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admission   —   admittance

Both these words refer to gaining physical entrance, or access (to a right or privilege) to enter or join something.  Though they are often used interchangeably, i.e. admission in place of admittance and vice versa, there are some important difference, and the following point may help to understand them better:

“Admission” is less formal and is used in more situations than “admittance”.

“Admittance” is more formal and is more or less limited to situations demanding more formality, like, let us say, entering a governor’s office; and in the best present usage, on sign boards.

And for entering or joining educational institutions, clubs, museums, art galleries, concert halls, societies, hotels, etc. the preferred word is admission; besides, admission is also the money (fee) charged for entering any public or private place.

In an entirely different sense, admission is used to refer to confession (the act of saying that one has done something wrong or bad).

e.g.

He applied for admission to our school.

She was not given admission to hospital because she looked quite healthy.

The admission of her crime saved her from severe punishment.  (confession)

The notice on the door of a minister’s office:

NO ADMITTANCE EXCEPT ON MONDAYS

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