Auburn University
Alabama's land-grant R1 university, where engineering, business and SEC game days run a small college town.
- Acceptance rate
- 47%
- First-year students entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26)
- Students
- 35,733
- 29,693 undergraduates
- International
- 1%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 21:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $37,596
- 2026-27
About Auburn
Auburn University was chartered in 1856 as East Alabama Male College, became Alabama's first land-grant college in 1872, and took its current name in 1960. It is a public R1 research university and one of Alabama's two flagships, with 35,733 students in fall 2026, 29,693 of them undergraduates, on a campus of about 1,841 acres in the small city of Auburn in east Alabama.
Undergraduates enroll in colleges that include the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business (the largest, with 6,872 undergraduates in fall 2026), the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering (5,578), Liberal Arts, Sciences and Mathematics, Architecture, Design and Construction, Nursing, Education, Human Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, plus an Honors College. The architecture school's Rural Studio, founded by Samuel Mockbee, is known for design-build projects in west Alabama communities.
Admission is test-required and grade-driven: Auburn admitted 27,724 of 59,121 first-year applicants for fall 2025, and the average high school GPA of enrolled first-years was 4.10. Half of first-years come from out of state. It suits students who want a big-state-school experience, including SEC football, a large Greek system and the Toomer's Corner tradition, with strong pre-professional majors.
For the Advancement of Science and Arts
University motto
Why students choose Auburn
Large, well-known pre-professional colleges: Harbert Business and Ginn Engineering together enroll over 12,000 undergraduates.
Out-of-state students can win competitive merit scholarships of $7,000-$17,000 a year, renewable for eight semesters.
A genuine college-town atmosphere with SEC athletics, War Eagle traditions and the rolling of Toomer's Corner after big wins.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction's Rural Studio lets students design and build real projects for rural Alabama communities.
Admissions
First-year students entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26)
About 1 in 2 applicants is admitted
27,724 admitted from 59,121 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
6,112 first-years enrolled in fall 2025 (6,485 in fall 2026, per Auburn Institutional Research). Auburn's freshman page gives an overall acceptance rate of 50% alongside its fall 2025 profile. As a land-grant institution, Auburn says its mission is to serve Alabama residents and it considers the mix of in-state and out-of-state students.
Typical entry requirements
| U.S. high school curriculum | Required: 4 units English, 3 math, 2 science (1 lab) and 3 social studies (12 units); recommended 15 units including 3 science, 4 social studies and 1 foreign language |
|---|---|
| International secondary education | Foreign transcripts evaluated course by course by an independent evaluator (NACES member strongly encouraged), plus official ACT or SAT |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5 or PTE 53, sent directly by the testing agency, for applicants whose first language is not English. Students with less English proficiency can enter through the Auburn Global pathway. International applicants must also submit an affidavit of financial support with a bank letter. |
Deadlines
- Early Action Round 2 Non-binding Next deadline · In 9 daysOctober 15, 2026
Complete file (including official test scores) received by this date; decision mid-November. Round 1 (September 15, 2026, decision mid-October) has already passed.
- Early Action Round 3 Non-binding In 40 daysNovember 15, 2026
Decision mid-December.
- Early Action Round 4 (final) Non-binding In 56 daysDecember 1, 2026
Final early action deadline and the last date for a complete file to be considered for merit scholarships; decision early February.
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~4 monthsFebruary 1, 2027
Comprehensive review; decision early March. Enrollment deposit due May 1, 2027.
Dates are from Auburn's freshman admissions page for summer and fall 2027 entry. Early action is non-binding and decisions are released in rounds; deadlines are for a complete file, not just a submitted application. New or updated test scores for additional scholarship consideration are due January 11, 2027.
How to apply
Auburn's own application or the Common App (no preference; submit only one); $50 fee (waivable); uploaded high school transcript; official ACT or SAT from the testing agency. Optional: personal statement, academic letters of support, and the Activities and Interests and Additional Academic Achievements forms in the applicant portal. Scholarships go through a separate AUSOM application.
What admissions looks for
- Academic performance in high school, which Auburn calls the primary predictor of success: 9th-11th grade GPA (weighted and unweighted), grades in core courses and the trend over time.
- Rigor: the number of honors, AP, IB, dual-enrollment and advanced courses taken and how well you did in them, plus planned 12th-grade courses.
- ACT or SAT scores, which are required.
- In the regular decision comprehensive review, engagement and service, leadership, awards, work experience and a genuine connection to Auburn and the Auburn Creed.
Tips for applying to Auburn
- 1 Apply early action, and make sure your file, including official test scores, is complete by December 1, 2026: that is the cut-off for competitive merit scholarships.
- 2 Send official ACT or SAT scores directly from the testing agency (ACT code 0011, SAT 1005); your application is not complete without them.
- 3 Use the optional Activities and Interests form (up to 20 activities) and the Additional Academic Achievements form to add AP scores, dual enrollment or research.
- 4 Submit the separate AUSOM scholarship application by the early February priority deadline for general and departmental scholarships.
