UMW Application Opens Aug. 1 for Fall 2026, including Undergraduate Science Fellowships

Applications for admission to the University of Mary Washington for Fall 2026 open Aug. 1. Students can apply to UMW via the Common Application or apply directly to UMW online. Completing the application early gives students the greatest opportunity to earn scholarships, know their admission decision before the spring semester and maximize their senior-year timeline in high school.

This year, students applying in the fall by the early decision or early action dates of Nov. 1 and 15 will be the first to be considered for the Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows Program, a competitive funding opportunity supported by the largest gift in University history – over $36 million from Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, a groundbreaking scientist in electron microscopy, who has magnified STEM fields for students. Rodgers’ gift also funds several Alvey Scholarships, offering full tuition, fees, housing and meals and experiences for out-of-state undergraduate students, and supports UMW’s undergraduate research program during the academic year and through the Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute named in her memory.

The Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows Program is open to in-state and out-of-state first-year students at UMW.

“UMW should be the first choice for undergraduate students seeking a career in science, whether that’s in a medical field, biology, environmental sciences, computer science, math, chemistry or physics,” said Director of Undergraduate Research Elizabeth Lewis. “We offer unparalleled funding for these areas, giving students the opportunity to work side-by-side with faculty on real-word research, co-author papers and show their work.”

UMW expects to support 15 students in their first year through the new program. UMW also offers merit scholarships, including the full-ride Washington Scholars program for Virginia students and Alvey Scholars for out of state students. UMW’s Tuition Promise extends full tuition for Virginia students who qualify for Pell grants, making it a stand-out in-state college choice. Departmental scholarships are available in addition to program-specific funding and internship grants via the National Science Foundation and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

Through its new Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows Program, a competitive funding opportunity supported by the largest gift in University history, UMW expects to support 15 students in their first year. Mary Washington offers more than 100 majors, minors and areas of study.

Through its new Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows Program, a competitive funding opportunity supported by the largest gift in University history, UMW expects to support 15 students in their first year. Mary Washington offers more than 100 majors, minors and areas of study.

Students can choose from more than 100 majors, minors and areas of study at the University of Mary Washington, including popular pathways of communication and digital studies, psychology and historic preservation, which all thrive in the historic and innovative city of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

UMW’s midway location between the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., and Virginia’s capital of Richmond, Virginia, makes political science a powerhouse field, and the university’s founding as a teacher’s college continues to be exemplified through the excellent education program.

Poets&Quants ranks UMW’s one of the “Best Undergraduate Business Schools of 2025,” and UMW Theatre comes into the top 25 theatre programs in the country in The Princeton Review annual rankings. Most recently, the University of Mary Washington ranked in the top 20 nationally for making an impact and internships in The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges for 2025.”

“Students get an early start on their desired career through applied learning beyond the classroom, so they are ready for life after Mary Washington. We’re going to set them up for success, from the moment they join our campus until they walk across the graduation stage into a network of more than 45,000 alumni. The first step is an application,” said Dean of Admissions and Associate Vice President Melissa Yakabouski.

Students can choose from more than 100 majors, minors and areas of study at the University of Mary Washington, including popular pathways of communication and digital studies, psychology and historic preservation.

Students can choose from more than 100 majors, minors and areas of study at the University of Mary Washington, including popular pathways of communication and digital studies, psychology and historic preservation.

Students can choose from more than 100 majors, minors and areas of study at the University of Mary Washington, including popular pathways of communication and digital studies, psychology and historic preservation.

In recent years, 60% or more of UMW’s incoming class of first-year students have applied during the early application periods, and all have received some form of scholarship or financial aid. For the fall 2025 incoming class, 69% of students applied by Nov. 15.

Students and their families will want to note several key dates and details for their applications. The filing date for early decision (binding) is Nov. 1, with early action (non-binding) applications due Nov. 15. The regular decision filing date is Feb. 1 for first-year students. Transfer students should apply by Oct. 15 for spring enrollment, March 1 for summer and April 1 for fall. Transfer applications continue to be accepted for fall 2025 enrollment through the first day of classes.

For more information and to start an application, go to umw.edu/admissions/apply.