The Waiting List

If you elect to remain active on either the Priority Waiting List or the Regular Waiting List, please complete the Waiting List Reply Form(opens in new window) and the Waiting List Update Form(opens in new window) between April 7 and May 1. If space becomes available in the first-year class, we'll first communicate with students on the Priority Waiting List. If space still remains after we've communicated with all Priority Waiting List candidates, we'll communicate with students on the Regular Waiting List.

If you've received a waitlist decision, you can choose to join one of two Waiting Lists: 

The Priority Waiting List is for you if Carnegie Mellon is still your first choice. To choose this list, please select "Priority Waiting List" on the Waiting List Reply Form(opens in new window) and submit the Update Form(opens in new window) any time between April 7 and May 1. 

The Regular Waiting List is the better choice if you're more interested in other colleges but still want us to consider you for admission. To choose this list, please select "Regular Waiting List" on the Reply Form. 

All waitlisted students can choose between these two lists. We don't have any additional requirements for the Priority Waiting List beyond the Update and Reply Forms.

Neither of the Waiting Lists at Carnegie Mellon are binding.

However, students on the Priority Waiting List who receive an offer of admission are expected to post their non-refundable enrollment deposit within 72 hours. 

Students who elect to remain on the Priority Waiting List should submit the Waiting List Reply Form via the Where Am I in the Process? portal(opens in new window) and the Update Form(opens in new window) starting April 7 but no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on May 1. Students on the Priority Waiting List should receive their decision by May 9. If admitted from the Priority Waiting List, you'll have 72 hours to post your non-refundable enrollment deposit of $800. 

Students that elect to remain on a Waiting List can submit the Waiting List Reply Form via the Where Am I in the Process? portal(opens in new window) beginning April 7. The deadline to submit the Waiting List Reply Form is May 1. If space is still available in the academic program you applied to after we've communicated with all students on the Priority Waiting List, we'll contact you with next steps to be considered for admission. Students on the Regular Waiting List will receive an admission decision no later than June 1. 

Starting April 7, students that elect to remain active on a Waiting List should answer the following question on the Update Form(opens in new window) after submitting their Waiting List Reply Form:

What additional information or updates would you like Carnegie Mellon to consider? 

Our goal is to make our Waiting List process as straightforward as possible, so our expectation is that you don't spend any more than 20 minutes on your response.

Yes. If you elect to remain on either of our Waiting Lists, please login to your Where Am I in the Process? portal(opens in new window) to confirm that you've completed your application for financial aid(opens in new window). If you're a US citizen, permanent resident or DACA recipient and have submitted all required financial aid documents by February 15, you'll receive a financial aid offer letter on your portal within a week of receiving your Wait List decision.

If you haven’t completed the financial aid application process yet, we strongly encourage you to do so in early April. If you're admitted from the Priority Waiting List, you'll have just 72 hours to submit your non-refundable enrollment deposit, and completing the financial aid process now will ensure that you have a financial aid offer to consider at that time.

We encourage students to remain active on either of our Waiting Lists only after having received and reviewed their financial aid offer letters. If you’re admitted from the Waiting List, your financial aid offer will become effective immediately. Because university resources are limited, decisions regarding either of the Waiting Lists may not be need blind.

Yes. It's important to secure a place at another college or university where you've been offered admission by the relevant deadline. We won't know if space is available in the first-year class for students on either of our Waiting Lists until after May 1. If you're ultimately offered admission from either Waiting List at Carnegie Mellon, you'll likely forfeit the tuition deposit you submitted to the college or university where you previously enrolled.

Carnegie Mellon does not rank either of our Waiting Lists.

Any offer of admission from either of our Waiting Lists is directly related to the remaining space in the first-year class after admitted students' May 1 enrollment deadline. We won't know how many students will be offered admission from the Waiting Lists until we have an understanding of the space available.

Because offers of admission from the Waiting Lists are contingent on space in our academic programs, we may go to the Waiting Lists for some academic programs but not others.

In 2022, we admitted 41 students from our Waiting Lists. Over the past five years, we've averaged 112 students per year admitted from our Waiting Lists. 

If you elect to remain on the Waiting List for more than one academic program within Carnegie Mellon, you'll receive separate admission decisions for each academic program. 

If Carnegie Mellon is your first-choice university and you've elected to remain on the Priority Waiting List, no further action is required of you beyond submitting the Waiting List Reply and Update Forms. We won't consider any demonstrations of continued interest in their many forms, as we strive for access and equity(opens in new window) in our admission process.  

Yes, any student admitted from a Waiting List is eligible for first-year housing. Please visit the Housing website(opens in new window) for more information. 

You can remove yourself from either the Priority Waiting List or the Regular Waiting List by logging in to the Where Am I in the Process? portal(opens in new window) and changing your Waiting List preference on the Waiting List Reply Form up until May 1.

Feel free to consult our 2023-2024 Financial Aid Guide which should answer any questions you might have about how financial aid operates at Carnegie Mellon