The University of Notre Dame, a private Catholic school in South Bend, Indiana, is ranked #20 of National Universities according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report. The university received a record 12,917 Restrictive Early Action applications to the Class of 2029. In turn, the acceptance rate for its early round hit a record low of just 13%.
NOTRE DAME ACCEPTANCE RATE
Notre Dame saw a 16% increase in applicants compared to the Class of 2028. This surge in applications is likely due to a historic expansion of financial aid announced by the university in September 2024 — Pathways to Notre Dame.
With this program, the university became the first selective faith-based university in the U.S. to be need-blind for all students, domestic or international. It also eliminated loans from financial aid packages.
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Applications came from 149 different countries this cycle, compared to 109 countries last year, as international students took advantage of the new need-blind admissions process. Other colleges, like Brown University, have also begun to offer need-blind admissions to international students, a relatively new phenomenon in the college admissions sphere.
Notre Dame continues to be test-optional, through at least the 2025-26 application cycle.
TTA Top Tip: Applying through Restrictive Early Action at Notre Dame is a risk since students cannot also apply to any (private or public) binding Early Decision 1 program. However, if Notre Dame is a top choice, the roughly 5-6% increase in your chance of acceptance may be worth the trade-off. Keep in mind that of the more than 50% of students who did not submit a test score last year, only about one-third received an offer of admission. If you can submit test scores in-range, we highly encourage you to do so. Consider working with an expert SAT or ACT tutor if you’re struggling to reach your target score!
At Top Tier Admissions, we are committed to making the college admissions process more transparent. Easy access to clear data helps families understand trends in college admissions to make more informed decisions. This year we’re once again collecting early acceptance rate data at selective schools and providing insight and analysis of our own.
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WANT TO READ MORE?
Are you thinking about applying to Notre Dame? Curious about admissions trends and strategies to improve your odds? Contact us to discuss our Application Boot Camp® or Private Counseling program— we look forward to supporting you!
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