Purdue University, named after businessman John Purdue after his donation helped establish the institution, was established in 1869. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, Purdue is a public research university and reports that it is a top-10 public university in the United States in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
If Purdue is on your list of desired colleges, it would be helpful to know more about its selective admission process. Knowing a university’s acceptance rate can help you decide whether you want to apply there and what your chances of getting in may be. In this article, we will look at the available admission data from Purdue.
Purdue University Acceptance Rate
In the 2025 application cycle for Purdue’s West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations, Purdue received 86,953 first-year applications and reported an overall admit rate of 43.4%. Acceptance rates differed across different colleges and schools. Students who applied to the College of Pharmacy had an admit rate of 73.9%, which was higher than the overall undergraduate admit rate.
Among the colleges and schools listed in Purdue’s 2025 class profile, the highest admit rates were in the College of Pharmacy, at 73.9%; the College of Education, at 70.5%; and Exploratory Studies, at 68.4%. The lowest college or school admit rates were in the College of Veterinary Medicine, at 30.2%, and the College of Engineering, at 34.7%. Purdue also lists lower rates for some competitive majors, including Flight (Professional Flight Technology) at 7.7% and Nursing at 28.9%.
Preparing for Purdue University
Now that you know how selective the university is, it is essential to research admissions, academic costs, and scholarship availability early so you can prepare a strong application. Read more below to learn more about these steps.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements indicate the expected standard and a student’s best chance of admission. Purdue reviews first-year applications holistically and focuses on academic preparedness for the desired program and competitiveness within the applicant pool. Applicants should meet or exceed Purdue’s minimum high school course expectations. Purdue considers factors such as academic grades, grades related to the intended major, curriculum strength, achievement trends, standardized test scores, essays, activities, and proof of English proficiency for international applicants whose first language is not English.
Tuition Fees
This step can be essential because knowing the tuition fee allows you to check whether the university is feasible. Knowing the fees in advance can also help students explore financing options and make fiscally sound decisions. For 2026–2027, undergraduate international tuition and required fees typically start at 32,104 USD per academic year before housing and other estimated expenses, though some programs charge higher differential fees. Graduate tuition and required fees for international students vary by program; the regular full-time international graduate subtotal starts at 29,194 USD per academic year before housing and other estimated expenses.
Scholarships
Scholarships are a great way to offset the financial strain of higher education. Purdue awards first-year scholarships based on academic merit and financial need, and all university-wide merit-based scholarships have a firm Nov. 1 deadline. However, Purdue states that, in general, international undergraduate students are not eligible for financial aid, including scholarships. International students should carefully review citizenship requirements and external scholarship opportunities before applying.
With a strong reputation as a public university known for its traditions and academic excellence, Purdue University has an acceptance rate that shows it is competitive, especially for certain colleges, schools, and majors.
We hope that this article on Purdue University’s acceptance rate was helpful to you. If you are interested in studying in the United States, check out the Guide to Studying in the USA and Available Courses for International Students for more information!
