How to Apply to the University at Buffalo

Are you an international applicant?

You are an international applicant if you require a visa to reside and study in the United States. A U.S. citizen or permanent resident who currently lives and studies outside the U.S. is considered a domestic applicant with foreign credentials.

Are you a first-year/first-time (freshman) or transfer applicant?

You are considered a first-year/first-time (freshman) if you have never studied or enrolled in any college/university or postsecondary studies after completing secondary school. You're considered a first-year student even if you have advanced standing, for which you may receive university credits. This includes A Levels, International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP).

You are considered a transfer student if you have completed secondary school and you subsequently enrolled or studied one or more subjects in a college or university. If you engaged in any study in a college or university, you must apply as a transfer applicant.

Are you a graduate applicant?

Visit our Graduate Admissions website.

Are you a non-degree seeking student?

Email us.

First-year/first-time (freshman) applicants can apply online through the Coalition Application, SUNY Application or Common Application. Transfer applicants can apply online through the Coalition Application or SUNY Application.

Choose only one online application and carefully follow the instructions on the application that you choose.

• Coalition for College/SCOIR Application 
• State University of New York (SUNY) Application
• Common Application (for first-year/first-time (freshman) students only) 

We carefully consider each applicant as we identify the next class of exceptional students who will influence our university community.

As you complete your application, you will submit all the required documents electronically through your Applicant Status Portal. We encourage you to collect and scan all the necessary documents as early in the application process as possible, even before you apply.

Read about first-year/first-time (freshman) admission criteria and required documents.

Read about transfer admission criteria and required documents.

We begin announcing admission decisions for spring and fall term applications in late fall. Decisions are offered on a rolling basis thereafter. 

Application updates will be provided through your Applicant Status Portal. This is where you will receive your admissions decision.

Like most students, you may have applied to UB while you were still taking classes in high school or while you were studying at another college or university. In order to finalize your admission, you will need to provide us with your final grades. 

Approximately 4-6 weeks before the semester begins, we will email you about your provisional status with instructions on how to finalize your admission and upload your final transcripts.