College Profiles/ Vanderbilt University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Vanderbilt University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Nashville, TN · 7,366 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Vanderbilt 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
Vanderbilt University admitted 5.3% of 48,658 first-year applicants.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $99,994.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Early Decision II Jan 1, Regular Decision Jan 1.[3]
5.3%
Overall admit rate[1]
34 to 35
Middle 50% ACT[1]
$99,994
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
93.5%
Six-year graduation rate[4]
Vanderbilt University at a Glance
- Location
- Nashville, TN
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 8:1[1]
- Endowment
- $10.2 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional (Fall 2027 and Fall 2028 entry); Required for Fall 2029 entry[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir), QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 96.3%[4]
The ConnectPrep Take on Vanderbilt University
The ConnectPrep take
Vanderbilt says it uses holistic review and does not employ cutoffs for test scores or grade point averages. It admitted 2,592 of 48,658 applicants, a 5.3% rate. Two binding rounds, ED I on Nov 1 and ED II on Jan 1, let a student who decides later in the fall still commit. Testing is optional for fall 2027 and fall 2028 entry and required for fall 2029, and nonsubmitters remain eligible for merit. With a middle 50% ACT of 34 to 35, we suggest sending a 35 and retaking if your student is close. Opportunity Vanderbilt covers full tuition for households earning $200,000 or less. The biggest mistake is the merit deadline: Ingram, Cornelius Vanderbilt and Chancellor's Scholarship essays are due Dec 1 for every plan, a month before Regular Decision.
What to do this fall
- Submit the admission application early enough to unlock MyAppVU and finish scholarship essays by Dec 1.
- Blair applicants file the separate Blair application and prescreening video by Nov 1 for ED I or Dec 1 otherwise.
- Use ED II on Jan 1 if your student settles on Vanderbilt after November.
- Send an ACT of 35, or SAT sections near 770 in reading and writing and 790 in math.
Applying to Vanderbilt 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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Vanderbilt University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
48,658 |
2,592 |
5.3% |
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
740 to 770 |
| SAT Math[1] |
770 to 790 |
| ACT composite[1] |
34 to 35 |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 770 in Reading and Writing and 790 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 35 on the ACT. 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 Vanderbilt University looks for
In its own words: Vanderbilt says it uses a holistic admissions review process and does not employ cutoffs for standardized testing or grade point averages.[3]
Vanderbilt 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 Vanderbilt University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ingram and other merit scholarships
Before RD |
Dec 1 |
Separate scholarship essays submitted in MyAppVU by Dec 1, 2026 for all plans, a month before the Jan 1 RD deadline; you must submit the admission application first to get MyAppVU access.[6] |
Blair School of Music
Before RD |
Nov 1 (ED I); Dec 1 priority (ED II and RD) |
Blair applicants submit a separate Blair application with a prescreening video; priority deadline Dec 1 for ED II and RD.[3] |
| CSS Profile and FAFSA priority |
Nov 1 (ED I); Jan 1 (ED II); Feb 1 (RD) |
ED I aid forms are due Nov 1, the same day as the application.[3] |
See how Vanderbilt University compares with other colleges in the South deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Vanderbilt University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$99,994 |
| Tuition[2] |
$69,822 |
Estimated costs 2026-27: tuition $69,822, housing $15,170, food $8,520, student support fee $3,384 (direct total $96,896) plus books $1,100 and personal $1,998 (indirect $3,098); transportation varies and is excluded. Total is the sum of direct and indirect costs shown.[2]
- Vanderbilt University states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[7]
- Opportunity Vanderbilt: full-tuition scholarship for all households with income of $200,000 or less (assuming typical assets); these households typically receive awards greater than full tuition.[7]
- International students: Need-aware for international applicants requesting need-based aid; need-blind for domestic applicants; need-based scholarships offered to a limited number of international undergraduates.[7]
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.[4]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$3,414 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$1,876 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$4,498 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$12,153 |
| Over $110,000 |
$45,145 |
| All aided students |
$15,846 |
Academics and Majors at Vanderbilt University
Signature programs
Ingram, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Chancellor's Scholarships
Three signature full-tuition merit awards, renewable for four years; the Cornelius Vanderbilt application is required for consideration.[2]
Opportunity Vanderbilt
Loan-free need-based aid with full tuition covered for households earning $200,000 or less.[7]
Blair School of Music
Conservatory-style music school requiring a separate Blair application with a pre-screening video.[3]
College of Connected Computing
Vanderbilt's newest undergraduate college, listed alongside Arts and Science, Blair, Engineering and Peabody.[8]
Choosing a major and getting in
Undergraduate majors sit in five schools (College of Arts and Science, Blair School of Music, College of Connected Computing, Peabody College, School of Engineering). Blair applicants submit a separate Blair application with a pre-screening video.[8]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (November 1) and Early Decision II (January 1), binding.[3]
- QuestBridge (one of three application systems, no preference).[3]
- Blair School of Music pre-screening video.[3]
- Full-tuition merit scholarships (Ingram, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Chancellor's) with December 1 deadline.[3]
Vanderbilt University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[4] |
96.3% |
| Graduated within six years[4] |
93.5% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$91,565 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$14,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
20% |
Make Vanderbilt 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
Vanderbilt University FAQs
What is the Vanderbilt University acceptance rate?
Vanderbilt University admitted 5.3% of first-year applicants (2,592 of 48,658).
When are the Vanderbilt 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. 2 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does Vanderbilt University cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $99,994. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What does Vanderbilt cost for a family earning under $75,000?
Opportunity Vanderbilt provides a full-tuition scholarship for households earning $200,000 or less with typical assets, and aid is loan free. Federal data shows an average net price of $4,498 for families earning $48,001 to $75,000 and $1,876 for families earning $30,001 to $48,000. CSS Profile and FAFSA are due Nov 1 for ED I.
Is Vanderbilt test optional?
Yes, for students entering in fall 2027 and fall 2028, and nonsubmitters remain eligible for merit scholarships. Scores will be required for fall 2029 entry. With a middle 50% ACT of 34 to 35, we suggest submitting a 35 and treating anything lower as a reason to retest.
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 Vanderbilt 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.
