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Admissions & Aid
Admissions

Admissions & Aid

You belong at Berea.

We’re looking for students with grit, determination and financial need. Students ready to take on a rigorous, top-ranked liberal arts education and turn it into a rewarding career. Students willing to work, to grow, and to expand their horizons through diversity. And students who want to join a community of support that is invested in their success. 

Is this you? Learn more about what Berea College has to offer. 

The Berea Difference

8:1
Student-to-Faculty Ratio

That's one faculty member for every eight students.

62%
of students graduated with zero student loan debt in 2021-22.

The national average for student loan debt is $35,000.

1,454
Total Student Body

Our students come from 45 states, 1 U.S. Territory and 70 countries.

Berea by the Numberschevron_right

No Tuition

$0. That’s how much 1,454 Berea College students paid for tuition last year. Berea College believes your income shouldn’t limit your outcome, which is why we have not charged students tuition since 1892.

[Berea College is] the best in the nation at enrolling low-income students, and among the best at getting them to the podium on Commencement Day – at exceptionally low cost.

Washington Monthly editors
2023 College Guide and Rankings

Academics

Recognized among America’s top schools, Berea College combines academic rigor with a diverse and supportive learning community. Berea College offers majors in more than 33 fields of study that can lead to Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and/or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. Don’t see your exact major? An Independent Major option is available to students who want to pursue a customized field of study that isn’t already an established major program. Explore what Berea has to offer!

Student Voices

Supportive Environment

We're in this together

Nationally, just 21 percent of first generation and economically disadvantaged students graduate college within six years. At Berea, our graduation rate for these groups is three times as high.

At a Glance

$350
Stipend provided for professional clothing

We provide every senior student with funds to buy professional clothing, and we even take them to a department store where a representative helps them make the best choices.

5,000
Number of Laptops issued to incoming students since 2002

Berea empowers its students in the digital age, and students keep their laptops when they graduate.

$4,000
The average amount provided to each student for an internship experience.

Berea College funds internship opportunities that help students grow, learn and find their career paths.

Learn More about Student Supportchevron_right

Why?

It’s because we know that just selecting you for admission is not enough. Low-income students face pressures and life situations that wealthier students do not. Because of that, Berea College has developed programming to help students transition into college, through college, and out into a career after college. It helps, too, that all of our students are in the same financial boat, meaning nobody is alone here.

Berea College faculty greet incoming students

Opportunities

We encourage our students to explore opportunities that will make their four years unforgettable—from studying abroad, to paid internships and labor positions that explore their range of interests.

Eddie '23 studying abroad in Italy
Autumn '23 studying abroad in London
Student photographers take photos at Carter Caves

Labor Program

Berea College hires every student to work campus jobs that enhance their education while preparing them for life after college. When our students enter the professional world, the experience they have gained in the labor program gives them an advantage over graduates from other schools. Learn more about the program.

Emely Zavala at desk with Google on screen
Because Of Berea: Emely’s Story

As a student, Emely Alfaro-Zavala ’21 worked in IS&S, then as a computer science teaching assistant. Now, she works at Google.

Xhafer Rama
Making the Most of It

Upon graduating from Berea College, Xhafer Rama ’17 began working at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where he developed a software platform for the U.S. Department of Defense that collects data about the mosquito-borne illness Chikungunya.

Life at Berea

Berea College offers a collaborative learning environment where faculty, staff and students grow as individuals and as a community.

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Berea is a place where art, crafts, music and the imagination thrive. We support a wealth of local eateries, and the area is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts—including biking, hiking, kayaking and more. On campus, we offer engaging programs, athletics, and 60+ active recognized organizations and clubs. Explore life at Berea!

Berea College basketball game
The BMED dance club performing during the College’s annual Mountain Day festivities

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity is in our DNA

Since 1855, Berea College has believed in the power of education to transform students and employees from all walks of life. The College was the first interracial, co-educational institution established in the South. Founded by ardent abolitionist, John G. Fee, the institution of Berea firmly believes that, “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.” This is the motto of the school.

Many former and current students will tell you their experience with diversity at Berea shaped them in several ways. It has made them better students, leaders, and people.

Since the 1800s, Berea College has been a leader in higher education. Because our founder, Rev. John G. Fee, was a staunch abolitionist advocating for immediate emancipation and full citizenship for enslaved Africans, diversity has always been in our DNA. The mission wasn’t just racial equality, but to erase the very idea that superficial attributes, including wealth, had anything to do with whether a student “deserved” a good education.

Luke Hodson
Associate Vice President of Admissions

Contact Us

Berea College | 209 Chestnut St. | Haaga House | CPO 2220 | Berea, KY 40404 | 800-326-5948 | askadmissions@berea.edu

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