University of Cincinnati
Ohio's urban R1 university and the birthplace of co-op, where paid work terms are built into the degree.
- Acceptance rate
- 88%
- First-year students entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26, Uptown campus)
- Students
- 45,563
- 34,447 undergraduates
- International
- 5%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 19:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $30,158
- 2026-27
About UC
The University of Cincinnati traces its origins to 1819 and is a public R1 research university in the city's Uptown district, next to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, UC Health and the Cincinnati Zoo. Its Uptown campus enrolled 45,563 students in fall 2025, 34,447 of them undergraduates, and the wider university, including UC Blue Ash and UC Clermont colleges, reports more than 54,000 students.
UC invented cooperative education in 1906, and co-op is its defining feature: in many majors, semesters of paid, full-time work alternate with classes, and students made 9,614 co-op placements across 1,800 employers last year, earning an average of $13,130 a semester. Undergraduates are admitted directly into their major in colleges such as Engineering and Applied Science; Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP); the Lindner College of Business; the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM); Nursing; and Arts and Sciences.
Admission is broad overall, with 29,715 of 33,750 first-year applicants admitted for fall 2025, but engineering, DAAP, CCM, nursing and business fill early. It suits career-focused students who want work experience on their resume before graduation, big-city life and Big 12 sport.
Juncta Juvant
“Strength in unity” — university motto
Why students choose UC
Co-op is built into many degrees: UC reports 9,614 placements a year with 1,800 employers and average earnings of $13,130 per semester.
U.S. News 2027 ranks UC No. 3 in the nation for co-ops and internships, and UC reports 92.5 percent of graduates employed or in graduate school within six months.
The Cincinnati Tuition Guarantee locks tuition, mandatory fees and housing rates for up to four or five years from entry.
Direct admission to your major in nationally known design, music and engineering colleges such as DAAP and CCM.
Admissions
First-year students entering fall 2025 (Common Data Set 2025-26, Uptown campus)
29,715 admitted from 33,750 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
6,497 first-years enrolled. UC admits students directly into their major, and competitive programs in CCM, DAAP, Engineering and Applied Science, Medicine, Nursing and the Lindner College of Business often close on or shortly after the November 1 Early Action deadline, so the overall rate overstates your chances for those majors.
Typical entry requirements
| U.S. high school curriculum | A challenging college-preparatory curriculum; strong math and science for engineering; audition for CCM |
|---|---|
| International secondary education | A diploma giving university access at home (e.g. IB Diploma, A-levels, Indian Standard XII, WASSCE), typically with 4 years of mathematics and 3-4 years of science |
| A-levels | GCSE/IGCSE results plus AS and predicted A-levels; a typical applicant takes three A-levels, and qualifying predicted scores can meet English and math requirements |
| IB Diploma | Predicted or final IB results (out of 45) are used in place of other test scores in a holistic review |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 Most colleges require TOEFL iBT 79 (4.0 on the scale used from January 2026), IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in writing and speaking, Duolingo 100, Cambridge 176, PTE 53, SAT EBRW 480 or ACT English 19. CCM accepts IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 66. Nursing accepts SAT or ACT only. Conditional admission through the on-campus ELS Language Center is available. |
Deadlines
- Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Non-binding. Required for scholarship, University Honors Program and competitive-program consideration. Decisions on Cincinnati Decision Day, the second Wednesday in December; CCM decisions from late February after auditions.
- Rolling admission Non-binding In ~5 monthsMarch 1, 2027
Applications after November 1 are reviewed on a rolling basis after Decision Day; no scholarship consideration, and some majors may already be closed. Confirmation deadline May 1.
UC's deadline pages list month and day without a year; the dates are applied to the fall 2027 cycle. CCM applicants should submit pre-screening materials by November 15, Nursing has a priority deadline of November 1, and DAAP programs accept applications until March 1 with portfolio-based programs reviewed in pools. The FAFSA priority deadline is December 1.
How to apply
Common App (Uptown campus application); $50 fee ($100 for international applicants; waived for Pell-eligible students or with a NACAC waiver); official high school transcript; personal statement; activities list; optional SAT/ACT; optional recommendation letters (one to three suggested); CCM pre-screen and audition or interview; possible Nursing interview. You may list up to two majors.
What admissions looks for
- Overall success shown by GPA, curriculum and grade trend, ideally in a challenging college-prep program with AP, IB or dual enrollment.
- Evidence of the skills your chosen major needs, such as strong math and science for engineering or musical ability for performance.
- An authentic personal statement that tells UC something it would not otherwise know.
- How you spend time outside class, whether clubs, sports, volunteering, a job or caring for family, with no type ranked above another.
Tips for applying to UC
- 1 Apply by November 1: it is the only way to be considered for Cincinnatus and other merit scholarships and the University Honors Program, and many competitive majors fill by then.
- 2 Choose your major deliberately, since UC admits directly to the major and reads your application through that lens; you can list up to two majors on the Common App.
- 3 CCM applicants must submit pre-screening materials (encouraged by November 15) and, if invited, audition; decisions come from late February.
- 4 Aim for your complete application by October 20 if you are an international applicant, as UC recommends, so documents are processed before the Early Action deadline.
- 5 File the FAFSA by the December 1 priority deadline if you are a U.S. applicant.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for University of Cincinnati
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
UC awards need-based aid through the FAFSA (priority deadline December 1) and merit scholarships to Early Action applicants, led by the Cincinnatus Scholarship program, which gives more than $22 million a year in renewable awards including 20 Presidential Scholarships covering full tuition, fees, room, board and books. Non-residents may receive an extra $3,000 Cincinnatus Out-of-State award or the National Outreach Award. International students can receive scholarships of up to $18,000 a year with no separate application.
