College Profiles/ Wesleyan University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Wesleyan University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Middletown, CT · 3,805 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Wesleyan 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
Wesleyan University admitted 16.4% of 14,973 first-year applicants.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $101,080.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Early Decision II Jan 1, Regular Decision Jan 1.[3]
16.4%
Overall admit rate[1]
33 to 35
Middle 50% ACT[4]
$101,080
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
93.0%
Six-year graduation rate[5]
Wesleyan University at a Glance
- Location
- Middletown, CT
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 8:1[4]
- Endowment
- $1.6 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir), QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 95.0%[5]
The ConnectPrep Take on Wesleyan University
The ConnectPrep take
Wesleyan reads each application in the context of the academic and social resources available to the student and wants the file to show achievements, curiosity, values, potential and a vision for the future. With no core curriculum, Wesleyan is asking what your student will build with freedom. The admit rate is 16.4% on 14,973 applicants, and 74% of enrolled students ranked in the top 10% of their class. Binding ED I closes Nov 15, and ED II and Regular Decision both close Jan 1. Testing is optional for most students, though homeschooled applicants must submit a recent SAT or ACT; we still believe a higher score is always better when it strengthens the file. The mistake we see is an application that describes the past and never the future.
What to do this fall
- Have the essays name a direction: what your student wants to study or build at Wesleyan and why.
- Finish the application before the holidays, since ED II and Regular Decision both close Jan 1.
- Send arts supplements in music, theatre, visual arts, film or dance through SlideRoom.
- File aid by Nov 15 for ED I, Jan 1 for ED II, or Jan 15 for Regular Decision.
Applying to Wesleyan 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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Wesleyan University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
14,973 |
2,453 |
16.4% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 34.3%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[4] |
705 to 760 |
| SAT Math[4] |
710 to 780 |
| ACT composite[4] |
33 to 35 |
| Ranked in top 10% of high school class[1] |
74% |
Test score ranges on this page come from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which reports an earlier entering class than the school’s newest Common Data Set.[4]
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 760 in Reading and Writing and 780 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 Wesleyan University looks for
In its own words: Wesleyan considers each application in the context of the academic and social resources available to the student and wants it to show achievements, curiosity, values, potential, and vision for the future. Its holistic review evaluates the entire high school transcript, including course selection and grades.[3][1]
Wesleyan University Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
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 Wesleyan University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Financial aid |
Nov 15 (ED I); Jan 1 (ED II); Jan 15 (RD) |
RD aid deadline is two weeks after the Jan 1 application.[3] |
| Arts supplements (SlideRoom) |
See note |
Music, theatre, visual arts, film and dance materials must go through SlideRoom; no deadline published on the page.[3] |
| Freeman Asian Scholars |
See note |
Full cost of attendance for about 11 students a year from 11 Asian countries; candidates must apply as financial aid seeking applicants. Page lists no separate deadline.[7] |
See how Wesleyan University compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Wesleyan University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$101,080 |
| Tuition[2] |
$75,916 |
| Average share of need met[2] |
100.0% |
First-year on-campus budget: tuition 75,916, student activity fee 404, new student matriculation fee 300, optional Green Fund 50, food and housing 21,660, books, supplies and personal expenses 2,750; travel varies. Continuing students: $100,780.[2]
- Wesleyan University states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[2]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[8]
- International students: Need-based aid with full need met, but highly competitive. Wesleyan meets 100% of every admitted student's demonstrated need and considers candidates from all countries for aid, but says admission for international students seeking financial aid is extremely competitive; aid must be requested at the time of application, and international aid applicants are considered in Regular Decision.[9]
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 |
$4,871 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$3,604 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$6,175 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$17,294 |
| Over $110,000 |
$51,140 |
| All aided students |
$30,177 |
Academics and Majors at Wesleyan University
Signature programs
No core requirements
Wesleyan has no core curriculum; students choose courses with advisors across the arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics, guided by general education expectations.[10]
Undergraduate research with faculty
Students can conduct research alongside professors who are leaders in their fields.[10]
No-loan financial aid
Since fall 2024 Wesleyan has met 100% of demonstrated need without including loans in aid packages.[8]
Choosing a major and getting in
Wesleyan has no core requirements; students select courses in consultation with advisors, guided by general education expectations across the arts and humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the natural sciences and mathematics.[10]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (binding, deadline November 15).[3]
- Early Decision II (binding, deadline January 1).[3]
- QuestBridge applicants.[3]
- International applicants not seeking aid may apply Early Decision.[3]
Wesleyan University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[5] |
95.0% |
| Graduated within four years[5] |
86.0% |
| Graduated within six years[5] |
93.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$73,897 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$17,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
14% |
Make Wesleyan 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
Wesleyan University FAQs
What is the Wesleyan University acceptance rate?
Wesleyan University admitted 16.4% of first-year applicants (2,453 of 14,973).
When are the Wesleyan University application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Early Decision II Jan 1; Regular Decision Jan 1.
How much does Wesleyan University cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $101,080. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
Is Wesleyan test optional?
Yes, for most students. Wesleyan does not require most applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, but homeschooled applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores from the last twelve months. Our view is that a higher score is always better and the test can be retaken, so prepare well and send results that strengthen the application.
Does Wesleyan meet full need without loans?
Yes. Since fall 2024, Wesleyan has met 100% of demonstrated need without including loans in aid packages. It considers candidates from all countries for aid, but admission for international students seeking aid is extremely competitive, aid must be requested at the time of application, and international aid applicants are considered in Regular Decision.
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 Wesleyan 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.
