Application procedure

How to Apply

The University of Delaware is a member of The Common Application. Prospective students may apply to the University of Delaware via The Common Application at https://www.commonapp.org/ and pay an application fee of $75. Click one of the links below for specific requirements related to first-year, transfer and international applicants.

In general, we require:

Applicants to the University must be graduates of accredited secondary schools or have equivalent credentials.
- Send official secondary school transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Non-resident applicants are required to submit SAT scores (code: 5811) and/or ACT scores (code: 0634) directly from the appropriate testing agency. Delaware residents attending a Delaware high school may choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores for first-year admission consideration. Review the Test Optional policy on the Pathways for Delawareans website.
We expect a strong high-school record with a wide range of courses, including the following course work taken in the 9th-12th grades. While minimum units are specified below, most of our admitted students take more than the minimum. The academic profiles of the most competitive applicants well exceed the minimum requirements.
- Four years of college preparatory English
- Three years of college preparatory mathematics. (Four years is recommended. For students in business and economics, engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, nutritional sciences, and food science, four years of mathematics, including trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus, are required.)
- Three years of science, including two years of a laboratory science. (For study in the sciences or in related fields such as nursing, nutritional sciences, food science, or engineering, four years of science, including three years of a lab and a physics course, are strongly recommended.)
- Four years of social sciences, which must include two years of history, one of which should be world history.
- Two years of study in the same foreign language. (Four years of study in the same foreign language is strongly recommended. Foreign language courses taken before the ninth grade do not count.)
- Two years of academic electives in fields such as English, mathematics, foreign languages, history, and social sciences or science. Academic electives do not include, for example, sports activities or driver education. The University urges high school students to take as many mathematics and English courses as possible, with special attention to the selection of senior-year courses.
Provide two letters of recommendation, at least one should come from your school counselor.
Complete the required Common Application essays. You may also choose to answer the optional UD supplemental questions.

International Application Information

International students attending the University of Delaware represent over 100 countries. The Office for International Students and Scholars assists these individuals in adapting to their new environment and to the American educational system. (Please see section on “Resources for Students.”) English tutoring, orientation seminars, “homes away from home”, educational field trips, and participation in community activities are included in the program for international students.

International applicants should review the international admissions requirements before completing the Common Application for admission to the University of Delaware.

We require all applicants whose first language is not English to adequately demonstrate English competency as a part of the application process. Students may demonstrate competency by submitting scores from IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL. The University of Delaware requires an overall band score of a 6.5 or higher on the IELTS and a 90 on the TOEFL iBT. Applicants to the Nursing major must have a minimum TOEFL score of 100 iBT.

The TOEFL code for Delaware is 5811.

Please contact the test center directly where you took the IELTS test and request that your official test scores be sent to the address below. We do not accept unofficial Test Report Forms from students. An institutional code is NOT required for the IELTS.

Submit to:

University of Delaware
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
210 South College Avenue
Newark, DE 19716

International students who need to improve their English skills but meet the University’s academic requirements may be admitted through Academic Transition. In this program you will improve your academic skills, be conditionally admitted to UD without a TOEFL/IELTS score, earn 24 University credits while studying academic English, develop the academic, leadership and social skills needed university success.

Under federal law, the University is permitted to enroll non-immigrant foreign students.

Grant opportunities

Grants

Grants are awarded to undergraduate students seeking their first baccalaureate degree who demonstrate the requisite financial need, and they do not require repayment. UD automatically considers your eligibility for federal grant funds when reviewing financial aid applications.

Federal Pell Grants are awarded based strictly on the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the FAFSA. The maximum Pell Grant a student can receive is $6,095 for the academic year. Students eligible for these awards will see them reflected on the financial aid award notice.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) funds are awarded on a first-come basis to Pell eligible undergraduate students based on their overall financial need. These funds are awarded to students directly by the University and are limited to the funds allocated to the University by the U.S. Department of Education. Students eligible for these awards will see them reflected on the financial aid award notice.
The Teacher Education Assistance for Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants to students who intend to teach full-time in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low income families.In order to qualify, candidates must teach in a high need field at a low income school for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which the TEACH Grant was received.
The University of Delaware awards a number of University grants and scholarships based on a student’s financial need and academic performance. Students eligible for these awards will see them reflected on the financial aid notice.

