Ave Maria University SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements
Test-optional does not mean test-irrelevant at Ave Maria. With a 41% acceptance rate and an average entering GPA near 3.6, your goal is to make the academic case easy to see: submit an SAT or ACT score when it is clearly above Ave Maria’s typical range.
Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.
Ave Maria University facts and stats
Ave Maria University enrolls about 1,320 undergraduates in a rural campus setting. Ave Maria has a 79% freshman retention rate, above the national average of roughly 70%. Its 6-year graduation rate is 47%, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1.
Ave Maria, FL
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Key Ave Maria University application dates
Key dates
Regular Decision
—
Early Action
Not offered
Early Decision
Not offered
Priority Deadline
—
Coming soon
Test dates
August 22, 2026
Registration deadline: August 7, 2026
September 12, 2026
Registration deadline: August 28, 2026
October 3, 2026
Registration deadline: September 18, 2026
September 19, 2026
Registration deadline: August 14, 2026
October 17, 2026
Registration deadline: September 11, 2026
December 12, 2026
Registration deadline: November 6, 2026
If you choose to submit scores to test-optional Ave Maria, take your first SAT or ACT by the spring of junior year so you can use the summer before senior year and the fall for superscore-focused retakes. Since Ave Maria does not offer Early Decision or Early Action, work back from its Regular Decision deadline and treat the last fall test date with scores arriving before then as your final retake.
Want to improve your scores and unlock scholarships at Ave Maria University?
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What you'll actually pay
Ave Maria’s tuition and fees are $30,198, with the same rate for all students. About 62% of students receive aid, and the average merit award is $12,615.

Ave Maria’s listed cost of attendance is about $44,067 for tuition, fees, room and board. About 62% of students receive aid, with an average aid package of $20,258, and the average merit award is $12,615. For context, graduates leave with an average debt of $24,884.
Student life at Ave Maria University
90% of undergrads live on campus
Freshman housing: Guaranteed
No fraternity or sorority life on campus.
Similar schools
Baptist University of Florida
Graceville, FLAcceptance rate: 64.1%
SAT: 930–1200
ACT: 17–23
Barry University
Miami Shores, FLAcceptance rate: 77.1%
SAT: 910–1100
ACT: 17–23
Bethune-Cookman University
Daytona Beach, FLAcceptance rate: 88.2%
SAT: 830–990
St. Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FLAcceptance rate: 97.9%
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