Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia's land-grant university in Blacksburg, with a Corps of Cadets, Hokie Stone campus and admission by major.
- Acceptance rate
- 55%
- Admit rate and test scores from College Scorecard (June 2026 data release of federal IPEDS data, not a Virginia Tech figure); application count for fall 2026 from Virginia Tech; deadlines for fall 2027
- Students
- 38,745
- 30,923 undergraduates
- International
- 5%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 13:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $40,182
- 2026-27
About Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech was founded in 1872 as Virginia's land-grant college and is today the commonwealth's most comprehensive university, with nearly 39,000 students across the state in fall 2025, about 80% of them undergraduates. Its 2,600-acre main campus is in Blacksburg in the New River Valley, 38 miles southwest of Roanoke, and it also runs the Institute for Advanced Computing in Northern Virginia and a health sciences campus in Roanoke.
The university is best known for engineering, but its colleges also cover agriculture and life sciences, architecture, arts and design, business (Pamplin), liberal arts, natural resources, science and veterinary medicine, plus an Honors College. It manages a research portfolio of more than $434 million, and its Corporate Research Center houses about 220 companies. Virginia Tech is also one of six senior military colleges in the U.S., with a Corps of Cadets alongside civilian students.
Admission is holistic and by major, and demand is high: more than 58,000 students applied for about 7,200 places in fall 2026. Virginia Tech suits students who want a big, spirited ACC campus in a small college town, strong engineering and applied programs, and a culture built around the motto Ut Prosim, That I May Serve.
Ut Prosim
“That I May Serve” — university motto
Why students choose Virginia Tech
Applications are reviewed by major, so your intended program and preparation for it are part of the decision.
Recommendations are not required or considered; instead you answer four 120-word Ut Prosim Profile questions about service, inclusion, leadership and goals.
The Corps of Cadets makes Virginia Tech one of six senior military colleges in the U.S., and interest in the Corps is part of the personal review.
In-state students with financial need can get expanded need-based aid through Virginia Tech Advantage, on a 2026-27 in-state cost of attendance of about $41,126.
Admissions
Admit rate and test scores from College Scorecard (June 2026 data release of federal IPEDS data, not a Virginia Tech figure); application count for fall 2026 from Virginia Tech; deadlines for fall 2027
About 1 in 2 applicants is admitted
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Virginia Tech reports more than 58,000 applications for about 7,200 places in its fall 2026 entering class (57,700 applications for fall 2025). It does not publish its Common Data Set online or a current admit rate; the 54.8% shown here is College Scorecard's figure (June 2026 release of federal IPEDS data), not a university-published rate. Review is by major, so competitiveness varies by program.
Typical entry requirements
| U.S. high school (fall 2027 applicants) | 18 units: 4 English, 3 math (including Algebra I and II), 2 laboratory science, 2 social science (one history), 3 additional academic units (foreign language highly recommended) and 4 electives |
|---|---|
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 TOEFL iBT 80 with no section below 16 (older scale) or 4.5 with no section below 4.0 (tests from January 21, 2026); IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.5; PTE 59; Duolingo 115; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 550 or ACT English 24 also accepted. Results due by December 1 (Early Action) or January 24 (Regular Decision). |
Deadlines
- Early Action Non-binding Next deadline · In 39 daysNovember 15, 2026
STARS record and materials due December 1; decisions late February; reply by May 1. Early applicants get scholarship and Virginia Tech Advantage consideration.
- Regular Decision (space available) Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
STARS record due January 24; decisions mid-March; reply by May 1.
Dates are from Virginia Tech's Dates & Deadlines for 2026-2027 page (fall 2027 entry); the application opened August 1. The Virginia Tech General Scholarship application and FAFSA deadline for scholarship applicants is January 22, and the FAFSA priority deadline is March 1. The Virginia Tech Advantage page still mentions a November 1 Early Action date, so check your applicant portal.
How to apply
Common App, plus the required Ut Prosim Profile (four short-answer questions of up to 120 words each) and a Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS) record of all high school courses and grades. Test scores optional. Letters of recommendation are not required and not considered; a counselor may send a letter of circumstance.
What admissions looks for
- Rigor of your academic program in the context of your school, and your grades, including trends over time.
- Fit with your requested major, since Virginia Tech reviews applications by major.
- Activities outside the classroom such as jobs, clubs, sports, family responsibilities, service and research.
- Your Ut Prosim Profile answers, plus context such as first-generation status, residency, veteran status and interest in the Corps of Cadets.
Tips for applying to Virginia Tech
- 1 Put real effort into the four Ut Prosim Profile answers: they are your only essays, are capped at 120 words each and cannot be changed after you submit.
- 2 Do not send recommendation letters; Virginia Tech will not consider them. Use the Common App Additional Information section for circumstances instead.
- 3 Fill in the STARS record carefully with every course and grade from grades 9-11 and your senior-year schedule; it replaces a transcript at the application stage.
