What Is Georgetown’s Acceptance Rate for the Class of 2030?
Georgetown admitted 13% of over 26,900 applicants for the Class of 2030 (entering fall 2026), according to The Hoya. This is a slight increase from the 12% rate for the Class of 2029, when Georgetown admitted approximately 3,200 students from 26,800 applicants (Georgetown Common Data Set, 2024-2025). The uptick is driven by a modest increase in both applications and admits.
Georgetown’s acceptance rate has stabilized in the 12-13% range after years of decline. The university’s selectivity tightened sharply from approximately 17% for the Class of 2024 to 12% for the Class of 2029, driven largely by a pandemic-era application surge when Georgetown temporarily waived standardized testing requirements. With testing reinstated and application volumes holding steady, the rate has plateaued. For context on how Georgetown compares, see our Top 25 admissions statistics comparison.
| Class | Applications | Admitted | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2030 | ~26,900 | ~3,500 | 13% |
| Class of 2029 | 26,800 | 3,200 | 12% |
| Class of 2028 | 26,131 | 3,374 | 12.9% |
| Class of 2027 | ~25,000 | ~3,350 | ~13.4% |
| Class of 2025 | 27,629 | ~3,300 | ~12% |
| Class of 2024 | ~21,500 | ~3,600 | ~17% |
Source: Georgetown CDS 2020-2025; The Hoya, April 2026.
What Is Georgetown’s Early Action Acceptance Rate?
Georgetown offers Restrictive Early Action (REA), meaning admitted students are not bound to attend but cannot apply early to other private universities. For the Class of 2029, Georgetown received 8,254 EA applications and admitted 917 students, producing an EA acceptance rate of 11.11% (Georgetown CDS, 2024-2025). This was slightly higher than the 10.26% EA rate for the Class of 2028.
Unlike most top universities, Georgetown’s EA rate is not meaningfully higher than its Regular Decision rate. For the Class of 2029, the RD rate was 12.31% – actually higher than the EA rate. Georgetown has stated that there is no statistical advantage to applying EA. This makes Georgetown unusual among elite schools where Early Decision typically provides a 2-3x advantage. No EA applicants are rejected – deferred students are reconsidered in the Regular Decision round.
| Class | EA Rate | RD Rate | Overall Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2030 | TBD | TBD | 13% |
| Class of 2029 | 11.11% | 12.31% | 12% |
| Class of 2028 | 10.26% | 14.21% | 12.9% |
Source: Georgetown CDS, 2022-2025.
What GPA and Test Scores Do You Need for Georgetown?
Georgetown requires standardized testing (SAT or ACT) for all applicants. The median SAT for enrolled students is approximately 1500 and the average ACT is 34 (Georgetown CDS, 2024-2025). Admitted students typically have an unweighted GPA above 3.9, with the vast majority ranking in the top 10% of their high school class. Georgetown expects evidence of advanced coursework, and over 70% of applicants submit AP exam results. For testing strategy, see our guide to standardized testing in 2026.
How Will the Common App Change Georgetown Admissions?
Starting with the Class of 2031 (2026-2027 application cycle), Georgetown will accept applications through both its own application system and the Common App for a three-year pilot program. This is a major shift – Georgetown has been one of the only top-15 universities to maintain its own application, a requirement that historically filtered out less committed applicants and kept application volumes lower than peer institutions.
The Common App transition will almost certainly increase applications substantially, potentially by 30-50% based on what happened at other schools that joined the platform. If Georgetown receives 35,000-40,000 applications while maintaining a class size of approximately 1,600 enrolled students, the acceptance rate could drop to 8-10% within two years. Families applying for the Class of 2031 should plan for significantly increased competition.
How Does Georgetown Compare to Ivy League Schools?
Georgetown’s 13% acceptance rate places it just below the Ivy League tier in raw selectivity. However, Georgetown’s unique application process, required interviews, and Jesuit mission create a self-selected applicant pool that is arguably more committed than the average Ivy applicant. For the full Ivy League acceptance rate breakdown, see our analysis.
| School | Class of 2030 Rate | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 4.2% (Class of 2029) | 47,893 |
| Penn | 4.9% (Class of 2029) | 72,544 |
| Cornell | 8.38% (Class of 2029) | 72,523 |
| Duke | 4.8% (Class of 2029) | 58,712 |
| Georgetown | 13% | ~26,900 |
| Notre Dame | 9% (Class of 2029) | 35,401 |
Source: Institutional announcements, CDS data, 2024-2026.