- 5 If your English scores are below Auburn's minimums, look at the Auburn Global pathway.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for Auburn University
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Auburn awards competitive merit scholarships to early action applicants: $5,000 up to full tuition and student services fees for Alabama residents, and $7,000-$17,000 a year for non-residents (ranges based on the previous year and subject to change), renewable for eight semesters with a 3.0 GPA. General, departmental and need-based scholarships go through the AUSOM application and the FAFSA. International students do not file the FAFSA and must document funding for a full year of costs.
- $39,516 Alabama resident; $63,540 non-resident
- Estimated cost of attendance 2026-27 (on campus)
- 60%
- Average share of need met, first-year need-based aid recipients (CDS 2025-26)
- $12,038
- Average need-based scholarship or grant, first-years (CDS 2025-26)
- $11,000 a year for four years
- National Scholars Presidential Scholarship (Alabama National Merit Finalists)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
5,578 undergraduates in fall 2026; alumni include Apple CEO Tim Cook (industrial engineering) and astronaut Ken Mattingly (aeronautical engineering).
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
Auburn's largest college, with 6,872 undergraduates in fall 2026.
Architecture and Rural Studio
The college pioneered the first U.S. interior architecture degree, and Rural Studio's design-build program was founded by MacArthur Fellow Samuel Mockbee.
Nursing
One of Auburn's fastest-growing undergraduate colleges, up 12.6% to 1,438 students in fall 2026.
Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture
Core land-grant strengths since 1872, with a College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture on the main campus.
Research
- Classified R1 (very high research activity).
- A land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant institution, with statewide research and extension work in agriculture and natural resources.
- Rural Studio, the College of Architecture, Design and Construction's off-campus design-build program in west Alabama.
Schools & faculties
- Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
- Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Sciences and Mathematics
- College of Architecture, Design and Construction
- College of Agriculture
- College of Education
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment
- College of Human Sciences
- College of Nursing
- Harrison College of Pharmacy
- College of Veterinary Medicine
College Scorecard: median earnings of $65,337 ten years after entry and $54,629 six years after entry for federally aided students.
Student life
Auburn is a classic SEC college town: football Saturdays at Jordan-Hare Stadium open with a live eagle flying over the field to the War Eagle cry, and fans roll the oaks at Toomer's Corner with toilet paper after big wins. Greek life is large, with 34% of first-year men and 62% of first-year women joining fraternities and sororities in fall 2025, according to the CDS. Most upper-year students live off campus: 59% of first-years but only 17% of all undergraduates lived in university housing. The Auburn Creed and the Auburn Plainsman student newspaper are part of campus identity.
- Rolling Toomer's Corner after home wins and big away wins, a tradition dating to the 1950s.
- Pregame eagle flights at Jordan-Hare Stadium and Aubie the Tiger, the mascot since 1959.
- More than 350 members in the Auburn University Marching Band, a Sudler Trophy winner.
- NCAA Division I athletics as a charter member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Housing. In fall 2025, 59% of first-years and 17% of all undergraduates lived in university housing, spread across 30 residence halls; most students move off campus after the first year.
Location
Auburn is a small city in east Alabama that revolves around the university, with downtown shops and restaurants at Toomer's Corner, the main gate where the town meets the campus. The state capital, Montgomery, lies to the west, and Atlanta is the nearest major city and air hub. Expect a college-town pace for most of the year and a town that fills up on SEC game weekends.
Nearest airport: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) for most flights; Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) is closer
Notable alumni
- TC Tim CookCEO of Apple from 2011 to 2026 and its executive chairman since September 2026; BS in industrial engineering, 1982
- JW Jimmy WalesCo-founder of Wikipedia; bachelor's degree in finance, 1986
- OS Octavia SpencerAcademy Award-winning actress; English major
- LA Lloyd Austin28th U.S. Secretary of Defense; MA in counselor education, 1986
- KM Ken MattinglyApollo 16 and Space Shuttle astronaut; BS in aeronautical engineering, 1958
- BJ Bo JacksonHeisman Trophy winner and NFL/MLB star; later completed his BS in family and child development
- CB Charles BarkleyHall of Fame NBA forward and 1993 MVP; All-American at Auburn, left for the draft as a junior
- KC Kirsty CoventryOlympic champion swimmer and president of the International Olympic Committee; swam for Auburn
Frequently asked questions
What is Auburn University's acceptance rate?
Auburn admitted 27,724 of 59,121 first-year applicants for fall 2025, about 47%; its freshman page cites an overall acceptance rate of 50%.
Does Auburn require the SAT or ACT?
Yes. Official ACT or SAT scores must come directly from the testing agency for your application to be complete. The middle 50% of enrolled fall 2025 first-years scored 26-31 on the ACT and 1280-1370 on the SAT.
When are Auburn's application deadlines for fall 2027?
Non-binding early action runs in rounds with complete-file deadlines of September 15 (Round 1, already passed), October 15 and November 15, 2026, and a final round on December 1, 2026. The regular decision deadline is February 1, 2027.
How much does Auburn cost for out-of-state students?
For 2026-27, non-resident tuition and fees are $37,596 and the estimated on-campus cost of attendance is $63,540. Alabama residents pay $13,572 in tuition and fees, with an on-campus total of $39,516.
Does Auburn give scholarships to out-of-state students?
Yes. Non-residents admitted through early action can receive competitive merit scholarships of $7,000-$17,000 a year, renewable for eight semesters with a 3.0 Auburn GPA; the file must be complete by December 1.
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.
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