Villanova University
Villanova University is a private Catholic research university in suburban Villanova, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, rooted in the Augustinian tradition and known for its Villanova School of Business and Division I basketball. Admission is selective: Villanova admitted about 28% of more than 25,000 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years posted middle-50% SAT scores of 1420–1490 with an average high school GPA near 3.87. Business is by far the most-conferred field at roughly 22% of bachelor's degrees, followed by engineering and the social sciences. The university is test-optional for most applicants, retains about 95% of first-years, and meets an average of 84% of demonstrated financial need.
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Villanova admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early decision
Villanova offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~2.3× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized tests
Villanova is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Villanova supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
Prompt 1: As Pope Leo XIV (Villanova Class of 1977) has said, "no one can single-handedly bear the weight of the challenges the world is facing, just as no one is so weak that they cannot play their part." What have you done to play your part in advancing equity and justice in your community?
Prompt 2: What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova?
Prompt 3: "Villanova" means "new home." Why do you want to call Villanova your new home?
Prompt 4: Villanova embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a commitment to thoughtful, ethical use rooted in our Augustinian mission and values. How do you see technology helping you to lead, serve, and contribute to the common good?
Prompt 5: At Villanova, we often say "each of us strengthens all of us." Please detail a time when someone has borrowed some of your strength in their time of need.
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Class rank
Where Villanova's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 19% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Villanova does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Villanova 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 Villanova'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.
Frequently asked questions about Villanova admissions
Villanova is selective: it admitted about 28% of applicants in the most recent cycle, offering admission to roughly 7,272 of more than 25,000 applicants and enrolling about 1,805 first-years. Admitted students cluster at the top of their high school classes, with an average GPA near 3.87 and middle-50% SAT scores of 1420–1490, so a strong, rigorous record is essentially expected.
Enrolled first-years at Villanova average about a 3.87 high school GPA, and the class skews toward the top of the cohort — among the roughly 19% who reported class rank, about 81% were in the top tenth of their graduating class. There is no hard cutoff, but the rigor of your course load and your academic GPA are both weighed as very important factors in the review.
No — Villanova is test-optional for most first-year applicants, so you may apply without submitting scores. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored between 1420 and 1490 on the SAT and 32 to 34 on the ACT, with a median around 1450 SAT and 34 ACT.
Yes — a 1490 is competitive, landing right at the 75th percentile of enrolled first-years, whose middle 50% scored 1420–1490 on the SAT (median around 1450). About 85% of enrolled students who submitted the SAT scored 1400 or higher, so a 1490 puts you near the top of the admitted range. Villanova is test-optional, so scores are one piece of a holistic review rather than a requirement.
It can. Villanova offers binding Early Decision I and II plus non-binding Early Action, and its Early Decision round admitted about 1,005 of 1,680 applicants — roughly a 60% admit rate, well above the school's overall 28% rate. Early Decision is a binding commitment, so only apply that way if Villanova is your clear first choice.
Tuition and required fees run about $74,014 per year, with the total cost of attendance higher once on-campus housing and food (about $19,354) are added. About 42% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, the average need-based package is around $58,054, and Villanova meets an average of 84% of demonstrated financial need.
Business is by far the most popular field at about 22% of bachelor's degrees, reflecting the strength of the Villanova School of Business. Engineering (14%) and the social sciences (14%) follow, with the health professions, communication, and psychology also among the most-conferred programs.
Yes — Villanova rates the application essay as a very important factor, on par with your GPA and the rigor of your high school record, and above recommendations and extracurriculars. Because the school is test-optional and admits only about 28% of applicants, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest places to stand out.
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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: Villanova University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Villanova. Banner photo by Alertjean, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Villanova University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/villanova (retrieved 2026-06-25).