Apply as a First-year Student

Unlock your future
at Lynchburg

Start your college journey with a streamlined
application process, exciting perks, and a path
to a future-ready degree.

Apply to the University of Lynchburg and start your journey toward a future-ready degree. Complete the Common Application or our free Lynchburg application, and we’ll review your academic performance, experiences, and talents.

This process is for first-year applicants, but nursing and international students have additional requirements. Transfer students can find more information on our transfer admissions page.

Great News!
Our Fall 2025 application is open! Early Decision applicants enjoy exclusive perks like priority orientation, housing, a $100 parking pass discount, and special Lynchburg swag.

Step 1: Apply

The University of Lynchburg offers two convenient ways to apply. You can use the Common Application, an undergraduate admissions platform connecting you to over 900 member institutions, including Lynchburg. The Common Application opens on Aug. 1 for students planning to enroll in Fall 2025. Alternatively, you can apply directly through the University of Lynchburg Application, a simple online platform that lets you start, save, and finish your application at your own pace.

Application deadlines are July 31 for the fall semester and Dec. 19 for the spring semester. Applications submitted after these deadlines will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

Step 1a: Choose Early or Regular Decision

Early Decision
If Lynchburg is your top choice and you’re committed to attending, apply through our binding Early Decision (ED) program. ED applicants enjoy perks like first pick of summer orientation, priority housing with early assignments, a Lynchburg swag box, $50 off your parking pass, and 20% off at the Campus Store. The application deadline is Dec. 15, and the deposit is due by Feb. 1.

Regular Decision
Lynchburg’s rolling admissions offers flexibility to apply without deadlines. Non-binding, it gives you time to explore other options, with decisions typically made within two weeks. The deposit deadline for Regular Decision is May 1.

Step 2: Submit Your Application Materials

Required Materials
Submit your high school transcript with your application or by mail. You can upload an unofficial copy, and we’ll request the official version after an admission decision is made. The transcript must include all classes and grades completed through your junior year.

Optional Materials
Enhance your application by including optional items that showcase your unique qualities. A letter of recommendation can come from a counselor, teacher, or someone familiar with your ability to succeed at Lynchburg. Additionally, you can include an essay written on a topic of your choice or submit a graded writing sample from your junior or senior year. Email these materials to [email protected] or send them by mail.

Test-Optional Policy
SAT and ACT scores are not required for admission or merit scholarships. You may submit your scores if they fall within or above the median range, but they won’t affect your admission decision. Lynchburg’s school codes are SAT: 5372 and ACT: 4368. If you have questions, your admissions counselor is available to help.

Next Steps

Once we receive your application and materials, we’ll review them and contact you with an admission decision or a request for additional information. You can expect to receive a decision within two to four weeks.

In the meantime, get to know Lynchburg a little better with a campus visit or a virtual tour!

Request Information

First-year Scholarships

The University of Lynchburg offers a wide range of scholarships and awards. All full-time admitted students are automatically considered for academic scholarships to the University of Lynchburg — no separate scholarship application is required.

These scholarship rates are for first-year applicants, international students, and our transfer students. You can find more information on their pages.

Merit scholarships for 2025-26 range from $16,000-$24,000 annually and are renewable with continued full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress.

Scholarship	Amount	Minimum GPA to qualify
Hopwood Scholarship	$24,000	4.00 and above
Founder’s Scholarship	$22,000	3.50 and above
Trustee Scholarship	$20,000	3.00 and above
Presidential Scholarship	$18,000	2.50 and above

Weighted GPA is used to determine scholarship eligibility. GPA on a 100-point scale is converted to a 4.0 scale.

SAT and ACT scores are not required for scholarship consideration.

Net Price Calculator

Use our online calculator to estimate the amount of scholarships and awards you may be eligible for based on your current academic profile.

Financial Aid

$16,000 to $24,000

The amount of merit scholarships all first-year students receive as a reward for high school success.

$24,000

A first-year student's average tuition at the University of Lynchburg (after scholarships and aid)

$5,250

The estimated amount Virginia residents will receive each year from the 2025-26 Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG)

100%

How committed we are to helping you receive a world-class education at a reasonable price.

Compare and Win

At Lynchburg, a highly-ranked and personalized private education is just as affordable as many state colleges or universities.

Estimate your costs by using our Net Price Calculator.

We’ve helped thousands of students earn a Lynchburg degree! We can help you, too.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Step 1: Obtain a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID

Before you can do anything else, you must obtain an FSA ID, which is an Electronic Signature for both Student and Parent(s) if dependent.

You need an FSA ID when logging into certain Department of Education websites. Create an FSA ID now.

Remember: An email address can be associated with only one FSA ID. Why? The FSA ID electronically signs documents such as loan promissory notes (which establish the binding legal obligation for the loan debt). Therefore, it is extremely important that any communications related to those documents or that FSA ID go to the correct person.

Similarly, make sure you don’t let anyone else know your FSA ID or create it for you because you’ll be putting yourself at risk of identity theft or — at the very least — not knowing how to sign into your account.

Watch this video to learn how to create an FSA ID.

The FSA ID process consists of three main steps:

Enter your login information.
Provide your email address and a unique username and password.
Enter your personal information.
Provide your Social Security Number, name, and date of birth.
Include your mailing address, email address, telephone number, and language preference. For security purposes, provide and create answers to five challenge questions.
Submit your FSA ID information.
Agree to the terms and conditions.
Verify your email address. (This is optional but helpful. By verifying your email address, you can use your email address as your username when logging into certain Department of Education websites. This verification also lets you retrieve your username or reset your password without answering challenge questions.)

Step 2: File Your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Students must complete the FAFSA every year.

The FAFSA is available online.
Log in with your FSA ID.
This web application automatically prompts applicants to enter all required fields and questions any discrepant data. Renewal applicants may access their Renewal FAFSA at this site using their FSA ID.

University of Lynchburg uses your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for institutional aid.

Future Act Direct Data Exchange (FADDX)

The 2024-2025 FAFSA and beyond will use the Future Act Direct Data Exchange (FADDX) instead of the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to receive Federal Tax Information from the Internal Revenue Service. Each contributor (student and parent(s)) must give consent for this information to be retrieved by FAFSA. Otherwise, you cannot complete the FAFSA and be evaluated for federal financial aid eligibility.

*If you only wish to receive merit aid, you do not need to complete the FAFSA.

Step 3: Keep Track of Your Financial Aid with Financial Aid Online

Financial Aid Online allows you to:

Access your financial aid at any time, from any location.
Check the status of your application.
View a list of documents we’ve received from you and a list of missing information.
View your financial aid award(s).
Accept or decline your financial aid award(s).
View your student loan history.
Check the status of your student loans for the current year.

Login Instructions

To access our online system, please visit fa.lynchburg.edu and then follow these instructions:

Click on the First Time User link in the login box. You will be prompted to enter your Financial Aid Web ID (you’ll receive your Web ID from the Financial Aid Department).
If you have logged in before, enter your Financial Aid Web ID — if you have forgotten your password, click the Forgot Your Password link.
Update your account.
Select and answer two security questions. You will answer these questions if you forget your login information.
Change or create your password, following these specifications:

- Must be at least 9 characters long.
- Must contain at least one upper case and one lower case character.
- Must contain at least one number.
- Must contain at least one of these special characters: !@#$%^&*().

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