Centre College encourages candidates from around the globe to join us on our supportive, student-centered campus.
Challenging academics, personalized attention, and enriching research and internship experiences prepare Centre students for success in the workforce and acceptance into top-tier graduate programs.
Ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report.
The majority of our students seek advanced degrees after graduation.
Our students are guaranteed hands-on experiences.
Among the highest in the nation.
Among the highest in the nation.
The Centre Spotlight
Wuthikah Pun has long held public service close to heart, and she expanded that focus as a Lincoln Scholar at Centre. A Cambodia native, Pun said Centre helped find ways to ignite her passion for service through experiences like study abroad and as a Public Policy and International Affairs fellow.
It’s easy and absolutely free to apply to Centre online using the Common Application or the Coalition for College Application.
Apply via Common App Apply via the Coalition for College App
| Application Plan | Application Deadline | Admission Notification | Deposit Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | November 1 | December 1 | January 15 |
| Early Action | November 15 | Mid-February | May 1 |
| Early Decision II | January 15 | February 15 | March 1 |
| Regular Decision | February 1 | April 1 | May 1 |
Our admission process considers a number of factors to help us know more about you including academic records, English proficiency, teacher recommendations, a written essay, and a certificate of finance. Centre does not require the CSS Profile for international applicants.
Applicants will be given access to the CentreNet admission portal within approximately one week of submitting their Common App or Coalition for College Application. Please submit your supporting documents through this portal under the “Upload Materials” section of your status page. If you’re having trouble submitting a document through the portal, please reach out to our team at intladmission@centre.edu.
Official or attested copies of academic records must be submitted from all secondary schools attended, as well as from any university or other post-secondary institution attended. Records should include the subjects studied and the grade, mark, or other evidence that each subject was completed satisfactorily. Records should explain the grading system. If records are not in English, records should be submitted in the original language accompanied by a certified literal translation. Records will not be returned.
All international applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. An international applicant can demonstrate proficiency in the following ways:
If you believe our TOEFL/IELTS/DET requirement should be waived for you, please complete our waiver request form.
Note: We are only able to evaluate these forms after a student has completed their admission application, including supporting materials. Please note that all students who submit this waiver may be required to complete an interview and/or submit test scores to be considered for admission.
One letter of recommendation must be submitted as well as the School Report found in your application. Teachers who are familiar with your recent academic performance should write recommendations. The forms in the application can be copied. We encourage recommendation writers to submit their letter directly through the applicant’s chosen application platform (Common App or the Coalition for College Application). If there is an issue submitting through those platforms, writers should email the Admission Office at intladmission@centre.edu and attach the letter to the email. Letters of recommendation should NOT come from the applicant.
Applicants are required to submit at least one essay of 500-650 words written in English, included in their Common Application or Coalition for College Application. The content of the essay should address one of the specific questions posed on the application.
All international applicants MUST submit Centre’s online financial form to be considered for admission and scholarships. Applicants must submit this form even if they are applying for the full cost Lincoln Scholars Program. We do NOT require a separate financial aid application or copies of bank statements. Centre does not require international applicants to submit the CSS Profile.
Centre sets its cost each year as a comprehensive fee. This fee includes tuition, all academic fees, student housing (room), meals (board), and most on-campus events. You can expect this comprehensive fee to increase slightly each year (on average 3-4%). Scholarship amounts do NOT increase annually to match these increased fees. Students who need additional financial aid after they have enrolled at Centre should contact the Financial Aid Office. While international students are eligible for partial need-based financial aid, it is not common for need-based grants to increase each year. We will do our best to take individual circumstances into consideration for enrolled students.
Cost of Attending Centre
Need-based financial aid grants and merit scholarships are available to highly qualified students. Over the last three years, these grants ranged from $3,000-$21,000, with the average grant of $11,000 awarded to highly qualified admitted students who required additional financial support. In most cases, financial aid grants are added to merit scholarships in order to meet the student’s financial need.
