The Waiting List

Elect to remain active on the Waiting List using the Waiting List Reply Form when it becomes available. If space becomes available in the first-year class, we'll notify you of an admission decision.

The Waiting List is not binding.

However, students on the Waiting List who receive an offer of admission and intend to accept their spot are expected to post their non-refundable enrollment deposit within 72 hours of being notified. 

Yes. If you elect to remain on our Waiting List, please login to your Where Am I in the Process? portal(opens in new window) to confirm that you've completed your application for financial aid(opens in new window). If you're a US citizen, permanent resident or DACA recipient and have submitted all required financial aid documents, you'll receive a financial aid offer via your portal sometime after receiving your Wait List decision.

If you haven’t completed the financial aid application process yet, we strongly encourage you to do so as quickly as possible. If you're admitted from the Waiting List, you'll have just 72 hours to submit your non-refundable enrollment deposit, and completing the financial aid process now will ensure that you have a financial aid offer to consider at that time.

We encourage students to remain active on our Waiting List only after having received and reviewed their financial aid offer letters. If you’re admitted from the Waiting List, your financial aid offer will become effective immediately. Because university resources are limited, financial need may be considered as a factor for admission decisions regarding the Waiting List.

Yes. It's important to secure a place at another college or university where you've been offered admission by the relevant deadline. If you're ultimately offered admission from the Waiting List at Carnegie Mellon, you'll likely forfeit the tuition deposit you submitted to the college or university where you previously enrolled.

Carnegie Mellon does not rank the Waiting List.

Any offer of admission from the Waiting List is directly related to the remaining space in the first-year class after admitted students' enrollment decisions. We won't know how many students will be offered admission from the Waiting List until we have an understanding of the space available.

Because offers of admission from the Waiting Lists are contingent on space in our academic programs, we may go to the Waiting List for some academic programs but not others.

Over the past five years, we've averaged 123 students per year admitted from our Waiting List.

If you elect to remain on the Waiting List for more than one academic program within Carnegie Mellon, you'll receive separate admission decisions for each academic program. 

If Carnegie Mellon is your first-choice university and you've elected to remain on the Waiting List, no further action is required of you beyond submitting the Waiting List Reply Form. We won't consider any demonstrations of continued interest, as we strive for access and equity(opens in new window) in our admission process.  

Yes, any student admitted from the Waiting List is eligible for first-year housing. Please visit the Housing website(opens in new window) for more information. 

You can remove yourself from the Waiting List by completing the Waiting List Reply Form when it becomes available.

Feel free to consult our website which should answer any questions you might have about Carnegie Mellon's financial aid process.

While Carnegie Mellon does not have scheduled events specifically for students on the Waiting List, if you wish to visit campus, you may register for a visit or event that is open to prospective students. Due to capacity limitations, Turn Tartan Day events and admitted student visits are open only to students who have been admitted to Carnegie Mellon.