Each year, there are many talented students who find themselves on the waiting list – students whom we’d very much like to offer admission if spaces become available in the entering class.
The applicant pool can be seen as having several parts, in-state and out-of-state for the five different academic entry points. It's hard to predict which part of the class might have space after May 1st, so we have to have a waiting list that includes students from the different areas of the pool.
Students offered the waiting list join it via a form in the portal. Some decide not to pursue further consideration.
We will know how many spaces in the class are available after May 1, the deposit deadline for admitted students. If spaces become available, we will spend about two weeks determining how many additional offers of admission we can make. Because most colleges require a deposit by May 1, we strongly encourage you to pay a deposit at another school, even if UVA is your first choice.
You can remove yourself from the waiting list after accepting a spot, but opting out is permanent.
If we are able to take students off the waiting list, we’ll determine which schools or programs – the College of Arts and Sciences, Architecture, Engineering, Nursing, and Kinesiology – have spaces available. Because we need to achieve the proper ratio between in- and out-of-state students, we’ll also see how many spaces we have available for Virginians and for non-Virginians. We’ll review the applications of students on the waiting list and consider our original evaluation along with any new information we have received.
The number of students admitted from the waiting list can be quite different from year to year. Here are the numbers from the last few years...
Year | Students Admitted from the Waiting List |
2024 | 185 |
2023 | 360 |
2022 | 7 |
2021 | 83 |
2020 | 915 |
2019 | 9 |
2018 | 13 |
2017 | 117 |
The best way to document your continued interest in UVA is to keep your application file up to date. You've already given us a lot of information, but we welcome new information the admission committee can review should we be able to make more admission offers later this spring. Please do not email a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI). Simply upload your update through your portal. Please also note that we will not be able to accept and review additional letters of recommendation.
While we’re happy to answer your questions, calling or visiting won’t have any impact on your admission decision.
We do not rank the waiting list. We will re-evaluate a student’s application and consider any new information submitted to make our decisions. This also means you have until the reply deadline to decide if you want your application considered again. Those who reply earlier do not receive preferential treatment.
We’ll be in touch with students who have accepted their place on the waiting list between the second week of May and the end of June. After we reach out to students by phone and email with an offer of admission, they’ll have 48 hours to accept or decline the offer in their student portal.
If you’re a Virginia resident on the waiting list for the College of Arts and Sciences, you have the opportunity to enroll at the UVA College at Wise, located in southwest Virginia, for one year before automatically enrolling at UVA in Charlottesville. Students in this program must complete 30 hours of transferrable credit during their first year at UVA Wise and earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better. You will still be on the waiting list for first year admission to UVA if you express interest in the UVA Wise option.
This agreement provides entry to the College of Arts and Sciences. Students pursuing this opportunity will not have the opportunity to major in the McIntire School of Commerce within a four year timeline. It is recommended that all students pursuing this opportunity identify a top choice major within the College of Arts and Sciences.