Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Canisius admits about 7 in 10 applicants (72%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 59% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Applicants from New York and from other states were admitted at similar rates (84% and 81%).
No application fee
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 68%, women at 77%.
Yield
13% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 253 offered a place, 69 accepted, 52 admitted (75% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early action (not binding): apply by Dec 1; decisions by Jan 15
No early decision plan.
Where you stand
How Canisius reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank is important. 30% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher. Scores aren't read. Of the 36% whose high school reported a rank, 15% were in the top tenth. Requires 4 years of English, 3 of math, 3 of science, and 4 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
Considers whether an applicant's parent attended (legacy status).
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Important | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Not considered | ||||
| Essay | Important | ||||
| Recommendations | Important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Important | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Important | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Not considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Important | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Not considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Important | ||||
| Work experience | Important | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; demonstration of competencies considered; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
55% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 72% of first-year applicants
432 applied · 237 admitted · 88 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Minimum college GPA: 2.0
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Recommended for some
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Recommended for some
- Standardized test scores
- Recommended for some
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Recommended for some
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Priority date: December 1. Applying by then can matter for scholarships, programs, or housing.
- Decisions are sent on a rolling basis.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 2 weeks if admitted later.
- $200 housing deposit, refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap 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 |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 3 |
| Science (lab: 2) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 |
| Social studies | 4 |
| Total | 16 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
Recent change: Started considering a demonstration of competencies in fall 2023.
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. Canisius University doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
Fall 2024 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
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)
- 4.04%
- 3.75–3.9926%
- 3.50–3.7421%
- 3.25–3.4912%
- 3.00–3.2414%
- below 3.024%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.00–3.99.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 3.5% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 26.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 21.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 11.9% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 13.6% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 12.9% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 9.6% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 1.5% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
15% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 44% in the top quarter, of the 36% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Canisius University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
Not considered
Scores aren't considered, even if you send them. For students entering in fall 2026.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Canisius University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;Canisius University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Canisius University Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;Canisius University Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)