University of Virginia Admissions: Everything You Want to and Need to Know
Overview of the University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research institution situated in Charlottesville, VA. The institution has a large selection of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for students to select from. Students are backed by a 15 to 1 student/faculty ratio, and professors take a personalized approach to the teaching and learning process. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations.
Enrollment
- Total Enrollment: 24,639 (16,777 undergraduates)
- Gender Breakdown: 45 percent male/55 percent female
- 95 percent full-time
Cost of Attendance Information
- Tuition and Fees: $17,891 (in-state); $50,920 (out-of-state)
- Books: $1,384
- Room and Board: $11,950
- Other Expenses: $2,962
- Total Cost: $34,187 (in-state); $67,216 (out-of-state)
Financial Aid Information
- Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 59 percent
- Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
- Grants: 37 percent
- Loans: 29 percent
- Average Amount of Aid
- Grants: $19,211
- Loans: $6,116
Academic Programs Offered
- Most Popular Majors: Economics, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Business/Commerce, General; International Relations and Affairs; and Psychology, General
Retention and Graduation
- First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 97 percent
- Transfer-Out Rate: 4 percent
- 4-Year Graduation Rate: 89 percent
- 6-Year Graduation Rate: 94 percent
NCAA Athletic Programs
- Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Wrestling, Squash
- Women’s Sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Crew-Rowing, Field Hockey, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Squash
- The University of Virginia Cavaliers (also known as the Wahoos and Hoos) play in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
Overview of University of Virginia Admissions
The University of Virginia has a highly competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance rate and high mean SAT/ACT scores. Students whose SAT/ACT scores and GPA are within the institution’s requirements have a good chance of being admitted. Applicants must complete an online application and send test scores from either the SAT or ACT and high school transcripts. Students with unique talents and accomplishments can still receive strong consideration even if their GPAs are outside of the admissions offices mean range. After applying, students will receive a message from an admissions counselor about the application process’s next steps.
Admissions Data
Throughout the 2018-19 admissions phase, the University of Virginia had an acceptance rate of 26%. For every 100 students who submitted applications, 26 students gained admission, making UVA’s admissions procedure highly competitive.
SAT Requirements and Scores
Throughout the 2018-19 admissions phase, 78% of students provided SAT scores. This admissions data reveals that most of UVA’s students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. 50% of admitted students scored between 660 and 730 on the evidence-based reading and writing part, while 25% scored under 660 and 25% scored over 730. 50% of students scored between 670 and 770 on the math part, while 25% scored under 670, and 25% scored over 770. If you compare SAT scores for top public universities, you’ll see that only a few schools are equally selective. Applicants with a cumulative SAT score of 1500 or higher will have a competitive advantage at the University of Virginia.
ACT Requirements and Scores
Throughout the 2018-19 admissions phase, 41% of students provided ACT scores. This admissions data reveals that most UVA students fall within the top 7% nationally on the ACT. The mean 50% of admitted students received a cumulative ACT score between 30 and 34, while 25% scored over 34, and 25% scored under 30.
GPA
In 2019, the mean high school GPA for incoming first-year students was 4.3, and over 95% of admitted first-year students had mean high school GPAs over 3.75. Successful applicants to UVA have A and high B grades primarily.
Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission
If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for the University of Virginia, then it should be easy for you to gain admissions to the schools below. If the University of Virginia is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.
Binghamton University, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Texas at Dallas, Stony Brook University, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, University of Connecticut, University of California, Davis
Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission
If you’re a competitive candidate for the University of Virginia, you should have an equal chance of gaining admissions at these schools.
New York University, University of Southern California, University of Michigan, Emory University, Boston College, Boston University, University of California, Berkeley
Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will be More of a Challenge
These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than the University of Virginia. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, then you’ll be a competitive candidate for these schools.
Princeton University, Columbia University, Rice University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Brown University
Applying to the University of Virginia
Application Deadline: January 1
Undergraduate Admissions Website: https://admission.virginia.edu/
Undergraduate Application Link(s): https://www.commonapp.org/
Graduate Admissions Website: https://www.virginia.edu/apply/gradadmission
Graduate Application Link(s): https://applycentral.virginia.edu/apply/