How to Apply to Fordham as an Undergraduate

Finding your college home

We know how much time you’ve spent trying to find the right college. We’re looking for applicants who can add to our community too. Each year, we have room for approximately 2,500 students in our incoming class. That can make our admission task difficult.

We know a lot of you are pretty remarkable candidates who would make a real contribution to any institution you attend.

Is Fordham right for you?

Learn more about what we are looking for

Admission Facts

Learn more about our students

Required application components

The Common Application

Including an essay
High school transcript
Letter of recommendation
Application fee of $80

student smiling sitting on desk in classroom

Information About the Application Fee and Fee Waivers

Our institution proudly participates in the following fee waiver programs:
- College Board’s SAT-to-College Application Fee-Waiver Program. If you took the SAT using a fee waiver, you automatically qualify for a college application fee waiver to apply for admission here at Fordham University. You can learn more about this program at College Board.
- Students can also select the "NACAC Fee Waiver" option on the Common Application.
- We are pleased to offer waived application fees for members and dependents of members of the US Armed Forces. If you indicate you are a veteran on the Common Application, we will automatically waive your fee.
- You’ll find a range of other fee waiver options on the Common Application. Please select the one that fits you best.

Optional application components

SAT or ACT scores (SAT code: 2259; ACT code: 2748)
Please review our additional guidance on test score submission.
Optional short responses
- Unique Fordham question
- Additional information
- Challenges and circumstances

Students inside a building at the Rose Hill campus

Selecting a college and a campus

Students must first select a major area of study.
Students must select a campus when they apply to Fordham, either Rose Hill in the Bronx or Lincoln Center in Manhattan.
Students must also select a college when they apply to Fordham, either Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center or the Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill and Lincoln Center.
Students are evaluated for the campus and college to which they apply.

students sitting on blanket on Edwards Parade

Deadlines for first-year student applicants

Applicant Type	Application Deadline	FAFSA	CSS Profile	Notification Date	Deposit Deadline
*Early Action (non-binding)	Nov. 1, 2025	Nov. 15, 2025	Nov. 15, 2025	Dec. 20, 2025	May 1, 2026
Early Decision I (binding)	Nov. 1, 2025	Nov. 15, 2025	Nov. 15, 2025	Dec. 20, 2025	Jan. 15, 2026
Regular Decision	Jan. 3, 2026	Feb. 1, 2026	Feb. 1, 2026	April 1, 2026	May 1, 2026
Early Decision II (binding)	Jan. 3, 2026	Jan. 15, 2026	Jan. 15, 2026	Feb. 15, 2026	March 15, 2026
Spring Applicants	Nov. 1, 2025	Nov. 1, 2025	Nov. 1, 2025	Dec. 1, 2025

*Applicants to dance and theatre programs apply early action.

Note: Students who are impacted by natural disasters like wildfires, earthquakes, or hurricanes may need extra time and flexibility during application season. Fordham is here to help. If you need extra time or a fee waiver, please contact your admission counselor.

In early action, students apply early and receive a decision well in advance of the University’s regular response date. Early action is a non-binding application plan (i.e., students are not required to enroll if admitted).
In early decision, students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they will definitely enroll. Early decision is a binding application plan (i.e., students must enroll if admitted and withdraw any other pending applications). The Early Decision Agreement is an additional requirement to be signed by the student, parent/guardian, and counselor.

In regular decision, students submit an application by a specified date and receive a decision in a clearly stated period of time, typically no later than April 1. Regular decision is a non-binding application plan.
We accept applications for spring first-year admission. The deadline is November 1.

Do advanced placement or international baccalaureate credits transfer?

Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the following AP examinations may be awarded 3 non-major elective credits.

These credits may not be used to fulfill the core or major requirements

Art: Studio Art - Drawing Portfolio
Computer Science A
Computer Science Principles
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
European History
Music Theory
Pre-Calculus
Statistics
United States History
World History
Chinese Language and Culture
French Language
German Language
Italian Language and Culture
Japanese Language and Culture
Spanish Language
Spanish Literature
Latin: Virgil

Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the following AP examinations may be awarded 3 credits that may satisfy the core or major requirements in the following areas.

