Getting in
For Fall 2025, 24,053 first-year students applied to SMU, 11,459 were admitted and 1,715 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 47.6%.
Source: SMU Common Data Set 2025-2026, Part C (First-Time, First-Year Admission) (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | 12,254 | 5,071 | 41.4% |
| Out-of-state | 9,805 | 5,859 | 59.8% |
| International | 1,767 | 437 | 24.7% |
| Unknown | 227 | 92 | 40.5% |
Source: SMU Common Data Set 2025-2026, Part C (First-Time, First-Year Admission) (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. SMU's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university, with no rate by school or major.
Source: SMU Common Data Set 2025-2026, Part C (First-Time, First-Year Admission) (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early decision and early action. The Common Data Set labels its early decision counts as fall 2024 figures and gives no early action counts, so it gives no early acceptance rate for fall 2025.
Source: SMU Common Data Set 2025-2026, Part C (First-Time, First-Year Admission) (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
105 majors across 5 schools. Every bachelor's major in SMU's official 2026-2027 catalog, grouped by the school that offers it. Minors, certificates, graduate programs and the accelerated bachelor's to master's pathways are left out.
Cox School of Business7
- Accounting (BBA)
- Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management (BBA)
- Finance (BBA)
- General Business (BBA)
- Management (BBA)
- Marketing (BBA)
- Real Estate (BBA)
Source: SMU Catalog 2026-2027, Cox School of Business (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Dedman College of Humanities & Sciences47
- African/African-American Studies (BA)
- Anthropology (BA)
- Anthropology (BS)
- Biochemistry (BS)
- Biological Sciences (BA)
- Biological Sciences (BS)
- Biophysical Sciences (BS)
- Chemistry (BA)
- Chemistry (BS)
- Data Science (BS)
- Earth Sciences (BA)
- Earth Sciences (BS)
- Economics (BA)
- Economics (BS)
- Economics with Finance Applications (BS)
- English (BA)
- French (BA)
- French Studies (BA)
- Health and Society (BS)
- History (BA)
- Human Rights (BA)
- Individualized Studies in Liberal Arts (BA)
- International Studies (BA)
- Markets & Culture (BA)
- Mathematical Economics (BS)
- Mathematics (BA)
- Mathematics (BS)
- Medieval Studies (BA)
- Mexican-American Studies (BA)
- Philosophy (BA)
- Physics (BA)
- Physics (BS)
- Political Science (BA)
- Psychology (BA)
- Psychology (BS)
- Public Policy (BA)
- Religious Studies (BA)
- Sociology (BA)
- Spanish (BA)
- Statistical Science (BS)
- World Languages: Arabic (BA)
- World Languages: Chinese (BA)
- World Languages: French (BA)
- World Languages: German (BA)
- World Languages: Italian (BA)
- World Languages: Russian (BA)
- World Languages: Spanish (BA)
Source: SMU Catalog 2026-2027, Dedman College of Humanities & Sciences (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Lyle School of Engineering7
- Civil Engineering (BSCE)
- Computer Science (BA)
- Computer Science (BS)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (BSECE)
- Environmental Engineering (BSEnvE)
- Management Science (BS)
- Mechanical Engineering (BSME)
Source: SMU Catalog 2026-2027, Lyle School of Engineering (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Meadows School of the Arts39
- Advertising (BA)
- Art (BA)
- Art (BFA)
- Art History (BA)
- Bassoon Performance (BM)
- Cello Performance (BM)
- Clarinet Performance (BM)
- Corporate Communication and Public Affairs (BA)
- Creative Computing (BA)
- Dance Performance (BFA)
- Double Bass Performance (BM)
- Euphonium Performance (BM)
- Fashion Media (BA)
- Film & Media Arts (BA)
- Film & Media Arts (BFA)
- Flute Performance (BM)
- French Horn Performance (BM)
- Game Development (BA)
- Guitar Performance (BM)
- Harp Performance (BM)
- Journalism (BA)
- Music (BA)
- Music Composition (BM)
- Music Education (BM)
- Music Therapy (BM)
- Music, Culture, and Society (BA)
- Oboe Performance (BM)
- Organ Performance (BM)
- Percussion Performance (BM)
- Piano Performance (BM)
- Public Relations and Strategic Communication (BA)
- Saxophone Performance (BM)
- Theatre (BFA)
- Trombone Performance (BM)
- Trumpet Performance (BM)
- Tuba Performance (BM)
- Viola Performance (BM)
- Violin Performance (BM)
- Voice Performance (BM)
Source: SMU Catalog 2026-2027, Meadows School of the Arts (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Simmons School of Education & Human Development5
- Applied Physiology and Health Management (BS)
- Educational Studies (BS)
- Interdisciplinary Studies (BA)
- Sport Management (BS)
- Sport Performance Leadership (BS)
Source: SMU Catalog 2026-2027, Simmons School of Education & Human Development (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | November 1 | Mid-December | Yes |
| Early Action | November 1 | not published | No |
| Early Decision II | January 15 | By March 1 | Yes |
| Regular Decision | January 15 | not published | No |
You apply through the Common Application, ApplyTexas or the Coalition Application with Scoir. The early decision notification dates are from SMU's Early Decision page; SMU's admission pages publish no Early Action or Regular Decision notification date, and its Common Data Set 2025-2026 lists December 31 for Early Action and April 1 for Regular Decision. Applicants in art, film (BFA), dance, music or theater also have audition or portfolio requirements, with their own deadlines.
Source: SMU Undergraduate Admission, First-Year application process (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early Decision I and II are binding and differ only in their dates: you send the signed Early Decision Agreement Form, and if admitted you withdraw your other applications, pay the nonrefundable $685 deposit and attend SMU, provided you are offered sufficient financial assistance. Early Action is not binding; you have until May 1.
Source: SMU Undergraduate Admission, Early Decision (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
SMU is fully test-optional: no preference is given to applicants who submit or do not submit SAT or ACT scores, and applying without scores does not affect merit scholarship consideration. SMU superscores the SAT and ACT.
Source: SMU Undergraduate Admission, Undergraduate testing (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set marks the SAT or ACT as considered if submitted, not required, for fall 2027, with scores due by March 15.
Source: SMU Common Data Set 2025-2026, Part C (First-Time, First-Year Admission) (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked SMU's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: SMU Undergraduate Admission, Undergraduate testing (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at SMU, 2026-2027:
| Tuition (12 to 18 hours a term) | $63,736 |
|---|---|
| General student fees | $8,080 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $20,950 |
| Books, supplies, loan fees | $888 |
| Transportation | $1,134 |
| Personal and miscellaneous | $1,600 |
| Total | $96,388 |
SMU's estimated cost of attendance for a full-time undergraduate living on campus for the fall and spring terms. Summer and intersession are not included. Living off campus the estimate is $86,774, and with parents $79,660.
Source: SMU Student Financial Services, Cost of Attendance 2026-2027 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $23,544 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $20,038 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $24,152 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $33,477 |
| Over $110,000 | $58,213 |
| All incomes | $40,892 |
What first-year, full-time students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from SMU's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to Southern Methodist University on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX · Private48.1% admitted$36,660 average net price
Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · Private52.2% admitted$41,104 average net price
George Washington UniversityWashington, DC · Private47.1% admitted$36,586 average net price
Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY · Private48.8% admitted$38,793 average net price
University of TulsaTulsa, OK · Private61.5% admitted$15,000 average net price
Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.