First-Year Students - Undergraduate Admissions

Begin your application

Apply online through the Common Application or the Coalition for College Application.

Please note: If you’re interested in studying solely at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music for a bachelor of music degree, you must apply directly through the Eastman application and should not submit either the Common Application or Coalition for College Application.

Application Fee

There is a $50 application fee to apply to the University of Rochester.

If the application fee poses a significant financial burden on you or your family, please complete our Application Fee Waiver Request Form intended for all first-year and transfer students, regardless of citizenship.

Required materials

The following required materials must be submitted to us directly by your secondary school or university, depending on the document. Documents must be submitted through the Common Application or Coalition/ Scoir Application portal. The Office of Admissions will not process documents submitted via email from another party. The University of Rochester school code is 002894.

Your secondary school transcript must be submitted directly from your school counselor or the designated official you have indicated on you official application. School officials must submit your transcript on your behalf through the Common Application or the Coalition/Scoir Application using the University of Rochester school code (002894). This transcript should include all grades from 9th through 11th grade.

We require one teacher recommendation, however you may submit up to three. These may be from teachers in any academic area, but are typically teachers who have strong understanding of you as a student and person within your school community. Recommenders should submit your recommendation through the appropriate recommender process within Common Application or Coalition / Scoir Application portal, as the Office of Admission will not process documents submitted via email or postal mail.

Your counselor must submit the School Report Form and their recommendation on your behalf. Documents must be submitted through the Common Application or Coalition / Scoir Application portal, as the Office of Admission will not process documents submitted via email or postal mail. This will also typically include a school profile, which is helpful for us in assessing your school’s curriculum and grading policies. It is important to request this from them as early as possible to avoid delays in completing your application by your intended deadline.

The mid-year report is typically available after the completion of your first semester of 12th grade, and will be sent directly from your school. Documents must be submitted through the Common Application or Coalition / Scoir Application portal, as the Office of Admission will not process documents submitted via email or postal mail.

Should you be admitted to the University of Rochester and choose to enroll with us, you will be required to submit a final transcript which will be available after your successful completion of high school. Documents should specifically indicate your date of graduation from high school/secondary school and must be submitted through the Common Application or Coalition / Scoir Application portal, as the Office of Admission will not process documents submitted via email or postal mail.

If you have taken any college courses while in high school, you may submit an official transcript from the credit awarding school as part of your application. This transcript should be sent directly from the college or university using the University of Rochester school code (002894). Documents should specifically indicate your date of graduation from high school/secondary school and must be submitted through the Common Application or Coalition / Scoir Application portal, as the Office of Admission will not process documents submitted via email or postal mail.

Applicants are required to complete the Rochester-specific questions of both the Common Application and the Coalition for College Application. This includes the supplemental essays.

Optional materials

You can also sign up for an interview (highly recommended) and/or submit the following optional materials directly through your MyROC portal.

The University of Rochester is a test-optional institution. Therefore you are not required to submit testing as part of your application. If you wish to have test scores considered during our review, we accept self-reported scores which you may include on your application or transcript, or upload to your MyROC account after you have applied. If you are admitted to the University and choose to enroll, you will be required to submit an official score report. More information regarding our test policy.

If you have media links you’d like to share as part of your application (YouTube videos, art portfolios, etc.), you will have the chance to upload those to your MyROC account after you have submitted your application.

We want to get to know who you are as a person, not just a student. Through a family or peer recommendation, we get to learn about your impact on your community and what kind of unique perspectives you might bring to ours. This recommendation may come from any member of your family, a close friend, coach, employer, or community leader who knows you well.Submit the Family/Peer Recommendation Form

You will be able to access your MyRoc portal after you have submitted your application. You should check your portal regularly to make sure we have everything on file. Please note that it can take up to two weeks for some paperwork to be manually processed.

MyROC

Early decision

The early decision (ED) application process is designed for first-year applicants who are certain Rochester is their first-choice school.

We offer two rounds of early decision: November 1 (ED I) or January 5 (ED II).

Students who are interested in early decisions will need to submit their application and other materials by the appropriate deadline. Please read all of the information about dates and deadlines before applying early decision.

