Admission Process FAQs

Each fall first-year class is made up of approximately 2,250 students. The actual enrollment targets are set each year and may vary.

The following materials are needed to complete the first-year application:

• Common Application
• Official high school transcripts (must come directly from the school)
• School Report from your school counselor
• One letter of recommendation (must be from a teacher OR a school counselor)
• ACT and/or SAT scores (optional for Spring and Fall 2024 applicants)
• International Financial Certification Form (international applicants only)
• English Language Requirements Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores for non-native English speakers only)
• Additional requirements for special programs, if applicable 

We do not encourage the submission of supplemental materials outside of those required by the programs below:

• Bachelor of Architecture - Portfolio Required, if not submitting ACT/SAT scores
• Theatre Arts B.F.A. - Supplemental Application and Audition Required
• Frost School of Music - Supplemental Application, Prescreen, and Audition Required
  
  

Supplemental applications are available in the applicant portal. Access to the portal will be granted once your admission application is received.

No, we require all applicants to submit the Common Application. 

UM’s nonrefundable application fee is $70, payable online via the Common Application. The fee applies to all applicants, regardless of state of residency or citizenship status. 

We do not provide application fee waivers. Students for whom the nonrefundable application fee presents a financial hardship should consult with their school counselor about obtaining a fee waiver from NACAC, College Board, or ACT.

Should you obtain a fee waiver, you can email mydocuments@miami.edu with the subject line "Application Fee Waiver."

Be sure to include your full name and date of birth on all correspondence.  

To view a complete list, visit our Options & Deadlines page. Students must submit their completed application (with all supporting documents) by 11:59 p.m. local time on the stated deadline.

Applications submitted after the stated deadlines will be considered late and may be considered on a space available basis.

Early Decision (ED) is a binding admission plan intended for incoming first-year students who, at the conclusion of a thoughtful college search, determine that UM is their first-choice school. Students admitted through ED are expected to withdraw their applications to other colleges and universities and commit to enroll at UM in the fall. Check out our blog post Early Decision Demystified.

UM offers two ED plans, ED I and ED II. Both are binding admission plans, but they have different application deadlines and decision notification dates. Visit our Options & Deadlines page for more information.

The admission committee looks favorably upon this specific population because students applying ED demonstrate their commitment to UM. This is not to say that an inadmissible student will become admissible, but rather it is another component of an individual’s application that we will consider during our holistic review process. Aside from learning of your admission decision earlier, ED I applicants are considered for our Premier Scholarships.  

>>Top 5 reasons to apply for early admission

Early Action (EA) is a nonbinding admission plan available to incoming first-year students. Students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to UM if admitted.  

The chief advantage of EA is that it provides students with advanced notice of an admission decision and automatic consideration for our Premier Scholarships. For many students, this enables better planning. It is a great option if UM is one of your top choices. 

There is no preference between the two exams. 

Yes, we superscore both the ACT and SAT.

Yes, you may self-report your scores on the Common Application. You will not need to superscore your own results or recalculate your scores. Simply enter your scores exactly as you receive them. Students who self-report test scores will be required to submit official score reports only if they are admitted and choose to enroll at UM.

We cannot guarantee that test scores received more than two weeks after an application deadline will be considered.

UM encourages students to submit all application materials online through the Common Application, including required school documents. However, official transcripts/supporting documents may also be submitted electronically to mydocuments@miami.edu or mailed to:

University of Miami
Office of Undergraduate Admission
P.O. Box 249117
Coral Gables, FL 33124-9117 

If sending via FedEx, DHL, UPS, or courier:

University of Miami
Office of Undergraduate Admission
1320 S. Dixie Highway
Gables One Tower, Suite 945
Coral Gables, FL 33146

Be sure to include your full name and date of birth on all correspondence.

The Office of Undergraduate Admission only requires one letter of recommendation from a teacher or a school counselor. Most applicants find this sufficient; and, therefore, we encourage you to only submit one.

While we understand that some documents will not arrive by the deadline, we ask that they arrive as close to the deadline as possible.

The Admission Committee reviews applications and supporting documents holistically and within the context of that year’s applicant pool. We are especially interested in those students we believe will contribute to, as well as benefit from, our community.

While there is no minimum standardized test score or grade point average to be considered for admission, you can see the First-Year Class Profile for an overview of the typical academic achievement of recently admitted students for a sense of our selectivity.

In the admission review process, legacy relationships are defined as applicants whose grandparents and/or parents graduated from UM. Siblings with ties to UM will be considered but do not constitute legacy status.

The admission staff reviews data maintained in the Common Application to document legacy relationships as defined above.

Yes, we do. In addition to meeting all the first-year admission requirements, we also encourage home-schooled students to submit a comprehensive explanation of their curriculum.

Yes; when applying with the GED, applicants must submit official high school transcripts up to the time of withdrawal as well as the official GED score report and diploma.

No, interviews are neither required nor recommended for prospective first-year students.

The decision whether or not to admit an applicant is based on a thorough review of the application and supporting documents within the context of that year’s applicant pool. The Admission Committee reserves the right to consider demonstrated engagement when evaluating applicants who have been deferred from Early Action to Regular Decision and applicants who have been waitlisted following the Regular Decision process.

Although there isn’t the need to formally consider demonstrated engagement in Early Decision, the Admission Committee recognizes that applicants who apply under the Early Decision plan are arguably demonstrating the highest form of engagement. The admit rate in Early Decision is higher than in other admission plans.

