How to Apply
Your path to becoming a Deacon
Wake Forest University is committed to attracting and enrolling a diverse student body whose members best represent our core values.
Applying to Wake Forest University
Finding students with a genuine enthusiasm for academic rigor, a passion for philanthropy and service, and a mind entirely unafraid of challenge and interdisciplinary exploration requires an unwavering dedication to removing the financial obstacles between deserving students and a Wake Forest education.
You can learn more about the application process below, and when you’re ready to apply, submit your application.
Start Your Application
Applying is easy and only takes minutes using the Common Application or the Coalition Application, powered by SCOIR. If you prefer, you can also print and mail in your application using the Wake Forest Application.
Common
Application
Online
Use the Common Application to apply if you’re a:
- First-year domestic student
- First-year international student
- Transfer student
Coalition (SCOIR) Application
Online
Use the Coalition Application, powered by SCOIR, to apply if you’re a:
- First-year domestic student
- Transfer student
Wake Forest Application*
Use the Wake Forest Application (print) to apply if you’re a:
- First-year domestic student
- First-year international student
- Transfer student
Available later this summer
* If you prefer to submit your application by mail, you will need to print the entire application and send it to the following address. Please note that the paper application is not recommended for most applicants. There will be a two-week processing delay for those who submit their application this way.
Mail your application to:
Wake Forest University
Undergraduate Admissions
P.O. Box 7305
Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7305
What You Need to Apply
Applicants will be asked to pay the application fee and include the items below as part of their application.
We will accept a teacher recommendation letter in lieu of the completed form, but we welcome the addition of the recommendation form.
If you have specific questions about the application materials that may be part of your application, please email us at admissions@wfu.edu.
To the teachers, college advisors and counselors supporting our applicants: The forms below are included in the Undergraduate Admissions Application but may be accessed individually. We will accept alternate versions of these forms, like those provided by the Common Application, the SCOIR Application, or your school.
First Year Students
Required
- $85 application fee1
- Undergraduate Admissions Application
- Official high school transcript
- Secondary School Report
- Teacher Recommendation Form
- TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo (international students only)
- Early Decision Agreement (only for those students applying Early Decision I or II)
Optional
- Counselor recommendation
- Supplemental questions
- Video or virtual interview
- SAT/ACT scores2
- Mid-Year School Report (for reporting senior-year grades, usually at the completion of an academic term)
Transfer Students
Required
- $85 application fee1
- Undergraduate Admissions Application
- Final high school transcript
- College transcripts from all colleges attended
- Dean’s Statement (Required upon enrollment)
1 Our approach at Wake Forest is holistic: helping the whole person. Wake Forest’s commitment to that philosophy starts with assisting you with fee waivers, if needed. Please simply indicate on your application if you would like an application fee waiver, and we will follow up with you.
2 Scores are only required if you indicate in your application that you want them considered. We accept self-reported scores as part of our application review process. If you take a test multiple times, please simply be sure to report all test scores to us; we will superscore them. Please be aware that we expect all enrolling students that wanted their test scores considered to submit their scores from the official testing center during the summer prior to their arrival on campus.
Application Deadlines
In addition to the application deadlines, make sure you’re aware of all other admissions and financial aid deadlines before you apply.
Early Decision I
November 15
Early Decision I lets you apply early in the fall and hear back from us on a rolling basis. EDI is binding, meaning, if admitted, you will have committed to being a Wake Forest student.
Early Action
November 15
Early Action for First-Generation College Students gives first-generation college students an admissions decision by January 15. Unlike Early Decision admissions, the Early Action decision is non-binding. Admitted first-generation students have until May 1 to decide if they will enroll.
Early Decision II
January 1
Early Decision II gives those who missed the ED I deadline a second chance to apply ED, and you will hear back from us by February 15. EDII is binding, meaning, if admitted, you will have committed to being a Wake Forest student.
Regular Decision
January 1
Regular Decision (RD) applications are not binding and have a January 1 deadline, and you will hear back from us around April 1.
Admission of Students with Disabilities
Wake Forest will consider the application of any qualified student, regardless of disability, on the basis of the selection criteria established by the University, which include personal and academic merit. Upon matriculation, all students will be required to meet the same standards for graduation. The University endeavors to provide facilities that are in compliance with all laws and regulations regarding access for individuals with disabilities.
Additionally, special services are available to reasonably accommodate students with disabilities.
For more information on assistance for undergraduate students, refer to the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success site.
Commonly Asked Questions
Here are a few questions we get asked. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, please reach out to us at admissions@wfu.edu.
With this application option, you will receive an admissions decision by January 15, which is much sooner than a Regular Decision application. Unlike Early Decision admissions, your Early Action decision is non-binding. You have until May 1 to decide if you will enroll at Wake Forest. If your Early Action application is deferred, it will then be reconsidered as a Regular Decision application.
Many factors can be considered when determining who is a first-generation college student. For the purposes of this year’s Wake Forest University application, we will designate first generation college students based on the following: “First generation” means the child of parents who have not graduated from a four-year accredited college or university. Brothers, sisters, or other family members who graduated do not exclude you from participation; neither does a parent currently enrolled. This criteria also applies to international students. “First generation” can also include the children of parents who earned a degree in another country, immigrated to the United States, and are underemployed in the U.S. Whether domestic or international, if the student resides with and receives support from only one parent, the “first generation” classification is based on that parent’s education.
Applying for Early Action
Simply select the designation for Early Action on the Common Application or the Coalition, Powered by SCOIR, Application.
The deadline is November 15.
If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at admissions@wfu.edu.
To learn more about how we meet 100% of demonstrated financial need and about our deadlines for applying, please visit our Student Financial Aid website.
Yes! We would love to see you for a campus visit. Here’s how to plan your trip.
While applying to college is necessary and a touch stressful, we hope that you are able to find the time after applying to clear your head. Go outside! Read a book or two. Get away from all monitors (from handheld to computer to television). We know that your application is important, and we respect that this process means so much to you. That said, it is just one of many vital tasks you will complete over the course of your life. You are going to get into college, and that school will undoubtedly be a terrific place to learn and grow. So—knowing that we will give your application the unfaltering, individualized attention it deserves—take a deep breath and relax for a day or two following your application submission.
You’ve earned it.
Additional Resources
Financial Aid Resources
We know there are so many decisions to make when considering financial aid. We’ve compiled helpful information so that you can weigh the options and make the best choice for your family.
The College Foundation of North Carolina
Wake Forest is a “Linked Campus” with CFNC.org. Applicants may take advantage of the many resources on CFNC.org but, when applying, will be guided to the Wake Forest application page.
Security and Fire Information
Wake Forest University is committed to assisting all members of the Wake Forest community in providing for their own safety and security. This report contains information on drug or alcohol-abuse programs required by section 120(a) through (d) of HEA and can be found on the Alcohol & Other Drugs website.
Continue Reading
Information regarding campus security, personal safety and fire safety—including topics such as crime prevention, university police law-enforcement authority, crime-reporting policies, crime statistics for the most recent three-year period, resources for victims of crime and disciplinary procedures – is available on the Wake Forest University Police website. To request a printed copy of this information, please contact the University Police Department at 336.758.4566.