What Is UVA’s Waitlist Acceptance Rate?
UVA does not publish a waitlist acceptance rate for the Class of 2030. It offered 8,624 students a place on the waiting list and made 328 offers from it by our calculation (UVA waiting list page; Notes from Peabody, May 2026). As a share of everyone offered a place, that is about 3.8% by our calculation; the rate among students who actually joined the list is higher, because UVA says some students decide not to pursue further consideration. For complete UVA acceptance rate data, see our analysis. For how UVA compares to other waitlists, see our Ivy League waitlist comparison.
| Year | Students admitted from the waiting list | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 328 | Our calculation from UVA updates; 8,624 offered a place |
| 2025 | 242 | UVA figure |
| 2024 | 185 | UVA figure |
| 2023 | 360 | UVA figure |
| 2022 | 7 | Lowest year shown |
| 2021 | 83 | UVA figure |
| 2020 | 915 | Highest year shown |
| 2019 | 9 | UVA figure |
| 2018 | 13 | UVA figure |
| 2017 | 117 | UVA figure |
Source: UVA Office of Undergraduate Admission, Waiting List page (2017 to 2025) and May 2026 waiting list updates; the 2026 total is our calculation.
Does In-State vs Out-of-State Affect Waitlist Chances?
UVA says it treats the applicant pool as ten parts, in-state and out-of-state for each of its five entry points, and that after May 1 it checks which schools have space and how many spaces are available for Virginians and for non-Virginians, because it needs the proper ratio of in-state and out-of-state students (UVA waiting list page). UVA has pledged to maintain a two-thirds majority of Virginia residents. It does not publish waitlist offers by residency, so in our experience neither group should assume an advantage: the outcome depends on where space opens in a given year.
When Does UVA Notify Waitlisted Students?
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| By April 1 | Regular Decision results, including waiting list offers |
| April 15 | Reply deadline to join the waiting list |
| May 1 | Deposit deadline for admitted students; UVA strongly encourages waitlisted students to deposit elsewhere |
| Up to two weeks after May 1 | UVA determines how many additional offers it can make |
| May 1, 2026 | 19 offers for the School of Architecture |
| May 5, 2026 | 260 offers for the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering |
| May 11 and 12, 2026 | 14 offers, then 35 more announced |
| June 12, 2026 | Waiting list closed |
Should You Send UVA a Letter of Continued Interest?
UVA says the best way to show continued interest is to keep the application file up to date. The waiting list reply form shows interest, additional updates go through the MyUVA Application Portal, and calling or visiting will not affect the decision. UVA does not rank the list; it re-evaluates each application with its original evaluation and any new information (UVA waiting list page). In the view of Oriel Admissions, a short, factual portal update, such as strong senior grades or a significant new achievement, does more than a long letter. For schools that do invite letters, see our LOCI guide. For essay strategy, see our Common App essay guide.
Why Does UVA’s Waitlist Swing So Much From Year to Year?
| Factor | What UVA says |
|---|---|
| Space after May 1 | UVA knows how many spaces are available only after the May 1 deposit deadline |
| School or program | UVA checks which of its five entry points have space |
| Residency | UVA checks spaces for Virginians and non-Virginians to keep the proper ratio |
| Ranking | The waiting list is not ranked |
| New information | UVA considers its original evaluation along with any new information |
| Reply timing | Replying earlier does not bring preferential treatment |
Source: UVA Office of Undergraduate Admission, Waiting List page. Because the count depends on how many spaces remain after admitted students deposit, it ranged from 7 students in 2022 to 915 in 2020.
What Else Can You Do While on UVA’s Waitlist?
Upload meaningful updates, such as strong senior year grades, through the MyUVA Application Portal, and pay a deposit at another college by May 1, as UVA strongly encourages even for students whose first choice is UVA. Students who receive an offer have three days to accept or decline; for financial aid applicants, the decision period starts when the aid offer is posted (Notes from Peabody, May 2026). For recommendation strategy, see our recommendation letter guide. For students earlier in high school, see our summer programs guide.
What Should Waitlisted UVA Applicants Do Now?
Join the list through the portal form by April 15, deposit elsewhere by May 1, send only updates that change the picture, and watch the UVA waiting list page, where UVA posted each round of 2026 offers. In the view of Oriel Admissions, families should treat a UVA waitlist offer as a possibility rather than a plan, since the list admitted 7 students in 2022 and 915 in 2020. When UVA closed the 2026 list on June 12, it noted that many waitlisted first-year students earn admission after one or two years elsewhere, as transfers (Notes from Peabody, June 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
UVA does not publish one for the Class of 2030. It offered 8,624 students a place on the waiting list and made 328 offers from it, by our calculation from UVA updates, or about 3.8% of everyone offered a place. The rate among students who joined the list is higher, because some choose not to.
It varies widely. UVA reports 242 students admitted from the waiting list in 2025, 185 in 2024, 360 in 2023, 7 in 2022, 83 in 2021 and 915 in 2020. By our calculation, UVA made 328 offers in 2026.
After the May 1 deposit deadline, once it knows how many spaces remain; UVA says it may spend up to two weeks deciding how many offers to make. In 2026, offers went out on May 1, May 5, May 11 and May 12, and UVA closed the list on June 12.
UVA says it checks how many spaces are available for Virginians and for non-Virginians in each of its five entry points, to keep the proper ratio. It does not publish waitlist offers by residency, so the effect in any year depends on where space opens.
UVA says the best way to show continued interest is to keep the application file up to date, with additional updates submitted through the MyUVA Application Portal. Calling or visiting will not affect the decision.
No. UVA re-evaluates each application, considering its original evaluation and any new information. Students who reply by the April 15 deadline are considered equally; replying earlier brings no preferential treatment.
The offer appears in the MyUVA Application Portal, and students have three days to accept or decline. For financial aid applicants, the decision period starts when the aid offer is posted, so UVA should already have the FAFSA.
Yes. UVA strongly encourages waitlisted students to pay a deposit at another college by May 1, even when UVA is their first choice. Oriel Admissions advises families to commit fully to that college and treat a UVA offer as a possibility rather than a plan.
Sources: UVA Office of Undergraduate Admission, Waiting List; Notes from Peabody: UVA Waiting List Activity (May 2026); Notes from Peabody: UVA Waiting List Update (June 12, 2026); Notes from Peabody: 2025-2026 UVA Admission Statistics (March 2026); UVA Deadlines and Instructions
About Oriel Admissions
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