Georgetown University announced March 27 that it will join the Common Application on a three-year pilot program beginning in August 2026, confirming earlier reporting from The Hoya.
Applicants to the undergraduate Class of 2031 will be able to apply to Georgetown either through the Common App or through the university’s application website. The trial marks a major change from the university’s years-long practice of using its own undergraduate admissions application.
Georgetown’s administration and the Common App are still outlining the specific details of their partnership, multiple sources familiar with the university’s process told The Hoya.
Charles Deacon (CAS ’64, GRD ’69), the dean of admissions, said Georgetown’s admissions standards will not change even as the university joins the Common App.
“Our rigorous admissions process will continue to be as personalized and holistic as possible to recruit, enroll and support students from all backgrounds,” Deacon said in the announcement.
Over 1,100 U.S. colleges and universities accept the Common App for candidates to apply to their undergraduate programs. Each year, more than one million students apply to colleges using the Common App.
A university spokesperson said Georgetown will join the Common App to make the application more accessible for students from other backgrounds.
“Collectively, these admissions practices are aimed at maintaining the important role of higher education in fostering social mobility and maintaining a lifelong pipeline to learning, scholarship and service,” a university spokesperson wrote to The Hoya.
Soyica Diggs Colbert (COL ’01), the interim provost, said using the Common App will allow Georgetown to reach more applicants, particularly those who are low-income students.
“The Common App will ensure Georgetown’s applicant pool contains a rich set of backgrounds and life experiences,” Colbert said in the university’s press release.
Georgetown will continue using test scores and Pell eligibility as part of its admissions process.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
