Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Washington, District of Columbia
60.9% Acceptance Rate
Gallaudet University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
60.9%Acceptance Rate
3.3Avg GPA
857Avg SAT
16Avg ACT
$39,416Annual Cost
$43,101Grad Salary
54.3%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
60.9%
Avg GPA
3.3
Avg SAT
857
Avg ACT
16
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
750–933
ACT Middle 50%
14–18
Need-Based Aid
54.3% receive Pell
Gallaudet University, founded in 1864 in Washington D.C., is the world's only university designed specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. This bilingual institution (American Sign Language and English) offers unique programs in deaf studies, interpretation, and disability services.
The 99-acre campus features state-of-the-art visual learning environments, the Motion Light Lab for visual language research, and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center. Gallaudet serves as a global leader in deaf education and ASL research.
Gallaudet University Acceptance Rate
Gallaudet University is moderately selective. 60.9% of applicants are admitted, with room for a well-rounded, if imperfect, transcript.
What Gallaudet University Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 60.9% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.30 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.10 – 3.29
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.85
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Gallaudet University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Gallaudet University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline, though the priority deadline of March 1 is recommended for the best chances of admission and financial aid.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 206 days left — Priority
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Gallaudet University reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Priority
March 1
Priority
March 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (March 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.
Gallaudet University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Gallaudet University is 3.3. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.00–3.3 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
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 3.50–3.70.Gallaudet University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.30 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.10 – 3.29
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.90 – 3.09
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.89
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate ~57?61% (IPEDS 2023-24 reports 60.94%; roughly 430 applicants per cycle, ~260 admitted); no application fee for undergraduates; rolling admissions; test scores required (ACT/SAT) as part of holistic review, though median scores are low relative to hearing-institution averages given the population served.
- The only university in the world where all programs and services are specifically designed for deaf and hard of hearing students in a bilingual ASL/English environment; federally chartered in 1864 by an act of Congress signed by Abraham Lincoln; located on a 99-acre campus in Washington DC.
- Hearing undergraduate applicants must achieve ASLPI score of 2 or higher - a non-negotiable admission gate; ASLPI costs $185 ($100 if registered before May 16, 2026); hearing students must also submit a video essay signed in ASL; the Hearing Undergraduate Program is specifically for students pursuing careers serving the deaf community.
- Yield rate ~57?58% (among the highest in this project at a school this size) - a strong signal that admitted students genuinely choose Gallaudet; campus in NE Washington DC with active connections to federal agencies, NAD, Smithsonian ASL programs, and deaf professional networks across government, policy, and education.
- 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 Gallaudet University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Gallaudet University'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.
Gallaudet University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Gallaudet University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Gallaudet University Without SAT or ACT?
Gallaudet University requires SAT or ACT scores. Applications without them won't be reviewed. Plan test dates early, and if your first score lands below the average shown below, sit for it again.
Gallaudet University Average SAT Score: 857
The average SAT score of admitted students at Gallaudet University is 857 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 857 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (933 SAT or 18 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Gallaudet University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 750, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Gallaudet University. 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 | 425 | 380 | 470 |
| SAT Reading | 417 | 370 | 463 |
| SAT Composite | 857 | 750 | 933 |
Below 750, you're behind most admitted students; at 933 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 850
Can I get into Gallaudet University with a 950 SAT?
A 950 SAT puts you ahead of most of Gallaudet University'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.
Gallaudet University ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Gallaudet University is 16.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 16 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a real advantage.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 16 | 14 | 17 |
| ACT English | 13 | 11 | 15 |
| ACT Composite | 16 | 14 | 18 |
Can I get into Gallaudet University with a 18 ACT?
A 18 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Gallaudet University'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 Gallaudet University.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Gallaudet University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Gallaudet University takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Applicants: Understand That Gallaudet Is the Only Institution of Its Kind in the World
Gallaudet University is the only university in the world where all programs and services are specifically designed to be fully accessible to deaf and hard of hearing students, and where the campus language is American Sign Language alongside English. Every class, every event, every administrative interaction is built around this bilingual, bicultural framework. This is not a support-services layer added on top of a hearing institution - it is the foundational design of the entire university. Deaf and hard of hearing students who apply to Gallaudet should be able to articulate in their personal essay and letters of recommendation why this specific environment is what they need and want, not just that they are deaf and therefore think Gallaudet is appropriate. The strongest applications make a specific case for why Gallaudet's community, culture, and academic mission fit the applicant's goals.
