You will be considered a first-time freshman if you have never enrolled at any other college/university prior to applying. Please note that if you have earned college credits during high school via dual enrollment or advanced placement, you will still be considered a first-time freshman. The application requirements for this type are:

  • Submit an  online application
  • $50 application fee (waived if you submit by December 1, attend an Open House event or campus visit-virtual or in-person, attend a virtual Gallaudet event, or have ever participated in any of our Gallaudet University Youth Programs)
  • An essay (the essay question can be found in the online application)
  • A letter of recommendation from an academic teacher who teaches core subjects such as English, mathematics, or social studies
  • Unofficial high school and college transcripts* 
  • ACT or SAT scores
  • Audiogram
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after October 1 if applicable

*Official transcript(s) will be required following acceptance to the University. We accept both paper and electronic transcripts. If you have your transcript sent electronically, it should be sent to  admissions.office@gallaudet.edu. If you earned college credits during high school, please send in your college transcript(s) for transfer credit evaluation.

Gallaudet admits and awards merit scholarships based on superscores for both the ACT and SAT, which has been recognized as best practice. Research conducted by the ACT has confirmed that superscores are just as strong a predicator, if not stronger, of how students will perform at the collegiate level than other scoring methods. Superscoring takes the highest scores for each section across multiple SAT or ACT tests and section retests, resulting in a “super” composite score that will, in most cases, be higher than the composite score of any individual test taken. To learn more, visit the ACT website.

Merit Scholarships

All deaf and hard of hearing newly admitted students are automatically considered for our   merit scholarships at the time of acceptance.

For optimal consideration for Honors scholarships, please submit your application and all requirements before the priority deadline of May 15. Applications received or completed after the priority deadline will be considered for admission, although additional merit scholarship funds may no longer be available. Learn more about the Honors Program here.

Applying for Financial Aid

The financial aid process is separate from the process of applying for admission.

Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1. The priority filing date is  June 1. Once we have your FAFSA on file, we will send you a Financial Aid award letter that provides detailed information about your eligible financial aid and your estimated remaining cost. You must complete the financial aid process even if you are also applying for  Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) support. To determine if you are eligible for VR, contact your state VR agency as early as your freshman year of high school.