Take the train from New York City’s Penn Station, and within three hours, you will reach the Capitol District of New York and the city of Schenectady. Founded in 1795, Union College was so named to reflect the founders' desire to create a welcoming, unified academic community open to all religions and nationalities. Union is a place where engineering, science, economics, social science, humanities and the arts go hand-in-hand. For more than 200 years, this unique and top- ranked liberal arts college has been recognized for its interdisciplinary and innovative style of education.

Although Union’s charming 100-acre campus was designed in 1813 by French architect Joseph Jacques Ramée, today it boasts top ranked, state-of-the-art labs, research equipment and facilities across all disciplines. Union offers a liberal arts curriculum across 47 academic departments, as well as opportunities for interdepartmental majors, interdisciplinary programs and self-designed Organizing Theme majors. Undergraduate research has deep roots at Union, starting in 1796 with the bold purchase of scientific apparatus, making undergraduate research an integral part of the college curriculum from the very beginning. Today, vibrant research in all fields and forms is woven into the Union curriculum. Union tops among their peer schools when it comes to access, inspiration and opportunity. Many students regard hands-on research experience as the most important aspect of their education. Union provides grants, impressive labs and arts facilities, and faculty mentorship to help students launch their research dreams. During the annual Steinmetz Symposium, more than 500 students present work on subjects from the fragility of coral reefs to French horror films. All of this research is funded with more than $12 million in grant funding for research and instrumentation. In the fall of 2019, Union College opened a $100 million Integrated Science and Engineering Complex, transforming the school’s historic approach to interdisciplinary engagement by creating a fully unified and integrated complex. It ranks among the finest undergraduate science and engineering facilities in the US.

Students keep busy on campus owing to a strong culture of events, including concerts and performances as well as diverse speakers. With more than 90% of students living on campus, there is a strong sense of community. Union’s unique Minerva house program is aimed at getting students and faculty members to contribute to Union’s social, residential, and intellectual life. There are over 130 clubs and organizations, 30+ volunteer programs, and 9 fraternities and sororities on campus. Popular sports on campus include ice hockey, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and ultimate Frisbee. Campus is a short walk to the heart of downtown Schenectady, and close to ski areas, parks and rivers. A long weekend road trip can include Boston, Montreal and New York City. By the time they graduate, about 60% of Union students will have engaged in some form of study abroad, one of the highest amongst US colleges.

Union College was ranked #11 Liberal Arts College where graduates earn the most by Forbes, and #10 Best Science Lab facilities by Princeton Review. Over the decades, Union has graduated a US President, Ivy League University Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, National Book Award winners, world changing innovators, Olympic medalists, and Fortune 500 CEOs, amongst a whole range of prominent citizens.