Application Overview
How to Apply
The University of Notre Dame offers three secure online applications for first year applicants:
- Common Application at commonapp.org.
- Apply Coalition on Scoir at app.scoir.com/app/signup/2800092.
- Questbridge Application at questbridge.org (QuestBridge applicants are not required to submit the Common Application or Coalition Application.)
Please note that after your application is submitted electronically, letters of recommendation and transcripts can still be sent to complete your application.
First-Year vs. Transfer Applicants
The Notre Dame Writing Supplement: We want to meet the real you.
We require applicants to submit the Notre Dame Writing Supplement in addition to the Common Application or Coalition Application. This form is available to registrants of either website and is submitted with the application. It must be submitted online.
The writing supplement gives us an opportunity to get to know you in a more personal way outside of your stats. So, let your personality shine, take risks, and remember that there is no right answer.
The University of Notre Dame Writing Section consists of responses to one (1) short essay question and three (3) short-answer responses to questions you select from the options provided.
Short Essay
Please provide a response to the following question. The word count is a maximum of 150 words.
- Everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. Tell us about your “non-negotiable” factor(s) when searching for your future college home.
Short Answer
Please choose three questions from the options below. Your response to each short-answer question should be between 50-100 words.
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How does faith influence the decisions you make?
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What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community, etc)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?
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Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. How do you foster service to others in your community?
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What compliment are you most proud of receiving, and why does it mean so much to you?
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What would you fight for?
Application Checklist
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions must have all of the following items before beginning application review:
- Your application, submitted via the Common Application or Coalition Application website.
- The Notre Dame Writing Supplement, submitted via the Common Application or Coalition Application.
- Official high school transcripts or record of academic achievement in secondary school. Note: Restrictive Early Action applicants are encouraged to submit an optional summary or progress report of first quarter or first trimester performance via their applicant status portal.
- A letter of evaluation from a high school teacher in a core academic subject area who knows you well
- Counselor evaluation (recommended, not required)
- Optional: Results of your ACT or SAT assessment scores - Notre Dame is test-optional for the 2024 and 2025 application cycles. Students may choose whether or not to include test scores when submitting their applications. Learn more about the test-optional program.
- A non-refundable application fee of $75
NOTE: If you are an international student, please visit the International Admissions pages for additional instructions and information.
Regarding Deadlines
Submit the online version of the Common Application (with the Notre Dame Writing Supplement) or the Coalition Application (the writing supplement is included within the application) no later than November 1 for Restrictive Early Action or January 3 for Regular Decision.
We reserve the right to make a decision on your application based on the materials that we receive. Be sure to pay careful attention to your applicant status portal and monitor your email as well. We send regular communications to students with incomplete applications.
Note that we will continue to accept required supplemental application materials past the application deadline (i.e., letters of recommendation, test scores), but encourage students to submit documents as soon as possible so that we may take all important information into consideration during our review.
Don't Lose These Dates
Print them off, mark your calendars, set reminders on your devices.
- Applications Available: August 1
- Restrictive Early Action: November 1
- REA Supporting Documents: November 15
- SlideRoom Submissions: November 15
- Regular Decision: January 3
- RD Supporting Documents: January 15
- SlideRoom Submissions: January 15
- Priority Deadline to Apply for Financial Aid: February 15
- Confirmation Deadline: May 1