What Makes Georgetown’s Application Different?
Georgetown is the only top-15 university that requires a separate application (for the Class of 2030 – this changes in 2026-2027). The Georgetown application includes school-specific essays, a required alumni interview, and mandatory standardized testing. The interview is conducted by members of Georgetown’s 6,000-member Alumni Admissions Program, divided into 200 regional communities. EA interviews are prioritized through October; most RD applicants interview in November. Georgetown does not track demonstrated interest beyond the interview. For comprehensive Georgetown strategy, see our How to Get Into Georgetown guide.
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Into Georgetown
Georgetown’s Jesuit identity is not decorative – it shapes how applications are read. Admissions officers look for evidence of service, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to using education for the benefit of others. The supplemental essays should connect your interests to Georgetown’s specific programs and the D.C. location. For the School of Foreign Service, demonstrate genuine engagement with international affairs. For McDonough Business, show leadership and ethical reasoning. For essay strategy, see our Common App essay guide and for building your profile, see our guides on summer programs and high school internships.
Final Thoughts: Georgetown Admissions in 2026
Georgetown’s 13% acceptance rate for the Class of 2030 represents a brief window of relative stability before the Common App transition reshapes the applicant pool. Families applying for the Class of 2031 should expect a dramatically more competitive landscape as application volumes surge. The current cycle may be the last with an acceptance rate above 12%.
At Oriel Admissions, our team of former admissions officers from Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia has helped students earn acceptances to Georgetown and other top universities. Schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help position your student for admission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Georgetown is renowned for its School of Foreign Service and strength in international affairs, politics, and government, reinforced by its location in the nation’s capital, along with respected programs in business, law, and the humanities. Its Jesuit identity shapes a focus on ethics and service. Applicants drawn to government, diplomacy, and policy, with access to Washington’s institutions and internships, often see these strengths as Georgetown’s most distinctive appeal among top universities.
No; Georgetown is well known for not superscoring and instead asks applicants to submit results from every test sitting rather than combining the best sections. This is a notable difference from many peers. Applicants should plan their testing carefully with this policy in mind, since they cannot pick and choose their strongest sittings, and confirm the current requirements on Georgetown’s admissions website, as the school’s testing expectations differ from the superscoring approach common elsewhere.
Historically yes; Georgetown has asked applicants to report scores from all sittings of standardized tests rather than selecting only their best dates, an unusually comprehensive requirement. Because testing policies evolve, applicants should verify the current expectation on the admissions website before applying. Planning a testing schedule with this in mind matters, since under such a policy every attempt is visible, making thoughtful preparation before each sitting more important than at score-choice schools.
Georgetown’s aid is primarily need-based, meeting demonstrated financial need, and it offers very limited merit scholarships compared with schools built around merit awards. Most aid reflects financial circumstances rather than achievement alone. Families hoping for substantial merit money should understand Georgetown’s model centers on need, so the financial aid application is the main avenue, while those seeking large merit awards may need to consider institutions that emphasize non-need-based scholarships.
Georgetown’s handling of legacy, meaning a family connection to the university, has been one minor factor among many and, like policies elsewhere, can change as institutions reconsider such preferences. It is never decisive on its own. Applicants with a family tie should treat it as a small potential consideration and confirm the current policy, since the weight given to legacy continues to shift across selective universities and is increasingly de-emphasized in admissions decisions.
No; Georgetown does not use rolling admissions. It reviews applications after its fixed Early Action and Regular Decision deadlines and releases decisions on set dates rather than evaluating files continuously as they arrive. This means there is no advantage to submitting weeks early within a round, though applicants must meet each deadline. Knowing the fixed timeline, including Georgetown’s earlier application requirements, helps applicants plan essays and materials well in advance.
Yes; applicants choose one of Georgetown’s four undergraduate schools, including the College, the well-known foreign service program, the business school, or the nursing and health school, and the application is tailored to that choice. Admission is to the specific school. Applicants should research which one fits their goals before applying, since the choice shapes both the curriculum and the review, and switching after enrolling is possible but not guaranteed and follows its own process.
Yes; reflecting its Jesuit, Catholic heritage, Georgetown includes theology or religious studies within its core curriculum requirements for undergraduates, though the courses are academic and open to students of all backgrounds rather than devotional. Students of any faith or none attend. Applicants should know the core includes such coursework alongside philosophy and other subjects, since it is part of Georgetown’s broad liberal arts foundation rather than a religious test or expectation of belief.
