University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame is a private Catholic research university just north of South Bend, Indiana, known for its Golden Dome, a storied football program, and a distinctive residential-hall system that takes the place of fraternities and sororities. Admission is highly selective — Notre Dame admitted about 9.4% of more than 35,000 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years posted middle-50% SAT scores of 1460–1540 and ACT scores of 33–35. Business and the social sciences are the most popular fields of study, and roughly 92% of students come from outside Indiana. The university is test-optional, is need-blind for both domestic and international applicants, and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need with no loans in its aid packages.
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Notre Dame admissions statistics
Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Action
Notre Dame offers Restrictive (single-choice) Early Action — non-binding, but you may not apply early to other private colleges.
Standardized Tests
Notre Dame is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Admissions Factors
How Notre Dame weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Notre Dame's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Frequently asked questions about Notre Dame admissions
Is it hard to get into Notre Dame?＋
Yes. Notre Dame is highly selective, admitting about 9.4% of applicants in its most recent cycle — roughly 3,320 offers out of more than 35,400 applications, with about 2,118 first-years enrolling. Admission is holistic, and nine factors including the rigor of your coursework, GPA, class rank, essays, and character are all weighed as very important.
What is Notre Dame's acceptance rate, and does Restrictive Early Action help?＋
Notre Dame's overall acceptance rate is about 9.4%, admitting roughly 3,320 of more than 35,400 applicants. Notre Dame offers a Restrictive Early Action (single-choice) plan alongside Regular Decision; because it is restrictive, you cannot apply to other schools' binding early programs, though the plan itself is non-binding.
Does Notre Dame require the SAT or ACT?＋
No. Notre Dame is test-optional, so you may apply without submitting scores, and standardized test scores are weighed as only an important factor rather than a very important one. Among enrolled first-years who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1460–1540 on the SAT and 33–35 on the ACT.
Is a 1500 SAT good enough for Notre Dame?＋
A 1500 is competitive — it falls within the middle-50% SAT range of 1460–1540 for enrolled first-years, just above the 25th-percentile mark of 1460. Because Notre Dame is test-optional and reviews applications holistically, your GPA, course rigor, essays, and recommendations carry as much or more weight than the score itself.
What GPA and class rank do you need for Notre Dame?＋
Notre Dame does not publish an average GPA in its Common Data Set, but admitted students are typically at the top of their high school classes. Academic GPA, class rank, and the rigor of your high school record are each weighed as very important factors in Notre Dame's holistic review, so a strong, rigorous transcript matters more than any single cutoff.
Do you have to be Catholic to get into Notre Dame?＋
No. Notre Dame is a Catholic university and lists religious affiliation/commitment as an important factor in admissions — one of three factors at that level, alongside first-generation status and standardized test scores — but it is not a requirement and ranks below the academic and personal factors marked very important. Character and personal qualities, essays, and extracurricular and volunteer involvement are all weighed as very important.
Do the Notre Dame supplemental essays matter?＋
Yes — Notre Dame rates the application essay as a very important factor in its holistic review, on par with grades, course rigor, and recommendations. Notre Dame does not consider interviews at all, so the essays are one of the main ways the committee gets to know you, making a specific, well-revised essay one of the best ways to stand out in a pool admitting under 10%.
How much does Notre Dame cost, and is financial aid available?＋
Tuition and required fees come to about $69,794 per year, before housing and food. Notre Dame is need-blind for both domestic and international applicants and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, and its aid offers no longer include loans for the entering class. About 54% of students receive aid, with an average aid package of roughly $67,264.
Source: University of Notre Dame Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Notre Dame. Banner photo by Matthew Rice, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).