How to Get Into UVA: Acceptance Rate & Strategies
August 4, 2025
Along with institutions like UNC Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan, and the College of William and Mary, the University of Virginia is considered one of the “Public Ivies.” These schools—UVA included—provide an elite education to high-achieving students for a fraction of the price of a top-tier private school. It’s no wonder the UVA acceptance rate has gome down just about every year.
Founded by Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s, the University of Virginia has long been recognized as a world-class academic institution but, unlike many of its peers, has seen its degree of selectivity rise rapidly in the past decade. In 2005, the University of Virginia still accepted 38% of applicants; today, that number has been sliced by more than half. Applicants from out-of-state face an even steeper climb. Considering the admissions gauntlet that awaits you, the intent of this article is to give those applying to UVA an idea of:
- UVA’s Class of 2028 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
- UVA’s Class of 2028 Early Decision (ED) acceptance rate
- SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted UVA applicants
- Admissions trends from the Class of 2028
- UVA’s system for rating applicants
- A look at the demographics of current UVA undergraduates
- The percent of accepted students that attend UVA (yield rate)
- Tips for applying to UVA
- UVA supplemental essay prompts/tips
- How to assess whether applying to UVA is even worth the $75 application fee (for you)
UVA College Admissions Calculator
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UVA Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029
Though the official numbers haven’t been released, there were approximately 64,000 applications for admission into the Cavalier Class of 2029. Approximately 10,150 individuals were accepted. This means that the UVA acceptance rate is about 15%.
It is important to note that it is far more difficult to gain acceptance to this university if you are not a Virginia resident, as the school tries to enroll a freshman class comprised of about 2/3rds Virginians.
Accordingly, in the 2024-25 admission cycle, out-of-staters were accepted at just a 13% clip, while Old Dominion residents were accepted 25% of the time.
Historical University of Virginia overall acceptance rates are as follows:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2028 | 58,951 | 9,909 | 17% |
| Class of 2027 | 56,528 | 9,533 | 17% |
| Class of 2026 | 47,982 | 9,951 | 21% |
| Class of 2025 | 40,878 | 9,230 | 23% |
UVA Early Decision Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029
There exists a clear-cut edge to applying Early Decision to UVA. The overall UVA ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was about 27%. If we break that down by state residency (again, a very important factor for UVA), the ED acceptance rate is as follows:
In-state UVA ED Acceptance Rate: 30%
Out-of-state UVA ED Acceptance Rate: 21%
These rates are significantly higher than for the non-binding EA or Regular Decision rounds. Which brings us to the following:
UVA Early Action Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029
UVA’s early action acceptance rate is similar to that of the regular decision round. Overall, it is about 16%. However, when we take state residency into account:
In-state UVA EA Acceptance Rate: 25%
Out-of-state UVA EA Acceptance Rate: 13%
What GPA do you need to get into UVA?
UVA doesn’t report average GPA, but they share percentile ranges. According to the most recent data available (Class of 2028), 90% of enrolled freshmen had a GPA of 4.0 or better. 7% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99.
Less than 3% of students had a GPA of under 3.74.
What class rank do you need to get accepted to UVA?
Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, 84% were in the top ten percent of their graduating class. Moreover, 97% placed in the top twenty-five percent.
What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for UVA?
For those enrolled in the Class of 2028, the mid-50% SAT composite range for enrolled freshmen was 1410-1520. Additionally, the mid-50% ACT range was 32-35.
These statistics are very similar to those enrolled in the Class of 2027. That year, 46% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores and 14% submitted ACT scores.
Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2028
- Students were admitted from 49 states and 99 countries.
- Fewer students gained admission to the Colleges of Arts & Science and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
- 390 Virginia high schools had at least one student accepted into the Class of 2027.
- 18.8% were first-generation students.
- 92% participated in community service, and 51% held a paying job.
Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2029
- Early decision and early action applications increased by 11%.
- The 64,463 applicants were an all-time school record.
How UVA Rates Applicants
UVA rates five factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, class rank, GPA, character/personal qualities, and state residency (we cannot understate that being from VA is a major advantage). Items that are “important” as part of the admissions process are: application essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and talent/ability. Keep this in mind when thinking about UVA’s acceptance rate.
Despite receiving in excess of 60,000 applications each year, you can rest assured that your application will receive a holistic and in-depth review.
From the committee…
The UVA admission staff reads “the entire application before we render a decision. There are no “cut offs” (remember GPA is not standardized, so that doesn’t make sense in Virginia). We read every file, front to back, before we make our recommendations. We read and double check our files multiple times.” In the words of one admissions officer, the “best way to effectively communicate what holistic admission looks like to me is to compare your application to a puzzle…The largest, most central piece of your puzzle is your transcript. This shouldn’t be a surprise since your transcript represents four years of academic development.”
It is also worth highlighting that recruited athletes enjoy a huge edge. This is because UVA takes great pride in its 27 NCAA Division I sports teams. Overall, approximately 750 student-athletes are presently attending the university. Of course, other outside-the-classroom endeavors can also enhance your application profile. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?
Who Actually Gets Into the University of Virginia?
Let’s look at the demographics of the current undergraduate student body. Geographically, the greatest percentage of Class of 2029 members are Virginia residents.
- Virginia: 66%
- Out of State: 34%
Among non-residents, competition is stiffest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you hail from the Deep South, like Alabama or Mississippi, or a less-populated state, like Wyoming or North Dakota, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances at UVA.
Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2028 members was:
- Caucasian/White: 46%
- Asian American: 20%
- Hispanic: 9%
- Black or African American: 7%
- International: 5%
Looking at the gender breakdown, the Class of 2028 had significantly more female members:
- Men: 43%
- Women: 57%
UVA’s Yield Rate
UVA’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—is 40%. This figure is just a shade below other powerhouse state universities like the University of Michigan, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UCLA. Think about this when you’re considering UVA’s acceptance rate.
Tips for Applying to the University of Virginia
If you plan on joining the 60,000+ Wahoo hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- UVA does not use interviews as part of its evaluation process.
- UVA altered its legacy policy last year; applicants with connections to the university had to write a short essay. However, a new state bill has now banned any type of practice that gives preference to children of alumni.
- UVA also does not consider “demonstrated interest.” Therefore, you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the main Common App Essay and short supplemental essay required by UVA. For the 2025-2026 cycle, there is only one short answer question, and only for applicants to the School of Nursing. It is as follows:
Describe a health care-related experience or other significant interaction that deepened your interest in studying Nursing.
For advice on how to approach your UVA essay, we recommend reading our blog entitled: UVA Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips.
Should I Apply to UVA?
Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% mark for UVA who are also at the very top of their respective high school class are certainly viable candidates to UVA. If you reside in Virginia, your road to acceptance will be much smoother than if you are an out-of-state or international applicant. If you do not hail from the university’s home state, you will need to bring higher test scores and, possibly, a special skill or “hook.”
UVA Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts
Teens applying to a school of UVA’s ilk also need to have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.
Looking for additional resources? You might consider checking out the following:
