UVA Acceptance Rate: Class of 2029 Admissions Statistics

The University of Virginia (UVA) admitted 10,086 students out of 64,457 applicants for the Class of 2029, resulting in a 15.65% acceptance rate.

For the Class of 2030, UVA has so far released Early Action (EA) results. In-state applicants were admitted at a 22.84% rate (3,071 of 13,445), while out-of-state applicants were admitted at a much lower 9.26% rate (4,080 of 44,050). Regular Decision (RD) results will be announced in late March.

In this blog, we’ll walk through UVA’s latest overall, early, regular, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates and examine how selectivity has evolved over time.

• UVA Acceptance Rates
• UVA Early Action Acceptance Rate
• UVA Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• UVA Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• UVA Transfer Acceptance Rate
• UVA Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

UVA Acceptance Rates

UVA’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 15.65%, down from 16.81% for the Class of 2028. The decline reflects continued growth in applications while the number of admitted students has remained relatively stable.

Over the past decade, UVA’s acceptance rate has steadily tightened as applicant numbers increased. Here’s the full trend:

Note: All data has been compiled from UVA’s Common Data Set and official news releases.

Applications to UVA increased from 36,807 for the Class of 2021 to 64,457 for the Class of 2029. During the same period, the number of admitted students remained relatively stable, generally ranging between about 9,200 and 10,100 offers per year.

Because UVA’s class size has stayed largely consistent, rising application volumes have driven acceptance rates downward, falling almost half from 27.05% for the Class of 2021 to 15.65% for the Class of 2029. 

UVA Early Action Acceptance Rate

The most recent EA data is for the Class of 2030. UVA admitted 3,071 in-state students out of 13,445 applicants, a 22.84% acceptance rate, down from 24.80% for the Class of 2029. For out-of-state applicants, 4,080 students were admitted out of 44,050 applicants, resulting in a 9.26% acceptance rate, also down from 12.92% the previous year.

UVA explicitly notes that averaging in-state and out-of-state rates is misleading, as residency is a major factor in the admissions process.

UVA in-state Early Action acceptance rate trends

The available data below shows how EA selectivity has evolved over time for in-state applicants:

Note: EA data is compiled from official counselor updates and the official UVA admission blog.

UVA’s in-state EA acceptance rate has declined sharply, falling from 48.79% for the Class of 2021 to 22.84% for the Class of 2030. This drop is largely driven by rising application volumes, while the number of seats allocated for Virginia residents has remained relatively stable, increasing competition in the early pool even for in-state applicants.

UVA out-of-state Early Action acceptance rate trends

Out-of-state applicants face significantly lower acceptance rates, reflecting UVA’s commitment to prioritizing Virginia residents in its admissions process:

Note: EA data is compiled from official counselor updates and the official UVA admission blog.

UVA’s out-of-state EA acceptance rate has declined significantly, falling from 22.31% for the Class of 2021 to 9.26% for the Class of 2030. While rates fluctuate year to year, the overall trend reflects increasing competition among non-resident applicants, as application volumes grow but available seats remain limited.

Even so, EA applicants, regardless of residency, continue to benefit from higher acceptance rates than those applying in the RD round, though outcomes remain significantly more favorable for in-state students.

UVA Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent Early Decision (ED) data is for the Class of 2029, when UVA admitted 825 Virginia (in-state) students out of 2,795 applicants, resulting in a 29.52% acceptance rate, slightly down from 30.39% for the Class of 2028. For out-of-state applicants, 457 students were admitted out of 2,176 applicants, for a 21.00% acceptance rate, up from 18.54% the previous year.

UVA introduced ED beginning with the Class of 2024, so only recent years have available data. Even with limited history, the figures show a consistent advantage for in-state applicants in the ED round.

UVA in-state Early Decision acceptance rate trends

The available data below shows how ED selectivity has evolved over time for in-state applicants:

Note: ED data is compiled from the official UVA admission blog.

UVA’s in-state ED acceptance rate has declined over time, dropping from 40.00% for the Class of 2024 to 29.52% for the Class of 2029. This trend reflects growing competition in the ED pool, as more applicants apply early while the number of available in-state spots remains relatively stable.

UVA out-of-state Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Out-of-state applicants face lower acceptance rates in ED, though the gap is less pronounced than in EA:

Note: ED data is compiled from the official UVA admission blog.

UVA’s ED data shows a clear decline in acceptance rates for out-of-state applicants since the program was introduced, falling from 28.37% for the Class of 2024 to 21.00% for the Class of 2029. Despite this decline, ED applicants still see higher admission rates than those applying in the RD round.

UVA Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent publicly available RD data for UVA comes from the Class of 2029, when the university admitted 2,058 students out of 17,601 applicants, resulting in an 11.69% acceptance rate, down from 13.41% for the Class of 2028.

UVA Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

UVA’s available RD data shows a general decline in acceptance rates, reflecting increasing competition in the RD pool:

Note: RD figures are estimated from the difference between UVA’s publicly released overall admissions data and its EA and ED numbers.

UVA’s RD data shows application totals rising from 13,559 for the Class of 2024 to 17,601 for the Class of 2029, while admitted students have remained relatively stable, generally ranging between about 2,000 and 3,200 offers per year. This balance has kept RD acceptance rates on a downward trend, falling from 24.07% (Class of 2024) to 11.69% (Class of 2029).

UVA Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available UVA transfer data comes from Fall 2024, when the university had a 31.97% transfer acceptance rate. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from UVA’s Common Data Set for 2024–2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

UVA’s transfer admissions process is less selective than its first-year admissions, in part due to established transfer pathways such as Guaranteed Admission Agreements with Virginia community colleges, which provide a structured route for qualified students. As a result, the 31.97% transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 is notably higher than the 15.65% overall first-year acceptance rate for the Class of 2029.

UVA Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent available waitlist data comes from the Class of 2028, when UVA had a 3.58% waitlist acceptance rate. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Waitlist data is sourced from UVA’s Common Data Set for the corresponding admissions cycle.

Because UVA enrolls a large share of admitted students each year, only a small number of applicants are typically admitted from the waitlist (3.58% for the Class of 2028). Even when thousands of students accept waitlist spots, final offers tend to remain limited, making admission from the waitlist highly unpredictable, as it largely depends on enrollment needs and yield rates in a given year.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is UVA’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent confirmed acceptance rate is 15.65% for the Class of 2029. UVA received 64,457 applications and admitted 10,086 students.

2. Is it easier to get into UVA through Early Action or Regular Decision?

Historically, EA applicants are admitted at higher rates than RD applicants. For the Class of 2029, in-state applicants had a 24.80% EA acceptance rate, while out-of-state applicants had a 12.92% EA acceptance rate. These rates compare to an 11.69% RD acceptance rate, with outcomes again varying by residency.

3. How hard is it to transfer to UVA?

Transfer admission is less selective than first-year admission. For Fall 2024, UVA had a 31.97% transfer acceptance rate, significantly higher than the 15.65% overall first-year acceptance rate.

4. What are my chances of getting off UVA’s waitlist?

Waitlist admissions are unpredictable and vary by year. For the Class of 2028, UVA admitted 242 students from 6,759 confirmed waitlist spots, resulting in a 3.58% waitlist acceptance rate.

5. Why is UVA’s acceptance rate declining?

UVA’s acceptance rate has declined as application numbers have grown while the number of admitted students has remained relatively stable. This increased demand has made admissions more competitive over time.

Takeaways

• UVA’s acceptance rate has declined over time, falling from 27.05% for the Class of 2021 to 15.65% for the Class of 2029 as application numbers continue to rise.
• EA and ED applicants have higher admission rates than RDapplicants, but outcomes vary significantly by residency, with in-state applicants admitted at much higher rates than out-of-state applicants.
• For the Class of 2030, in-state applicants had a 22.84% EA acceptance rate compared to 9.26% for out-of-state applicants, while for the Class of 2029, ED rates were 29.52% (in-state) and 21.00% (out-of-state), compared to an 11.69% RD acceptance rate.
• Transfer admission is less selective than first-year admission, with a 31.97% transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024, while waitlist admission remains highly competitive at 3.58% for the Class of 2028.
• With UVA’s increasingly selective admissions process, guidance from a college admissions expert can help you refine your application strategy, strengthen your profile, and present a more competitive candidacy.