Admissions
Getting in, fall 2026
Villanova admits about 1 in 3 applicants (30%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 93% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Men and women were admitted at similar rates (28% and 26%).
$80 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Yield
28% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 5,449 offered a place, 2,205 accepted, 28 admitted (1.3% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early decision: 60% admitted
1,005 of 1,680 early applicants
Apply by Nov 1; decisions by Dec 15
Second round: apply by Jan 15; decisions by Mar 1
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.
Early action (not binding): apply by Nov 1; decisions by Jan 20
Where you stand
How Villanova reads a record
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. 73% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores are recommended. 19% of first-years sent an SAT and 9% an ACT. Of the 19% whose high school reported a rank, 81% were in the top tenth. Recommends 4 years of foreign language (3 required). 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 | Considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Important | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Important | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
57% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 30% of first-year applicants
575 applied · 326 admitted · 116 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
Minimum college GPA: 2.0
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by June 1
- Spring entry: apply by November 1
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 2026.
- Decisions are sent by April 1.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1.
- $700 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 | 4 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 3) | 4 | 4 |
| Foreign language | 3 | 4 |
| Social studies | 4 | 4 |
| Academic electives | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 21 | 22 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.87
From the 16% of first-years who reported a 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)
- 4.032%
- 3.75–3.9941%
- 3.50–3.7423%
- 3.25–3.493%
- 3.00–3.241%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 32.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 40.9% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 23.1% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 2.6% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 1.0% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.3% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
81% were in the top tenth of their high school class, 95% in the top quarter, of the 19% whose high school reported a rank.
Source:Villanova University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1465 on the SAT, 295 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Recommended
Scores are recommended, not required. For students entering in fall 2027.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Score bands
85% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1400 or higher.
Nearly all who sent an ACT (98%) scored 30 or higher.
75% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
85% of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 700 or higher.
Shares of the 19% of first-years who sent an SAT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
Shares of the 9% of first-years who sent an ACT; students who didn't send scores aren't in these bands.
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:Villanova University (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Villanova University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Villanova University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Villanova University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Villanova University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)