WashU Acceptance Rate: 12% for the Class of 2030, Early Decision and Deadlines

What is the WashU acceptance rate?

Washington University in St. Louis reports an overall admit rate of 12% for the Class of 2030, which entered in fall 2026. Its Class of 2030 profile, with numbers “accurate as of September 21, 2026”, lists 33,214 applicants, 4,057 admits and 1,941 enrolling students. By our calculation, that is an acceptance rate of 12.2% and a yield of 47.8%.

The most recent Common Data Set covers the Class of 2029, which entered in fall 2025. WashU received 33,283 first-year applications, admitted 3,968 students and enrolled 1,961, an acceptance rate of 11.9% by our calculation (WashU Common Data Set 2025-2026). The class profile and the Common Data Set are separate publications, so their figures for a given class may not match exactly.

How has the WashU acceptance rate changed?

Applications have stayed between about 32,000 and 33,300 in each of these five years, and the acceptance rate has stayed between 11.3% and 12.2%. The number admitted rose from 3,764 for fall 2022 to 4,057 for fall 2026. WashU has not explained the change in the sources we reviewed.

What is the WashU Early Decision acceptance rate?

For fall 2025, WashU admitted 27.0% of Early Decision applicants, against about 9.3% of all other applicants (2,635 of 28,349, by our calculation); the second figure is approximate, because some Early Decision applicants are deferred to Regular Decision and admitted later. Early Decision admits made up 33.6% of all admitted students, and WashU says “about 60% of our class is admitted through an ED round” (WashU Admissions, what is new). The early pool is self-selected, so the gap does not show how much applying early helps any one student. WashU has not published Early Decision figures for the Class of 2030 in the sources we reviewed. Our guide to the WashU Early Decision acceptance rate covers the rounds in detail, and our page on Early Decision strategy for Vanderbilt, WashU and Tulane compares the choice.

When are the WashU application deadlines for fall 2027?

Early Action is new for fall 2027 entry: WashU says “We have added Early Action as a new option for applicants” and that “Unlike Early Decision, Early Action is not a commitment to attend the university” (WashU Admissions, what is new). Because the round is new, WashU has published no Early Action admission figures. The same page says WashU “has begun considering demonstrated interest as a part of the application review process”, with a campus visit at “the top of our list”. In our view, Early Action suits a student who wants an answer in December without a binding commitment, while Early Decision I or II makes sense only for a student who is sure WashU is the first choice and whose family has checked the cost.

Is WashU test optional?

Yes. WashU states that it “is test optional” and accepts self-reported SAT or ACT scores on the Common App and Coalition App (WashU Admissions, first-year applicants). It considers “only the highest individual scores, whenever they occurred,” uses the best ACT superscore composite, with or without the science section, and accepts tests through December, or October for Early Action and Early Decision I applicants.

For students who enrolled in fall 2025, 32% submitted the SAT and 29% the ACT. The middle 50% SAT range was 1500 to 1550, with a median of 1530, and the ACT range was 33 to 35 (WashU Common Data Set 2025-2026). The Class of 2030 profile gives a middle 50% SAT of 1510 to 1550 and ACT of 33 to 35, and says 63% of applicants applied with test scores. In our view, a score at or above the median is usually worth sending. Our page on whether WashU requires the SAT covers the policy in more detail.

What grades do WashU students have?

WashU does not report an average high school GPA in its Common Data Set; the GPA fields in section C12 are blank. In fall 2025, 27% of enrolled students reported class rank, and of those, 86% ranked in the top tenth. The Class of 2030 profile says 88% of students reporting rank were in the top 10% of their high school class. Our guide to getting into WashU covers the rest of the application.

How do WashU acceptance rates differ by residency?

Missouri residents were admitted at a higher rate than other U.S. applicants for fall 2025, and international applicants at a lower rate. The applicant pools differ in size and makeup, so a higher raw rate does not by itself mean a group finds admission easier, and WashU does not publish the reasons for these differences.

How does the WashU waitlist work?

For fall 2025, 3,865 students accepted a place on the WashU waiting list and 327 were admitted from it, about 8.5% by our calculation. WashU does not rank its waiting list (WashU Common Data Set 2025-2026, section C2). In our view, a waitlisted student should accept a place, send a short update if there is real news, and commit to another college by May 1. Our WashU waitlist guide and our guide on getting off a college waitlist cover what to send.

How does WashU financial aid work?

WashU says it meets “100% of demonstrated need with no-loan aid offers” (WashU Financial Aid). Under the WashU Pledge, first-year, full-time students who live or attend high school in Missouri or one of 53 defined counties in Illinois, come from a family with “$75,000 or less in annual income” and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents receive scholarships and grants covering tuition, fees, housing and food (WashU Pledge). WashU also offers merit scholarships, with applications due December 16 for priority consideration; see our guide to WashU merit scholarships.

How does the WashU acceptance rate compare with other selective universities?

WashU received far fewer applications than NYU or Boston University for fall 2025, and its acceptance rate fell between theirs. Because each university’s applicant pool differs, these rates are a rough guide to selectivity rather than a ranking.

What does the WashU acceptance rate mean for applicants?

In the view of Oriel Admissions, WashU is a reach for nearly every applicant at a 12% overall rate, and the timing of the application is the most important choice. A student who is certain about WashU, and whose family has checked the cost, should weigh Early Decision I or II, since WashU fills about 60% of its class through those rounds; a student who is not certain now has Early Action as a nonbinding early option. Students interested in specific schools can read our guides to WashU Olin Business School and pre-med at WashU, and our overview of what WashU is known for.

Frequently Asked Questions About the WashU Acceptance Rate

Sources: WashU Class of 2030 profile, WashU Common Data Set 2025-2026, WashU Common Data Set 2024-2025, WashU Common Data Set 2023-2024, WashU Common Data Set 2022-2023, WashU Admissions, application dates and deadlines, WashU Admissions, what is new, WashU Admissions, first-year applicants, WashU Financial Aid, WashU Pledge, UChicago Common Data Set 2025-2026, NYU Common Data Set 2025-2026, BU Common Data Set 2025-2026. All read October 26, 2026.

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