Fordham University
A Jesuit university with two New York City campuses, one in the Bronx and one beside Lincoln Center.
- Acceptance rate
- 47%
- Class of 2030 (entered fall 2026)
- Students
- 16,800
- 11,000 undergraduates
- International
- 7%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 14:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $68,886
- 2026-27
About Fordham
Fordham was founded in 1841 as St. John's College by John Hughes, then a coadjutor bishop of New York, and passed to the Jesuits in 1846. It is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the northeastern United States. The university enrolls about 16,800 students across nine schools, roughly 11,000 of them undergraduates, and the Carnegie Classification places it among Doctoral Universities with high research activity.
Undergraduates apply to one of three colleges and one of two campuses: Fordham College at Rose Hill and the Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill, a Gothic campus in the Bronx, or Fordham College at Lincoln Center and the Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center, in Manhattan a block from Central Park. Applicants are evaluated for the campus and college they choose. The Fordham Facts page reports a 14:1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 23.
For the class entering in fall 2026, Fordham received 53,599 completed applications, made 25,300 offers (47%) and enrolled 2,654 students. It is test-optional, and 70% of enrolled students submitted no test score. Fordham suits students who want a Jesuit liberal-arts core, an internship-heavy education in New York City, and a large mid-sized school where the sticker price is high but most first-years receive aid.
Sapientia et Doctrina
“Wisdom and Learning” — university motto
Why students choose Fordham
New York City is the classroom: Fordham says nearly 90% of students complete at least one internship, and its Internship Promise guarantees every undergraduate the opportunity for one.
Fordham reports that 96% of the Class of 2025 was employed, continuing education or engaged in service within six months, with a median starting salary of $72,500.
The Gabelli School of Business, Rose Hill's Honors Program (founded 1950), the Global Business Honors Program and the 3-2 engineering programs with Columbia and Case Western Reserve give ambitious students structured paths.
Merit scholarships including the full-tuition Fordham Scholarship and the Presidential Scholarship are awarded on admission with no separate application, and test scores are not needed to be considered.
Admissions
Class of 2030 (entered fall 2026)
About 1 in 2 applicants is admitted
25,300 admitted from 53,599 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Fordham's Admission Facts page (updated September 23, 2026) reports 53,599 completed applications, 25,300 offers of admission and 2,654 enrolled students, a 47% acceptance rate; applications to the School of Professional and Continuing Studies are excluded. The Common Data Set 2024-25 is posted only as a SharePoint spreadsheet that could not be downloaded, so this page's figures are used. For comparison, IPEDS via College Navigator reports 43,364 applicants and 59% admitted for fall 2024; the larger applicant pool and 47% rate for the class entering fall 2026 are Fordham's own figures and could not be cross-checked against a Common Data Set.
Deadlines
- Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Notification by December 20, 2026; deposit May 1, 2027.
- Early Decision I Binding In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Notification by December 20, 2026; deposit January 15, 2027.
- Early Decision II Binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 3, 2027
Notification by February 15, 2027; deposit March 15, 2027.
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 3, 2027
Notification by April 1, 2027; deposit May 1, 2027.
Dates are Fordham's published deadlines for first-year applicants entering in fall 2027. Domestic FAFSA and CSS Profile deadlines are November 15, 2026 (Early Action, Early Decision I), January 15, 2027 (Early Decision II) and February 1, 2027 (Regular Decision); international students' CSS Profile is due with the application deadline. Spring first-year applicants apply by November 1.
How to apply
Apply through the Common Application with the essay, high school transcript, one letter of recommendation and the $80 fee (waivers available); SAT/ACT scores, optional short responses, the unique Fordham question and additional information are optional. Choose one campus (Rose Hill or Lincoln Center) and one college (Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center or the Gabelli School of Business). International applicants also submit English proficiency results, and need-based aid applicants add the CSS Profile (code 2259).
What admissions looks for
- Academic success first: the transcript is the primary academic evidence, and Fordham reads every element holistically.
- Personal qualities of integrity, perseverance and leadership.
- Service and community involvement, in line with the Jesuit idea of being 'people for others'.
- Readiness to use New York City as a place to learn outside the classroom.
Tips for applying to Fordham
- 1 Decide whether to submit a test score by comparing yourself with the class profile: enrolled SAT middle 50% is 1355-1470, and 70% of enrolled students submitted none.
- 2 Pick your campus and college carefully; you are evaluated for the specific campus and college you choose.
- 3 If you want to be considered for the most competitive scholarships, apply by the earliest plan you are ready for and complete the FAFSA; the application for admission doubles as the scholarship application.
- 4 International students seeking need-based aid must file the CSS Profile by the admission deadline; without it the application is reviewed without consideration for financial aid.
- 5 Early Decision I and II are binding, so only apply through them if Fordham is your clear first choice.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for Fordham University
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Fordham says 96% of first-year students receive financial aid, averaging about $34,000 per first-year student last year, and that $281 million in aid was provided. All admitted students are considered for merit awards such as the Presidential Scholarship (full tuition, fees and room and board for roughly the top 1-2% of the class) and the full-tuition Fordham Scholarship (about 3% of admits), and test scores are not required. Fordham is need-sensitive for international applicants: need-based grants for first-year international students range from a few thousand dollars up to first-year tuition, and require a CSS Profile showing a substantial family contribution.
