For the most recent admissions cycle (Class of 2029, entering Fall 2025), the University of Washington (Seattle) had an overall acceptance rate of approximately 39%.
However, this single number is heavily skewed by residency status and intended major. The difficulty of getting in varies drastically depending on whether you are a Washington resident and whether you are applying for “Direct to Major” programs like Computer Science or Engineering.
Acceptance Rate Breakdown (Estimates)
| Category | Acceptance Rate | Context |
| In-State (WA Residents) | ~50–54% | UW is mandated to prioritize Washington residents. |
| Out-of-State | ~40–45% | Generally more competitive and expensive. |
| Computer Science (In-State) | ~25% | Highly competitive “Direct to Major” admission. |
| Computer Science (Out-of-State) | ~2–4% | Extremely competitive; harder than many Ivy League schools. |
| Engineering (Out-of-State) | ~30–35% | Significantly harder than the general admit rate. |
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Key Factors for Admission
The “Direct to Major” Hurdle:
For majors like Computer Science and Engineering, you must be admitted directly into the program as a freshman. If you are admitted to the university but not to these majors, it is virtually impossible to transfer into them later.
GPA Standards:
The university uses a holistic review, but numbers matter. The middle 50% of admitted students typically have:
High School GPA: 3.75 – 3.98 (Unweighted)
SAT: 1300 – 1520 (Test Optional, but high scores help for competitive majors)
ACT: 29 – 34
Application Volume:
Competition has surged recently. The university received nearly 70,000 applications for the Fall 2025 class, a significant increase from just a few years ago.
Recommendation:
If you are applying from out-of-state for Computer Science, treat UW as a “Reach” school, regardless of your stats. If you are applying for a less competitive major (e.g., Humanities, Social Sciences), the ~40% rate is a more accurate reflection of your chances.
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