#172 in the world · QS 2027

Arizona State University

A very large public research university in Tempe that admits most qualified applicants and publishes a clear GPA or class-rank bar.

Tempe, Arizona, United States Public research university Founded 1885 Official website

See my chances at ASU Admissions office

Photo: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0

Acceptance rate: 88%; Fall 2025 entering class (Common Data Set 2025-26)
Students: 78,510; 64,662 undergraduates
International: 8%; of students
Student–faculty: 18:1; ratio
Tuition: $39,412; 2026-27

About ASU

Arizona State University began in 1885 as the Territorial Normal School in Tempe and is now one of the largest universities in the United States. Its in-person campuses in metro Phoenix enrolled 78,510 students in fall 2025, 64,662 of them undergraduates, and the Tempe campus is the largest of these. ASU also runs a very large online operation, which pushes its total enrollment past 200,000.

ASU's admissions model is deliberately inclusive: it admitted 61,533 of 69,617 first-year applicants for fall 2025, and there are no essays, no required tests and no early decision. The university instead publishes its bar: required high school courses plus one of top 25% class rank, a 3.00 unweighted GPA in core courses, or a set ACT or SAT score. Some majors, such as nursing and higher-requirement engineering and journalism programs, ask for more.

The academic structure runs through named colleges, including the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the W. P. Carey School of Business, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Barrett, The Honors College adds a separate, selective application with essays and recommendations. U.S. News has ranked ASU No. 1 for innovation for 12 straight years, and it reports more than $1 billion in research spending in FY24. ASU suits self-directed students who want huge program choice and research access, and who are comfortable finding their own community at scale.

Ditat Deus

“God enriches” — university motto

Why students choose ASU

Admission is transparent: meet the course competencies plus a 3.00 core GPA, top-25% rank or the published ACT/SAT score and you are generally admitted, with no essay required.

Barrett, The Honors College offers a smaller honors community with its own residential halls inside the large university, through a separate application.

In the 2027 U.S. News rankings ASU is No. 1 in the U.S. for innovation (for the 12th year running) and No. 1 for undergraduate supply chain management, and No. 8 among public universities for undergraduate teaching.

Journalism students at the Walter Cronkite School produce a televised nightly newscast in an on-campus newsroom as part of the Phoenix PBS channel.

Admissions

Fall 2025 entering class (Common Data Set 2025-26)

61,533 admitted from 69,617 applicants

Figures cover all ASU in-person campuses. For fall 2025, in-state applicants were admitted at about 90% (18,291 of 20,323), out-of-state at about 87% (35,233 of 40,388) and international at about 90% (8,009 of 8,906). Some majors have higher admission requirements, and Barrett, The Honors College is selective with its own application.

Testing Test-optional for fall 2027: SAT or ACT not required for admission but considered if submitted, and used for course placement; submitting scores is encouraged for New American University merit scholarship consideration. Barrett, The Honors College does not use scores reported to the university; applicants may self-report them.

Grades Average high school GPA of fall 2025 first-years was 3.52. The general aptitude bar is a 3.00 unweighted GPA in competency courses, or top 25% class rank, or ACT 22 (24 nonresidents) / SAT 1120 (1180 nonresidents).

Typical entry requirements

Course competencies	4 years math, 4 years English, 3 years lab science, 2 years social science (including 1 year American history), 2 years of the same second language, 1 year fine arts or career and technical education; minimum 2.00 in each subject area
Aptitude (one of)	Top 25% of graduating class; 3.00 unweighted GPA in competency courses; ACT 22 (24 nonresidents); or SAT 1120 (1180 nonresidents). Some programs set higher requirements.
English language	IELTS 6 General programs: IELTS Academic 6.0, Duolingo 95, PTE 53, Cambridge 170. TOEFL iBT: 61 for tests before 21 January 2026; for tests from 21 January 2026, overall 3.5 on the new scale with 3.5 in each section. Nursing and higher-requirement Fulton engineering and Cronkite journalism programs require more (for example IELTS 6.5, 6.5 and 7.0).

