University of Kansas
Kansas' AAU flagship on Mount Oread, with assured admission by GPA and automatic merit scholarships.
- Acceptance rate
- 93%
- Fall 2025 entering class (Common Data Set 2025-26); applying now for fall 2027
- Students
- 30,162
- 22,544 undergraduates
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 18:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $32,844
- 2026-27
About KU
The University of Kansas dates its founding to the first meeting of its Board of Regents in March 1865 and opened on Mount Oread in Lawrence in 1866 with 55 students. It is now one of 38 public members of the Association of American Universities, with a record 31,169 students across its Lawrence, Edwards (Overland Park) and Medical Center campuses in fall 2025; the Common Data Set counts 22,544 undergraduates and 7,618 graduate students.
Undergraduates enter through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (which includes the School of the Arts and the School of Public Affairs & Administration) or apply directly to the schools of Architecture & Design, Business, Education & Human Sciences, Engineering, Journalism & Mass Communications, Music and others. The most popular majors in fall 2025 were finance, psychology, journalism, exercise science and marketing, followed by accounting, business, computer science, human biology and mechanical engineering.
Admission is broad but not automatic for everyone: 20,541 of 22,187 first-year applicants were admitted for fall 2025, and anyone with a 3.25 GPA is assured a place in the College. The real competition is for direct admission to business, engineering, architecture and design, and for scholarship money, which is awarded on GPA alone. KU suits students who want a big-time college town, Big 12 sports, and a research university where a strong GPA translates directly into a discount.
Videbo visionem hanc magnam quare non comburatur rubus
“I will see this great vision in which the bush does not burn (Exodus 3:3)” — university motto
Why students choose KU
Assured admission is transparent: a 3.25 high school GPA (or ACT 21 / SAT 1060 with a 2.0 GPA) guarantees a place in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and no test scores are required.
Out-of-state and international freshmen with a 3.25+ GPA automatically earn renewable KU merit scholarships of $8,000 to $16,000 a year if they apply by December 1.
KU is one of 38 US public universities in the Association of American Universities and reported $610.6 million in research and development expenditures in FY25.
The University Honors Program offers small, discussion-based classes and its own advising at Nunemaker Center, with no minimum GPA or test score to apply.
Admissions
Fall 2025 entering class (Common Data Set 2025-26); applying now for fall 2027
20,541 admitted from 22,187 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
For fall 2025, 20,541 of 22,187 first-year applicants were admitted and 5,040 enrolled (in-state 7,037 of 7,479 admitted; out-of-state 12,847 of 14,011; international 657 of 697). General admission is assured by GPA; direct admission to Business, Engineering, Architecture, Interior Architecture, Design and Music has extra requirements.
Typical entry requirements
| Assured admission (US high school) | 3.25+ cumulative GPA (weighted or unweighted), or ACT 21+ / SAT 1060+ with at least a 2.0 GPA; others are reviewed individually |
|---|---|
| School of Business (direct admission) | 3.4+ high school GPA, or ACT/10 + GPA of 5.55 or more with official scores |
| School of Engineering (direct admission) | Admissible to KU, 3.0+ GPA and math readiness (e.g. ACT math 22+ / SAT math 540+, B in college algebra, C in high school calculus, or qualifying ALEKS score) |
| Architecture and Interior Architecture | Guaranteed if you apply by November 1 with a 3.8+ GPA and a B or better in a drawing or art class, or 3.5-3.79 GPA with ACT 24+/SAT 1160+ and the art class |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 For full-time degree coursework: TOEFL iBT 79 with 18 in each section (4.5 with no section below 4 on the scale used from 21 January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or PTE 53. Full English proficiency is not required for admission; students below these scores take KU's AEC proficiency test and may take Applied English Center courses. |
Deadlines
- Architecture, Interior Architecture and Design priority deadline Non-binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Guaranteed-admission deadline for Architecture and Interior Architecture; final deadline for consideration February 1.
