Canisius University
Buffalo, NY · Private · Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Canisius University admitted 72.2% of applicants university-wide (3,016 of 4,175).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 72.2% | 3,016 | 4,175 |
| In-state | 83.6% | 2,010 | 2,403 |
| Out-of-state | 80.5% | 608 | 755 |
| International applicants | 39.2% | 397 | 1,014 |
| Men | 67.4% | 1,312 | 1,946 |
| Women | 76.5% | 1,702 | 2,225 |
Also offers Early Action (closes Dec 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.
Of 3,016 admitted students, 397 enrolled (13.2% yield).
Canisius University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- median 1150
- ACT (mid-50%)
- median 28
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.00–3.99
Testing policy: Test-blind (scores not considered)
Canisius University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $51,790/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $33,330 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $18,460 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $51,790/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $12,781 |
| $30k–48k | $12,404 |
| $48k–75k | $16,151 |
| $75k–110k | $21,341 |
| Over $110k | $24,170 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Presidential Scholarship — $25,000 per year (Presidential)
- Ignatian Scholarship — $15,000 - $20,000 per year (Merit)
- Provost Scholarship — $20,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $18,000 per year (Merit)
- Faculty Scholarship — $15,000 per year (Merit)
- Trustee Scholarship — $10,000 - $12,000 per year (Trustee)
- Canisius Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Distinguished Scholar Award — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- Presidential Scholarship — $25,000 per year (Presidential)
- Ignatian Scholarship — $15,000 - $20,000 per year (Merit)
- Provost Scholarship — $20,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $18,000 per year (Merit)
- Faculty Scholarship — $15,000 per year (Merit)
- International Transfer Scholarship — Up to $12,000 per year (International Aid)
- Trustee Scholarship — $10,000 - $12,000 per year (Trustee)
- Distinguished Scholar Award — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
Canisius University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Completed Application (Canisius University App or Common App)
- Personal Essay (undergraduate) or Personal Statement (graduate)
- Secondary school transcripts (9th-12th grade) for freshmen; bachelor's degree transcripts for graduate
- Two to three letters of recommendation (one from school counselor or teacher)
- WASSCE scores (optional)
- Resume
International applicants
- Completed Application (Canisius University App or Common App)
- Personal Essay (undergraduate) or Personal Statement (graduate)
- Secondary school transcripts (9th-12th grade) for freshmen; bachelor's degree transcripts for graduate
- Two to three letters of recommendation (one from school counselor or teacher)
- WASSCE scores (optional)
- Resume
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Canisius University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 1 college-specific supplement:
- In addition to the application, we also request that you send us a brief essay explaining your educational and career goals. Indicate what you plan to accomplish by re-enrolling at Canisius.Choose from this set
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $60,681
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 66.4%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 73%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $24,250
- At graduation
Canisius University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- Forbes: #425
Deadlines
- 2026-12-01Early Action — Non-binding early round
Canisius University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C21–C22 · 2023
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Biological & life sciences (19%), Business & marketing (18%), Psychology (9%).
Student–faculty ratio: 11:1 · 50% of class sections have under 20 students.
Canisius University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.