Seattle, WA · Public · 31,942 undergraduates · urban
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Selective
UW combines enormous research-university choice with a major-admission system where intended field can materially change first-year strategy.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in affordability, and strong in academic standing.- Admission
- 42.5% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 84.9%
62,428 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$78,466 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Washington apart
Academic design
Majors range from open to minimum-requirements and capacity-constrained programs.
Campus pattern
The Waterfront Activities Center places canoeing and kayaking on Union Bay.
A signature opportunity
Direct-to-major pathways
Can I get in?
42.5% admitted
Applicants seeking direct entry to computer science, engineering, or business must list the relevant field as their first-choice major.
Recent applicant pool
62,428About 43 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
Admission by residency
First-year results by applicant group
First-year applicants · 3-year average
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Washington, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Washington weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Majors range from open to minimum-requirements and capacity-constrained programs.
Make institutional fit specific
A student who wants city access and research-university scale and will understand the admission pathway for an intended field.
Use the application route carefully
Applicants seeking direct entry to computer science, engineering, or business must list the relevant field as their first-choice major.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Applicants seeking direct entry to computer science, engineering, or business must list the relevant field as their first-choice major.
$80 application fee
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
ArchitectureAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Performing and visual artsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Communication and journalismAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Computer scienceAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Health professionsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus publishes two merit awards, the largest under $5,000 a year. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit and financial need · Competitive · Renews each year
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
In the season card
These two awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Washington
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read the outcomes panel as a whole: completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together matter more than one headline number.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Admits separately
Research and Experimental Psychology
Computer Science
Admits separately
Political Science and Government
Finance and Financial Management Services
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
Washington beyond the classroom
The Waterfront Activities Center places canoeing and kayaking on Union Bay. The Burke-Gilman Trail links campus to the University District and Seattle by bike and foot.
The academic structure
Majors range from open to minimum-requirements and capacity-constrained programs.
How the community is organized
The Waterfront Activities Center places canoeing and kayaking on Union Bay.
Daily campus life
The Burke-Gilman Trail links campus to the University District and Seattle by bike and foot.
What shapes an ordinary week
The Waterfront Activities Center places canoeing and kayaking on Union Bay. The Burke-Gilman Trail links campus to the University District and Seattle by bike and foot.
Use the campus beyond class
A student who wants city access and research-university scale and will understand the admission pathway for an intended field.
Fit the community in practice
Admission to UW itself does not guarantee later entry into every high-demand program.