Application Process

To apply, use either the Common Application or Coalition Application. Both applications open on August 1 and must be completed by the appropriate application deadline.

Common Application

Students who apply via the Common Application will complete both the basic application and the Washington University-specific questions while logged in to their Common Application account. If a student plans on applying to the Signature Scholars Programs or the Howard Nemerov Writing Scholars Program, they will need to complete the optional Writing Supplement portion of the Common App as well.

Coalition Application

Students who apply via the Coalition Application will complete their profile while logged in to their Scoir account. Upon submitting their profile, students will be taken into the WashU Pathway to complete the Washington University-specific questions. After submitting both parts of the application, students will be able to apply for our Signature Scholar Programs and the Howard Nemerov Writing Scholars Program via the WashU Pathway.

Within a few days of submitting your application for admission, you will receive login instructions for the WashU Pathway.

In the WashU Pathway, you will see:
• A checklist showing the status of each piece of your application
• A link to your financial assistance account
• Instructions for submitting an optional 90-second video

Admission decisions will be posted in the Pathway as soon as they are released.

WashU meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for admitted students.

When filling out your application for admission, indicate your intent to apply for need-based financial assistance. Once you submit your application—we will create an account for you with Student Financial Services, and your application for assistance begins!

Your WashU Pathway will include a current checklist of your support materials:

• School Report and Official Transcript
• Teacher Evaluation
• Counselor Recommendation
• Optional – Self-reported or official SAT or ACT scores.
• TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test for students whose first language is not English
• Portfolio (required for students applying to the College of Art, strongly encouraged for students applying to the College of Architecture.) The portfolio should be submitted using SlideRoom. 

This optional question allows you to add another dimension to your application – something that the admissions committee might not learn by reading your transcript or your personal statement.

If you like, you may focus your optional 90-second video submitted through the WashU Pathway on addressing one of these three questions. (Students who choose to submit a written response to one of these questions may still opt in to sharing an optional video).

WashU is a place that values diversity of perspectives. We believe those perspectives come from a variety of experiences and identities. Respond to one of the following prompts to help us understand “Who are you?”:

• Discuss a fresh perspective or opinion you brought to a collaborative setting or project.
• Describe a community you are a part of and your place within it.
• Tell us how your life experiences have impacted the way you view or interact with your community.

Coalition Application

If you’re submitting via the Coalition Application, you may submit the optional Writing Supplement through the WashU Pathway after you’ve submitted both your profile and the Washington University-specific questions.

If you don’t want to submit a supplement, that’s OK. Applicants will not be penalized for opting out of submitting a supplement. It is an optional video (and we mean optional).

The scholarship committee(s) will review the required Counselor and Teacher letters of recommendation submitted with your Common or Coalition Application. To better understand you, the scholarship committee(s) also requires a third letter of recommendation.

Common Application

The optional Scholarship Writing Supplement serves as our application for our Signature Scholar Programs – the Danforth, Ervin, and Rodriguez Scholars Programs – as well as the Howard Nemerov Writing Scholars Program for applicants to the College of Arts & Sciences.

Coalition Application

If you’re submitting via the Coalition Application, you will apply for our Signature Scholar Programs and/or Nemerov Writing Scholars Program through the WashU Pathway after you’ve submitted both your profile and the Washington University-specific questions.

Transfer applicants should use the Common Application. The application opens on December 1 and must be completed by the application deadline.

Complete the general application questions and the section that is specific to WashU. Your support materials can be completed at a later date.

What you need to know for the WashU section of the Common Application:

• Which WashU school are you applying to?
• Are you applying for need-based financial assistance?

Within a few days of submitting your Common Application, you will receive login instructions for the WashU Pathway.

In the Pathway, you will see:
• A checklist showing the status of each piece of your application
• A link to your financial assistance account

Admission decisions will be posted in Pathway as soon as they are released.

WashU meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for admitted students.

When filling out your application for admission, indicate your intent to apply for need-based financial assistance. Once you submit your application—we will automatically create an account for you with Student Financial Services, and your application for assistance begins!

Your Pathway will include a current checklist of your support materials:

• College Transcript
• High School Transcript
• College Instructor Evaluation
• College Report
• Optional – Self-reported or official SAT or ACT scores
• TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test for students whose first language is not English
• Portfolio (required for students applying to the College of Art or College of Architecture.) The portfolio should be submitted using SlideRoom.