University of Miami
A private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, with a marine science campus on Biscayne Bay and a hemispheric outlook.
- Acceptance rate
- 22%
- Fall 2026 applicants (UM admissions class profile: completed applications, admits and admitted-student superscores); CDS 2025-26 figures for fall 2025 in the note; deadlines for fall 2027
- Students
- 20,104
- 13,241 undergraduates
- International
- 7%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 11:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $66,312
- 2026-27
About UM
The University of Miami was founded in 1925 and is a private research university and member of the Association of American Universities. Its main campus is in Coral Gables, about seven miles southwest of downtown Miami, and in fall 2025 it enrolled 20,104 students, 13,241 of them undergraduates. It should not be confused with Miami University in Ohio.
UM is organised into two colleges and eight schools on the Coral Gables campus, including the College of Arts and Sciences, the Business School (29% of undergraduates), the College of Engineering, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the School of Communication, the School of Architecture and the Frost School of Music. The Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science has its own waterfront campus on Virginia Key, and the Miller School of Medicine trains doctors.
Admission is selective: UM admitted 22% of fall 2026 applicants (about 17.6% for fall 2025, per its Common Data Set), and 39% of the fall 2025 class came in through Early Decision. It suits students who want a mid-sized private research university with big-time ACC athletics, strong business, marine science and music programs, and a hemispheric, internationally connected community.
Magna est veritas
“Great is the truth” — university motto
Why students choose UM
The Rosenstiel School's Virginia Key campus on Biscayne Bay houses the world's largest hurricane simulation tank.
The Business School reached its best-ever U.S. News ranking in 2027, No. 39 for undergraduate business, with real estate No. 12 nationally.
UM does not require a supplemental essay: applicants send the Common App personal statement, one recommendation and test scores.
Early Decision I and Early Action applicants are considered for UM's Premier Scholarships as well as regular merit scholarships.
Admissions
Fall 2026 applicants (UM admissions class profile: completed applications, admits and admitted-student superscores); CDS 2025-26 figures for fall 2025 in the note; deadlines for fall 2027
About 1 in 5 applicants is admitted
11,961 admitted from 54,218 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
The 22% admit rate above is the fall 2026 figure from UM's admissions class profile (54,218 completed applications, 11,961 admits). For fall 2025 the Common Data Set reports 58,167 applicants and 10,245 admits (about 17.6%), with 2,686 enrolling. Early Decision admitted 1,062 of 2,395 applicants, and 39% of the fall 2025 class enrolled through Early Decision I or II, 38% through Early Action and 23% through Regular Decision.
Typical entry requirements
| U.S. high school | Holistic review of transcript, test scores, activities, one recommendation and personal statement; admitted students averaged a 3.81 unweighted GPA (fall 2026) |
|---|---|
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 Competitive applicants generally score above TOEFL iBT 80 (before January 21, 2026) or 4.5 (after), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 120. Waivers include three years at a U.S. high school or an English-medium school abroad, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650+, ACT English 27+, or an A or B in AP or HL IB English. |
Deadlines
- Early Decision I Binding Next deadline · In 25 daysNovember 1, 2026
Final credentials due November 13 and financial aid documents November 15; decisions mid-December. Considered for Premier Scholarships.
- Early Action Non-binding In 25 daysNovember 1, 2026
Final credentials due November 20 and financial aid documents November 15; decisions late January. Considered for Premier Scholarships.
- Early Decision II Binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 5, 2027
Financial aid documents due January 5 and final credentials January 25; decisions late February.
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 5, 2027
Final credentials due February 5; decisions April 1. Frost School of Music applicants must apply by December 1.
Dates are from UM's Fall 2027 first-year admission plans and deadlines page. Early applications that are incomplete by the final credentials deadline are rolled into Regular Decision.
How to apply
Common App only for first-years: a personal statement of up to 650 words (no supplemental essay), activities list, self-reported SAT or ACT scores, one recommendation from a counselor or teacher, school report and official transcript, and a $75 fee. Early Decision applicants submit the ED Agreement. Aid applicants file the CSS Profile (and FAFSA for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens).
What admissions looks for
- Academic strength: the CDS rates rigor of the high school record, class rank, GPA and test scores as very important.
- The personal statement and extracurricular activities are also rated very important, and the admissions office says it looks closely at the 'softer' parts of the application.
- Talent, character, volunteer work and work experience are rated important.
- Achievements and challenges are judged in the context of each applicant's background, school and experiences.
Tips for applying to UM
- 1 Treat Early Decision seriously: 39% of the fall 2025 class enrolled through ED I or II, and ED admitted 1,062 of 2,395 applicants that year.
- 2 Apply by November 1 (ED I or EA) to be considered for Premier Scholarships as well as merit awards.
- 3 Plan to report SAT or ACT scores unless you are in an exempt group (music performance, BFA, architecture or a high school outside the U.S.).
- 4 With no supplemental essay, your Common App personal statement and activity list carry a lot of weight, so list activities in full.
