University of Delaware

The University of Delaware is a public university founded in 1743. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,919 (Fall 2023) and a 2,312-acre campus located in the city. The University utilizes a 4-1-4 based academic calendar. The University of Delaware is ranked 86th among national universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $16,810 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $41,400.

For students interested in attending the University of Delaware, living in Delaware is worth it. The University of Delaware admits all Delaware residents whose academic performance predicts success, and approximately 65% of applicants are admitted. About half (45%-55%) of out-of-state applicants are admitted. For all admitted students, the school has more than 400 student clubs and organizations on its lush campus in downtown Newark. Nearly 20% students participate in the school's large Greek system, which boasts about 40 fraternities and sororities. The Fightin' Blue Hens sports team is named after a Delaware Revolutionary War battalion that had the same nickname. The school's mascot is a bird named YoUDee, and a flock of live blue hens are raised on the school's farm. New students were required to live on campus unless they commuted from their parents' homes in the area. When students want to leave campus, Wilmington is about 12 miles from the school. Philadelphia is 45 miles away and Baltimore is 55 miles away. The University of Delaware opened the nation's first study abroad program in 1923, and today about one-third of undergraduates choose to study in other countries.

The University of Delaware offers more than 150 graduate degree programs, including some in the highly ranked Colleges of Education and Engineering. In addition to its main campus in Newark, the university has campuses throughout Delaware. The university also has an offshore research facility, a 146-foot ship named Hugh R. Sharp. As a Land, Sea, and Space Grantee, the University of Delaware receives federal funding for research in all three areas. Notable University of Delaware alumni include Vice President Joe Biden, Robert Gore, inventor of Gore-Tex, and Chuck Lewis, founder of the Center for Public Integrity.