What makes Villanova different
- Augustinian values. Truth, unity and love shape its essays, classes and service.
- A residential campus. About 85% of students live on campus in 38 residence halls with 10+ learning communities.
- Four ways to apply. Non-binding Early Action, Early Decision I and II, and Regular Decision.
What Villanova students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): finance (214), nursing (175), communication (152), psychology (96), accounting (95) and econometrics and quantitative economics (91). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at Villanova if…
- You want a spirited, residential campus near a big city.
- You're interested in business, engineering, nursing or the liberal arts.
- You'd like a Catholic university with a service tradition.
Worth asking about
- How do the learning communities work?
- Will Villanova stay test-optional after this cycle?
How Villanova compares with similar universities
Villanova admitted 27.0% of applicants for fall 2024, and more than half of its early decision applicants. See early decision, early action and test policies at all 19 universities.
FAQ
What is Villanova University's acceptance rate? 28.1% for fall 2025: 7,272 of 25,841 first-year applicants were admitted, according to its Common Data Set 2025–26. Source For fall 2024 it was 27.0%.
What is Villanova University's early decision acceptance rate? 54.2% for fall 2024: 920 of 1,696 early decision applicants were admitted, compared with 27.0% of all applicants. Early decision is binding, and the early applicant pool differs from the regular one, so neither rate predicts any one student's chances. Villanova also offers non-binding early action. Source
Does Villanova require the SAT or ACT? No. Villanova is test-optional through the 2026–27 admission cycle (the class entering in fall 2027). Source
Does Villanova charge out-of-state tuition? No. Villanova is private, so published tuition and fees are the same for students from any state: $67,776 a year before aid. About 77% of first-year students came from outside Pennsylvania.
How much is Villanova tuition per semester? About $33,888 a semester, half the published $67,776 a year, before aid.
Is Villanova an R1 university? No. In the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, Villanova University is an R2 university, with high research activity. What R1 means →
How many students go to Villanova? About 6,900 undergraduates (fall 2024).
What is Villanova known for? Business, engineering and nursing, Big East basketball, and its suburban campus.
How much does Villanova cost? Published tuition and fees are $67,776 a year before aid, and the total cost of attendance is $84,793. Students who received aid paid $43,090 a year on average.
Wondering if a residential campus fits you?
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