Colby College sits on Mayflower Hill above Waterville, a small city on the Kennebec River in central Maine. Founded in 1813, it is a private liberal arts college of about 2,300 undergraduates. In recent years Colby has put money into downtown Waterville, into an art museum with a large collection of American art and into the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence. January brings the Jan Plan, a short term for one intensive course or an internship.
Waterville, Maine, United States
Official website: colby.edu
1813
Private liberal arts college
Mayflower Hill, Waterville
Includes the January Jan Plan term
$68,000 – $72,000
Tuition before need-based aid
$18,000 – $21,000
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 colby.edu before you apply.
BA Economics
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Environmental Studies
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Biology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
The Jan Plan, a January term for one course or an internship.
The Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
The Colby College Museum of Art, free and open to all.
Graduates go into finance, consulting and tech, often via strong alumni networks in Boston and New York.
Many alumni continue to graduate or medical school.
Jan Plan internships give students work experience before graduating.
Undergrad
About 1 Jan
Postgrad
No PG intake
Waterville is small, and Colby is its biggest institution. The college's residence on Main Street puts some students right downtown, next to the new arts centre and cinema.
Winters are long and snowy, which suits skiers and ice hockey fans. Portland is about an hour's drive, and Boston three hours.
Form I-20 issued by Colby 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
Colby has two Early Decision rounds, in November and early January, and a Regular Decision deadline in early January. Financial aid forms for international students are due at the same time.
First-year students start in late August or early September. Colby does not run a spring intake for new first-years.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Colby 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, computer science, environmental studies and biology are popular majors. Colby is selective and reads your full application; strong grades, essays and teacher references matter. Non-native speakers usually need IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 100.
Colby gives need-based aid rather than merit scholarships, and it meets the full demonstrated need of admitted students, including international students. Applying for aid can affect admission for international applicants, so ask how it works.
