Join AES in Fall 2027
The Office of Admissions reads complete files and writes back within three business days to confirm what is still missing. Decisions go out on the dates below. The undergraduate acceptance rate last year was 34%.
When files are due
Scroll horizontally to view all dates.
| Round | Deadline | Decision | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision | November 1, 2026 | December 15, 2026 | Open |
| Early Action | November 15, 2026 | January 30, 2027 | Open |
| Regular Decision | January 15, 2027 | March 31, 2027 | Open |
| Transfer | March 1, 2027 | April 30, 2027 | Open |
| Graduate programs | January 15, 2027 for most | By March 15, 2027 | Open |
What to send
A file is complete when transcripts, the essay, recommendations, and the fee or waiver are in. Test scores, if you send them, may arrive later.
Transcripts
Official secondary-school transcripts, and college transcripts if you have any. We read the courses, not only the GPA. A student who took the hardest science and writing courses available is read differently from one who did not.
Tests
SAT and ACT are optional for Fall 2027 undergraduate admission. If you send scores, we will read them. Graduate programs set their own rules: the M.B.A. accepts the GRE or GMAT; the Ph.D. requires the GRE general test. International applicants submit TOEFL (90 iBT) or IELTS (7.0) unless the prior degree was taught in English.
Essay
650 to 800 words. Write about a piece of work you finished — a research project, a job, a season on a boat, a classroom you helped run. We are not asking for a statement of how AES will change your life.
Recommendations
Two letters for undergraduates, from a teacher, a counselor, or a supervisor who has seen your work. Graduate files need three, at least two from faculty in the field.
Activities record
A list of work, family responsibilities, and activities for the last four years, with hours per week. Paid work counts. We do not score clubs by prestige.
Fee
The application fee is $50. It is waived for students eligible for a federal or state fee waiver, and for any student whose family works a seasonal fishery or a school-district salary under $55,000. Request the waiver in the form below.
Start a file with the form. An admissions counselor replies from [email protected] with the document checklist and, if you ask, a fee-waiver decision.
Open an application fileTuition and aid for 2026–27
Undergraduate tuition is $41,200. The figures below are what the aid office actually awarded, not a guarantee printed for a viewbook.
AES Merit Scholarship
Up to $16,000 / yearAwarded with admission on the strength of the academic record. Renewable for eight terms if the student keeps a 3.0 cumulative GPA and remains full-time.
Hester Marine Scholarship
$8,000 / yearFor undergraduates in marine science or coastal engineering whose families live in a coastal zip code. Twenty awards are made each year from the Hester endowment.
Need-based AES Grant
VariesIn 2025–26 the university met 92% of demonstrated need for admitted undergraduates. The average grant among recipients was $14,200. File the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.
Dockworkers’ Dependent Grant
$4,500 / yearFor children and dependents of Calder Bay longshore, processing, and vessel crews. Proof of employment is a letter from the employer or the union hall, not a tax form alone.
First-generation Coastal Scholarship
$6,000 / yearFor students who will be the first in their family to finish a bachelor’s degree and who graduated from a public high school in Coos, Curry, Lincoln, or Yarrow County.
Graduate assistantship
Tuition + $32,400Ph.D. students and funded M.S. research assistants receive tuition, health coverage, and the 2026–27 stipend. Teaching assistants in other programs are appointed by the college, not centrally.
Questions the office hears every week
What was the acceptance rate for Fall 2026?
The undergraduate acceptance rate for Fall 2026 was 34%. The admitted class had a middle-50% unweighted GPA of 3.4 to 3.9. Graduate rates vary: the M.P.H. admitted 24 of 91 complete files; the Ph.D. admitted 7 students, each with a faculty sponsor.
Are you test-optional?
Yes, for undergraduate Fall 2027. About 61% of the Fall 2026 applicants did not send an SAT or ACT. Their admission rate was within two points of the rate for students who did.
What does a year cost?
For 2026–27, undergraduate tuition is $41,200, required fees are $1,840, and room and board in the four houses is $14,600. The total before aid is $57,640. Books and a field-term travel allowance are extra; the field term itself is covered by tuition.
How much aid did students receive?
Seventy-one percent of undergraduates received AES grant or scholarship aid in 2025–26. The average package, including federal grants and work, was $18,400. We met 92% of demonstrated need. We do not claim to meet full need for every file.
Can international students receive aid?
Yes. International undergraduates are reviewed for the AES Merit Scholarship and a limited need-based fund of $1.2 million. File the International Student Financial Statement with the application. The fund usually covers part of tuition, not the full cost.
How do visits work?
Weekday tours leave the admissions house at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, except university holidays. Overnight visits for admitted students run in April. Request a place on the contact form. A student guide, not a staff script, leads the walk.
Do you take transfers?
Yes. Transfer applicants need 24 semester credits from a regionally accredited college and a cumulative GPA of 3.0. We accept up to 64 semester credits toward the bachelor’s degree. The field term cannot be waived by transfer credit.
Can an offer be deferred?
Admitted undergraduates may defer for one year. The request must be in writing by May 1, with a short plan for the year. Employment, family care, and service are ordinary reasons. A second deferral is not granted.