University of San Francisco

For Fall 2024, 24,888 first-year students applied to USF, 15,358 were admitted and 920 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 61.7%.

Source: USF Common Data Set 2024-2025 (opens in a new tab), section C1 (the 2024-2025 edition is the newest USF posts). Read Oct 1, 2026.

By school or major. USF publishes first-year admission figures for one major, Nursing, which admits directly. The rate here is worked out from USF's counts; USF rounds it to 13%. USF reports 20% for fall 2024 and 16% for fall 2025.

Rates by school or major, Fall 2026

Source: USF Admission, First-Year Nursing Admission (opens in a new tab), First-Year Nursing Admission Statistics. Read Oct 1, 2026.

Early decision and early action. The Common Data Set gives early decision counts for the fall 2024 class and no early action counts, so there is no early action rate.

Early decision and early action, Fall 2024

Source: USF Common Data Set 2024-2025 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

You apply to USF on the Common App, the Coalition App or USF's own application (not for nursing); all are treated equally. One program asks for more:

• Nursing (BSN). Direct entry: you are admitted to the nursing program when you are admitted to USF, and you cannot transfer into it later from another major. You must have completed chemistry, and biology or physics, before applying, and answer a nursing short answer question in the USF supplement. For Early Action and Early Decision I the deadline is November 2. USF reviews all nursing applications at the deadline, so applying early brings no priority.

  Source: USF Admission, First-Year Nursing Admission (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Source: USF Admission, First-Year Students (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

42 majors across 3 schools. Every undergraduate major in USF's official 2026-2027 Catalog, grouped by the school that offers it, with the degree where the catalog names it. Concentrations are folded into their major; minors, certificates, combined and graduate programs are left out.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

Transcripts and other materials are due November 5 for Early Decision I and Early Action, January 29 for Early Decision II, and February 5 for Regular Decision. The deposit is due March 1 for both Early Decision rounds and May 1 for Early Action and Regular Decision.

Source: USF Admission, Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Early Decision I and II are binding: if admitted, you withdraw all other college applications and attend USF. You can ask to be released only if your financial aid offer does not meet enough of your demonstrated financial need.

Source: USF Admission, Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027

USF does not require the SAT or ACT. On the application you choose whether your scores are considered; if you leave them out, the admission team does not see them, even if they were sent, and you are still considered for merit scholarships. USF superscores the SAT and the ACT and does not use the SAT writing section.

Source: USF Admission, What We Look For (Test Optional) (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028

Not announced yet. When we checked USF'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: USF Admission, Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

The published cost of a year at USF, 2026-2027:

For a full-time undergraduate living on campus, fall and spring. The fees are the $302 student activity fee and the $310 transportation fee (a Muni pass).

Source: USF Financial Aid, Undergraduate Student Tuition and Costs (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:

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 USF's aid offer.

Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.

Chosen for how close each is to University of San Francisco on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.

• Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA · Private69.4% admitted$58,098 average net price
• University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA · Private53.6% admitted$30,365 average net price
• ULV
  University of La VerneLa Verne, CA · Private71.2% admitted$20,161 average net price
• University of the PacificStockton, CA · Private69.1% admitted$25,447 average net price
• Chapman UniversityOrange, CA · Private72.1% admitted$46,555 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.