Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Notre Dame, Indiana
12.4% Acceptance Rate
University of Notre Dame — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
12.4%Acceptance Rate
3.91Avg GPA
1510Avg SAT
34Avg ACT
$80,211Annual Cost
$99,980Grad Salary
12.5%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
12.4%
Avg GPA
3.91
Avg SAT
1510
Avg ACT
34
Selectivity
Extremely Competitive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
1440–1540
ACT Middle 50%
33–35
Need-Based Aid
12.5% receive Pell
The University of Notre Dame, founded in 1842, is a prestigious Catholic research university in Indiana. Known for its football tradition and Golden Dome, Notre Dame excels in business, engineering, and theology. The university's Mendoza College of Business and Law School are highly ranked. Notre Dame's research spans from nuclear physics to ethics at the de Nicola Center.
The campus features iconic landmarks like the Basilica and Touchdown Jesus. Alumni include CEOs, senators, and NFL players. Notre Dame's emphasis on faith, service, and scholarship shapes its community. Its blend of academic excellence and spirited tradition defines the Notre Dame experience.
University of Notre Dame Acceptance Rate
With a 12.4% acceptance rate, University of Notre Dame sits firmly in the elite tier of US admissions. Only 12 in 100 applicants are offered a seat.
What Notre Dame Admissions Looks For
- Class Rank: Admitted students typically finish in the top 2–5% of their graduating class.
- Curriculum Rigor: AP, IB, or Honors coursework is treated as a baseline, not a bonus.
- A Defined Strength: Leadership, original research, or a national-level achievement carries more weight than a long activity list.
Selectivity at a Glance
Extremely Competitive
Selectivity scale: Extremely Competitive — 12.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
At this tier, meeting the average GPA and test scores is the baseline, not the differentiator. Your essays and recommendations are what separate you from the rest of an already-strong pool.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.91 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.71 – 3.90
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.46
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
University of Notre Dame Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for University of Notre Dame is November 1 for Restrictive Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 91 days left — Restrictive Early Action
Restrictive Early Action
November 1
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
January 1
Decision by: March 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (November 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Notre Dame GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Notre Dame is 3.91. That makes admissions here extremely selective. Most admitted students carry straight A's, with very little room for a B.
If your GPA sits between 3.61 and 3.91, a high SAT or ACT score is the most reliable way to compensate.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 4.11–4.31.Notre Dame GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Extreme selectivity; requires elite academic standing.
Recommended Strategy: High Course Rigor (AP/IB/Honors) to validate the grade.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.91 – 4.00
Academic Target
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.71 – 3.90
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.51 – 3.70
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.50
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Overall acceptance rate: approximately 9% (Class of 2029: 3,186 admitted from 35,401 applications); REA rate for Class of 2030: approximately 12% (1,617 admitted from 13,711 REA applicants); Regular Decision rate approximately 6?7%.
- Supplemental essays: one short essay (150 words max) on "non-negotiable" college factors; three short answers chosen from five prompts (50?100 words each); the Common App personal statement, teacher recommendation, and counselor evaluation are all required.
- Pathways to Notre Dame (announced 2024): Notre Dame became need-blind for all students including international applicants and eliminated loans from all financial aid packages - a structural shift that changes the financial calculus for middle- and lower-income families significantly compared to peer Ivies.
- Notre Dame operates a distinctive residential hall system in which students are assigned to one of ~30 single-sex dorms that function as primary communities; dorm identity persists for all four years and shapes social, intramural, and service life - a structural feature that distinguishes Notre Dame's undergraduate experience from most peer schools and is worth engaging with specifically in essays.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Notre Dame
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on University of Notre Dame's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Notre Dame is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Notre Dame Without SAT or ACT?
Notre Dame considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
University of Notre Dame Average SAT Score: 1510
The average SAT score of admitted students at University of Notre Dame is 1510 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1510 — Extremely Competitive
This places Notre Dame in the top tier nationally for SAT scores. It sits well above the 75th percentile of all US test-takers.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1540 SAT or 35 ACT) to stand out. Below average? University of Notre Dame allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1440, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Notre Dame. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 755 | 730 | 780 |
| SAT Reading | 735 | 710 | 760 |
| SAT Composite | 1510 | 1440 | 1540 |
Below 1440, you're behind most admitted students; at 1540 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1500
Can I get into University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame) with a 1550 SAT?
A 1550 SAT puts you ahead of most of Notre Dame's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Notre Dame is 34.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 34 — Extremely Competitive
An average of 34 places Notre Dame among the most ACT-competitive schools nationally.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 34 | 32 | 35 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 33 | 35 |
Can I get into University of Notre Dame with a 35 ACT?
A 35 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Notre Dame's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at Notre Dame.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Notre Dame
Elite Strategy: The 'Spike' Approach
Notre Dame isn't looking for well-rounded applicants. It's looking for 'pointy.' The strategy here is to make your one strongest area impossible to overlook.
