Rice University
What Rice University's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
See your odds at Rice University →All 6 insights at Rice University PRO
International applicants face 2.1× tougher odds at Rice University.
3.8% of international applicants are admitted, against 8.0% overall.
Rice University's ED number is inflated.
11% of ED I and ED II applicants get in. ED pools at selective colleges typically include recruited athletes and legacies (research on Harvard and peer colleges); Rice University does not break its pool out, so the unhooked figure is an estimate [A12]: about 8.3%. Everyone else: 7.4%.
Rice University's waitlist is a long shot: 3.0%.
66 of 2,204 students who stayed on the list got in.
Applications to Rice University are up 76%.
From 20,923 in 2018-19 to 36,791 in 2025-26.
Rice University meets 100% of need.
The average need-based grant is $73,663 a year, against tuition of $71,170.
51% of Rice University's class is filled in ED I and ED II.
That leaves about 616 seats for 31,043 applicants outside ED.
8 more things the data says PRO
- After ED, 616 of 1,263 seats were left for 31,043 other applicants: about one seat for every 50.
- Early Decision filled about 51% of the 2025-26 first-year class, less than most similar colleges.
- 2,204 students stayed on the waitlist and 66 were admitted from it (3.0%).
- The share of international students in the first-year class has risen from 11% to 13% since 2019-20, about 0.5 points a year.
- 43% of admitted students chose to enroll, lower than 89% of similar colleges.
- Applications rose 76% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (20,923 to 36,791), faster than 85% of colleges here.
- ED applicants were admitted at 11%, against 7.4% for everyone else: 1.5 times the rate.
- It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- Most admits who named a round applied Regular Decision (32 of 39); 6 said Early Decision and one Early Decision II.
- Most admits had research or published work, such as lab programs, journal papers, conference talks and science fair honors.
- Debate, speech or Model UN was a frequent spike among admits, often as captain with state or national results.
- Most admits held leadership roles, as club founder or president, team captain or officer, or ran a nonprofit.
- Quite a few admits worked or had family duties, such as a family restaurant, construction, retail, caregiving or paid tutoring.
- Students report Rice is very selective, with an 8 percent admit rate cited, and many strong applicants waitlisted or rejected.
- Students report the waitlist rarely moves, with offers coming late, though some waitlisted applicants were later admitted.
- Students report Rice looks for specific fit and strong essays, interviews and activities, not grades alone, and test-optional applicants were admitted.
- Students report aid ranges from generous for low-income families to nearly full price for middle-income families.
- Students report Rice does not offer application fee waivers to international applicants, and international odds are very low.
Every number, year by year: Rice University on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.