Getting into the University of Tennessee has become statistically tougher over the past five years as applications have surged, fueled in part by the rise of Tennessee football.
The acceptance rate dropped from 85% in 2021 to around 50% in 2026, even as the university is admitting more students than ever. The rate has plummeted as tens of thousands of students, mostly from outside of Tennessee, are submitting applications in record numbers.
Winning seasons on the football field, including a pair of victories over Alabama in 2022 and 2024, have helped raise Tennessee's national profile. University leaders also point to investments in academic programs, success across multiple sports and a growing campus as factors behind the surge in applications.
The university received 74,407 applications for fall 2026, according to preliminary figures, but not every student came back to finish their application after submitting their basic info to UT. The university received 63,439 completed applications, which was 45,000 more than it received in 2016, according to UT data analyzed by Knox News.
Not every student admitted to UT ultimately enrolls. Acceptance rates measure how many first-year and transfer applicants are offered admission, while enrollment figures reflect the students who decide to attend.
Preliminary fall 2026 figures show UT admitted about 31,460 first-year and transfer applicants, resulting in a 49.6% acceptance rate. Roughly 9,300 of those prospective students actually enrolled, according to university estimates.
Football and other improvements boost University of Tennessee's standing
Applications, admissions and enrollment all grew steadily between 2016 and 2021.
In 2016, prospective students submitted 18,089 completed applications, and UT admitted 15,681 of them for an 86% acceptance rate. Of those admitted students, 6,218 enrolled. The acceptance rate remained above 80% through 2021, even reaching 90.8% in 2018.
That changed in 2022, when completed applications jumped by 5,500 from the previous year to 35,137.
UT accepted 79.6% of applicants in 2022. As applications kept climbing, the acceptance kept falling, dropping to 57.8% in 2023 when completed applications topped 45,000 for the first time.
Part of that surge came after UT's landmark victory over Alabama at Neyland Stadium in 2022, according to the university's admissions office. More than 1,500 prospective students submitted application in the two days after Tennessee's 52-49 win after fans rushed the field, Knox News reported at the time, which was nearly double the number received during the same period the year before.
Some call this the "Flutie Effect," named after 1984 Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie, whose Hail Mary pass to defeat Miami resulted in wildly increased exposure for the university.
"The rise in applications over the past decade reflects sustained, strategic efforts to position the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, as a top destination for prospective students," UT spokesperson Kristin Reed said in an email to Knox News.
The university has enhanced its recruitment efforts in recent years through the Strategic Enrollment Plan. While the success of Tennessee Athletics under Danny White has helped boost UT's visibility, university officials say several other factors are driving interest in the state's flagship campus:
- Academics: UT's academic growth, including nationally ranked programs in supply chain management and nuclear engineering, has helped attract students from across the country.
- Campus growth: UT is prioritizing new buildings for major programs like business and chemistry, as well as initiatives like student success. The university also is pursuing "innovation districts" in Oak Ridge and the Maplehurst neighborhood, as well as at Cherokee Farms.
- Innovation: UT is investing in new technologies like artificial intelligence across campus and is pushing to hire some of the nation's top scholars.
Admissions trends continued into 2024 and 2025, with the final tallies from the fall 2025 semester showing 57,438 completed applications and an acceptance rate of 46.4%.
"Students are drawn not only to the strength of UT’s programs, but also to a campus community where they can engage, connect and prepare for what comes next," Reed said. "Through continued investments in student success, experiential learning, career development and support services, UT is ensuring that every Vol has the resources and opportunities to thrive."
More out-of-state than in-state students applying to Tennessee
More out-of-state students than Tennessee residents began applying to UT in 2019. What started as a gap of about 1,000 applications grew to nearly 3,500 in 2020. If preliminary figures hold, out-of-state applicants will outnumber Tennessee applicants by more than 34,500 in 2026.
The university, however, is trying to bring more Tennessee students to UT through its guaranteed admissions policy and increased in-state recruitment efforts. The university's estimated acceptance rate for in-state students is 77%, compared to 41% for out-of-state students and 62% for international students, according to fall 2026 estimates.
While much of the country is preparing for an "enrollment cliff," Tennessee is one of a few states expected to see net growth in its population of high school graduates in the coming years.
With more residence halls planned in the coming years, UT could continue growing enrollment to meet rising demand. The university's long-term goal is to reach 55,000 students by 2030, including 14,000 who would be enrolled online.
Keenan Thomas is the higher education reporter for Knox News. Email: keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: As University of Tennessee keeps winning, more applicants are turned away