American Pluralism
African-American Studies

Fine Arts
History of Art

Life Science
Biology
Environmental Science

Mathematical Reasoning
Calculus AB
Calculus BC

Physical Science
Chemistry
Physics B
Physics 1
Physics 2
Physics C - Electricity and Magnetism
Physics C - Mechanics

Social Science
Economics: Macroeconomics
Economics: Microeconomics
Government and Politics: Comparative
Government and Politics: US
Human Geography

Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the following AP examination may be awarded 3 credits that may satisfy major/minor requirements (but not core requirements).

Psychology

Fordham University offers university credit for Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) exam scores of 5, 6, or 7. No credit is awarded for IB Standard Level exams, regardless of score. Students are responsible for ensuring that their IB exams are sent to Fordham.

IB exams have been received in the areas listed below. HL scores of 5 receive 3 general elective credits. HL scores of 6 or 7 receive core or elective credit when appropriate, as noted below. Additional IB HL subject areas will be considered when received.

Notes: Students who wish to apply International Baccalaureate credit toward their major should consult with the appropriate department. It is possible, in some cases, to receive an exemption from a prerequisite based on performance on other standardized tests or on college-level courses, with grades of C or better, taken during high school. A student cannot receive credit for both an AP Exam and an IB Higher Level exam in the same subject.

Anthropology
Three core credits (Social Science).

Biology
Three core credits (Life Science). Students with core credit who are required to take biology for their major should consult the department for placement in biology courses. Students with core credit who are required to take biology for their special program (e.g., pre-health professions) should consult with their special program adviser.

Business and Management
Three elective credits in business.

Chemistry
Three core credits (Physical Science). Students with core credit who are required to take chemistry for their major should consult the department for placement in chemistry courses. Students with core credit who are required to take chemistry for their special program (e.g., pre-health professions) should consult with their special program adviser.

Economics
Three core credits for Macroeconomics and three core credits for Microeconomics (Social Science).

English
See Language A and Language B below.

Film
Four elective credits for COMM 2471 (Introduction to Film).

Geography
Three core credits (Social Science).

History
History of Americas, History of Europe, History of Asia. Each would receive 4 elective credits for a general upper-level (3000-level) history elective course. No core credit and no credit for the distribution requirements within the major (medieval, modern, American or global) is given.

Information Technology in a Global Society
Three general elective credits.

Language A
Language A. If completed in English, 3 general elective credits. If completed in a modern foreign language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese): 3 credits for 1502 level of relevant language.

Language B
Language B. If completed in English, 3 general elective credits. If completed in a modern foreign language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese) or classical language (Latin, Greek): 3 credits equivalent to the 1502 level of relevant language.

Mathematics
Analysis and Approaches: three core credits for MATH 1206
Applications and Interpretation: three core credits for MATH 1700

Philosophy
Three general elective credits.

Physics
Credits for the following required major courses: PHYS 1601, PHYS 1602, PHYS 1511, and PHYS 1512. This also satisfies core in natural science which includes both physical science core and life science core. Students with core credit who are required to take physics for their major should consult the department for placement in physics courses. Students with core credit who are required to take physics for their special program (e.g., pre-health professions) should consult with their special program adviser.

Psychology
Three elective credits for PSYC 1200. PSYC 1200 is a required course for psychology majors.

Theatre
Three core credits (Fine Arts).

Visual Arts
Three elective credits for visual arts.

Credit is awarded for college courses taken while in high school only if the following requirements are met:
- You were a student enrolled in a college.
- There were other college students in the class.
- The course was taken on the college’s campus.
- You were taught by a member of the college’s teaching staff.
- The course was at least three credits and would be credited toward a degree at that college or university.
- The grade you earned must be at least one level above minimum passing grade for the course, (e.g., C).
- The college course you took was not used to fulfill high school graduation requirements, including course count.
- The course is similar in content to a course given at Fordham.
- The maximum number of transferable credits is sixty (60).
In order to consider your coursework for transfer credits, Fordham must review a copy of your transcript and a letter, from either the Dean or the Registrar’s Office, confirming your enrollment at the college. Please forward this letter to your Advisor or Dean of your college or school at Fordham University. If your courses are listed on your high school transcript, we must receive a letter from your high school counselor or principal confirming that the courses meet the conditions above.

Please review the full policy in the Fordham University Bulletin or consult with your academic advisor.

College is a huge choice. It’s probably the biggest commitment of time, energy, and money that you’ve ever made, but graduates with four-year degrees earn nearly twice as much as non-grads, according to The New York Times. And a Fordham education doesn’t just help you navigate today’s challenges. It will help you learn to anticipate what’s next. We’re here to help you take advantage of these undeniable advantages.