Fordham kicked off the academic year with the arrival of the second-largest class in University history—about 2,650* students representing nearly all U.S. states and more than 50 countries, bringing breadth and depth of experience to the University community. The University also welcomed nearly 300 transfer students, its largest number to date.
More Applications, Greater Selectivity
This year’s class reflects how Fordham is becoming more competitive—the University received a 23% increase in applications, or roughly 54,000, for spots in the Class of 2030, and admitted 47% of those who applied, down 11 percentage points from the year before.
The numbers show that Fordham continues to have robust appeal in an era of declining enrollments driven partly by demographics, said Fordham’s vice president for enrollment strategy, Mike Gratale. “It’s clear that even in this era of struggles for colleges and universities, a high-quality Jesuit education in the capital of the world continues to be highly valued by engaged, committed students,” he said.
“The students in the Class of 2030 bring an interesting range of backgrounds and perspectives,” he said. “They show so much of what we look for in applicants: they bring intellectual curiosity, creativity, an enterprising streak, and a sincere desire to serve and do work that matters for the betterment of our world. We can’t wait to see how they change and grow as they explore all that Fordham and New York City have to offer.”
The incoming class will find plenty of offerings to match their varied interests; students can choose among more than 70 majors, minors, and preprofessional programs and a wide array of year-round internship opportunities.
Strong Academic Achievement
Fordham’s Class of 2030 is a group of strong academic achievers, with an average GPA of about 3.6 and an average SAT/ACT score of 1410.
About 98% of the first-year students received aid in the form of grants or scholarships, including merit scholarships awarded by the University. Approximately 24% of the incoming class received federal Pell Grants.
From Around the Corner and Around the Globe
The members of the Class of 2030 will bring a rich variety of outlooks and experience to Fordham’s two New York City campuses, whether they’re coming from around the New York area or from around the world. They hail from almost every state in the nation, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and more than 50 countries. About 23% of the incoming class will be commuting to campus.
International students make up about 7% of the class, and about one-fifth of the class members are first-generation students.
In addition to welcoming first-year students, “we want to acknowledge our transfer students who have chosen Fordham to complete their degrees,” said Patricia Peek, PhD, senior associate vice president and dean of admission. “We are so excited to welcome our largest-ever class of transfers, who come from both two- and four-year schools. Much like our incoming first-year students, they bring depth and an array of experiences to our campus community.”
More than 130 of the incoming undergraduates are military-connected students—active-duty service members, reservists, veterans, or military dependents. They include first-years, transfer students, and students pursuing full- and part-time coursework, some at the University’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies. The number of incoming military-connected undergraduates is up more than 50% over the number from last year, showing a surge of progress toward Fordham’s goal of doubling its number of military-connected students in five years.
“We are deeply committed to opening our doors wide to service members and their families and providing a supportive environment in which they can truly thrive,” Gratale said. “At Fordham, these students find a community that truly values their service and their unique backgrounds.”
Local Commitment, Growing National Reach
Fordham remained committed this year to serving the local students that have been central to the University’s mission since its founding in 1841. The number of students from Fordham’s traditional New York-area market held roughly steady—with more than 450 coming from New York City’s five boroughs—even as the University drew a greater share of its students from beyond its immediate area.
The Class of 2030 reflects strong interest in Fordham in the Southwest and West, with incoming student numbers up 22% and 28% in each region, respectively. Growth was particularly strong in Colorado and Arizona. About 200 students will join the Class of 2030 from California.
Interesting in applying to Fordham? Learn more.
*All numbers as of Aug. 26, 2026