Navigate the REA Policy Correctly - It Is Not What Most Students Assume
Notre Dame's Restrictive Early Action is non-binding - you may wait until May 1 to commit - but its restrictions are stricter than most Early Action programs. REA prohibits applying to any other school's binding Early Decision I program simultaneously. You may, however, apply Early Action to public universities and to ED2 programs (whose deadlines fall after Notre Dame's December notification). The REA acceptance rate for the Class of 2030 was approximately 12% (1,617 admitted from 13,711), versus roughly 6?7% Regular Decision. Notre Dame explicitly states REA is not automatically the right choice - students whose first-semester senior grades would strengthen their application should wait for RD rather than rushing an early file.
Write the "Non-Negotiable" Essay as an Indirect Why Notre Dame - With Discipline
The core 150-word supplement asks students to name their non-negotiable factor(s) in choosing a college home. Notre Dame's admissions office is clear that this is not a direct "why us" prompt and students need not mention Notre Dame explicitly. The trap is writing a generic answer about "research opportunities" or "strong academics." The essays that distinguish applicants name a genuinely specific, personal non-negotiable - faith integration in academics, a residential hall community model, proximity to a particular field of service - that organically points to Notre Dame without needing to say so. Every word must carry weight at 150 words; opening sentences that don't immediately name the factor are wasted.
Choose Your Three Short-Answer Prompts Strategically, Not Emotionally
From five options (50?100 words each), students select three: How does faith influence your decisions? What is distinctive about your personal experiences and how will you enrich Notre Dame? How do you foster service? What compliment are you most proud of and why? Tell us something that would surprise us about you. Notre Dame explicitly states no prompt is preferred over another, and non-Catholic students should know the faith prompt carries no penalty if skipped. The strategic question is which three prompts, taken together, reveal different dimensions of the applicant's character - not which three feel easiest to write. A student who uses all three to discuss academic achievement is wasting the format.
Submit Test Scores If They Are Competitive - the Policy Will Change
Notre Dame is test-optional through at least 2026?27 (extended through the Class of 2030 cycle). However, among the Class of 2029 enrolled students, roughly 60% submitted scores; the mid-50% range for submitters was SAT 1470?1540 / ACT 33?35. Notre Dame also announced Pathways to Notre Dame in 2024, becoming the first selective faith-based U.S. university to be need-blind for all students (domestic and international) with no loans in financial aid packages - a significant financial aid change that should factor into whether families run the Net Price Calculator before committing to REA, given the non-binding nature still limits some comparison options until May 1.
Expert Insight:
The most consequential REA mistake is filing an incomplete or underprepared application simply because November 1 exists. Notre Dame rates nine factors as "very important" - rigor, class rank, GPA, recommendations, extracurriculars, talent/ability, character, volunteer experience, and essays - making it one of the most holistic reviewers in the country. A student who rushes REA with a thin extracurricular section or no outstanding first-semester senior grades has applied at their weakest moment without the buffer of updated materials. Notre Dame encourages REA applicants to submit an optional first-quarter progress report via the applicant portal specifically because senior year performance matters; students who don't take advantage of that optional update are leaving additional context off the table.
Notre Dame Profile
Full Name
University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame)
City
Notre Dame
State
Indiana
ZIP Code
46556
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Notre Dame Degree Worth It?
At $80,211/year against a $99,980 median graduate salary, Notre Dame is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation. The numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $76,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.92%.
How much does a degree from Notre Dame Cost?
The sticker price is $80,211/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
12.5% of students receive a Pell Grant and 25.7% take federal loans at Notre Dame. File your FAFSA early and list Notre Dame as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Notre Dame Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $99,980. That's about 146% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of Notre Dame. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University Oakland | Oakland, CA | 1472 | 32 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles, CA | 1461 | 33 |
| Scripps College | Claremont, CA | 1480 | 33 |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 1494 | 33 |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA | 1486 | 33 |
| Colby College | Waterville, ME | 1500 | 33 |
| University of Maryland-College Park | College Park, MD | 1463 | 34 |
| Amherst College | Amherst, MA | 1494 | 33 |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 1473 | 33 |
| Brandeis University | Waltham, MA | 1473 | 33 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of Notre Dame. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, CA | 1514 | 34 |
| Pomona College | Claremont, CA | 1520 | 34 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 1501 | 34 |
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT | 1513 | 34 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1507 | 33 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of Notre Dame. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1554 | 35 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | 1553 | 35 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 1553 | 35 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | 1553 | 35 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | 1547 | 35 |
Degree Programs at Notre Dame
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Notre Dame Admissions
University of Notre Dame graduates typically earn around $99,980 a year, on the higher end depending on industry.
At about $80,211 a year, University of Notre Dame's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
University of Notre Dame's Pell Grant rate of 12.5% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
University of Notre Dame admits 12.4% of applicants, placing it firmly in the highly competitive range.
Admitted students at University of Notre Dame average a 3.91 GPA.
University of Notre Dame doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.61 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.51, University of Notre Dame becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at University of Notre Dame — aim above 1510, ideally within the 1440–1540 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for University of Notre Dame is November 1 for Restrictive Early Action applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
The application fee is 75. Fee waivers may be available. Check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is November 1, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.