Admissions Process and Requirements
New First-Year Undergraduate Students
Fall 2025 New First-year Application Deadlines
| Applicant Status | Select on Application | Deadline | Decision Notification |
| Priority Applicant | Early Action | December 1 | On or before December 31 |
| Regular Applicant | Early Action II | February 1 | On or before February 28 |
| Rolling Applicant | Rolling Admission | Beginning February 2 | Within 4 weeks of app completion |
How to Apply
Step 1:
Complete and submit the Common Application or Cougar Application.
- Priority will be given to applications received by December 1.
- All applications will be automatically reviewed for merit scholarships.
- Standardized test scores are not required, though students who wish to be considered for the St. Thomas Aquinas Scholarships must submit SAT and/or ACT scores.
- A personal essay is not required, though it is strongly recommended.
- Two letters of recommendation are not required, though they are strongly recommended.
Step 2:
Submit your official high school transcript(s) for all high schools attended.
- Your high school counselor should upload your official transcript.
Step 3:
United States residents should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov as soon as possible after it becomes available on December 1. Caldwell University’s federal school code is 002598.
Step 4:
New Jersey residents should also apply for NJ Tuition Aid Grant (TAG).
New Transfer Undergraduate Students
Spring 2025 New Transfer Application Deadlines
| Applicant Status | Select on Application | Deadline | Decision Notification |
| Regular Applicant | Early Action | Rolling | Within 2 weeks of app completion |
Fall 2025 New Transfer Application Deadlines
| Applicant Status | Select on Application | Deadline | Decision Notification |
| Priority Applicant | Early Action | December 1 | On or before December 31 |
| Regular Applicant | Early Action II | February 1 | On or before February 28 |
| Rolling Applicant | Rolling Admission | Beginning February 2 | Within 2 weeks of app completion |
How to Apply
Step 1:
Complete and submit the Common Application or Cougar Application.
- All applications will be automatically reviewed for merit scholarships.
- A personal essay is not required, though it is strongly recommended.
- Two letters of recommendation are not required, though they are strongly
recommended.
Step 2:
Submit your official high school transcript(s) for all colleges attended
- Transfer students who have earned fewer than thirty (30) college credits must
also submit official high school transcript(s) from all high schools attended.
Step 3:
United States residents should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov as soon as possible after it becomes available on December 1. Caldwell University’s federal school code is 002598.
Step 4:
New Jersey residents should also apply for NJ Tuition Aid Grant (TAG).
International Students
How to Apply
International students should visit the International Application Requirements and Deadlines page.
Second Degree Nursing Students
Students who wish to apply for a second degree in Nursing must apply no later than February 1, 2025 to be considered for Fall 2025 admission.
How to Apply
Step 1:
Complete and submit the Caldwell University Application.
- Applications for fall admission must be submitted by February 1.
Step 2:
Submit your official college transcript(s) for all colleges attended to admissions@caldwell.edu.
Second Degree Undergraduate Students
Applications for a second degree in all programs with the exception of Nursing will be accepted on a rolling basis.
How to Apply
Step 1:
Complete and submit the Caldwell University Application. On the application, in
response to the question, “Which best describes you?”, be sure to select that you
are seeking a second bachelor’s degree.
Step 2:
Submit your official college transcript(s) for all colleges attended to admissions@caldwell.edu.
Graduate Students
Applications for graduate programs are accepted on a rolling basis for most programs, with the exception of:
Applied Behavior Analysis, Ph.D. = December 1 for fall admission
How to Apply
Step 1:
Complete and submit the Caldwell University Application.
Step 2:
Submit your official college transcript(s) for all colleges attended to graduate@caldwell.edu.
Application Review
The average GPA for Caldwell’s most recent incoming freshman class was 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or a B average. The Admissions Committee is able to review the entire application and extracurricular activities.
Sixteen units of work in college preparatory courses must be completed by graduation. These should include successful completion of four (4) units of English, two (2) units of a foreign language, two (2) units of college preparatory mathematics, two (2) units of science with at least one of which must be laboratory science, one (1) unit of history and other college preparatory courses. A student who has sixteen units but has not satisfied all the prerequisites may be admitted on the recommendation the Admissions Committee provided evidence is given of ability to pursue college work.
The average SAT is 1130 and the Average ACT is a 21. Caldwell University is a test-optional institution.
Admission Decision
You will be notified of the decision on your Application for Admission once your application and required documents have been received by the Office of Admission and evaluated by the Admissions Committee.
All accepted students are considered for an academic scholarship as your admission decision is made. All scholarship awards will be included in your acceptance notification.
Enrollment Decision
Once you have made the decision to attend Caldwell University a tuition deposit is required to hold your place in the incoming class. Students wishing to reside on campus should make a $450.00 deposit payment and students who will be commuting should deposit $250.00. Deposits may be made by mail or online.
Upon receipt of your enrollment deposit important information regarding your Caldwell NetID and Caldwell University email account, Health Forms, Placement Tests, Orientation, and Housing will be sent via email. Please frequently check your email.
To continue your enrollment process and become a Caldwell Cougar, follow the Accepted Student Checklist.