- 4 Apply Early Action by November 15 to be considered for scholarships, and file the General Scholarship application and FAFSA by January 22.
- 5 Choose your major thoughtfully, because your preparation for that specific program is part of the review.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Virginia Tech awards need-based aid through the FAFSA (priority deadline March 1) and scholarships through its General Scholarship application (due January 22). Virginia Tech Advantage provides expanded need-based scholarships for eligible in-state undergraduates and support for internships, research and study abroad. International students must show funds for their first year to obtain an I-20.
- $41,126 (Virginia resident); $64,756 (out-of-state)
- Estimated cost of attendance, on campus, 2026-27
- $43,276 (in-state); $66,906 (out-of-state)
- First-year cost of attendance including computer allowance
- $34,308 (in-state); $57,402 (out-of-state)
- Direct billed costs, on campus, 2026-27
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Engineering
14 undergraduate degrees; the college says it supplies more than half of the engineers in Virginia's workforce.
Architecture (College of Architecture, Arts, and Design)
Part of a college with dedicated schools of architecture, visual arts, performing arts and design.
Natural Resources and Environment
The only college in Virginia specialising in natural resources, with degrees in areas such as fish and wildlife conservation, forestry, geography and meteorology.
Business (Pamplin College of Business)
Undergraduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management and marketing.
Agriculture and Life Sciences
Majors from biochemistry and human nutrition to animal and poultry sciences, backed by a 1,800-acre agriculture research farm near campus.
Research
- Virginia Tech manages a research portfolio of more than $434 million and ranks No. 56 in the NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey.
- The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center covers 230 acres with 40 buildings and about 220 companies.
- In fiscal 2024 the university reported 181 invention disclosures and 29 license deals.
Schools & faculties
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Architecture, Arts, and Design
- College of Engineering
- College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
- College of Natural Resources and Environment
- College of Science
- Pamplin College of Business
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
- Honors College
- Graduate School
College Scorecard reports median earnings of $81,698 ten years after entry for students who received federal aid.
Student life
First-year students are required to live on campus, in one of 48 residence halls that house about 10,500 students, and more than 22 living-learning programs combine where students live with what they study. The campus is organised around the Drillfield, with gray Hokie Stone buildings such as Burruss Hall on one side and residence halls and War Memorial Hall on the other. The university lists about 800 official clubs, the Corps of Cadets gives a military tradition, and the Hokies compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- The Corps of Cadets makes Virginia Tech one of six U.S. senior military colleges.
- Hokie Stone, a gray stone with brown and pink hues, is used across the Blacksburg campus by board resolution.
- About 800 official student clubs and organizations.
- The Hokies compete in NCAA Division I in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Housing. First-year students are guaranteed university housing and required to live in the residence halls unless an exception is approved; later years are not guaranteed on-campus housing.
Location
Blacksburg is a college town in the New River Valley of southwest Virginia, 38 miles southwest of Roanoke, and life centres on the university. Many students live off campus after their first year, usually on twelve-month leases.
Nearest airport: Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)
Notable alumni
- RC Robert Coleman RichardsonNobel Prize-winning physicist
- HK Hoda KotbTelevision news anchor
- HH Homer HickamAuthor and former NASA engineer
- GW Gladys WestMathematician
- KA Kwame AlexanderNewbery Medal-winning children's author
- DC Dave CalhounFormer president and CEO of Boeing
- RD Regina Dugan19th director of DARPA
- BS Bruce SmithNFL defensive end
Frequently asked questions
What is Virginia Tech's acceptance rate?
Virginia Tech does not publish a current rate; the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 data release) shows about 55%. For fall 2026 it received more than 58,000 applications for about 7,200 places.
Is Virginia Tech test-optional?
Yes, for students entering through fall 2028. You choose whether your SAT or ACT scores are reviewed, and not submitting does not affect your decision.
When is the Virginia Tech application deadline for fall 2027?
Early Action is due November 15, 2026 (materials by December 1, decisions late February) and Regular Decision January 15, 2027 (materials by January 24, decisions mid-March).
Does Virginia Tech require letters of recommendation?
No. Recommendations are not required or requested and are not considered even if sent; the Ut Prosim Profile short answers are where you tell your story.
How much does Virginia Tech cost?
The 2026-27 estimated cost of attendance for living on campus is $41,126 for Virginia residents and $64,756 for out-of-state students, with tuition and fees of $17,088 and $40,182.
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
- U.S. News Best Colleges: Virginia Tech profile (2027 edition, No. 52 National Universities; No. 19 tie Top Public Schools)
- U.S. News Best Colleges 2027 National Universities ranking list (search API, page 6: No. 52 tie)
- U.S. News Best Global Universities: Virginia Tech (2026-2027, No. 285 tie)
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Universities ranked close to Virginia Tech in the QS World University Rankings 2027.