Washington University in St. Louis

Overview

Washington University in St. Louis, often called WashU, is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri. It was founded in 1853 and is tied for No. 16 among National Universities in the US News 2027 rankings. In fall 2025 it enrolled 8,153 undergraduates, the university-wide student-to-faculty ratio was 10:1, and the six-year graduation rate for students who entered in 2019 was 93%. Undergraduates come from all 50 states; 85% are from outside Missouri, and 65% come from more than 500 miles away.

Two kinds of families tend to fit. In the first, the student already has a fairly clear academic direction and is comfortable choosing a school at the point of application, such as engineering, business, or architecture. In the second, the student wants to study across disciplines at a mid-sized university: WashU reports that 80% of undergraduates pursue multiple majors or minors and 50% study abroad. For Irvine families, the first decision is the early round. This cycle WashU added a non-binding Early Action option with the same deadline as binding Early Decision I, and that choice shapes how a WashU application fits alongside the University of California. The last two sections of this page lay that out by grade.

Admissions data

11.9%Class of 2029 admit rate

1. Applied33,283
2. Admitted3,968
3. Enrolled1,963

• Midwest30%
• Middle States18%
• West14%
• Other countries and territories14%
• South10%
• Southwest8%
• New England6%

Regions as defined by WashU. The university does not publish a separate count for California.

The Class of 2029 comes from 49 states and 29 countries; 12% are international citizens, 23% are Pell-eligible, and 16% are first-generation college students. Among students whose schools report rank, 86% were in the top 10% of their high school class. According to the university’s Common Data Set (the standardized data report colleges publish each year), this class drew 4,934 Early Decision applications and 1,333 Early Decision admits, roughly a third of all admitted students that year. For the following Class of 2030, 33,221 students applied, 12.2% were admitted, 1,942 enrolled, and the middle 50% SAT range rose to 1,510 to 1,550.

How to apply

WashU accepts the Common Application and the Coalition Application and also participates in QuestBridge. The application fee is $75, waived for financial aid applicants and for families facing hardship. Materials include the Common App or Coalition App essay, a 250-word response to the question “Please tell us what you are interested in studying at college and why,” a counselor recommendation, one teacher evaluation, and the school report and transcript. A portfolio is required for the College of Art and strongly encouraged for the College of Architecture, submitted through SlideRoom. WashU has dropped its former optional second essay; a video supplement and Schoolhouse.world certifications are optional.

Testing is optional, and applicants who do not submit scores receive full consideration. Scores may be self-reported, with official reports required after enrolling. WashU superscores both the SAT and the ACT, does not require the ACT writing section, and treats the ACT science section as optional. International applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test results. In August 2026 the university said it expects to make an announcement about its testing policy within the year.

WashU does not conduct or offer evaluative interviews. International applicants may submit a third-party interview such as InitialView as additional evidence of English proficiency, and not submitting one carries no disadvantage. Beginning with the admissions cycle for the Class of 2031, WashU also considers demonstrated interest, which can be shown through a campus visit, a virtual information session, or meeting admissions officers when they visit high schools.

WashU has been need-blind since 2021 for first-year applicants who are US citizens or permanent residents, meaning a request for aid does not affect the admission decision. International students are eligible for financial aid only if they apply for it during the admission process.

Cost and financial aid

2026-27$96,994billed total

• Tuition$71,310
• Activity and health fees$1,412
• Housing and food (average)$24,272

What a family actually pays, by location and income

1. Missouri or 53 southern Illinois counties, $75,000 or less$0The WashU Pledge covers tuition, fees, housing, and food, guaranteed for four years
2. Everywhere else, including CaliforniaAssessed on need; 100% of demonstrated need met without loans

Aid is based on need. WashU commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students and, under a no-loan policy adopted in 2024, replaces loans with grants and scholarships. The university reported in March 2026 that the average package for students receiving federal aid brought the cost of attendance down to about $22,400, and that in 2025 it invested $229 million in undergraduate aid. Aid recipients from families earning $200,000 or less also receive technology grants for a computer and other hardware. Merit scholarships come in two forms: each undergraduate school awards four-year scholarships of up to full tuition with no separate application, and the Signature Scholar Programs give priority consideration to students who submit the admission application by December 16, 2026 and then answer a 250-word short-answer question for each program.

Schools and fields of study

Four WashU schools admit undergraduates: the College of Arts & Sciences, Olin Business School, the McKelvey School of Engineering, and the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. The Sam Fox School contains the College of Architecture and the College of Art, so the application asks students to pick one of five options: Architecture, Art, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Engineering. In fall 2025 undergraduate enrollment by school was 4,516 in Arts & Sciences, 1,515 in Engineering, 885 in Business, 318 in Art, and 240 in Architecture. WashU offers more than 100 fields of study; the map below groups a selection of its main majors.

The school a student chooses at application is a home base, but students may take classes in any school. The application also asks for a primary academic interest, and students do not need to declare a major formally until their second year. Enrolled first-year students must wait one full semester before requesting a change of school, and a change is possible but not guaranteed. In the Class of 2029, 1,327 students entered Arts & Sciences, 307 Engineering, 168 Business, 88 Art, and 73 Architecture, and 52 entered the interdisciplinary Beyond Boundaries program.

WashU publishes clear course recommendations: four years of English, four years of mathematics, three to four years of laboratory science, three to four years of history or social science, and at least two years of the same foreign language. Architecture, business, and engineering strongly recommend calculus; engineering recommends chemistry and physics, and Arts & Sciences recommends both for students planning pre-medicine or the natural sciences. Distinctive programs include the joint degree in business and computer science, Beyond Boundaries for interdisciplinary study, and PreHealth advising, which is open to students in any major.

Campus life

All first- and second-year WashU students live on campus. First-year students live on the South 40, a residential area at the southwest end of the Danforth Campus with ten residential communities shared by first-year and sophomore students, along with its own student government, dining, a fitness center, recreation space, and music practice rooms. Buildings are either modern, with elevators and mostly double rooms plus some singles and triples, or traditional, without elevators and with single and double rooms on each floor. Incoming students cannot choose a building but can state room-type preferences. Each community has a professional Residential Community Director and student Resident Advisors. WashU lists more than 385 undergraduate student groups and fields 19 varsity teams.

A timeline for Irvine families

Because WashU asks students to choose a school when they apply, and because engineering, business, and architecture all point to calculus and laboratory science, an Irvine student’s math and science sequence needs to be settled in grade 9. The five Irvine Unified high schools differ in when AP courses open, how weighting works, and how the math sequence accelerates; school-by-school rules are in the IUSD high school guides.

1. Grade 9Set direction and math path
   • Form an early view of the target school
   • Choose a math sequence that reaches calculus before graduation
   • Choose one or two activities that can run four years
2. Grade 10Build the science base
   • Take chemistry and physics in the order the school allows
   • Take the first AP courses the school allows
   • Turn activities into visible output
3. Grade 11Test and learn about WashU
   • SAT or ACT: first sitting in spring, second before summer ends
   • Attend a virtual session or plan a campus visit
   • Choose recommending teachers and stay in touch
4. Fall of grade 12Choose round and school
   • EA or ED I application by November 2
   • Apply by December 16 for Signature Scholar priority
   • Otherwise ED II or RD by January 4

Dates and registration deadlines are on the 2026-27 test calendar, and preparation options are on the SAT page.

How EDUBUS helps

EDUBUS college planning runs year by year from grade 9: a four-year course plan built around the rules of each Irvine high school, so that students aiming at engineering or business complete calculus and laboratory science on time; a testing schedule and a clear decision on whether to submit scores; and in grade 12, help choosing among EA, ED I, ED II, and RD, with a counselor review of the personal essay and the 250-word academic interest response. Preparing the CSS Profile and FAFSA for financial aid is part of the service. To see where a student stands relative to schools like WashU, start with a free assessment.