The University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington or UTA) is a state university located in Arlington, Texas. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily as a military academy during the early 20th century. After several decades in the Texas A&M University System, the institution joined The University of Texas System in 1965. In the fall of 2014, UTA reached a student population of nearly 35,000, a gain of 65% from autumn 2001, and is the second-largest institution within the UT System. UTA is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a "High Research Activity" institution and named one of the fastest growing public research universities in the nation.