>>Demonstrated Interest at the U, Explained

It could be attending an in-person or virtual high school visit or an on-campus information session. It also could be anything that constitutes a meaningful level of engagement with University ambassadors, such as admission counselors or current students employed by the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

The Admission Committee does not favor one method of engagement over another. Providing information to prospective students and their families about the University of Miami campus community is important to us. Please let us know how we can help you learn more about UM and our unique value proposition. If you are unable to engage with us on campus, at your high school, or at a local college fair, we encourage you to take our virtual campus tour.

Extracurricular activities help us understand what is important to you, what you value, and how you might contribute to the campus community. The most effective applications are those that clearly and concisely communicate which activities have had the most meaning to a student. Please note that extracurricular activities can also include those outside school, such as personal commitments.

What matters most is not the number of extracurricular activities presented, but rather the commitment level to a handful of meaningful activities beyond your required academic coursework.

We do take particular note of significant local, regional, and national achievements, as well as leadership positions held.

Applicants should not submit additional resumes. Although the Common Application limits the number of activities you may report, this is typically more than enough space for most competitive applicants to communicate their most important and relevant commitments. You should only report your most relevant extracurricular activities, generally from grades 9-12, and those that have meant the most to you personally.

The University of Miami does not require a set plan of secondary school coursework in order to be admitted as an undergraduate applicant; however, the Office of Undergraduate Admission recommends that applicants complete 20 units of secondary school coursework in the following five academic areas: English, mathematics, science, social science, and foreign language. Competitive applicants for admission meet the recommended units of secondary school coursework and typically have taken four units in a combination of all five academic areas at the highest levels available in their school settings.

We understand that every school and grading system is different, which is why we do not set a minimum GPA. Admission counselors evaluate a student’s course rigor and academic achievement in the context of the school the applicant attends.

We recognize that high school GPAs are calculated in many different ways, which is why we will convert every applicants' GPA to an unweighted 4.0 scale. We separately evaluate the rigor of each applicant's chosen curriculum within the context of their high school environment.

Class rank can be an instructive measure of an applicant’s academic performance relative to their peers, and when reported, is considered thoughtfully in conjunction with other data the admission office gathers about any given high school.

When evaluating a student attending a high school that does not rank its students, we rely on data provided by the school to gain a sense of the student’s performance relative to his or her peers. GPA and range distributions provide contextual information when the school does not release an exact rank in class.

A student's curriculum plays a large role in the application review process. The Admission Committee will consider the rigor of your curriculum within the context of your high school environment. We like to see students challenging themselves with AP, honors, AICE, Dual Enrollment and/or IB courses (if they are available) as such courses will make your application more competitive.

We review an applicant’s rigor of curriculum and academic performance in grades 9-11. We also take into account the coursework an applicant will take in his or her senior year.

For incoming first-year students, the Admission Committee reviews final high school transcripts to ensure that admitted students have maintained the level of academic achievement upon which the offer of admission was based.

The University allows students to receive college credit hour toward graduation from the following programs:

• Advanced Placement
• International Baccalaureate
• Dual Enrollment
• Cambridge
• CAPE
• College Level Examination Program
  
  

To have Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College Level Examination Program credit hours evaluated, the student must submit an official test result report to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

The University of Miami does not give credit hours for CLEP Foreign Language and General Examinations. Students taking dual enrollment courses (college courses taken while still in high school) must submit an official college transcript for review of potential transfer credit hours.

A student must submit official transcripts or results no later than the end of the first semester of enrollment at the University of Miami for review.

The University will accept no more than 60 credit hours from these programs to count toward the 120 credit hours required for graduation.

Visit our Credit Information page for a full list of qualifying coursework and scores.

You don’t need to worry about sending them with your application. If you are admitted and plan to enroll, then we will need them. At that time, contact the Summer Scholars Program and have them forward your transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. You can email the program at ssp@miami.edu. Be sure to include your full name and date of birth on all correspondence.

If you are unsure or have not yet decided what you would like to study, you can choose “Undecided” on the Common Application. Undecided first-year students will have the opportunity to meet with their academic advisor to discuss interests and explore options during the school year.

We fully understand that many students have yet to determine their academic path. Your application will not be at a disadvantage if you select “Undecided” as your major.

The performance-based majors in the Frost School of Music as well as the Theatre Arts B.F.A. program limit the number of students we may admit and there is a required audition or portfolio as part of the review process. Therefore, acceptance into these two performance-based programs can be very competitive. Besides the Frost School of Music and Theatre Arts B.F.A. program, the Office of Undergraduate Admission aims to enroll a range of incoming students for each of our nine undergraduate schools and colleges. Since the Office of Undergraduate Admission targets a range of incoming students, the admit rate does not vary significantly between schools and colleges.

Applicants may submit a request to change their intended school or college before their designated application plan deadline. 

Deadlines to request a change as follows: 

Admitted students may not submit a request to change their intended school or college until after the first day of classes at the University of Miami. Admitted students may, however, request to change their major within the school or college to which they have been admitted. 

Several programs may have waiting lists for current UM students, including but not limited to Neuroscience and Traditional B.S.N. In addition, current UM students may not transfer into Miami Herbert Business School until they have satisfied the math requirement. Still other programs, such as the Frost School of Music and Theatre Arts B.F.A., may require auditions and admission is highly selective.