Hearing Applicants: The ASLPI Is a Hard Admission Gate - Prepare for It Specifically
Hearing students are admitted to Gallaudet's Hearing Undergraduate Program only if they already have functional ASL proficiency - specifically an ASLPI (American Sign Language Proficiency Interview) score of 2 or higher on a standardized scale. The ASLPI is a video-recorded evaluation administered by Gallaudet and costs $185 (or $100 if registered before May 16, 2026). Hearing applicants who are not already at ASLPI 2 level when they apply will not be admitted. This means that hearing students who want to attend Gallaudet need to begin serious ASL study years before applying - not months. If you are hearing and considering Gallaudet, assess your current ASLPI-equivalent level honestly before starting the application process, since the proficiency requirement is non-negotiable and is assessed independently of all other application materials.
The Washington DC Location Is an Active Academic Resource, Not Just a Location Benefit
Gallaudet's campus sits in northeast Washington DC, giving students immediate access to federal agencies, national advocacy organizations (the National Association of the Deaf, the DC Office of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing), Smithsonian museums with ASL-interpreted tours, and a robust network of deaf professionals in government, policy, education, and the arts. Gallaudet's Office for Career Success maintains active connections with these employers. Students interested in deaf education, public policy, social work, interpreter training, or advocacy should map their intended career path onto specific DC-area placement opportunities before applying - and should ask the admissions office what the track record for career placements in their intended field looks like among recent graduates.
The Video Essay Requirement Means ASL Fluency Is Assessed in the Application Itself
Hearing applicants are required to submit a video essay signed in ASL as part of Phase 1 of the application. This is not optional and is not a formality - it is evaluated by admissions staff to assess communicative ASL competency before the ASLPI is even scheduled. Deaf and hard of hearing applicants also submit written and video materials. For all applicants, the essay and video components are evaluated holistically alongside academic records, community service, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. Students who are not yet comfortable producing a signed video essay at a level that reflects genuine communicative ASL should continue studying and delay their application rather than submitting a video that undermines the rest of their file.
Expert Insight:
Gallaudet's most important admissions complexity for hearing applicants is that the ASLPI proficiency requirement functions as a binary gate: below a score of 2, the application cannot proceed to admission, regardless of academic strength, essay quality, or demonstrated commitment. Students who are just below this threshold - who have studied ASL for several years but haven't reached the required proficiency level - sometimes attempt to apply anyway, only to learn they must delay and continue language study. For deaf and hard of hearing applicants, the more common challenge is the small application pool: Gallaudet receives roughly 430 applications per year and admits about 260, meaning the absolute class size is very small and competition for specific program slots (particularly in Education, which requires Praxis exam results and additional materials) is more intense than the overall acceptance rate suggests.
Gallaudet University Profile
Full Name
Gallaudet University
City
Washington
State
District of Columbia
ZIP Code
20002-3695
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Gallaudet University Degree Worth It?
At $39,416/year against a $43,101 median graduate salary, Gallaudet University 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 $65,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.56%.
How much does a degree from Gallaudet University Cost?
The sticker price is $39,416/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
54.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 40.7% take federal loans at Gallaudet University. File your FAFSA early and list Gallaudet University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Gallaudet University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $43,101. That's about 6% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Gallaudet University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manor College | Jenkintown, PA | 820 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Gallaudet University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, GA | 864 | 18 |
| Virginia Union University | Richmond, VA | 860 | NA |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Gallaudet University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, AR | 916 | 16 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach, FL | 913 | 17 |
| Trinity College of Florida | Trinity, FL | 905 | 19 |
| Warner University | Lake Wales, FL | 937 | 17 |
| Wesleyan College | Macon, GA | 905 | NA |
Degree Programs at Gallaudet University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Gallaudet University Admissions
Median earnings for Gallaudet University graduates sit around $43,101 a year.
Gallaudet University costs roughly $39,416 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
With 54.3% of Gallaudet University students on a Pell Grant, need-based aid odds here are strong. An early FAFSA filing naming Gallaudet University is the key move.
At 60.9%, Gallaudet University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Gallaudet University average a 3.3 GPA.
Gallaudet University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.9, Gallaudet University 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 Gallaudet University — aim above 857, ideally within the 750–933 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Gallaudet University is March 1 for Priority applicants. Rolling Admissions is also offered, so applying early improves your chances.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is March 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.
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