Total first-year applications to UVA surge to 82,089

Over the past decade, the number of prospective first-years applying to UVA has climbed steadily. But in this year’s admissions cycle, total applications surged—to 82,089, a 27 percent jump from last year’s 64,457 and a 153 percent increase from 2016, when 32,377 students applied. The previous high increase in the past decade came in 2021 when applications rose year-over-year by about 17 percent.

This year’s record-breaking numbers came as UVA made applying slightly easier. Except for nursing school applicants, prospective students no longer had to submit supplemental essays beyond the Common Application’s personal statement.

The university “can’t speculate on any specific driving forces behind the greater application numbers this year,” Bethanie Glover, UVA’s deputy spokesperson, said in a statement.

Eliminating the short answer prompts, Glover said, creates a leaner application and eases the burden on students. One recent prompt, for example, asked applicants to write in 250 words or less about how their individual background, perspective or experience would serve as a source of strength for them or those around them at UVA.

“High school seniors are applying to more colleges and universities than ever, which requires completing a large number of short answer essay responses during their already busy fall semester,” Glover said. “Our hope is that this will lighten the load and reduce stress and anxiety around the college application process.”

UVA’s public peer institutions retained their supplemental essays for applicants this year, including UNC-Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan, UC Berkeley and UCLA.

UVA admits students through three separate rounds—early decision, early action and regular decision—with application deadlines in November and January. Notifications for regular decision applicants will arrive by April 1. For the early decision and early action rounds, UVA has already notified applicants.

In late January, UVA offered admission to 7,151 early action applicants with an offer rate of 23 percent for Virginia residents and 9 percent for out-of-state students, according to the admissions blog. Just under 4,000 students typically make up the first-year class.

In December’s early decision round, UVA extended binding offers of admission to 1,225 future ’Hoos, with an offer rate of 25 percent for Virginia residents and 23 percent for out-of-state students.

For context, across all admissions rounds, acceptance rates for last year’s Class of 2029 were 23 percent for in-state applicants and 12.5 percent for out-of-state.