- Freshman scholarship deadline Non-binding In 56 daysDecember 1, 2026
Complete admission application with transcript by this date to be considered for GPA-based merit scholarships. Admission itself is rolling; decisions are sent from early July.
- FAFSA priority deadline Non-binding In ~4 monthsFebruary 1, 2027
File the FAFSA by this date for need-based aid such as the Jayhawk Access Grant.
- International fall application deadline (students outside the US) Non-binding In ~7 monthsMay 1, 2027
Also the international freshman scholarship deadline; students already in the US can apply until July 25.
KU has rolling admission with no Early Decision or Early Action; the fall application closes one week before classes start. The dates above are published as recurring annual dates (November 1, December 1, February 1, May 1) and are applied here to the fall 2027 cycle.
How to apply
KU's own online application (go2.ku.edu) with self-reported GPA and an official or unofficial transcript; SAT/ACT optional; $40 fee for domestic freshmen (waivers available). No essays or recommendations. Architecture and Design need extra materials (Design: portfolio and essay); Music requires an audition. International students apply through KU International Admissions.
What admissions looks for
- Academic GPA is the one factor KU rates very important; rigor, class rank, essays and recommendations are not considered for general admission.
- A GPA of 3.25 or higher, or an ACT of 21 / SAT of 1060 with a 2.0 GPA, for assured admission to the College.
- Program-specific readiness for direct admission: math preparation for Engineering, a 3.4 GPA or index score for Business, an art or drawing class for Architecture.
- A recommended college-prep curriculum of four years of English and math, three of lab science, two of one foreign language and three of social studies.
Tips for applying to KU
- 1 Apply by December 1: that is the cut-off for automatic merit scholarships, which are based purely on your GPA after six semesters.
- 2 If you are close to the 3.4 GPA line for Business, send an ACT or SAT: the index pathway (ACT/10 + GPA of 5.55) can get you in with official scores.
- 3 Architecture applicants should apply by November 1 and make sure they have a B or better in a high school drawing or art class.
- 4 International applicants with no English test exemption should still submit a score; below-threshold students can be admitted and start with Applied English Center courses.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for University of Kansas
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Merit scholarships are automatic and GPA-based: Kansans with a 3.25+ GPA get $1,000 to $5,000 a year, and out-of-state and international freshmen get $8,000 to $16,000 a year (KU Access to KU Excellence), renewable for four years with a 3.0 KU GPA. Need-based aid includes the Jayhawk Access Grant for FAFSA filers by February 1; KU met 78.4% of need on average for first-year aid recipients in 2024-25.
- $33,619 in-state; $53,554 out-of-state
- Estimated 2026-27 cost of attendance (CDS budget: tuition, fees, housing and food, books, transport, other)
- $8,000-$16,000 per year (3.25+ GPA)
- Out-of-state and international merit scholarships
- 78.4%
- Average need met, first-year aid recipients (2024-25)
- $20,547
- Average first-year financial aid package (2024-25)
- $61,945
- Median earnings 10 years after entry (College Scorecard)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Finance and Business
Finance is KU's most popular undergraduate major; the School of Business is housed in Capitol Federal Hall and is ranked No. 44 among publics by US News, per KU.
Journalism and Mass Communications
The third most popular major, home of the University Daily Kansan and student media including KJHK radio and KUJH-TV.
Aerospace Engineering
The program behind Ford and Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Alan Mulally (BS and MS in aeronautical engineering); direct admission needs a 3.0 GPA and math readiness.
Architecture (5-year Master of Architecture)
Freshmen enter a five-year professional M.Arch directly, with guaranteed admission for strong applicants who apply by November 1.
Nursing
KU's School of Nursing is ranked No. 14 among public universities by US News, according to KU; students enter after prerequisite college coursework.
Special Education
KU's graduate special education program is ranked No. 1 among public universities by US News, per KU.
