A member institution of The University of Texas System, the University of Texas - Arlington, was founded in 1895 as Arlington College. Since then, it has grown into a public, coeducational school that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. With its 400-acre in central Arlington, the University of Texas - Arlington also has a 20-acre campus in Fort Worth.

As of autumn 2005, the university had over 25,000 students - from 150 different countries - enrolled. Of the student body, 11.9 percent are international students, and over 30 percent are non-white. Thanks to this diversity, the University of Texas - Arlington more than 240 student organizations that represent a variety of social, cultural, academic, religious, and professional interests.

The university also has the Center for Multicultural Cooperation, which aims to foster the recruitment, retention, and matriculation of minority students. Members of the student body regularly volunteer for the center, by making presentations at local schools and encouraging students to stay in school.