University of Washington
The University of Washington is the public research flagship of Washington State, anchored on a campus overlooking Lake Washington in Seattle and consistently ranked among the top public universities in the world for research and medicine. With more than 40,000 undergraduates, it admits roughly 42% of applicants and, like the University of California system, is test-free — SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admission, even if submitted. Enrolled first-years report an average high school GPA around 3.84, and the UW is especially strong in computer science, the health sciences, and engineering. The figures below are drawn directly from the UW's official Common Data Set.
See how UW compares
Pick up to two rivals — or search any school.
UW admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admitted~1.2× higher admit rate for in-state applicants.
Early admissions
UW does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
Standardized tests
UW is test-free — SAT and ACT scores are not considered in admissions.
SAT / ACT scores are not used
UW does not review SAT or ACT scores for admission, even if you submit them. Applicants are evaluated on GPA, coursework, essays, and activities instead.
UW supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
The personal statement is our best means of getting to know you and your best means of creating a context for your academic performance. When you write your personal statement, tell us about those aspects of your life that are not apparent from your academic record: a character-defining moment, the cultural awareness you've developed, a challenge faced, a personal hardship or barrier overcome.
Directions: Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
Writing your UW application essay?
Paste your draft and get specific, line-by-line feedback on what is and isn't landing — scored against the rubrics admissions readers use.
Admissions factors
How UW 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 UW's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about UW admissions
The University of Washington admitted about 41.7% of applicants in the most recent cycle, drawing roughly 72,900 first-year applications and enrolling around 7,100 first-years. Admission is more competitive for non-residents, since state residency is weighed as a very important factor in the UW's holistic review.
Yes — UW admits Washington residents at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants. Over the most recent three-year average, in-state applicants were admitted at about 47.0% and out-of-state applicants at about 39.0%. State residency is rated a very important factor in the UW's holistic review, so non-residents face a real but not insurmountable gap. A strong high school record, GPA, and well-revised essay carry the most weight for applicants from any background.
No. The UW is test-free (test-blind): it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them. Because scores carry no weight, the rigor of your high school record and your academic GPA become the most important academic factors.
Admitted first-years at the University of Washington report an average high school GPA of about 3.84 on a 4.0 scale. There is no hard cutoff, but since the UW doesn't use test scores, your GPA and the rigor of your coursework — both rated very important — carry the most weight in the review.
Annual tuition and required fees run about $13,406 for Washington residents and $44,640 for out-of-state and international students. Roughly 34% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, with an average package near $22,538, and the UW meets about 74% of demonstrated need on average.
Yes. Computer and information sciences is the UW's most-conferred single major, accounting for about 13% of bachelor's degrees. Because the UW is test-free, applicants to any program are reviewed on the strength of their high school record, GPA, and essay, with test scores not considered at all.
Yes — significantly. The UW rates the application essay as a very important factor, on par with your GPA and the rigor of your coursework, and well above many other elements in its holistic review. With no test scores in the mix, a specific, carefully revised essay is one of the clearest ways for an applicant to stand out.
Esslo gives free line-by-line feedback on your draft. Try it now
The sciences are the largest share of degrees at about 17%, followed by computing at about 13%, the social sciences at about 11%, business at about 10%, and engineering at about 9%. Computer and information sciences is the UW's most-conferred single major within that mix.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
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
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: University of Washington Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-06. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with UW. Banner photo by Joe Mabel, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “University of Washington admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/university-of-washington (retrieved 2026-06-06).