No student at Berea College pays tuition. Every student works instead, through the college's labour programme, in jobs from the dining hall to the college-owned Boone Tavern hotel and the craft workshops. Abolitionists founded Berea in 1855 as the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, and it still admits students with limited financial means. International places are few, and competition for them is fierce.
Berea, Kentucky, United States
Official website: berea.edu
1855
None charged to any student
Every student works on campus
Private liberal arts college
No tuition fee
Tuition Promise Scholarship covers tuition for every student
$8,000 – $11,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on berea.edu before you apply.
BA Computer and Information Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BA Economics
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BA Appalachian Studies
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Agriculture and Natural Resources
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
No tuition for any admitted student.
A labour programme in which students help run the college.
Student craft workshops in woodworking, weaving and broomcraft.
Many graduates finish with little or no debt, which makes graduate school easier.
Four years of campus work gives graduates real experience to show employers.
F-1 graduates can apply for OPT after finishing their degree.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
No PG intake
Berea is a small town where the Bluegrass meets the Appalachian foothills, known for its craft studios and galleries. The Pinnacles trails in the college forest are a short drive from campus.
Lexington is about 40 minutes north. Almost everyone lives on campus with a meal plan, so day-to-day spending stays low.
Form I-20 issued by Berea College
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
International applications have an early deadline, usually in the autumn of the year before entry, and Berea admits only a small number of international students each year. Check the current date on the admissions site and apply well ahead.
New students start in August. There's no January entry for first-year international students.
You'll need an F-1 visa. Once you accept your offer and send proof of funding, Berea College issues the Form I-20. After that it's the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 form and an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, economics, nursing, biology and Appalachian studies are among the popular majors. Admission looks at school results, essays and financial need, with TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers. The college is set up for students with limited means.
Tuition is free for everyone, and international students receive aid toward housing and meals as well. Expect a modest personal contribution each year; check the current amount with admissions.