- 96%
- First-year students receiving financial aid
- About $34,000
- Average aid and scholarships per first-year student (last year)
- $281 million
- Total student financial aid provided by Fordham (last year)
- $102,188; commuter $80,131; off campus $92,528
- Estimated 2026-27 cost of attendance (Rose Hill, resident, fall 2026 entrants)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Gabelli School of Business
Offers accounting, alternative investments and other business concentrations at both campuses, with New York City internships close by.
Fordham College at Rose Hill Honors Program
Founded in 1950; small seminar-style classes drawn from every major.
Global Business Honors Program
Selects about 25 students a year for a four-year program preparing them for global firms.
3-2 Cooperative Program in Engineering
Five-year program with Columbia University and Case Western Reserve University leading to two bachelor's degrees.
Accelerated bachelor's-to-master's programs
Earn a master's in one further year or a law degree in two.
STEM Honors Program (Rose Hill)
Research-intensive program for sciences, mathematics and computer science majors.
Research
- Classified as a Doctoral University with high research activity.
- The Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, New York supports field research.
- The Rose Hill STEM Honors Program builds early research into the undergraduate experience.
Schools & faculties
- Fordham College at Rose Hill
- Fordham College at Lincoln Center
- Gabelli School of Business (undergraduate)
- School of Professional and Continuing Studies
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
- Graduate School of Education
- Gabelli School of Business (graduate)
- School of Law
- Graduate School of Social Service
Class of 2025: 96% employed, continuing their education or engaged in public service within six months of graduation (first destination confirmed for 89% of graduates); median starting salary $72,500.
Student life
Fordham students split their time between two very different campuses: Rose Hill in the Bronx, with its Gothic buildings and lawns, and Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Students who receive housing are guaranteed accommodation for four years, and 77.3% of the class of 2030 lives on campus. There are more than 160 clubs, plus intramurals, and the Rams compete in NCAA Division I, mostly in the Atlantic 10 Conference. As a Jesuit school, community service and campus ministry are part of the culture, and students of all faiths are welcome.
- More than 160 student clubs and organizations, plus intramural sports.
- Housing guarantee: students admitted with housing are entitled to it for four consecutive years.
- Rams compete in NCAA Division I; most sports are in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
- A shuttle links the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses.
Housing. Options include dorm-style doubles and triples, suites and apartments at Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, with integrated learning communities.
Location
Rose Hill sits in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx next to Bronx Park, served by the Metro-North Railroad's Fordham station with trains to Grand Central Terminal, and by buses and nearby subway stations. Lincoln Center is on Manhattan's Upper West Side, one block from Central Park. A third campus in West Harrison, Westchester houses only graduate programs. New York City offers year-round internships, and the university says nearly 90% of students complete at least one before graduating.
Notable alumni
- DW Denzel WashingtonAcademy Award-winning actor; BA in drama and journalism from Fordham (1977), where he also played basketball
- AA Alan AldaEmmy Award-winning actor (M*A*S*H); studied English at Fordham and worked at the campus radio station WFUV
- PC Patricia ClarksonAcademy Award-nominated actress; transferred to Fordham's acting programme and graduated in 1982
- VL Vince LombardiFootball coach; attended Fordham on a football scholarship from 1933 and played for the Fordham Rams
- DD Don DeLilloNovelist (White Noise, Underworld); bachelor's degree in communication arts from Fordham (1958)
- LD Lana Del ReySinger-songwriter; BA in philosophy from Fordham (2008)
- AM Anne M. MulcahyFormer chairperson and CEO of Xerox; BA in English and journalism from Marymount College of Fordham University in Tarrytown (now part of Fordham)
- JO John O. BrennanDirector of the Central Intelligence Agency 2013-2017; BA from Fordham
Frequently asked questions
What is Fordham University's acceptance rate?
For the class entering in fall 2026, Fordham reports 25,300 offers from 53,599 completed applications, a 47% acceptance rate.
Does Fordham require the SAT or ACT?
No. Fordham has been test-optional since the fall 2021 entering class, and scores are not required for merit scholarships or honors programs. Enrolled students who submitted scores had a middle 50% of 1355-1470 on the SAT and 31-34 on the ACT.
What are Fordham's application deadlines for fall 2027?
Early Action and Early Decision I are due November 1, 2026; Regular Decision and Early Decision II are due January 3, 2027. Early Decision is binding; Early Action and Regular Decision are not.
How much does Fordham cost?
For 2026-27, tuition is $68,886 at Rose Hill and the estimated cost of attendance for a Rose Hill resident is $102,188, including food and housing of $25,805. Most first-years receive aid, averaging about $34,000.
Does Fordham give financial aid to international students?
Yes, but it is limited and need-sensitive. International first-year applicants can apply for need-based grants with a CSS Profile, and all applicants are considered for merit scholarships.
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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