Princeton University
普林斯顿- Tier 1
- Princeton, NJ
- Need-blind for intl
- Data last checked 2026-10
Princeton University admits about 4% of first-year applicants. The middle 50% SAT range is 1500–1560, and the GPA reference is 3.90 (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 $94,624 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Research & Financial Engineering (ORFE)★ Flagship | ≈ overall 4% | ≈ overall | |
| Computer Science (BSE/AB)★ Flagship | ≈ overall 4% | ≈ overall | |
| Mathematics★ Flagship | ≈ overall 4% | ≈ overall |
Where no official major admit rate is published, difficulty is estimated from the school's public information.
US applicants
- Overall admit rate
- 4%. 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 3 / 3
- High international ratio (15%+), relatively friendly
- 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 $94,624.
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 | 1,086 | 36 | 3.3% |
| Fall 2024 | 1,396 | 40 | 2.9% |
| Fall 2023 | 1,032 | 52 | 5.0% |
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: 2,274 applied and 42 were admitted (about 1.8%).
Princeton University · US College Application Deep Read · Chinese-American Lens
In the Chinese-American US college application pool, Princeton University sits in the Top-tier private (US Top 15) layer. Overall admit rate is 4.4%, with traditional strength in Liberal Arts / Economics / Research, and Operations Research & Financial Engineering (ORFE) as the entry that Chinese-American families track most.
Princeton University is need-blind for international applicants — requesting aid does NOT affect admission, intl-friendliness 3/3. Hardware bar: GPA 25th 3.90/4.0, SAT mid-range 1500-1560, AP expectation 8 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 Princeton University 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. Top 15 privates lean heavily on ED — if this school is on your long list, ED-candidate confirmation should start by end of 11th grade. The Kaiso engine assigns Princeton University to a tier based on your real profile, and every judgment is auditable.
What parents ask about Princeton University
What is Princeton University's undergraduate admit rate?
Princeton University (普林斯顿) overall undergraduate admit rate is about 4% (private or public). SAT mid-range (25-75 percentile) 1500-1560. GPA threshold reference 3.90 (Unweighted 4.0 scale, 25th percentile). Data last verified 2026-10.
Does Princeton University 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 Princeton University offer?
2026-27 cycle: SCEA due Nov 1, RD due Jan 1. Restrictive early action: you can't apply early to other private schools at the same time.
What are Princeton University's admit rates for in-state, out-of-state and international applicants?
International applicants 2.3%. Source: Fall 2025 · CDS.
How much does a year at Princeton University cost?
Published cost of attendance for 2026-27 (tuition, housing, food, books and fees): about $94,624. This is the published sticker price; what a family actually pays depends on financial aid and scholarships.
How hard is it to transfer into Princeton University?
Fall transfer, Fall 2025: 2,274 applied and 42 were admitted (about 1.8%).
How many students get in from Princeton University's waitlist?
Fall 2025: 1,086 accepted a waitlist spot and 36 were admitted (about 3.3%); Fall 2024: 1,396 accepted a waitlist spot and 40 were admitted (about 2.9%); Fall 2023: 1,032 accepted a waitlist spot and 52 were admitted (about 5.0%). These numbers can change a lot from year to year; the school's latest release is authoritative.
What are Princeton University's flagship majors?
Princeton University flagship majors: Operations Research & Financial Engineering (ORFE), Computer Science (BSE/AB), Mathematics. 量化金融/对冲基金 pipeline，录取后再选
Is Princeton University friendly to international (F1) applicants?
Princeton University is need-blind for international students — applying for financial aid does not affect admission. Only a handful of US colleges do this. International friendliness 3/3.