Berea College is a private college of liberal arts and sciences serving the aspirants since 1855. It is located in Berea Kentucky and is the first interracial as well as coeducational college in the South. The college has an enrollment of 1,652 undergraduates. Around 10% of the total enrollment i.e. 120 students are a part of the university’s international student body. The college welcomes international students from all over the world and currently has students from over 70 countries to study in US. However, the university has limited new international student enrollment to 30 students per year.

Berea College offers only bachelor’s degree programs with a choice of 33 majors. It is one of the top liberal arts colleges in the U.S. The college is the only such institution in America that provides a Tuition Promise Scholarship to all enrolled students. As a result, students pay no tuition fee. International students receive scholarships that cover 100% of the expenses for the first year at the university. It is regarded as one of Kentucky’s most selective institutions. In 2023, the college had a selectivity rate of 30%. Berea made its position in the Best 386 College in the U.S. in the Princeton Review 2023 Guide.

Berea College Rankings

• According to a U.S. News and World Report 2023, it ranks
  • #33 in National Liberal Arts Colleges
  • #11 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
  • #2 in Most Innovative Schools
  • #1 in Service Learning
  • #9 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
  • #7 in First Year Experiences
  • #6 in Co-ops/ Internships

• THE World University Rankings has placed Berea =144th in U.S. College Rankings 2023.
• As per Niche 2023 Best Colleges, it ranks 69th in Best Colleges for Global studies in America and 51st in Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences in America.

Highlights

Berea College Campus

• Far from the commotion of city life, situated in a suburban setting, Berea College is spread over an area of almost 140 acres.
• Social/cultural activities elevate the academic and labor programs. Students likewise learn significant leadership and communication skills.
• Convocations feature notable national and international speakers, scholars, and performers.
• Through NCAA Division III, students can take part in 7 men’s and 7 women’s sports. It has over 100 active student clubs and organizations.
• It has 16 national and international honor societies.
• More than 500 students participate every year in Campus Outdoor Recreation Program and Outdoor Adventures like canoeing, camping, rock climbing, kayaking, white-water sports, archery, and many more.

Berea College Residence

• There is a range of housing options for Berea College students.
• As a residential college, all full-time students particularly international students are required to live on campus.
• It has 14 residence halls with different rooms features, size, architecture and traditions.
• Features of on-campus accommodation include air conditioning, common kitchen, laundry, restrooms, lounges, etc.
• Rooms in the residence halls are furnished with beds, mattresses, desks, closet space and window blinds.
• The residential buildings are present in Anna Smith, Bingham, Blue Ridge, Dana, Danforth, Deep Green, Ecovillage, Elizabeth Rodgers and Fairchild.

Berea College Courses

• Berea College offers bachelor’s degree programs in 28 academic areas.
• The college only provides programs at the undergraduate level.
• Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in 33 majors.
• Some additional programs such as professional programs, dual-degree programs in engineering and student-designed majors are also available.
• There are 15 teacher education programs taught at the college.
• Biology has been the top choice of majors among students in the recent years.
• Some of the newest addition to the list of programs available include Peace and Social Justice Studies and 9 minors.
• Over one-third of the students select electives outside their choice of majors that add to the liberal arts curriculum.

Berea College Application Process

Application Portal: International applicants can apply for the Berea College admissions through Berea College Portal

Application Fee (non-refundable): Nil

Admission Requirements:

• Completed Application
• High School Transcript
• School Counselor Evaluation Form
• Teacher Recommendation Form
• Official Test Scores: ACT, SAT, TOEFL or IELTS
• In addition to the above-mentioned documents, the international candidates are required to submit the following documents:
  • International Personal Essay and Essay Cover Sheet
  • Copy of Official Secondary School Records.
  • Personal Statement of Financial Circumstances.
  • International Financial Questionnaire (IFQ).
  • International Financial Recommendation Form.
  • 2 Letter of Recommendations
  • English Language Proficiency: IELTS-6.0, TOEFL IBT - 68

Berea College Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance for Berea College for 2023-24 is given below:

Berea College Admission Deadlines

The important deadlines for applying to Berea College are as follows:

Berea College Financial Aid For International Students

• It offers Tuition Promise Scholarships to each student worth USD 100,000 over four years.
• There are about 9 Berea College Scholarships to study in US along with several prestigious external scholarships like the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship.
• About USD 55,389,392 was granted for need-based scholarships and grants to students of class 2023.
• Gifts to the Berea Fund support full-tuition scholarships, labs, textbooks, classrooms, ongoing operations, and more.
• The college also offers financial aids for graduate application fees and research into schools and programs.

Berea College Alumni

• Over 18,000 alumni live in all 50 states and Districts of Columbia, U.S. territories, and 75 nations.
• The Berea College offers around 6 awards to its Alumni. Alumni are acknowledged for both their achievements in their professional life and their service to their alma mater as well.
• Notable alumni of Berea College include:
  • John Fenn: 2002 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry
  • G. Samuel Hurst: Physicist and inventor of touch-screen technology
  • Jack Roush: Automotive engineer, designer, and owner of Roush Racing
  • Carter G. Woodson: The father of black history

Berea College Placements

The Office of Internships and Career Development extends its support to students, employers and alumni through digital resources for finding jobs in US. It helps in finding jobs and internships, event postings, 1-1 support through appointments, resume and cover letter reviews, etc.

The Handshake portal of the college currently lists more than 1,200 internships, 2,500 full-time jobs, 200 part-time jobs and 1,000 remote jobs while new opportunities are added regularly. According to Payscale, graduates of Berea College can earn 56,418 USD. The starting salary of graduates is around 40,900 USD which can go up to 70,900 USD with work experience.