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Undergraduate Admission

Undergraduate Admission Requirements

Your Application Checklist

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Required Application Materials for Undergraduate Admission

Common Application

$75 Application Fee*

High School Courses and Grades

Please review our Academic Requirements.

 Standardized Testing Scores 

If English is not your native language, this includes the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test.

Secondary School Counselor Evaluation

Teacher Recommendation

Common Application Essay

Common Application Writing Supplement

This includes three short-answer questions

*Carnegie Mellon accepts fee waivers from students who meet one of the indicators of economic need as outlined on the Common Application.

Additional Requirements

For All Applicants

If admitted, you must provide proof of meeting all requirements for an official high school diploma by the end of May of the year of graduation. You must also submit an official final transcript, GED or certificate of completion from your local school district or state board of education by the end of July of the year of matriculation.

For Home-Schooled Applicants

You should submit an academic portfolio or transcript that’s consistent with your state’s guidelines and a list of all textbooks used.

For College of Fine Arts Applicants:

For the School of Drama or the School of Music, you must arrange a required pre-screen, audition or portfolio review. For the Schools of Architecture, the School of Art or the School of Design, you must submit the required portfolio and creative materials.

For College of Engineering Applicants:

Students applying to the College of Engineering apply to and are admitted directly to a department/major unless choosing undecided. Only students admitted as undecided within the College of Engineering are allowed to choose among the primary majors of Civil, Chemical, Electrical & Computer, Environmental, Materials Science, and Mechanical Engineering during the spring semester of their first year. Requests to change majors will be considered after the first year, but are not guaranteed to be approved and will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Students who are accepted to Civil & Environmental Engineering will declare either Civil Engineering or Environmental Engineering at the end of the fall semester of their first year.

In the spring of their first year, all students will also have the opportunity to declare an additional major from among Biomedical Engineering; Engineering and Public Policy; Engineering, Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship; and Engineering and Fine Arts.

Supporting Documents and Supplemental Information

Carnegie Mellon doesn’t accept supplemental submissions, such as resumes, artwork, portfolios, recording or websites. We encourage you to use the Common Application, along with the Carnegie Mellon Supplemental Essays, to highlight experiences or activities that have enhanced or defined your personal growth during high school. Carnegie Mellon won’t accept updates from applicants after January 15 but will continue to accept documents and updates from high school counselors after that point.

Please note that mid-semester grades or transcript updates should be reported by your high school counselor throughout the admission process. For applicants to the College of Fine Arts, please refer to our information for College of Fine Arts applicants.

Where Am I in the Process? Portal

Applicants, please note that you'll need to register for the Where Am I in the Process? portal in order to receive your admission decision and financial aid offer, so please review the Terms of Service prior to applying. The Where Am I in the Process? portal service is intended for individuals at least 13 years old; if you intend to apply and are not at least 13, please contact the Office of Admission.

Instructions for DACA, Home-Schooled, Cyber and Non-Traditional Applicants

Applying as a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Student

Carnegie Mellon welcomes applications from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students. Follow the instructions for either first-year or transfer applicants and review the admission requirements noted at the top of this page. We accept College Board and NACAC fee waivers for the nonrefundable application fee. If you need an application fee waiver, you should contact the Office of Admission.

Please also be aware of this additional information:

  • When completing the Common Application, you should apply for either first-year or transfer admission as an international student. You’ll do so by selecting “Other (non-US)” as your citizenship status.
  • You may be eligible for institutional financial aid and must apply for financial aid in order to be considered.
  • To apply for institutional financial aid, you must complete the CSS Profile and provide either federal tax returns or documentation of household income to College Board IDOC. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) isn’t required for DACA students. If you need a CSS Profile fee waiver, you should contact the Office of Admission.
  • At the time of admission, Carnegie Mellon may request DACA documentation to confirm your status in order to process your financial aid accordingly.

If you have any questions or concerns about the application process, please contact the Office of Admission.

Applying as a Home-Schooled or Cyber Student

Carnegie Mellon welcomes applications from students who have been schooled at home or online. In addition to the information below, please be sure to follow the instructions for first-year applicants and review the admission requirements noted at the top of this page.

To apply to the university, you must:

  • Submit a completed Common Application.
  • Submit a syllabus or course descriptions of the work you’ve completed prior to applying. This should include a list of all textbooks used for your coursework.
  • Submit a transcript of grades and/or evaluation of your work that’s consistent with state guidelines.
  • Submit a recommendation from a counselor, a representative of your state board of education, your home school association or other person of authority.
  • Follow the instructions for required testing based on the college and program you’re applying to.
  • Provide proof that you'll have met, by the end of May of the year of graduation, all requirements for an official high school diploma.

If admitted, you will also need to submit an official final transcript, GED or certificate of completion from your local school district or state board of education by the end of July of the year of matriculation.

Applying as a Non-Traditional Student

Carnegie Mellon welcomes applications from students with non-traditional academic backgrounds, including prospective students who are seeking a second bachelor’s degree, and those who are interested in a first bachelor’s degree several years after graduating from high school.

To apply for a second bachelor’s degree if your first degree is from Carnegie Mellon:

  • Complete the Common Application.
  • Arrange to have a copy of your Carnegie Mellon transcript sent to the Office of Admission by February 15, if you’re applying as a transfer, or by January 1, if you’re applying as a first-year student.

To apply for a second bachelor’s degree if your first degree is from another college or university:

To apply for a first bachelor’s degree if you’re from a nontraditional background:

  • Complete the Common Application.
  • Submit an essay explaining what you have been doing since graduating from high school.
  • Submit a recommendation from a counselor, teacher, colleague or advisor who can speak of your potential for success at Carnegie Mellon.
  • If you have not taken any courses at another postsecondary institution, follow the instructions for first-year applicants. If you have taken any courses at another postsecondary institution, follow the instructions for transfer applicants.
  • Note that campus housing is only available for traditional-age college students.

Applicants from the Veterans & Military Community and ROTC Applicants

Carnegie Mellon provides services to veterans and their dependents who are eligible for Veterans Education Benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, and the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program. Visit the Veterans and Military Community website for more information.

For questions and additional information regarding military and veteran applicants, please contact Mike Danko, ROTC Veterans Affairs Coordinator, at @email or 412.268.8747.

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship information:

Optional Materials

Schoolhouse.world Mastery Certifications

As part of our partnership with Khan Academy, Carnegie Mellon will consider a Schoolhouse.world portfolio as part of its holistic undergraduate admissions review process. This allows applicants to demonstrate not only subject mastery in areas like math and science, but also their commitment to peer learning and service.

Additionally, students who earn certifications through Schoolhouse.world are eligible to take placement exams in foundational STEM topics at CMU, such as biology, chemistry, physics, calculus and computer science. Those who pass have the option to take more advanced courses.

What is schoolhouse.world?

Schoolhouse.world is a free, globally accessible platform founded by Sal Khan, creator of Khan Academy. It enables students to demonstrate subject mastery and tutor peers in subjects like calculus, statistics, computer science, and more.

Why Submit a Certification?

While Schoolhouse.world certifications do not replace official application materials like transcripts or letters of recommendation, they can help improve your application by:

  • Highlighting your academic strengths
  • Demonstrating initiative and subject mastery
  • Showing readiness in topics not available at your school

These certifications are a great way to stand out and help us better understand your academic journey.

How to Submit

  1. Be sure to complete all certifications before submitting the Common App.
  2. In the supplemental CMU questions within the Common App, provide the URL of your Schoolhouse.world portfolio.

To get started, or learn more about certification options, visit the schoolhouse.world website