Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
University of Notre Dame supplemental essays.
All 5 essay questions University of Notre Dame asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against admissions.nd.edu on October 17, 2026
What you write: Answer the required essay and two of the four short answers.
Your non-negotiables
Everyone has different priorities when considering their higher education options and building their college or university list. Tell us about your “non-negotiable” factor(s) when searching for your future college home.
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
Faith and your decisions
How does faith influence the decisions you make?
Pick two of the four short answers.
How to approach it
- Every word counts. Cut warm-up phrases like “I believe that”.
- Specific beats impressive: a real song, a real food, a real place.
- It’s fine to be funny if that’s you.
What's distinctive about you
What is distinctive about your personal experiences and development (eg, family support, culture, disability, personal background, community)? Why are these experiences important to you and how will you enrich the Notre Dame community?
Pick two of the four short answers.
How to approach it
- Say plainly what the community is.
- Show your place in it with one real scene.
- End with what you’d bring to campus.
Service to others
Notre Dame’s undergraduate experience is characterized by a collective sense of care for every person. How do you foster service to others in your community?
Pick two of the four short answers.
How to approach it
- Say plainly what the community is.
- Show your place in it with one real scene.
- End with what you’d bring to campus.
What you'd fight for
What would you fight for?
Pick two of the four short answers.
How to approach it
- Every word counts. Cut warm-up phrases like “I believe that”.
- Specific beats impressive: a real song, a real food, a real place.
- It’s fine to be funny if that’s you.
Want a mentor on your essays?
Clarity Prep members get a mentor who reads every draft with them, knows their whole application and checks in every week until it’s done.