How to Apply

Application Checklist

Please see COVID-19 Update for complete changes to the 2020-21 cycle.

  1. Submit
    • A Completed Application. You must submit your application online through either the Coalition Application or Common Application. 
    • Princeton's Supplement. In addition to the application provided by the Coalition Application or Common Application, all applicants must submit the Princeton Supplement. You should submit the Princeton Supplement online through the Coalition Application or Common Application websites. 
    • Application Fee or Fee Waiver. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways: 1) Select the fee waiver option on the Coalition Application or Common Application. Your school counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax. 2) Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton Supplement: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board, NACAC or Realize Your College Potential. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor or academic adviser. Learn more about fee waivers on the How to Apply page.
    • Graded Written Paper. A paper you have written, preferably in the subjects of English or history.
  2. Request
    • Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a school counselor or school official.
    • School Report (SR). The SR form is available from the Common Application website. Please ask your school counselor or other school official to complete and submit the SR form. If you are using the Coalition Application, the SR and counselor recommendation are uploaded as one item.
    • Counselor Recommendation. If you are using the Common Application online, please note that the SR and the Counselor Recommendation are separate items. Be sure to 'invite' your school counselor or academic adviser to complete both items. If you are using the Coalition Application, please invite your counselor to upload the counselor recommendation and school report.
    • Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. Please ask two of your teachers who have taught you in higher-level courses (e.g. AP, IB Higher/Standard Level, A-levels, etc.) in different academic areas of study to complete and send the teacher recommendation forms, available on the Coalition Application and Common Application websites. The subjects should be in core academic areas, such as English, foreign language, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences or math.
    • Mid-year School Report. Please ask your school counselor or other school official to complete and submit this form when your mid-year grades are available. The form may be found on the Coalition Application and Common Application websites.
  3. Report
    • 2020-21 application cycle. Due to the lack of access to testing sites, Princeton will not require submission of standardized testing (SAT or ACT). 
    • SAT or ACT. If you choose to submit testing applicants should take the SAT or the ACT by the December date. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the following codes to ensure your scores are sent to Princeton: SAT: 2672 and ACT: 2588.
    • SAT Subject Tests. We will continue to not require the submission of two SAT Subject Tests. If you choose to take SAT Subject Tests we have no preference for the specific tests applicants might choose to take. If you apply for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, we recommend that you take mathematics Level I or II, and either physics or chemistry. 
    • TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores. If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). You are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic if English is your native language or if you have spent at least three years at a secondary school where English is the primary language of instruction. Please have your scores sent directly to Princeton: TOEFL: 2672

Optional Application Components
 

  • Arts Supplement, if applicable. If you've excelled in architecture, creative writing, dance, music, theater or visual arts, and would like us to consider your talent, you are welcome to submit an optional arts supplement via SlideRoom. Regular decision applicants must submit digital arts materials by Jan. 8.

    On the Coalition, Common or QuestBridge Application, please indicate your intention to submit an arts supplement in Princeton’s member questions. You will then be provided with a link in the application to begin your optional arts supplement through our SlideRoom portal. Please keep in mind that you need to submit your application to Princeton University before you can submit your optional arts supplement through SlideRoom. You may save the link or return to this page after you have completed your application.
  • Given the timeline, students who are participating in the QuestBridge National College Match we will be unable to consider an Arts Supplement.
  • Interview. Princeton offers optional alumni interviews. Interviews take place after the Admission Office has received your application. You may choose to opt out of the interview in the Princeton Supplement, and this choice will not put you at any disadvantage in the admission process. If you do not opt out, you may receive an email inviting you to interview with a member of our Princeton Alumni Schools Committee. If so, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. The interviews are 30-45 minute informal conversations, where you can discuss the things that are important to you and also ask questions to someone who attended Princeton. We cannot guarantee that every applicant will receive an interview. This will depend on the availability of alumni in your area. Our dedicated alumni do manage to contact the vast majority of our applicants every year; however, if you do not receive an interview for any reason, it will not put you at a disadvantage since the interview is optional. We do not offer on-campus interviews. Please note that ALL interviews during the 2020-21 application cycle will be virtual, via video chat or phone. These interviews must not be recorded in any way, either by the interviewer or the applicant.
  • Given the timeline, students who are participating in the QuestBridge National College Match will be unable to complete an interview. 


Application Confirmation


You may log in to Princeton's Applicant Portal to verify whether we have received all your required application materials. You will receive a confirmation notice when we have received your application.  The confirmation notice will arrive approximately 24-48 hours after you submit your admission application. If your application is incomplete, we will let you know which pieces are missing. Beginning in mid-October, you also may track the completeness of your application online through the Applicant Portal. Please note: You cannot apply for financial aid until you apply for admission. Please review our application dates and deadlines.