UW, WSU and Western Washington admissions each favor Washington residents differently. The University of Washington admits 47% of Washington residents on average vs. 39% of non-residents, and its application deadline is Nov. 15. Western Washington now guarantees admission to students from any Washington high school with a 2.75 GPA. Washington State doesn't use test scores at all and has priority dates of Jan. 31 and March 31.
The figures below are from each university's admissions pages and Western's Aug. 12, 2026 announcement.
Fall 2027 deadlines
| Key dates | Tests | |
|---|---|---|
| University of Washington (Seattle) | Application Nov. 15; test scores (if sent) Dec. 31; decisions March 1-15 | Not required for most applicants |
| Western Washington | Early Action Nov. 1 (response by Dec. 31); Regular Decision Jan. 31 | Optional |
| Washington State | Jan. 31 for Top Scholars, the General Scholarship Application and the FAFSA/WASFA; admission priority date March 31 | Not used in decisions |
Sources: UW Office of Admissions; WWU Office of Admissions; WSU Admissions.
UW: residency makes a big difference in some majors
| Three-year average admit rate | Washington residents | Non-residents |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 47% | 39% |
| Direct to College, engineering | 43% | 37% |
| Direct to Major, computer science/computer engineering | 30% | 2% |
Source: University of Washington, First-year students by the numbers.
The middle 50% of admitted students for autumn 2025 had a high school GPA of 3.75-3.98. UW doesn't require the SAT or ACT for most applicants; homeschooled applicants and students from schools without letter or numeric grades must submit scores. All applicants self-report courses and grades through STARS. For computer science specifically, see UW's CS acceptance rate.
Western Washington: a 2.75 GPA guarantee, now statewide
Fall 2027 is the first cycle in which Western Guaranteed Admission is open to students from every Washington high school; before, it covered only Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. You qualify if you:
- Attend a Washington high school,
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher, and
- Are on track to meet Washington graduation requirements.
Everyone who applies through the WWU application or Common App is considered automatically; others go through holistic review. The application fee is $70, with waivers for financial need. Early Action (Nov. 1) also brings priority scholarship review.
This is separate from the statewide Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program.
Washington State: no test scores, Jan. 31 for money
WSU says it doesn't require SAT or ACT scores "and will not use them in our admission decisions." Apply by Jan. 31 for Top Scholars consideration and complete the General Scholarship Application and the FAFSA/WASFA by the same date. The March 31 admission priority date makes you eligible for automatic university waivers such as the University Achievement Award.
Paying for it
The WA Grant pays a full award of up to $13,203 at UW and $12,700 at WSU for a family of four earning $83,500 or less in 2026-27, and partial awards up to $139,500.
What this means for you
- Nov. 1: Western Early Action. Nov. 15: UW's only deadline.
- Applying to UW computer science? Washington residents are admitted at 30% vs. 2% for non-residents.
- Have a 2.75 GPA? Western is guaranteed if you apply.
- Jan. 31: WSU scholarships and Western Regular Decision.
Sources
- Dates and deadlines — University of Washington Office of Admissions
- First-year students by the numbers — University of Washington
- How to apply — University of Washington
- Fall 2027 applications open as Western expands Guaranteed Admission across Washington (Aug. 12, 2026) — WWU News
- First-Year Admissions — Western Washington University
- First-Year Students — Washington State University Admissions