- 5 Watch the final credentials deadline for your round: early files that are incomplete by then roll into Regular Decision.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for University of Miami
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
All applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships, and Early Decision I and Early Action applicants are also considered for Premier Scholarships. Need-based aid requires the CSS Profile (plus the FAFSA for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens), and in 2025-26 full-time undergraduates with need had on average 92.2% of it met. International students must file the CSS Profile to be considered for institutional need-based aid.
- $98,872 ($94,700 direct costs plus books, personal and transport allowances); $104,091 for international students
- Estimated cost of attendance, on campus, 2026-27
- $275 million; 88% of students received some form of aid
- University scholarships and grants awarded (fall 2025)
- 92.2% (100% for first-years)
- Average need met, full-time undergraduates (2025-26)
- $56,585
- Average financial aid package, full-time undergraduates (2025-26)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Marine and atmospheric science (Rosenstiel School)
An 18-acre waterfront campus on Virginia Key with the world's largest hurricane simulation tank, next to NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.
Business (University of Miami Business School)
No. 39 for undergraduate business in U.S. News 2027, with real estate No. 12 and international business No. 26; enrolls 29% of undergraduates.
Music (Frost School of Music)
Performance programs have their own December 1 deadline and are test-optional with supplemental materials; alumni include Bruce Hornsby and Jaco Pastorius.
Nursing and Health Studies
About 11% of undergraduates enroll in the School of Nursing and Health Studies.
Architecture
A test-optional school (supplemental materials required) enrolling about 4% of undergraduates.
Research
- The Rosenstiel School is described as the only subtropical marine and atmospheric research institute in the continental United States and runs the world's largest hurricane simulation tank.
- Rosenstiel operates the Barbados Atmospheric Chemistry Observatory, which studies Saharan dust carried across the Atlantic.
- UM is a member of the Association of American Universities and holds sea-grant and space-grant status.
Schools & faculties
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Engineering
- University of Miami Business School
- School of Architecture
- School of Communication
- School of Education and Human Development
- Frost School of Music
- School of Nursing and Health Studies
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
- Miller School of Medicine
- School of Law
- The Graduate School
College Scorecard reports median earnings of $75,328 ten years after entry for students who received federal aid. About 4,500 students work on campus.
Student life
Campus life revolves around Lake Osceola, where the Shalala Student Center and Lakeside Village residences sit on the water. Undergraduates can live in residential colleges such as Eaton and Centennial Village, or in Lakeside Village and University Village apartments, and residential-college residents buy a meal plan. The Miami Hurricanes compete in NCAA Division I in the ACC; the football team has won five national championships and the baseball team four. Sebastian the Ibis is the mascot, and the student body is drawn from nearly every U.S. state and many countries.
- Miami Hurricanes football has won five national championships (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001) and baseball four since 1982.
- The Hurricanes compete in NCAA Division I FBS in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- About 4,500 students work on campus through UM's student employment program.
- Metrorail's University Station is within walking distance of the Coral Gables campus.
Housing. On-campus options include residential colleges (such as Eaton and Centennial Village), Lakeside Village and University Village apartments; residential-college residents must buy a meal plan.
Location
Coral Gables is a city about seven miles southwest of downtown Miami. The Metrorail's University Station, a short walk from campus, links students to downtown, Brickell, Coconut Grove and Miami International Airport. The subtropical climate allows year-round outdoor life, and UM describes its international community as hemispheric.
Nearest airport: Miami International Airport (MIA)
Notable alumni
- D" Dwayne "The Rock" JohnsonActor and former professional wrestler
- GE Gloria EstefanGrammy Award-winning singer
- EI Enrique IglesiasGrammy Award-winning singer
- BH Bruce HornsbyGrammy Award-winning musician
- JP Jaco PastoriusJazz bassist
- DJ Donald JusticePulitzer Prize-winning poet
- BB Bjarni BenediktssonFormer prime minister of Iceland
- PL Porfirio Lobo SosaFormer president of Honduras
Frequently asked questions
What is the University of Miami's acceptance rate?
UM's admissions class profile reports 11,961 admits from 54,218 completed applications for fall 2026, a 22% admission rate. For the previous year (fall 2025), UM's Common Data Set gives 10,245 admits from 58,167 applicants, about 17.6%.
Does the University of Miami require the SAT or ACT?
Yes, for most applicants since fall 2026; scores are self-reported on the Common App. Music performance, BFA and architecture applicants, and students graduating from high schools outside the U.S., can choose to apply without scores.
What are the University of Miami's deadlines for fall 2027?
Early Decision I and Early Action are due November 1, 2026, and Early Decision II and Regular Decision are due January 5, 2027. Frost School of Music applicants must apply by December 1.
How much does the University of Miami cost?
For 2026-27, tuition is $66,312 and the estimated total cost of attendance for an on-campus undergraduate is $98,872. UM awarded $275 million in scholarships and grants in fall 2025.
Is the University of Miami the same as Miami University?
No. The University of Miami is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida; Miami University is a separate public university in Oxford, Ohio.
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.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- The Miami Hurricane: UM climbs nine spots in 2027 U.S. News rankings (24 September 2026)
- U.S. News Best Colleges: University of Miami profile (2027 edition, No. 55 National Universities, tie)
- U.S. News Best Global Universities: University of Miami (2026-2027, No. 233 tie)
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to UM in the QS World University Rankings 2027.