Frequently Asked Questions

After submitting your application, you will be instructed to create your MyAppVU portal. Through this portal, you can upload additional application materials, change your decision plan, update your email and mailing addresses, etc.

Vanderbilt does not offer interviews through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Through partnerships with Glimpse and InitialView, Vanderbilt offers optional video submission opportunities for applicants. U.S. citizens, including undocumented students, attending high school in the U.S. may submit a 60-90 second video through Glimpse. Students attending high school internationally or non-U.S. citizens attending high school in the U.S. may schedule a video interview with InitialView.

Yes, first-year applicants can defer admission to a later start date. One- or two-year deferrals of admission are granted on a case-by-case basis for entry into a subsequent fall term only. To request a deferral, you must send an email to deferrals@vanderbilt.edu  by July 1. State your full name and that you are requesting a deferral. Once we receive your email, we will send you a deferral request form to complete. Once you have submitted the deferral request form, we will notify you of our decision within two weeks.

To be granted a deferral, you must have claimed your spot in your entering class by paying the $400 matriculation deposit (or having it waived.) Deferral requests are often approved for students seeking additional educational or personal enrichment opportunities such as travel, internships, or service, or for students who have religious reasons or military obligations. Deferral requests from students planning to enroll in degree-seeking, full-time programs at another college will not be approved.

Yes, Vanderbilt generally awards college credit for a score of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement exam or 6 or 7 on an International Baccalaureate exam, though required scores vary depending on the exam. Details can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

For Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision, Vanderbilt does not consider demonstrated interest. While we welcome students to visit campus, participate in virtual visit programs, and contact our admissions team with questions, we do not track these interactions for the purpose of the admissions review. Waitlisted applicants will be asked to re-confirm their interest in attending Vanderbilt throughout the waitlist process.

Yes, Vanderbilt may defer an Early Decision application. This means that the application will be considered within the Regular Decision application pool. Students applying through either Early Decision I or II may be deferred to Regular Decision. A defer to Regular Decision indicates that the application may be competitive for admission in the Regular Decision pool. Students who have been deferred to Regular Decision are released from the binding nature of the Early Decision application. Students who are deferred to Regular Decision should ask their school counselor to submit their first semester (or second trimester) grades once the grades are available.

The admissions process at Vanderbilt uses a holistic approach to review applicants. Our process primarily includes review of applicants' academic achievement, community engagement and leadership, personal essay, short answer, and letters of recommendation. An alumni affiliation is merely one data point out of many data points considered during the application review process. Vanderbilt does not hold spots for students who have an alumni affiliation. Legacy applicants are held to the same standards of admission and are part of the same process as all other applicants. At all times, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions is looking to enroll the most highly qualified class who bring a wide array of talent and perspectives to campus, and who will foster a welcoming and highly engaged Vanderbilt community.

Anyone on our admissions team will be happy to answer your questions.

Because Vanderbilt receives so many more applications from highly qualified and capable students than there are available positions in the class, some students in whom the admission committee is very interested will receive an offer to join the waitlist. Once it is known how many students have accepted Vanderbilt’s initial offer of admission, the admissions office will use the waitlist to fill the remaining spots in the entering class. The waitlist is not ranked; the selection of waitlist students will be based on a variety of factors and remaining needs for the class.

We understand that many students will use various forms of assistance as they prepare their application; ChatGPT and other forms of AI may be viewed as one of these sources of assistance. For example, students may rely on an essay-writing class to help brainstorm topic ideas for their essay. Or they may use grammar tools available online to check grammar in their writing. Or students may ask a parent or guardian or peer to read their essay and offer feedback on clarity or offer advice regarding structure of the essay. However, students should understand that it would not be proper to ask a teacher or parent to come up with the essay topic or to re-write an essay for the student. Likewise, AI should never be used to replace independent thinking on the part of the applicant. As applicants complete the essay portions of the application, they should always use their own voice and write about their own life experiences.

Matriculation deposits may be waived based on the student’s financial need. Admitted students receiving a federal Pell grant as part of their need-based financial aid package automatically have their matriculation deposit waived.  Students admitted through QuestBridge College Match automatically have their matriculation deposit waived. International students receiving a need-based aid award automatically have their matriculation deposit waived. All students who have matriculation deposits waived MUST STILL claim their spot on their MyAppVU portal to secure their place in the class.

For U.S. citizens, eligible non-citizens, DACA, and undocumented students, Vanderbilt accepts all application fee waiver requests submitted through the Coalition Application and the Common Application. The application fee is automatically waived for all applicants applying through the QuestBridge Application.

There is no process for appealing admissions decisions. All admissions decisions are final. We wish you the best as you pursue your educational goals.

Yes, Vanderbilt is need-blind when reviewing applications for all U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens. Read more details about Vanderbilt‘s excellent financial aid, including how to apply.

Since Vanderbilt uses a holistic admissions review process, we do not have minimum coursework requirements. Most successful candidates will present a curriculum that includes the equivalent of five academic subjects each year for four years. Recommended course work includes 4 units of English, 4 units of mathematics, 4 units of natural science, 2 units of foreign language, 2 units of social science/humanities, and 4 units of additional course work in these areas, or other academic courses such as engineering science, computer science, social science or natural science research, or advanced work in the humanities. Close attention will be paid to the rigor of course work presented. It is highly recommended that candidates applying to the School of Engineering have taken calculus, calculus-based physics, and chemistry.

International students may apply for need-based and for merit-based scholarships. International students with demonstrated need who are admitted will have 100% of their demonstrated need met with grants and/or scholarships. Merit scholarship recipients with demonstrated need beyond the amount of the scholarship will have 100% of their need met with grant and/or scholarship assistance.

Note that Vanderbilt is need-aware in the admissions process for international students; we may take into consideration the student’s ability to finance a Vanderbilt education.

Learn more about financial aid for international students.

Students or counselors impacted by natural disasters should contact our admissions team with any concerns. We understand that during natural disasters, students may not be able to submit required materials by our published deadlines. We always try to offer as much flexibility as possible. There are times when students may need to apply Regular Decision because they are not able to submit required materials by Early Decision published deadlines. Most importantly, we will work with students and counselors on an individual basis during these times.