Johns Hopkins University
America's first research university, with unmatched strengths in biomedical engineering, public health, and the medical sciences.
- Next deadline
- Not listedConfirm on the official admissions site
- Essays
- 1Prompt
- Supplement
- Required2025-2026 cycle
- Platform
- Common AppAccepted platform
- Selectivity
- 7.5%Highly selective
- Enrollment
- 6,044Mid-size undergrad
Build your Johns Hopkins University application plan
Track the deadline, review every supplemental essay prompt, and shape each response around one clear admissions story.
Application deadlines
Supplemental essay prompts
- Supplement350 words2025-2026
Over the past 150 years, every monumental discovery at Hopkins has started with a first step: The first draft by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. A prototype that led to a life-changing medical invention. The first pitch that launched a new startup venture. As we commemorate the university's sesquicentennial—150 years since its founding—we continue to celebrate first steps just as much as final achievements. Tell us about an important first in your life—big or small—that has shaped you.
How to approach Johns Hopkins University's supplemental essays
Choose a role before you draft
Decide what this essay should add to the application: evidence, range, bridge, or a new window into your life. Avoid repeating the Common App essay in miniature.
Use this as a blank structure for a Johns Hopkins University supplement response, then replace every bracket with your own specifics.
- Open on [specific scene, object, problem, or conversation].
- Show what [choice/action/constraint] reveals about how you think.
- Connect that trait to [school program, community, lab, class, or value].
- End with the contribution you want to make at Johns Hopkins University, not a compliment.
Need more help with this application?
Use our guides to plan your supplement, sharpen your Why Us research, and review your draft before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
How many supplemental essays does Johns Hopkins University require?
Johns Hopkins University has 1 supplemental essay listed for the 2025-2026 application cycle, in addition to the shared application essay.
Does Johns Hopkins University accept the Common Application?
Yes — Johns Hopkins University accepts the Common Application.
What is Johns Hopkins University's acceptance rate?
Johns Hopkins University's most recently reported acceptance rate is 7.5%.
What does Johns Hopkins University's supplement essay prompt ask (350 words)?
Over the past 150 years, every monumental discovery at Hopkins has started with a first step: The first draft by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. A prototype that led to a life-changing medical invention. The first pitch that launched a new startup venture. As we commemorate the university's sesquicentennial—150 years since its founding—we continue to celebrate first steps just as much as final achievements. Tell us about an important first in your life—big or small—that has shaped you.
Sources and verification
We prioritize Johns Hopkins University's official admissions pages for school-specific prompts and deadlines, then use application-platform and federal sources as cross-checks. This record was last verified on July 19, 2026 for the 2025-2026 cycle.
Review official source →