
Union College
Website
Location
Schenectady, NY
Closest International Airports
New York City
Ranking
US News Rank #45 in National Liberal Arts Colleges
Undergraduate Body
2150
Annual Tuition Fees
USD 58956
Annual Living Cost
USD 16000
Popular Majors
Economics, Computer Science, Biology & Life Sciences, Engineering
Admissions Officer
Mr. Benjamin Tefft
Next Genius Scholars on Campus
10+
Take the train from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal,
and within three hours you’ll reach the beautiful countryside
town of Schenectady in upstate New York. This is where
Union College stands. Founded in 1795, Union College was
so named owing to its joint emphasis on the union of the
sciences and humanities. Union is the kind of place where
engineering and the arts go hand-in-hand. More than 200
years later, this unique and top-ranked liberal arts college is
still recognized for its interdisciplinary style of education.
Although Union’s charming 100-acre campus was designed
in 1813 by French architect Joseph Jacques Ramée, it today
prides itself on being a very hi-tech campus.
Union offers a liberal arts curriculum across some 21 academic
departments, as well as opportunities for interdepartmental majors and self-designed organizing theme majors. Union operates on a trimester system. All students take two core courses in the first and second year - designed to promote reading, writing, and analytical skills. They also take three interdisciplinary courses in a specific cluster and eight courses spread among social sciences, humanities, linguistic and cultural competency, quantitative and mathematical reasoning, and natural and applied science or engineering.
Undergraduate research has deep roots at Union, starting in the 20th century when a Chemistry professor began involving students in his colloid Chemistry investigations. Each year, about 50 incoming freshmen are named Union Scholars. These students actively engage on research projects in diverse fields such as engineering, digital technologies, biology, chemistry, math, astronomy and the environmental sciences, amongst others. The Leadership in Medicine program, a joint program with the Graduate College of Union University and Albany Medical College, gives students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree, a master of science in health management or business administration in health systems administration, and a medical degree, all in eight years.
Students keep busy on campus owing to a strong culture of events, including concerts, comedians performances, and diverse speakers. There is a very active Greek life on campus, with every third student joining either a frat or a sorority. Almost all students live on campus and there is a strong sense of community. Union’s unique Minerva house system is aimed at getting students and faculty members to contribute to Union’s social, residential, and intellectual life. Popular sports on campus include ice hockey, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and ultimate frisbee. On long weekends, students are known to travel - popular road trips include Boston, Montreal, New York, and the ski slopes of nearby Vermont. By the time they graduate, about 60% of Union students would have engaged in some form of study abroad, one of the highest amongst US colleges.
Union College is 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 an American President, tens of State Presidents, Nobel Prize winners, National Book Award winners, Olympic medallists, and Ivy League University Presidents, amongst a whole range of prominent citizens.
Application Requirements
Submit all components of your application before the deadline. Check the application requirements page (link below) to ensure you have completed all the components of your college application.
Application Deadline:
January 1, 2024
-
Submit Your College Application/Common App
-
Transcripts/Marksheets: Submit your 9th to 11th grade transcripts (marksheets) and your latest 12th grade marksheet
-
Letter of Recommendations
Counselor Recommendation Required, Teacher Evaluation(s): 1 Required
-
English Proficiency Scores
Duolingo English Test, TOEFL or IELTS accepted. Check the international application requirements page on the College Website to see if you are eligible for English Proficiency Test Waiver
-
Test Score Policy
Test-optional
-
Financial Documents
CSS Profile
-
Application Requirements Link