How to get into SUNY Buffalo
How to get into UB: SUNY's largest research university with strong engineering, pharmacy, and a top-tier in-state value
72%
Acceptance rate
$10,546
In-state cost
$27,546
Out-of-state cost
What makes SUNY Buffalo admissions different
The University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) is the largest of the SUNY university centers — roughly 32,000 students, with the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Management, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the School of Nursing, and the School of Architecture and Planning. UB admits around 72% of applicants overall, but direct-admit programs (engineering, pharmacy, the Honors College) all read in their own tighter pools. For New York residents, UB is one of the strongest in-state values for a major research university.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply through the SUNY application or the Common App by UB's Early Action or Regular Decision deadlines.
- 2.
New York residents: confirm SUNY in-state tuition eligibility and Excelsior Scholarship eligibility.
- 3.
Pick the right school. The School of Engineering, the School of Management, the School of Pharmacy (the PharmD is a six-year direct-admit program), the School of Architecture and Planning, and the College of Arts and Sciences each have their own program-specific framing.
- 4.
Apply to the University Honors College through its separate application. UB Honors is one of the more respected public honors programs in the Northeast.
- 5.
Pre-pharmacy applicants: confirm the direct-admit pathway into the six-year PharmD. Internal transfers in are competitive.
- 6.
Apply for the Daniel Acker, Provost, Presidential, and named merit scholarships at the priority deadline.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Missing the priority deadline for honors and scholarship consideration.
- ✕
Applying to a non-pharmacy program planning to transfer into the PharmD. Direct-admit is the cleaner route.
- ✕
Treating UB as a generic SUNY without engaging with what it specifically offers (engineering, pharmacy, architecture, the Center for Computational Research).
- ✕
Out-of-state applicants underestimating UB. The published medians for direct-admit programs (engineering, pharmacy, Honors) run higher than the headline number.
The specifics for SUNY Buffalo
What makes this admissions process distinctive
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
UB's engineering school is the largest in the SUNY system with ABET-accredited programs across the engineering disciplines and the Center for Computational Research providing supercomputing resources.
Six-year direct-admit PharmD ↗
UB's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences admits direct-admit students into the six-year PharmD pathway. Internal transfer into the PharmD is highly competitive.
University Honors College
One of the more respected public honors programs in the Northeast, with smaller seminars, an honors capstone, dedicated honors housing, and substantial scholarship pipelines.
What graduates actually do
UB (University at Buffalo) is the largest SUNY campus and a leading public research university, with graduates feeding into engineering, medicine (Jacobs School of Medicine), law, and business across New York State and beyond. The School of Management has strong regional placement, and UB's biomedical engineering and computer science programs send graduates into tech and biotech. Significant alumni representation exists in Toronto, Buffalo's tech corridor, and downstate NYC.
Notable alumni
- Wolf Blitzer — Television journalism (CNN)
- Harvey Weinstein (alum — institutional disclaimer) — Film production
- Ron Silver — Acting
- Jordan Belfort — Finance (Wolf of Wall Street)
- Mark Goldberg — Business
Transfer pathway
6000% transfer acceptance rate
UB participates in SUNY's seamless transfer policy, guaranteeing junior standing for SUNY community college graduates who complete an AA/AS in an approved pathway. Major feeders include Erie Community College, Niagara County Community College, and Genesee Community College. Engineering and business transfers face higher GPA requirements (typically 3.0+); pre-med and pre-pharmacy also competitive.
Articulation partners
Erie Community College · Niagara County Community College · Genesee Community College · Monroe Community College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
If you're a New York resident with a B+ transcript and reasonable rigor, UB is a likely admit and one of the strongest SUNY research-university values. The Honors College and direct-admit programs are the levers for high-achieving applicants. Out-of-state applicants at similar profiles can also get in but should compare cost.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.