greek system, over 400 student organizations, and intense school spirit around Cougar athletics, especially football and basketball.