Deadlines

Priority admission date Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 days

November 1, 2026

Not an early decision or early action plan; applying by this date ensures maximum scholarship consideration. Decisions are rolling from the first week of September.
Barrett, The Honors College Early Action Non-binding In 26 days

November 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

Separate honors application; notification January 8, 2027. Apply to ASU at least 4 weeks before (by October 1).
Regular admission date Non-binding In ~3 months

January 15, 2027

Complete the fall 2027 application by this date. Also the FAFSA priority date and Obama Scholars Program priority date.
Barrett, The Honors College Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 months

January 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m.

Notification March 5, 2027.
Barrett, The Honors College Late Consideration Non-binding In ~5 months

March 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m.

Notification April 16, 2027; later applications on a space-available basis.

ASU has no early decision or early action for university admission and no hard closing date; it admits on a rolling basis. Arizona Promise Program applicants must complete their application, transcripts and FAFSA by April 1, 2027. One ASU first-year FAQ page still lists February 1 as the regular date; the fall 2027 deadlines section gives January 15, 2027.

How to apply

Apply with ASU's own application or the Common App (no preference, only one accepted); no essay or personal statement required. Pay the fee ($55 Arizona residents, $85 domestic nonresidents, $90 international), self-report grades or send transcripts, and optionally send SAT/ACT. Barrett, The Honors College requires a separate free application with an essay, two recommendation letters and a Beyond the Classroom section.

What admissions looks for

Completion of the required high school competency courses, with at least a 2.00 in each subject area (one deficiency allowed in up to two areas, but not both math and lab science).
One aptitude measure: top 25% class rank, a 3.00 unweighted GPA in competency courses, or the published ACT/SAT score.
Higher GPA, test or course requirements for some majors; applicants who do not meet the general standards may get an individual review.
For Barrett, an essay in the applicant's own voice, two recommendation letters (at least one academic) and evidence of what they do beyond the classroom and why it matters to them.

Tips for applying to ASU

1 Self-report your grades in the application: ASU says it makes the decision much faster.
2 Apply by November 1, 2026 for maximum scholarship consideration; New American University merit awards are automatic and test scores are encouraged.
3 If your first-choice major has higher requirements, you will be asked to pick a second major without them, so choose that backup deliberately.
4 Interested in Barrett? Apply to ASU by October 1 so you have ASU credentials in time for the November 1 honors early action deadline.
5 International applicants: check your major's English score, since nursing, higher-requirement engineering and Cronkite journalism programs need more than the general minimum.

What are your chances?

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

Arizona residents, Tempe (base tuition $12,177 plus $350 surcharge); plus $1,007 mandatory fees and $0-$1,280 college fees Tuition $12,527

+ on-campus housing ($11,473) and food ($7,346), tempe $18,819 ≈ $31,346 per year

International students, Tempe (base tuition $39,062 plus $350 surcharge); plus fees, a $400 international student fee and $2,765 health insurance. Domestic nonresidents: $36,065. Tuition $39,412

+ on-campus housing ($11,473) and food ($7,346), tempe $18,819 ≈ $58,231 per year

Tuition On-campus housing ($11,473) and food ($7,346), Tempe

Official cost of attendance $37,738

Financial aid

ASU awards federal, state and institutional need-based aid using the FAFSA (priority date January 15), and automatically considers admitted students for merit-based New American University Scholarships. Arizona residents can be considered for the Arizona Promise Program and the Obama Scholars Program. International students are eligible for institutional merit (non-need-based) scholarships but not need-based aid.

$37,738-$39,018 (Arizona resident); $59,367-$61,557 (nonresident); about $67,788-$69,978 (international)
Estimated cost of attendance, Tempe on-campus, 2026-27: 62%
Average need met, first-year students with need-based aid (2024-25): $19,469
Average first-year financial aid package (2024-25): 3,344 students, average $12,660
International undergraduates awarded institutional aid (2024-25): 36%, average cumulative debt $24,531
2025 graduates who borrowed

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters, with 7.5-week or 15-week course sessions

Supply Chain Management (W. P. Carey)

Ranked No. 1 among all U.S. universities, public and private, for undergraduate supply chain management by U.S. News (2027 edition).

Journalism (Walter Cronkite School)

Students produce a televised nightly newscast in an on-campus newsroom as part of the Phoenix PBS channel; higher admission and English requirements apply.

Engineering (Ira A. Fulton Schools)

Startup Labs give engineering students access to 3-D printers, laser cutters and CNC routers; some engineering majors have higher admission requirements.