- 39%
- Average need met, first-year need-based aid recipients (CDS 2025-26)
- $9,106
- Average need-based grant, first-years with need (CDS 2025-26)
- 958 students, averaging $14,548
- International undergraduates receiving institutional aid (CDS 2025-26)
- 20 a year, worth $120,000 over four years
- Presidential Scholarships (Cincinnatus program)
- Books $1,300; transportation $2,038 (Ohio) or $3,038 (non-resident); miscellaneous $3,386; first-year computer $3,000
- Other 2026-27 budget items (on campus)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Cooperative education (co-op)
Invented at UC in 1906 by engineering dean Herman Schneider; paid work semesters are built into the degree in many majors.
College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP)
Portfolio-reviewed programs in architecture, communication design, fashion, games and animation, industrial and interior design, combined with co-op.
College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)
Audition-based music, dance, theatre and media programs with pre-screens and final auditions.
College of Engineering and Applied Science
One of the programs UC says fills at the Early Action deadline, and the college where co-op was born.
University Honors Program
Over 1,400 students (the top 7 percent of undergraduates) across all nine undergraduate colleges, with honors seminars, study tours and research experiences.
Research
- Carnegie R1 university with $738 million in research expenditures with its partners in fiscal 2025.
- Historic firsts include Albert Sabin's oral polio vaccine and George Rieveschl's discovery of the first antihistamine, Benadryl.
- Research partnerships with Cincinnati Children's, UC Health and the Cincinnati VA Medical Center next to campus.
- The 1819 Innovation Hub brings faculty, students, investors and companies such as Procter & Gamble together on startups and new technologies.
Schools & faculties
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Carl H. Lindner College of Business
- College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)
- College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP)
- College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH)
- College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS)
- College of Allied Health Sciences
- College of Nursing
- College of Medicine
- UC Blue Ash College
- UC Clermont College
UC reports that 92.5 percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months (Class of 2024 survey, 96.5% response rate). College Scorecard: median earnings of $54,810 ten years after entry and $48,310 six years after entry for federally aided students.
Student life
UC's Uptown campus mixes historic buildings with signature modern architecture from a decades-long campus transformation. University housing mainly serves first-year students, with themed floors and a priority application deadline, while many upper-year students rent in the surrounding Clifton neighborhoods. More than 550 registered student organizations are overseen from the Steger Student Life Center. Game days center on Nippert Stadium, home of Bearcats football, and the men's basketball team won national titles in 1961 and 1962.
- Cincinnati Bearcats compete in 19 NCAA Division I sports in the Big 12 Conference.
- More than 550 registered student organizations.
- Co-op placements take students to employers from Fortune 500 companies to startups and research labs.
- The University Honors Program includes study abroad and leadership seminars, such as trips to the UAE and South Africa.
Housing. University housing primarily serves first-year students, who should apply by the priority deadline; many upper-year students live in private rentals in Clifton.
Location
Cincinnati is a mid-sized city on the Ohio River, across from Kentucky. UC sits in the Uptown district, the region's second-largest employment center after downtown, alongside Cincinnati Children's Hospital, UC Health, TriHealth and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. UC highlights the city's low cost of living, and its co-op network of 1,800 employers makes the city a practical base for paid work experience.
Nearest airport: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
Notable alumni
- WH William Howard Taft27th U.S. President and Chief Justice; Bachelor of Laws from Cincinnati Law School (1880), now UC's College of Law
- CG Charles G. Dawes30th U.S. Vice President and 1925 Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Cincinnati Law School (1886)
- MG Michael GravesPostmodern architect and designer; bachelor's in architecture (1958)
- PP Paul PolmanFormer CEO of Unilever; master's in economics and MBA
- OR Oscar RobertsonNBA Hall of Famer and 12-time All-Star who starred for the Bearcats
- SK Sandy KoufaxHall of Fame pitcher; attended UC and played on the freshman basketball team
- MB Matt BerningerFrontman of the band The National; studied graphic design
- TB Thomas BergerNovelist, author of Little Big Man; BA (1948)
Frequently asked questions
What is the University of Cincinnati's acceptance rate?
UC admitted 29,715 of 33,750 first-year applicants to its Uptown campus for fall 2025, about 88%. Competitive majors in engineering, DAAP, CCM, nursing and business are much harder to get into and often fill by November 1.
Is the University of Cincinnati test-optional?
Yes, UC says SAT/ACT scores are optional for all programs. Enrolled students who submitted had a middle-50% SAT of 1160-1340 and ACT of 24-30.
When is the University of Cincinnati Early Action deadline?
November 1. Early Action is non-binding and is required for merit scholarship and University Honors Program consideration; decisions come on Cincinnati Decision Day, the second Wednesday in December. The final rolling deadline is March 1.
How much does the University of Cincinnati cost for out-of-state and international students?
For students entering in 2026-27, Uptown tuition and fees are $15,079 per semester ($30,158 a year) for non-residents and $7,412 per semester for Ohio residents, locked for your program by the Tuition Guarantee. Average on-campus housing and food is $16,511.
How does co-op work at the University of Cincinnati?
In co-op majors, students alternate semesters of classes with paid, full-time work related to their field. UC reports 9,614 placements a year with 1,800 employers and average earnings of $13,130 per semester.
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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