See dates & deadlines

Combined degree programs

Combined degree programs allow you to fast-track your master’s or other advanced degree, or to enroll in multiple University of Rochester schools at once.

To be considered for one of these programs, indicate the program you’re applying for in the application portal you’ve chosen. You will then be required to complete a short essay related to your interest in the program, Our counselors will consider your entire application along with any supporting materials.

Explore combined degrees

Financial aid

Investing in a quality education is a big decision. At Rochester, we provide a sound program of need-based financial assistance. Typical packages include scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, and outside awards.

Undergraduates applying as US citizens or eligible non-citizens must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for federal funding and the CSS Profile for University funding. We may request additional items once a financial aid counselor reviews your application.

Learn more about financial aid

Homeschooled students

A student meeting with a counselor and looking at a tablet screen.
Admissions counselors conduct a holistic review, considering a variety of factors, including many kinds of academic records. The self-directed curriculum makes Rochester an attractive and appropriate choice for students who have a homeschool education. We seek to understand how homeschooled applicants have learned from a variety of people and experiences.

To supplement the basic application components, homeschooled students must submit a comprehensive description of their program of study, including syllabi and a description of instruction methods and assessments for laboratory sciences. Competitive homeschooled students have completed at least four years each of English, mathematics, and history/social studies, and three years each of science and a foreign language

Students should also submit:

Any transcripts from accredited colleges or universities
At least one, and preferably two, letters of recommendation from outside instructors, volunteer or group supervisors, or employers

Homeschooled students are strongly encouraged to complete an interview prior to their application deadline.

Graduation requirements typically set forth by the state in which homeschooled students reside meet the academic requirements to be considered for admission. Most states require at least four years of English, three years of mathematics, four years of history/social studies, three years of science, and three years of a foreign language.

Homeschooled students should check their respective state requirements for graduation. If for any reason the curriculum differs from what a student has taken, an explanation about what the student has chosen versus what the state requires for graduation should be explained.

Homeschooled students, like all Rochester applicants, can qualify for need-based financial aid and/or compete for merit scholarships.

DACA/Dreamers

A student working at a laptop computer.

The University of Rochester is deeply committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and diverse community. In that spirit, we welcome first-year and transfer students who represent differences in religious beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds, values, and points of view. This also includes non-US citizens and undocumented students—with or without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). See the non-US citizens page on the federal student aid website for more information.

We’re committed to meeting 100 percent of the demonstrated need of all admitted students. Undocumented students are considered for need-based financial aid like any other US citizen or permanent resident. Undocumented students are also considered for merit scholarships.

Undocumented students should follow the same application procedure for all domestic (i.e., not international) applicants to the University of Rochester. You can apply under any admissions round (early decision, regular decision, transfer) regardless of citizenship status.

Because federal financial aid is not available for undocumented students, Rochester provides institutional financial aid in its place, so a FAFSA is not required to apply for aid.

Instead, students should complete the following steps to apply for aid:

Complete the International Student CSS Profile. If you qualified for a fee waiver for the SAT, you will automatically qualify for a fee waiver for the CSS Profile.
If you or your parents/guardians file taxes, send required financial documents directly to the College Board’s Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC). (The citizenship status of your parents/guardians does not affect your eligibility to receive financial aid from Rochester.)
If you or your parents/guardians do not file or will not file taxes, fill out a Nontax Filer Statement (found on the IDOC website) and send it directly to IDOC.
Complete your financial aid application on time! Deadlines vary for early decision, regular decision, and transfer students. Visit our financial aid website for more information.

Please email our international financial aid counselor and undocumented/DACA support contact at lucinda.snyder@rochester.edu with any questions.

We have support services in place for students who identify as undocumented, DACA, DACAmented, or Dreamers. Get more information.

Legacy applicants

University of Rochester alumni are an integral part of our community and play an important role in telling our story to prospective students and parents far and wide. By extension we look forward to welcoming future generations of highly-qualified Rochester legacies to join the University family.

A legacy applicant is someone who is the child or grandchild of a Rochester graduate.

Legacy students’ applications will be reviewed using the same holistic, multi-reader review process in which all applicants are reviewed.
Legacy applicants do not automatically receive special attention or consideration.
Students are not automatically admitted to the University of Rochester based on legacy status.