In the news
· Announced
Wellesley guarantees free tuition for U.S. families earning $200,000 or less, from fall 2027Wellesley's new tuition guarantee applies automatically, and the college puts the likely yearly cost for eligible students at $0 to $26,000.
Getting in
For Fall 2025, 8,506 first-year students applied to Wellesley, 1,258 were admitted and 576 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 14.8%.
Source: Wellesley Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | 698 | 151 | 21.6% |
| Out-of-state | 4,676 | 1,000 | 21.4% |
| International | 3,132 | 107 | 3.4% |
Source: Wellesley Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. Wellesley's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole college, with no rate by major.
Source: Wellesley Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early decision. Counts for both early decision rounds together. Wellesley has no early action plan.
Early decision, Fall 2025
| Plan | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I and II | 1,023 | 301 | 29.4% |
Source: Wellesley Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
55 majors across 1 school. Every program Wellesley lists as a major on its official Programs of Study page. Minors are left out.
Majors55
- Africana Studies
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Art History
- Astronomy
- Astrophysics
- Biochemistry
- Biological Sciences
- Chemical Physics
- Chemistry
- Cinema and Media Studies
- Classical Civilization
- Classics
- Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences
- Comparative Literary Studies
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- East Asian Languages and Cultures
- East Asian Studies
- Economics
- Education Studies
- English and Creative Writing
- Environmental Studies
- French & Francophone Studies
- French Cultural Studies
- Geosciences
- German Studies
- History
- International Relations - Economics
- International Relations - History
- International Relations - Political Science
- Italian Studies
- Jewish Studies
- Latin American Studies
- Mathematics & Statistics
- Media Arts and Sciences
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Middle Eastern Studies
- Music
- Neuroscience
- Peace and Justice Studies
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religion
- Russian
- Russian Area Studies
- Sociology
- South Asia Studies
- Spanish and Portuguese
- Studio Art
- Theatre Studies
- Women's and Gender Studies
Source: Wellesley College, Programs of Study (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 Decision II | January 5 | Mid-February | Yes |
| Regular Decision | January 8 | Late March | No |
Financial aid applications are due on the same dates. The reply and deposit date is early January for Early Decision I, late February for Early Decision II and May 1 for Regular Decision. Arts portfolios, recordings and presentations go through the Wellesley Applicant Portal within one week of the application deadline. Wellesley is also a QuestBridge partner.
Source: Wellesley Admission, First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early Decision is for students who know Wellesley is their best fit: you, a parent or guardian and a school counselor sign the Early Decision Agreement.
Source: Wellesley Admission, First-Year Applicants (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
Wellesley will continue to be test-optional for students applying for entry in fall 2027; about 45% of its enrolling first-year students applied without testing. Whether or not you send scores, the committee looks closely at your writing and quantitative skills.
Source: Wellesley Admission, Apply (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as considered if submitted, not required, with scores due by January 15.
Source: Wellesley Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
- Testing. Wellesley calls its policy a suspension of its testing requirement for 2026-2027 and says it will share updates for future cycles. It has not said whether students entering in fall 2028 must send SAT or ACT scores.
Source: Wellesley Admission, Apply (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
We found nothing else announced for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: Wellesley Admission, Apply (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at Wellesley, 2026-2027:
| Tuition | $72,570 |
|---|---|
| Housing | $12,020 |
| Meals | $11,186 |
| Student activity fee | $360 |
| Books | $800 |
| Personal expenses | $1,250 |
| Transportation | not published |
| Total | $98,186 |
For a resident student. Wellesley lists the items without a total; $98,186 is their sum. Transportation varies with distance from home, so it is not included, and students without qualifying health insurance also pay the health insurance fee.
Source: Wellesley Student Financial Services, Tuition and Cost 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 | $2,546 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $2,836 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $6,587 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $11,551 |
| Over $110,000 | $54,188 |
| All incomes | $25,496 |
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 Wellesley'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 Wellesley College on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · Private13.9% admitted$41,704 average net price
Bates CollegeLewiston, ME · Private14.8% admitted$29,351 average net price
Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT · Private16.4% admitted$30,177 average net price
Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT · Private12.8% admitted$31,483 average net price
Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, LA · Private14.5% admitted$39,949 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.