Ursuline College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
Ursuline College is a private, Catholic liberal arts college in Ohio that focuses on empowering women through a values-based education. Known for its strong programs in nursing and health sciences, the college fosters a supportive and inclusive environment that emphasizes leadership, service, and professional preparation.
Ursuline College Acceptance Rate
Ursuline College runs an open-access admission policy. With a 84% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Recommended Academic Profile
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Ursuline College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Ursuline College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Ursuline College 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.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Merit Scholarship Priority: 2026/02/01) 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.
Ursuline College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Ursuline College is 3.46. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.16–3.46 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 3.66–3.86.Ursuline College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Ursuline is completing a merger into Gannon University (Erie, PA); change of control took effect June 30, 2025, with full integration targeted for December 15, 2026 - the Pepper Pike campus and its identity as Ohio's only women-focused college are expected to continue as a standalone Gannon campus.
- No application fee, no required letter of recommendation, and test-optional with superscoring of both SAT and ACT; Presidential and Dean's merit scholarships are awarded automatically at admission with no separate application, provided the student is clearly admitted before August 1.
- Six full-tuition scholarships are reserved specifically for one senior each from six named Greater Cleveland Catholic high schools - students must be admitted by March 1 to qualify.
- Say Yes Cleveland awards up to 5 full-tuition-equivalent packages annually to graduates of Cleveland public and partnering charter schools with family income at or below $75,000.
- 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 Ursuline College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Ursuline College's verified institutional data
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Ursuline College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Ursuline College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Ursuline College Without SAT or ACT?
Ursuline College Average SAT Score: 1140
The average SAT score of admitted students at Ursuline College is 1140 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
If your score is below 960, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Ursuline College. 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 | 545 | 470 | 620 |
| SAT Reading | 535 | 490 | 580 |
| SAT Composite | 1140 | 960 | 1200 |
Below 960, you're behind most admitted students; at 1200 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 1150
Can I get into Ursuline College with a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT puts you ahead of most of Ursuline College'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.
Ursuline College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Ursuline College is 23.
ACT Competitiveness
This sits close to the national average ACT score.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 22 | 20 | 24 |
| ACT English | 23 | 21 | 25 |
| ACT Composite | 23 | 21 | 25 |
Can I get into Ursuline College with a 25 ACT?
A 25 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Ursuline College'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 Ursuline College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Ursuline College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Ursuline College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Ursuline reserves one full-tuition scholarship for a senior from each of six named Greater Cleveland Catholic high schools (Villa Angela?St. Joseph, Beaumont School, Saint Joseph Academy, Cleveland Central Catholic, Trinity High School, and Saint Martin de Porres High School) - but the qualifying window is admission by March 1, not a later date, so any student from one of these six schools should apply well ahead of that deadline specifically to be in contention for their school's slot.
Graduates of Cleveland public schools and partnering charter schools with family income at or below $75,000 can receive a full-tuition-equivalent package (covered by combined federal, state, and institutional aid) through the Say Yes Cleveland program - Ursuline awards about five of these per year, and eligible students should apply through the Say Yes Cleveland process directly rather than relying only on Ursuline's automatic merit scholarship.
Ursuline signed a definitive merger agreement with Gannon University (change of control effective June 30, 2025; full integration targeted for December 15, 2026), becoming the "Ursuline College Campus of Gannon University." Because this is an active, multi-year transition, a student applying now should ask admissions specifically which accreditation and degree-granting institution will apply to their particular entry and expected graduation dates, rather than assuming the terms described in older marketing materials still hold through the entire transition.
Students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and want to become a Registered Nurse should ask specifically about Ursuline's Second Degree Accelerated Program (SDAP) - a distinct BSN pathway for second-degree students with its own orientation and advising track, separate from the standard four-year nursing sequence.
Ursuline College signed a definitive merger agreement with Gannon University (change of control effective June 30, 2025; full merger targeted for December 15, 2026). The Pepper Pike campus, admissions office, and identity as Ohio's only women-focused college are expected to continue, but applicants should confirm directly with admissions which institution's accreditation, degree terms, and scholarship structures will actually apply to their specific entry and graduation dates, since these details can shift as the integration with Gannon proceeds through 2026.
Ursuline College Profile
Is a Ursuline College Degree Worth It?
Whether Ursuline College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $60,900, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.38%.
How much does a degree from Ursuline College Cost?
The sticker price is $49,537/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
39% of students receive a Pell Grant and 86.2% take federal loans at Ursuline College. File your FAFSA early and list Ursuline College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Ursuline College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $56,878. That's about 40% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Ursuline College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, AZ | 1095 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, CA | 1116 | 22 |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA | 1093 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Denver, CO | 1119 | 24 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Ursuline College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO | 1130 | 25 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton, FL | 1136 | 25 |
| University of West Florida | Pensacola, FL | 1137 | 24 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Ursuline College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
Degree Programs at Ursuline College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Ursuline College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Ursuline College run about $56,878 a year.
Ursuline College costs roughly $49,537 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 39.0% receive a Pell Grant at Ursuline College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 84%, Ursuline College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Ursuline College average a 3.46 GPA.
Ursuline College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.16 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.06, Ursuline College 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 Ursuline College — aim above 1140, ideally within the 960–1200 range admitted students typically fall in.
Ursuline College follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Merit Scholarship Priority: 2026/02/01. 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.
