Bowdoin College has been in Brunswick, Maine, since 1794, a few miles from the rocky coast. Longfellow and Hawthorne were both students here. It's a highly selective liberal arts college with under 2,000 students, and it dropped required test scores back in 1969, decades before most colleges. Students use a coastal studies centre on Orr's Island and an Arctic museum named after Peary and MacMillan, both Bowdoin graduates.
Brunswick, Maine, United States
Official website: bowdoin.edu
1794
Private liberal arts college
Test-optional since 1969
Meets full demonstrated need without loans
$67,000 – $71,000
Tuition and fees before need-based aid
$17,000 – $20,000
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 bowdoin.edu before you apply.
BA Economics
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 100, IELTS: 7.0
BA Government and Legal Studies
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 100, IELTS: 7.0
BA Biology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 100, IELTS: 7.0
BA Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 100, IELTS: 7.0
BA Environmental Studies
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 100, IELTS: 7.0
A coastal studies centre on Orr's Island.
The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum on campus.
Aid packages that meet full need without loans.
Graduates go on to leading graduate, law and medical schools.
Many join finance, consulting and public service in Boston and New York.
F-1 graduates can apply for OPT after their degree.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
No PG intake
Brunswick is a small Maine town with an unusually wide Maine Street running past campus. The Androscoggin River and the coast's inlets are close by.
The Amtrak Downeaster runs from Brunswick to Portland and Boston. Winters are cold and snowy, and the college's dining halls are famous for their food.
Form I-20 issued by Bowdoin 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
Early Decision I closes in mid-November, and Early Decision II and Regular Decision in early January. International applicants use the Common App with school reports, recommendations and English results where needed.
All first-year students start in August.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Bowdoin College after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Economics, government and legal studies, biology, computer science and environmental studies are among the most popular majors. Bowdoin is highly selective and looks closely at school results, essays and recommendations. SAT or ACT scores are optional, and non-native speakers usually send an English test.
Bowdoin doesn't give merit scholarships. It meets the full demonstrated need of admitted students, international students included, with grants instead of loans. Aid for international applicants is limited, so request it when you apply for admission.
