The university has received more than 13 applications for each available spot in the Class of 2030.
February 4, 2026 – Lehigh University announced a record number of applicants this year, with a total of 20,441 applications, the university’s largest in its history.
The new record, set by applicants for the Class of 2030, tops the previous high for most applications, set in 2024, by 45 applications and this year’s application pool is 5.7% higher than the number of applications received last year.
“It is a wonderful time to be at Lehigh and the application numbers reflect that,” Dan Warner, vice provost for Admissions and Financial Aid, said. “This new record high is especially notable because it comes in the first year of the “demographic cliff”—an extended period of sharp decline in the number of 17-year-olds across the U.S. applying to college. It is very gratifying that while there are fewer students of age to apply to colleges, more of them are choosing to apply to Lehigh.”
The 2026 total means that Lehigh has more than 13 applicants for each available spot in the incoming Class of 2030.
Lehigh has seen a tremendous amount of growth in the number of applications it has received over the past few years. In 2020, the university received 12,387 applications, making this year’s total 65% higher than that mark.
“This is a time of great momentum for Lehigh,” Warner said. “Our increased research footprint has elevated us to the R1 tier, the United Nations has given us ECOSOC status, we have added impactful research centers and academic programs, our placement results continue to be excellent year after year, and our alumni are receiving recognition for advances in their fields.”
Lehigh has also set an all-time high for the number of applications received from high school students residing in the Lehigh Valley. With 598 local applicants, this pool increased 12.4% over last year’s 532 applications, which was the previous record.
In Fall 2025, Lehigh University welcomed the largest contingent of local students in nearly a decade, with 101 first-year undergraduates from high schools in Northampton and Lehigh counties enrolled. Local students made up 6.5% of the incoming class.
About Lehigh University
Founded in 1865, Lehigh University is a premier residential research university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. With nearly 8,000 students (~5,900 undergraduates and ~1,900 graduate students) and a distinguished faculty, Lehigh combines the academic rigor of a larger research institution with the close-knit community of a smaller college. Lehigh’s five colleges — Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, and Health — offer nationally recognized programs, while the university’s commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and experiential learning prepares graduates to lead in an increasingly complex world. Learn more at www.lehigh.edu.
Information provided to TVL by:
Amy White
