Princeton’s admission process goes beyond simply looking for academically accomplished students. For each freshman class, we bring together a varied mix of high-achieving, intellectually gifted students from diverse backgrounds to create an exceptional learning community. We care about what students have accomplished in and out of the classroom. The process is highly selective. In recent years, we've offered admission to less than 10 percent of applicants.

As you prepare your application, help us to appreciate your talents, academic accomplishments and personal achievements. We'll ask for your transcript and recommendations, and we will want to know more than just the statistics in your file. Tell us your story. Show us what’s special about you. Tell us how you would seize the academic and non-academic opportunities at Princeton and contribute to the Princeton community. Above all, please write in a style that reflects your own voice.

You have two choices for applying to Princeton -- single-choice early action or regular decision. Before you begin preparing your application, we strongly encourage you to review our publication Ready.Set.Go., which contains detailed information regarding Princeton's application process, standardized testing requirements and financial aid.

To apply online, you'll need to submit both the Common Application and Princeton's Supplement to the Common Application via the Common Application website.

If you do not have access to a computer and would like to submit your application on paper, you may obtain the Common Application form from your guidance counselor or download and print a PDF version of the Common Application. You may also download and print a PDF version of Princeton's Supplement to the Common Application.

Who Can Apply

We accept students who will begin their freshman year in the fall. Princeton does not offer spring semester entry or a transfer admission option. If you have already started a college or university degree program elsewhere, you are not eligible to apply for admission to Princeton.

If a student has submitted an application on three separate occasions, the Office of Admission generally will not review subsequent applications. In these instances, if an application fee was submitted, it will be returned. 

Fee Waiver

Students may request a fee waiver if they are applying for financial aid and the cost of applying to Princeton represents a financial hardship for the family. Please note that applying for a fee waiver will not disadvantage an applicant in any way. You may contact your college or guidance counselor for assistance in obtaining a fee waiver form from the College Board or NACAC. If your counselor does not have access to these forms, he or she may write a letter on your behalf stating the counselor's familiarity with your family’s financial circumstances and acknowledging this application fee would cause financial hardship for your family. If you submit one of these forms or a letter from your counselor, it will be accepted. Because of Princeton’s generous financial aid program, there is no need to contact the Admission Office for further request of a fee waiver. If we have any questions, we will contact you.

We also accept ECO (Expanding College Opportunities) fee waiver forms. Students who submit their admission application in paper form should include the ECO fee waiver with their application materials. Students who submit their application online via the Common Application site should choose “Other Fee Waiver” as their payment option and then mail in the waiver to the Princeton Admission Office.

Veterans' Benefits

Princeton University welcomes applications from veterans and dependents who are eligible for education benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs under the Yellow Ribbon Program and complies with the principles outlined in Executive Order 13607.

Princeton participates fully in the program without limitation on the number of students who are eligible. The executive order addresses key areas relating to federal military and veterans educational benefits programs.

Disability Services

The Office of Disability Services offers a range of services to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to Princeton's academic and extracurricular opportunities.

The Disability Services staff is available to meet with prospective students who are visiting the campus. Also, for more information you may visit the office's Website.

The University's admission process involves a holistic review of each applicant's entire file. No particular factor is assigned a fixed weight; rather, the process involves a highly individualized assessment of the applicant's talents, achievements and his or her potential to contribute to learning at Princeton.