Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College is a nationally recognized liberal arts college of about 2,000 students located in beautiful mid-coast Maine. Bowdoin represents an idea that if you give smart, kind young people access to one of the best educations on earth, they will use it to create good in the world. We choose our students, who come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, because they are thoughtful, curious, and willing to take risks. At Bowdoin they collaborate across our writing seminars, field research, and through eighty majors and minors to work towards the common good.
Accepts first-year applicationsNew EnglandPrivateSuburbanSmall (2,000 and under)Co-Ed
Academic programs
- Engineering
- Research
- Science
- Liberal Arts
- Education
- Music
- Art & Design
- Economics
- Government/Political Science
- Health Science
- Performing Arts
- Social Science
- Visual Arts
- Computer Science
Student experience
- Athletics
- Co-op/Internship Opportunities
- Disability Services
- Intramural/Club Sports
- LGBTQIA Services
- Military/Veteran Services
- On-Campus Housing
- Study Abroad
- Undergraduate Research
- Veteran Fee Waiver
Application information
First-year
First-year students are students who have never matriculated at another college or university. Students who have taken some college-level work while enrolled in secondary school should apply as first-year candidates. Early Decision 1 Application Deadline: November 15. Early Decision 2 Application Deadline: January 5. Regular Decision Application Deadline: January 5. Bowdoin automatically waives the $65 application fee for students who are applying for financial aid or who are first-generation-to-college (neither parent graduated from a four-year college or university).
Transfer
Any student who has been enrolled in a degree-granting program must apply as a transfer student. Transfer applicants should submit the Common Application by the March 3 deadline. Bowdoin requires both high school and college transcripts for admission as well as the College Report and two academic evaluations from faculty at your current institution. Transfer admission to Bowdoin is extremely competitive. We generally receive between 150-200 transfer applications, and we admit five to twenty candidates. Bowdoin offers a fall transfer program.
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Additional information
Bowdoin’s financial support is behind you throughout your college journey—going well beyond tuition, housing, and food to include things like studying abroad, internships, personal computing, and more. This means you can concentrate on just being a Bowdoin student. And, when you graduate, you can focus on whatever comes next—without student debt limiting your options.
Bowdoin is need blind for all applicants, which means that your ability to pay is never a factor or barrier to admission. Bowdoin meets your full calculated need using need-based scholarships—not loans—which never have to be paid back.
Nearly half of our enrolled students receive need-based aid from Bowdoin and the College stands firm in its decision to eliminate student loans from student financial aid packages. Our online calculators are a great starting point to estimate our financial aid eligibility—or contact our Student Aid office to have your questions answered directly.
Bowdoin is need blind for all applicants, which means that your ability to pay is never a factor or barrier to admission. Bowdoin meets your full calculated need using need-based scholarships—not loans—which never have to be paid back.
Nearly half of our enrolled students receive need-based aid from Bowdoin and the College stands firm in its decision to eliminate student loans from student financial aid packages. Our online calculators are a great starting point to estimate our financial aid eligibility—or contact our Student Aid office to have your questions answered directly.
Visit us
Campus Tours and Information Sessions
Campus tours, led by current students, are available with advance registration. Self-guided campus tours and virtual tours are also available.
Attend one of our virtual opportunities
Watch an information session, join a conversation with a student or admissions officer, or join an event.
Sign up for an interview
Interviews are available for seniors and applicants seeking admissions in the upcoming application period.
Apply for Explore Bowdoin
Explore Bowdoin is a virtual college visit program for students from lower income backgrounds, students who will be the first in their families to attend college, or rural areas.