Lists · 2026–27
The 47 most selective US universities: acceptance rates under 15%
These 47 US universities on the Common App admitted fewer than 15% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. A list made only of universities like these can end with no admission at all, even for an excellent student: pair them with universities where your chances are higher.
Updated September 25, 2026
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47 of 47 universities
| University | Acceptance rate | City | Intl fee | SAT/ACT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 2.6% | Pasadena | $85 | Required |
| Minerva University | 3% | San Francisco | $0 | Flexible |
| Harvard University | 3.6% | Cambridge | $95 | Required |
| Stanford University | 3.6% | Stanford | $100 | Required |
| Yale University | 3.9% | New Haven | $85 | Required |
| Columbia University | 4% | New York | $85 | Optional |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) | 4.5% | Chicago | $90 | Optional |
| Princeton University | 4.6% | Princeton | $85 | Optional |
| Northeastern University | 5.2% | Boston | $75 | Optional |
| Brown University | 5.4% | Providence | $80 | Required |
| Dartmouth College | 5.4% | Hanover | $85 | Required |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) | 5.4% | Philadelphia | $75 | Required |
| Duke University | 5.7% | Durham | $85 | Optional |
| Vanderbilt University | 5.9% | Nashville | $50 | Optional |
| Johns Hopkins University (JHU) | 6.4% | Baltimore | $70 | Required |
| Bowdoin College | 7.1% | Brunswick | $70 | Optional |
| Colby College | 7.1% | Waterville | $0 | Optional |
| Pomona College | 7.1% | Claremont | $80 | Optional |
| Swarthmore College | 7.5% | Swarthmore | $60 | Optional |
| Northwestern University | 7.7% | Evanston | $75 | Flexible |
| Rice University | 8% | Houston | $75 | Optional |
| Williams College | 8.3% | Williamstown | $65 | Optional |
| Barnard College | 8.8% | New York | $75 | Optional |
| Cornell University | 8.8% | Ithaca | $85 | Required |
| Amherst College | 9% | Amherst | $75 | Optional |
| New York University (NYU) | 9.2% | New York | $85 | Optional |
| Claremont McKenna College | 9.6% | Claremont | $70 | Optional |
| University of Southern California (USC) | 9.8% | Los Angeles | $85 | Optional |
| Emory University | 10.6% | Atlanta | $75 | Optional |
| Middlebury College | 10.7% | Middlebury | $0 | Optional |
| Boston University (BU) | 11.1% | Boston | $80 | Optional |
| University of Notre Dame | 11.3% | Notre Dame | $85 | Optional |
| Tufts University | 11.5% | Medford | $75 | Optional |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) | 11.7% | Pittsburgh | $75 | Sometimes |
| Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) | 12.1% | St. Louis | $75 | Optional |
| Haverford College | 12.4% | Haverford | $65 | Optional |
| Harvey Mudd College | 12.7% | Claremont | $70 | Optional |
| Georgetown University | 12.9% | Washington | $80 | Required |
| Bates College | 13.3% | Lewiston | $0 | Optional |
| Davidson College | 13.4% | Davidson | $0 | Optional |
| Hamilton College | 13.6% | Clinton | $65 | Optional |
| Colgate University | 13.9% | Hamilton | $0 | Optional |
| Washington and Lee University | 14% | Lexington | $60 | Optional |
| Webb Institute | 14% | Glen Cove | $70 | Required |
| Wellesley College | 14% | Wellesley | $0 | Optional |
| Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) | 14.1% | Atlanta | $85 | Required |
| Grinnell College | 14.5% | Grinnell | $0 | Sometimes |
Built from each university's 2026–27 requirements as published on the Common App (updated September 25, 2026). Universities can change them during the season: confirm on the official page before you apply. Acceptance rates, international enrollment and costs come from the US Department of Education (IPEDS): fall 2024 admissions and enrollment, 2024–25 published tuition and fees. Download as CSV
Questions
Which US university has the lowest acceptance rate?
Among universities on the Common App, California Institute of Technology (Caltech): 2.6% for fall 2024.
Are acceptance rates lower for international students?
The federal data gives one rate for all first-year applicants. Universities don't publish a separate international rate in it.
Do these universities require the SAT?
12 of them list SAT/ACT scores as required for 2026–27.