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to both new and returning students on the basis of academic merit and sometimes financial need.

UD offers a range of general scholarships and grants to both in-state and out-of-state students. Students are automatically reviewed for scholarship eligibility upon application to UD. No additional application is required for academic merit scholarship review, though scholarships and grants that also consider financial need require that students submit a FAFSA.
Endowments, or donor scholarships, are made available to students on behalf of UD’s generous alumni and donors and often have specified criteria (e.g., college or major) in addition to the specified merit and financial requirements. The typical amount of these awards is $2,000 per year. All students who file the FAFSA are automatically evaluated for these scholarships each June and are notified of any additional scholarship support when financial aid packages are prepared in early July.
Students are encouraged to pursue available external/outside scholarships provided by other organizations.In most cases, the awarding agency is responsible for selecting recipients and determining value. (Please note:UD does not endorse any scholarship search engine that charges a fee.Students should never have to pay for a scholarship source.) Additional information may be found on the SFS website.

Learning outcomes

AREAS OF STUDY

Marine Biology and Science
Ecology
Geology
Environmental Science
Oceanography
Chemistry

Prerequisites

What Every Applicant Needs To Know

Students interested in beginning or continuing their undergraduate education at the University of Delaware must apply for admission through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The University seeks a diverse student body and the positive educational benefit that results in a community that brings together a variety of experiences and viewpoints.

Applicants may choose from over 150 major fields of study and the University Studies program, undeclared. Admission requirements vary among majors, and some academic units may require evidence of special skills. Students who apply to the Music Department, for example, will be asked to perform an audition. Students who apply to the Art and Apparel Design majors will be required to submit a portfolio with their application. Acceptance to certain programs tends to be especially competitive because enrollment is limited. Students interested in changing their major prior to enrolling should request a change through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Some majors have enrollment limits and specific entry requirements. Once the first semester begins, students interested in changing majors should consult with the appropriate department or college to which they are seeking admission.

Admission to the University or to a specific major will not be guaranteed on the basis of specific class rank, test scores, or pattern of high-school subjects or performance. In evaluating student applications, the Admissions Office considers a broad range of criteria, including the depth and rigor of the college preparatory program (and trend in grades); grades earned in specific courses (especially those related to an applicant’s proposed field of study); overall grade-point index; standardized test scores; student essays; letters of recommendation; and self-appraisal. Grades of “B” and above are expected. Evidence of special talents and abilities, recommendations from counselors and teachers, leadership qualities, and recognition in extracurricular and community activities also can support an admission decision.

The University of Delaware reserves the right to refuse enrollment of any applicant. In addition, as it evaluates an application, the Admissions Committee always reserves the right to consider an applicant’s personal conduct and ethical behavior as a factor in its decision, and a decision to admit a student may be rescinded based on academic and/or behavioral issues that occur subsequent to an admission decision.

The University is eager to provide educational opportunities for adult learners who may wish to expand career opportunities or simply to take part in an exciting intellectual environment. In many cases, such students can complete degree requirements by taking courses in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies. Qualified Delaware residents who are 60 years of age or older and who have been admitted to a degree program may attend undergraduate or graduate classes on a space-available basis without paying the application, course, registration, or other fees. Such students must cover the cost of books, laboratory supplies, and shop fees.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions reviews applications for Fall and Spring admission. Review the important dates and deadlines below to ensure you complete your application on time.

First-year Applicants

August 1 - Undergraduate Admissions application becomes available for fall 2018

October 1 - Begin filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

January 15 - First-year Admission Application deadline, Recommended filing date for the FAFSA

Transfer Applicants

November 1 - Transfer Admissions Application deadline for spring admission and recommended deadline for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

May 1 - Transfer Application deadline for fall admission and recommended deadline for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)