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UVA

University of Virginia

UVA cut its general supplemental for 2025-26, so for most applicants the Common App essay carries the whole story.

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Required supplements (most applicants)

0

Common App personal statement

650 words

School of Nursing prompt

300 words

Test policy

Test-optional

What UVA rewards

Here is the headline that changes your whole strategy: for 2025-26, UVA removed its general supplemental short answers. If you are applying to the College of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, or Kinesiology, you write no UVA-specific essay at all. Your only required writing is the Common App personal statement (650 words), and UVA reads it closely. The lone exception is the School of Nursing, which still asks one 300-word short answer about what drew you to nursing.

UVA stays test-optional for this cycle, so for most applicants the personal statement is doing the heavy lifting that a "Why UVA" essay used to do somewhere else. That is the core challenge here. With no supplement to show fit, you cannot lean on a separate essay to prove you belong at a place built on student self-governance and the honor system. The voice and specificity of your one main essay matter more than they would at a school with four extra prompts.

01A real voice over a polished resume. With the supplements gone, UVA is reading the Common App essay for the human behind the transcript. They reward writing that sounds like an actual seventeen-year-old thinking on the page, not a press release about leadership and resilience.
02Self-governance and intellectual independence. UVA runs on student-led honor and a culture of taking ownership. Essays that show you acting on your own judgment, holding yourself to a standard, or following a curiosity without being assigned to land well here.
03Specificity that only you could write. Because there is no second essay to fill in gaps, the personal statement has to be unmistakably yours. Concrete, sensory, oddly particular details beat broad themes every time.
04Genuine, hands-on motivation (Nursing). For Nursing applicants, UVA wants evidence that your interest comes from real contact with care and people, not an abstract wish to help. A specific moment beats a mission statement.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

2 prompts for UVA, each broken down with annotated examples.

Common App Personal Statement650 words

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

School of Nursing Short Answer300 words

Describe a health care-related experience or another significant interaction that deepened your interest in studying Nursing.

See all 2 prompts and get a read

Your chance

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Add your GPA, test scores, and profile to estimate your odds at UVA and build a balanced list.

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Deadlines

Early DecisionNov 1 (decisions by mid-Dec)
Early ActionNov 1 (decisions by Feb 15)
Regular DecisionJan 5 (decisions by Apr 1)

Cost

Sticker price$34,300
Avg net after aid$18,500
Meets full needYes
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How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what UVA weighs most Supplemental essays2 prompts, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $18,500/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes UVA interview? Format, tips, and practice The UVA Reader ProScore your draft against UVA's exact prompts
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UVA FAQ

What is UVA's acceptance rate?

About 12.5% overall for the Class of 2030, from a record 82,118 applications. Early Decision is meaningfully friendlier (around 24%), and in-state applicants are admitted at far higher rates than out-of-state ones. At UVA, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does UVA require?

UVA requires 2 supplemental essays on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does UVA cost?

UVA's published sticker price is about $34,300 per year, but the average family pays $18,500 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does UVA require SAT or ACT scores?

UVA is test-optional: you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and strong scores are just one factor among many when you do submit them.

When are UVA's application deadlines?

UVA's application deadlines are Early Decision Nov 1 (decisions by mid-Dec); Early Action Nov 1 (decisions by Feb 15); Regular Decision Jan 5 (decisions by Apr 1). Add UVA to your plan on EssayLens to track its deadlines automatically.

Campus photo via Wikipedia.

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