College Profiles/ Lehigh University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Lehigh University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Bethlehem, PA · 5,986 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Lehigh University for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Lehigh University admitted 29.0% of 19,342 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 47.4%.[2] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1380 to 1480.[2] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $89,820.[3] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $57,846.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Early Decision II Jan 1, Regular Decision Jan 1.[4]
29.0%
Overall admit rate[1]
47.4%
Early Decision admit rate[2]
1380 to 1480
Middle 50% SAT[2]
$89,820
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[3]
$57,846
Average need-based grant[1]
Lehigh University at a Glance
- Location
- Bethlehem, PA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 11:1[2]
- Endowment
- $2 billion (FY2025)[5]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional (extended indefinitely)[4]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir)[4]
- First-year retention
- 94.3%[2]
The ConnectPrep Take on Lehigh University
The ConnectPrep take
Lehigh asks applicants to indicate an intended college or program, and a few routes are tighter than the overall numbers suggest. IDEAS, the integrated engineering and arts and sciences degree, enrolls about 50 students a year, and Explore Lehigh admits only students who are admissible to all four undergraduate colleges. Early Decision is the clearest lever: 47.4% of 2,040 ED applicants were admitted against 29.0% overall, about 1.6 times the overall rate. ED pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies, so the true edge is smaller. Lehigh is test optional indefinitely; with a middle 50% SAT of 1380 to 1480, we say submit at 1430 or above and aim for 1480. The mistake we see is skipping ED for fear of losing merit aid, when Lehigh considers ED applicants for merit scholarships.
What to do this fall
- Choose ED I by Nov 1 or ED II by Jan 1; ED applicants remain eligible for merit scholarships.
- If IDEAS appeals, show strength in both engineering and arts and sciences; the program enrolls about 50 a year.
- Send an SAT of 1430 or higher. Below that, apply test optional.
- Submit the financial aid application by Nov 1 for ED I, the same day as the admission application.
Applying to Lehigh University? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Lehigh University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
19,342 |
5,601 |
29.0% |
| Early Decision[2] |
2,040 |
966 |
47.4% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 17% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 1.6 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 27.4%.[1]
- 4,083 students were offered a waitlist spot, 1,988 accepted one, and 80 were admitted from it.[2]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[2] |
680 to 740 |
| SAT Math[2] |
690 to 760 |
| SAT composite[2] |
1380 to 1480 |
| ACT composite[2] |
31 to 34 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[2] |
33% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[2] |
10% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1480 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 34 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1430, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Lehigh University looks for
Lehigh University Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
mid-Dec (ED I); mid-Feb (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 1 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 1 |
late Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Lehigh University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| 7-year BA/DMD Bio-Dental |
Jan 1 |
Separate deadline row Jan 1 with decisions in early Apr.[4] |
| Financial aid application |
Nov 1 (ED I); Jan 1 (ED II); Jan 15 (RD) |
ED I aid application is due the same day as the admission application.[3] |
See how Lehigh University compares with other colleges in the Mid-Atlantic deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Lehigh University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[3] |
$89,820 |
| Tuition[3] |
$69,420 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
44.8% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$57,846 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$63,778 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
97.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
177 students, average $21,666 |
typical first-year on campus: tuition $69,420, housing $11,470, full meal plan $7,760, technology/activity/wellness fees $1,170; excludes $1,000 books and $1,500 personal used in aid budgets; some colleges add $910 fee.[3]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $89,820 cost of attendance down to roughly $31,974 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Lehigh Commitment: undergraduates from families with total income under $75,000 receive a full tuition grant.[3]
- International students: Need-aware (Lehigh practices need-aware review of applications from non-US citizens; aid is limited).[6]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[7]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$16,917 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$17,140 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$18,722 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$22,184 |
| Over $110,000 |
$48,751 |
| All aided students |
$36,931 |
Academics and Majors at Lehigh University
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[2]
- Business/marketing28%
- Engineering20%
- Computer and information sciences12%
- Social sciences8%
- Psychology6%
Signature programs
IDEAS (Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences)
Highly selective integrated engineering and arts and sciences degree with annual admission limited to about 50 students; indicated on the standard application by January 1.[8]
Explore Lehigh
New program (first year 2025-26) letting students explore before choosing a college; students must be admissible to each of the four undergraduate colleges.[9]
7-year BA/DMD with Penn Dental
Combined dental program selected via the Common App program drop-down plus a separate Penn supplement due January 1.[6]
Lehigh Commitment
Full tuition grant for families with total income under $75,000.[3]
Choosing a major and getting in
Students indicate an intended college or program on the Common App (Arts and Sciences, Business, Health, P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science; Education is graduate-focused). Integrated programs such as IDEAS (about 50 per year) are capped. Explore Lehigh admits students who are admissible to all four undergraduate colleges.[6][9]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (Nov 1) and II (Jan 1).
- IDEAS integrated degree.
- Explore Lehigh.
- 7-year BA/DMD with Penn Dental Medicine.
Lehigh University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[2] |
94.3% |
| Graduated within four years[2] |
75.7% |
| Graduated within six years[2] |
85.2% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[7] |
$105,584 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[7] |
$21,960 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[7] |
18% |
Make Lehigh University a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
Lehigh University FAQs
What is the Lehigh University acceptance rate?
Lehigh University admitted 29.0% of first-year applicants (5,601 of 19,342), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 47.4%.
When are the Lehigh University application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Early Decision II Jan 1; Regular Decision Jan 1.
How much does Lehigh University cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $89,820. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $57,846.
What SAT score do you need for Lehigh University?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1380 to 1480 on the SAT and 31 to 34 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1480, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional (extended indefinitely).
Is Lehigh test optional?
Yes. Lehigh is test optional indefinitely. The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 1380 to 1480 on the SAT and 31 to 34 on the ACT, and 33% submitted the SAT. We advise submitting a score at or above the midpoint, about 1430 on the SAT, and aiming for 1480 if a retake is realistic.
Does applying early decision to Lehigh affect merit aid?
No. Lehigh considers ED applicants for merit scholarships. Through the Lehigh Commitment, students from families with total income under $75,000 receive a full tuition grant. International applicants should know that Lehigh practices need-aware review for non-US citizens and that aid for them is limited.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lehigh University. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
