Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Fairfield admits about 1 in 3 applicants (33%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 92% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Men and women were admitted at similar rates (34% and 33%).
$60 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Yield
24% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 4,574 offered a place, 1,263 accepted, 10 admitted (0.8% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 83% admitted
237 of 284 early applicants
Apply by Nov 15; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 15; decisions by Feb 15
Early decision is binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll. Recruited athletes and other applicants with an edge often apply early, so the early rate overstates the gain for a typical applicant.
Restrictive early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Jan 15
Restrictive early action: applicants agree not to apply to other colleges' early plans, with exceptions the college sets.
Where you stand
How Fairfield reads a record
and GPA are both very important. 54% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores are optional. 14% of first-years sent an SAT and 5% an ACT. Most first-years were admitted without scores. Most high schools no longer rank; this college doesn't lean on it. Recommends 4 years of foreign language and math (2 and 3 required). See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Considered
- College-prep program
- Required
- Recommendations
- Required
- Essay
- Required
- Legacy status
- Considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Not considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
Transferring in
8.1% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 33% of first-year applicants
370 applied · 30 admitted
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Minimum college GPA: 2.5
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by April 1, decisions on a rolling basis, reply by November 15
- Spring entry: decisions on a rolling basis
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by January 15 for fall 2023.
- Decisions are sent by April 1.
- $400 housing deposit, due May 1, non-refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 3 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 2) | 3 | 4 |
| Foreign language | 2 | 4 |
| Social studies | 2 | 2 |
| History | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 16 | 20 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2022 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.75
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.033%
- 3.75–3.9921%
- 3.50–3.7422%
- 3.25–3.4913%
- 3.00–3.248%
- below 3.03%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 32.5% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 21.4% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 22.1% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 12.6% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 8.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 3.0% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.5% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
30% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 67% in the top quarter, of the 23% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Fairfield University Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1325 on the SAT, 155 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Optional
Scores are considered if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
Read with care: fewer than half of enrolled students submitted either test, so these ranges may run high. Learn about admissions.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Fairfield University Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022;Fairfield University Common Data Set 2022–23, 2022–23;Fairfield University Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2023 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)