University of Notre Dame
圣母大学- Tier 2
- Notre Dame, IN
- Need-blind for intl
- Data last checked 2026-10
University of Notre Dame admits about 9% of first-year applicants. The middle 50% SAT range is 1460–1550, and the GPA reference is 3.80 (Unweighted 4.0 scale, 25th percentile). Optional for the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry); SAT / ACT required again from the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry). Applying for financial aid does not affect admission for international students. A year costs about $91,986 (2026-27).
Admit rate by applicant pool
At the same school, admit rates can differ a lot depending on who is applying.
Source: Fall 2025 · CDS
Flagship Majors and Admit Data
| Major | Admit rate | vs overall | One-liner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendoza College of Business★ Flagship | ≈ overall 9% | ≈ overall | |
| College of Engineering★ Flagship | ≈ overall 9% | ≈ overall | |
| Arts & Letters★ Flagship | ≈ overall 9% | ≈ overall | |
| Science Pre-Professional | ≈ overall 9% | ≈ overall |
Where no official major admit rate is published, difficulty is estimated from the school's public information.
US applicants
- Overall admit rate
- 9%. The actual number for the domestic pool (which holds most seats) is roughly aligned with the official figure.
- Financial aid / FAFSA
- Need-blind for US undergraduates; FAFSA aid applications don't affect admission for domestic families.
- Privates have no in-state preference
- Domestic applications don't differentiate by state, but schools care about state representation (over-concentrated areas face competitive squeeze).
- Test policy
- Optional for the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry); SAT / ACT required again from the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry). Official policy ›
- Application timing
- ED/EA deadlines early November, RD January. Domestic families typically begin college visits at the end of 11th grade.
International (F-1) applicants
- International friendliness 2 / 3
- Normal international pool (most schools), admit rate 30-60% lower than domestic
- Need-blind for international
- ✓ Yes — applying for aid doesn't affect admission (only a handful of US colleges)
Cost per year
Published cost of attendance for 2026-27 (tuition, housing, food, books and fees): about $91,986.
This is the published sticker price; what a family actually pays depends on financial aid and scholarships.
Waitlist
| Cycle | Accepted a waitlist spot | Admitted from waitlist | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | 1,475 | 54 | 3.7% |
| Fall 2024 | 1,385 | 42 | 3.0% |
| Fall 2023 | 1,811 | 90 | 5.0% |
- Extra materials
- You may send a letter of continued interest or updates
- Confirming your spot
- Confirm your spot on the waitlist on your applicant status page; upload your letter of continued interest and any updates together, once, by April 15
- When you'll hear
- Rolling offers begin later in the spring, with final decisions by mid-June
- Other rules
- Extra recommendation letters are not encouraged
Numbers are from the school's Common Data Set (section C2), checked 2026-10. They can change a lot from year to year; the school's latest release is authoritative. Official waitlist policy ›
Already on a waitlist? The Application Rescue Kit lays out the timeline and real cost of four paths: waitlist, gap year, transfer and spring admission ›Transfer
Fall transfer, Fall 2025: 1,541 applied and 262 were admitted (about 17%).
Are popular majors open to external transfers?
- Computer scienceLimitedComputer science is in the College of Engineering; transfers apply to a specific major and need Calculus I and II, Chemistry I, Physics I, writing and other courses; the school names computer science as one of the popular majors with "very limited" spots; admitted students average a GPA of 3.75+.
- EngineeringLimitedThe College of Engineering admits into specific majors, and you generally cannot switch majors after admission; mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering are "traditionally not open to transfer students."
- BusinessLimitedThe Mendoza College of Business accepts sophomore or junior transfers and is very selective; you need calculus and principles of microeconomics; the school names finance and business analytics as having very limited spots.
University of Notre Dame · US College Application Deep Read · Chinese-American Lens
In the Chinese-American US college application pool, University of Notre Dame sits in the Elite-select private (high-pressure layer for Chinese-American families) layer. Overall admit rate is 9%, with traditional strength in Business / Liberal Arts / Pre-Med, and Mendoza College of Business as the entry that Chinese-American families track most.
University of Notre Dame is need-blind for international applicants — requesting aid does NOT affect admission, intl-friendliness 2/3. Hardware bar: GPA 25th 3.80/4.0, SAT mid-range 1460-1550, AP expectation 7 courses. Only half of admission is on the numbers — the other half is EC depth, essays, and recommendations. Test scores are a ticket, not a verdict.
If you or a parent is evaluating whether University of Notre Dame is a reach, match, or safety in this US college application cycle, the "I have 4.0 / 1500, can I get in?" question is not answerable from public forums alone — real judgment requires layering this season's admissions policy, your high-school competitive density, within-major selectivity, and ED/EA timing into one model. At the elite-select tier, EA vs ED choice can shift admit probability by 1-2 tiers; lock the call before September. The Kaiso engine assigns University of Notre Dame to a tier based on your real profile, and every judgment is auditable.
What parents ask about University of Notre Dame
What is University of Notre Dame's undergraduate admit rate?
University of Notre Dame (圣母大学) overall undergraduate admit rate is about 9% (private or public). SAT mid-range (25-75 percentile) 1460-1550. GPA threshold reference 3.80 (Unweighted 4.0 scale, 25th percentile). Data last verified 2026-10.
Does University of Notre Dame require the SAT or ACT?
Optional for the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry); SAT / ACT required again from the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry).
What early rounds does University of Notre Dame offer?
2026-27 cycle: REA due Nov 1, RD due Jan 4. Restrictive early action: you can't apply early to other private schools at the same time.
What are University of Notre Dame's admit rates for in-state, out-of-state and international applicants?
International applicants 4.3%. Source: Fall 2025 · CDS.
How much does a year at University of Notre Dame cost?
Published cost of attendance for 2026-27 (tuition, housing, food, books and fees): about $91,986. This is the published sticker price; what a family actually pays depends on financial aid and scholarships.
How hard is it to transfer into University of Notre Dame?
Fall transfer, Fall 2025: 1,541 applied and 262 were admitted (about 17%).
How many students get in from University of Notre Dame's waitlist?
Fall 2025: 1,475 accepted a waitlist spot and 54 were admitted (about 3.7%); Fall 2024: 1,385 accepted a waitlist spot and 42 were admitted (about 3.0%); Fall 2023: 1,811 accepted a waitlist spot and 90 were admitted (about 5.0%). These numbers can change a lot from year to year; the school's latest release is authoritative.
What are University of Notre Dame's flagship majors?
University of Notre Dame flagship majors: Mendoza College of Business, College of Engineering, Arts & Letters. 本科商学院全美前十，会计/金融 feeder
Is University of Notre Dame friendly to international (F1) applicants?
University of Notre Dame is need-blind for international students — applying for financial aid does not affect admission. Only a handful of US colleges do this. International friendliness 2/3.