Research
- KU reported $610.6 million in research and development expenditures in FY25, supporting 5,696 Kansas jobs.
- Membership of the Association of American Universities, one of 38 US public institutions.
- Campus research and cultural institutions include the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, the KU Natural History Museum (founded 1927) and the Spencer Museum of Art.
- Pluto's discoverer Clyde Tombaugh earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in astronomy at KU after the discovery.
Schools & faculties
- College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (incl. School of the Arts and School of Public Affairs & Administration)
- School of Architecture & Design
- School of Business
- School of Education & Human Sciences
- School of Engineering
- School of Health Professions
- William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- School of Music
- School of Nursing
- School of Pharmacy
College Scorecard reports median earnings of $61,945 for KU students 10 years after entry.
Student life
KU's main campus sits along the ridge of Mount Oread above Lawrence, with Fraser Hall as its landmark. About 80% of first-year students choose to live on campus, in residence halls on Daisy Hill, apartments or KU's scholarship halls, where students share cooking and chores in exchange for lower costs. Athletics are central: the Jayhawks play in the Big 12, and men's basketball, coached by James Naismith and Phog Allen in its early days, plays at Allen Fieldhouse. Student media includes the University Daily Kansan and KJHK radio.
- Kansas Jayhawks compete in NCAA Division I in the Big 12 Conference with 16 varsity sports.
- Allen Fieldhouse is home to a men's basketball program with four NCAA titles (1952, 1988, 2008, 2022).
- Scholarship halls offer lower-cost living with student-led traditions, where residents share cooking and chores.
- KU debate has won the National Debate Tournament six times, most recently in 2018.
- The University Honors Program is based at Nunemaker Center.
Housing. About 80% of first-year students choose to live on campus; dining plans are required in residence halls, and the typical double room plus meal plan costs $12,386 for 2026-27.
Location
Lawrence is a college town in northeast Kansas; KU's main campus runs along the ridge of Mount Oread above it. The university's Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, and its Edwards Campus in Overland Park serve the Kansas City metro area. KU estimates housing and food at $14,370 a year for students living on campus in 2026-27, well below big-city costs.
Nearest airport: Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Notable alumni
- AM Alan MulallyCEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Ford; BS and MS in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from KU
- CT Clyde TombaughAstronomer who discovered Pluto; bachelor's and master's in astronomy from KU
- VL Vernon L. SmithNobel Prize-winning economist; MA in economics from KU
- PR Paul RuddActor; studied theatre at KU
- SP Sara ParetskyCrime novelist, creator of V. I. Warshawski; bachelor's in political science from KU
- KS Kathleen SebeliusUS Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Kansas; Master of Public Administration from KU
- BM Brian McClendonCo-founder of Keyhole and a creator of Google Earth; electrical engineering graduate
Frequently asked questions
What GPA do you need to get into the University of Kansas?
A cumulative 3.25 GPA (weighted or unweighted) guarantees admission to KU's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Below that, an ACT of 21 or SAT of 1060 with a 2.0 GPA also qualifies, and other applicants are reviewed individually.
Is KU test-optional?
Yes. Scores are encouraged and cannot hurt your admission eligibility, but they can matter for direct admission to programs such as Business and Engineering. In fall 2025 the middle 50% of enrolled students scored 1080-1280 on the SAT and 20-28 on the ACT.
What is KU's acceptance rate?
For fall 2025, 20,541 of 22,187 first-year applicants were admitted, about 92.6%.
Does KU have Early Action or Early Decision?
No. KU uses rolling admission, but you must submit a complete application by December 1 to be considered for merit scholarships.
How much does KU cost for out-of-state students?
For 2026-27, out-of-state tuition is $31,779 plus $1,065 in required fees, and KU's full budget including housing and food is about $53,554. Out-of-state freshmen with a 3.25+ GPA receive automatic scholarships of $8,000 to $16,000 a year.
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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