Matthew Vassar, a Poughkeepsie brewer, founded the college in 1861 as one of the first degree-granting colleges for women in the US. It went coeducational in 1969. Today Vassar is a highly selective liberal arts college with about 2,500 students and an open curriculum with few required courses. The campus is an arboretum in the Hudson Valley, a train ride from New York City.
Poughkeepsie, New York, United States
Official website: vassar.edu
1861
Private liberal arts college
About 2,500 students
Open curriculum with few requirements
$70,000 – $74,000
Tuition and fees before financial 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 vassar.edu before you apply.
BA Economics
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Political Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Psychological Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Film
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
An open curriculum that lets students shape their own degree.
A campus arboretum with Sunset Lake and the Loeb Art Center.
Strong film, drama and art history departments.
Graduates go on to law, medicine, publishing, finance and the arts.
Many continue to graduate school at leading US universities.
Bachelor's graduates can apply for OPT, with extensions for STEM majors.
Undergrad
1 Jan 2027
Postgrad
No PG intake
Students live on campus all four years, mostly in historic residence halls around the quad. Main Building still anchors the grounds.
Poughkeepsie sits on the Hudson River, and the Walkway Over the Hudson is a local favourite. Metro-North trains reach Grand Central in about two hours.
Form I-20 issued by Vassar 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 around 15 November and Regular Decision around 1 January 2027. Early Decision II shares the January deadline. Applications go through the Common App.
First-year students start in late August. Transfer students can also start in January.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Vassar 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, political science, psychology and film are popular. Admission is holistic and very competitive: strong grades, essays and references matter most. Non-native English speakers usually need TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.0.
Vassar meets the full demonstrated financial need of admitted students, including international students, with grants rather than loans. Admission for international applicants who ask for aid is need-aware, so it can affect your chances.