Nursing (Edson College)

Clinical training includes the Health Futures Center, a collaboration with Mayo Clinic; higher English requirements apply.

Global Management (Thunderbird)

Thunderbird has trained global management leaders for nearly 80 years and now offers undergraduate degrees.

Sustainability

ASU hosts the first school dedicated entirely to sustainability degrees and research, and has been ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for work toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the THE Impact Rankings for seven straight years.

Research

ASU reports more than $1 billion in FY24 research expenditures, fifth in the U.S. among universities without a medical school.
Undergraduates can join research at the Biodesign Institute and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory.
Dreamscape Learn uses virtual-reality storytelling in courses, and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute supports student ventures; ASU reports 250+ startups launched.

Schools & faculties

Barrett, The Honors College
W. P. Carey School of Business
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Edson College of Nursing
Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Health Solutions
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Thunderbird School of Global Management
Watts College of Public Service

Graduation rate

69%

First-year students who return

87%

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $62,668 ten years after entry for ASU Campus Immersion students who received federal aid. The Global Employability University Ranking and Survey (GEURS) ranks ASU No. 2 among U.S. public universities for employable graduates, according to ASU.

Student life

First-year students are expected to live on the campus of their major, and at Tempe they are housed in communities with other students from their academic college; 68% of fall 2025 first-years lived in university housing. Barrett, The Honors College has its own residential halls. The Sun Devils compete in the Big 12 Conference, and traditions include "A" Mountain, the Lantern Walk and Homecoming, the Victory Bell and the Sun Devil Marching Band. Old Main, built in 1898 in red brick, is the oldest building on the Tempe campus.

Residential communities group first-year students by academic college.
Big 12 Conference athletics, NCAA Division I FBS, with mascot Sparky the Sun Devil.
Traditions include "A" Mountain, the Lantern Walk and Homecoming, the Victory Bell and the Sun Devil Marching Band.
Students can study abroad in 65 countries, and film, fashion and design students can spend time at the ASU California Center in Los Angeles.

Housing. First-year students are expected to live on the campus of their major, in communities organised by academic college; the housing portal for fall 2027 opens in early January 2027.

Location

Tempe is a city of about 180,000 in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and ASU's main campus sits at University Drive and Mill Avenue beside downtown Tempe. Valley Metro Rail serves the university and downtown Tempe and links them with Phoenix and Mesa, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is about 2 miles away, so getting around the Valley without a car is realistic.

Nearest airport: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Notable alumni

KS
Kate Spade

Fashion designer and co-founder of Kate Spade New York; journalism graduate (1985)
PM
Phil Mickelson

Professional golfer with six major championships; attended ASU on a golf scholarship and graduated in 1992
PT
Pat Tillman

NFL safety for the Arizona Cardinals who left football to serve as a U.S. Army Ranger; marketing graduate
DH
Diane Humetewa

First Native American woman to serve as a U.S. federal judge; BS (1987) and JD from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (1993)
PM
Philip M. Breedlove

Retired U.S. Air Force general and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2013-2016); MS in aeronautical technology (1990)
JK
Jimmy Kimmel

Late-night television host; attended ASU in 1985-86

Frequently asked questions

What is ASU's acceptance rate?

For fall 2025, ASU admitted 61,533 of 69,617 first-year applicants to its in-person campuses, about 88%. Some majors and Barrett, The Honors College are more selective.

Does ASU require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?

No. Scores are optional and considered if submitted, and ASU encourages them for merit scholarship consideration and course placement. An ACT of 22 (24 for nonresidents) or SAT of 1120 (1180) is one way to meet the aptitude requirement.

What GPA do you need to get into ASU?

The general requirement is a 3.00 unweighted GPA in the required competency courses, or top 25% class rank, or the published test score. The average high school GPA of fall 2025 first-years was 3.52.

Does ASU have early action or early decision?

No. ASU admits on a rolling basis, with a November 1, 2026 priority date for maximum scholarship consideration and a January 15, 2027 regular admission date. Barrett, The Honors College has its own non-binding early action deadline of November 1, 2026.

How much does ASU cost for international students?

For 2026-27 at Tempe, international tuition is $39,412 including the surcharge, and ASU's estimated total cost of attendance is about $67,800 to $70,000 with housing, food, fees and health insurance. International students can receive merit scholarships but not need-based aid.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.