The financial aid that Centre College can provide to international students is limited. International students receiving financial aid should still expect to self-fund their education at the rate of approximately $25,000 per year. Scholarship amounts are not increased to adjust for the typical annual increases in cost of attendance. We recommend that international applicants who need significant financial aid to attend Centre, apply on our Early Action or Regular Decision plans, to allow appropriate time to apply separately for scholarship programs.
International students who will be studying in the US on an F-1 student visa do not qualify for the Centre Promise as they are ineligible for federal financial aid. International applicants who are unable to self-fund their education at the rate of approximately $25,000 per year should apply for our competitive Lincoln Scholars Program.
International applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships ranging from $15,000 to $30,000 per academic year. Separate scholarship applications are required for Centre’s competitive Lincoln Scholars Program and for the Special Interest Scholarships listed below.
| General Merit Scholarship | Amount |
|---|---|
| General Merit | $15,000 – $30,000 |
| Premier Scholarships | Amount |
|---|---|
| Lincoln Scholars Program | Full tuition, fees, room and board, plus |
| Special Interest Scholarships | Amount |
|---|---|
| Performing Arts | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Studio Arts | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Language | $3,000 – $5,000 |
The opportunities listed above are the only scholarships for which international applicants are eligible. Applicants may apply to multiple Special Interest Scholarships but will only be awarded one.
Below is a list of questions we have answered for international applicants in the past. If you still have additional questions after reading through this list, please contact intladmission@centre.edu.
International students who will be studying in the US on an F-1 student visa do not qualify for the Centre Promise as they are ineligible for federal financial aid. International applicants who are unable to self-fund their education at the rate of approximately $25,000 per year should apply for our competitive Lincoln Scholars Program.
All international students must submit our online Certificate of Finance, which states your ability to afford college fees. Certificate of Finance Form
Please know that if a student later intends to enroll at Centre College that they will need to show proof of financial support at the US consulate in order to obtain a student visa.
We do NOT require a separate financial aid application, copies of bank statements, or the CSS Profile for international applicants. All international applicants MUST submit the Certificate of Finance on our website to complete their admission application.
Need-based financial aid grants are available to highly qualified students, and can be combined with merit scholarships. Over the last three years, these grants ranged from $3,000-$21,000, with the average grant of $11,000 awarded to highly qualified admitted students who required additional financial support.
The financial aid that Centre College can provide to international students is limited. International students receiving financial aid should still expect to self-fund their education at the rate of approximately $25,000 per year. If you are an international applicant who is unable to afford this approximate amount, you should apply for our competitive premier scholarship.
Centre has one scholarship program that offers full funding for international students. The Lincoln Scholars Program requires a separate online application.
Centre does not offer full need-based funding for international students, and students who require a full scholarship should make plans to apply for the Lincoln program as the best and only way to secure full funding at Centre.
Centre sets its cost each year as a comprehensive fee. The total cost of attendance for international students for the 2024-25 academic year is $72,200. This includes the base comprehensive fee of tuition, all academic fees, student housing, board (meals), and most cultural and athletic events on campus + required health insurance, books, transportation to campus, and personal expenses. The cost for each student will vary depending on scholarships and aid that may be awarded. Please keep in mind that colleges do increase their tuition each year.
Once you submit your application through the Common App or the Coalition for College Application, our office will send an email with log-in information for your Centre applicant portal, also called CentreNet. You can check the status of your application, see missing materials, and submit certain documents via this portal.
Score reports may be sent from the respective testing services, included on a student’s high school transcript, or emailed to intladmission@centre.edu by the applicant’s school counselor. Or, an applicant can self-report scores by submitting a screenshot or PDF of the score report via email to intladmission@centre.edu. This policy applies to all standardized tests and English proficiency tests. Centre superscores both the SAT and the ACT, meaning that if you have taken either test more than once, you should submit all your scores, and we will add your highest section scores together to give you the highest possible combined score. If an applicant who self-reports scores decides to attend Centre, they must submit official copies of test reports prior to enrollment.
If you believe our English proficiency test requirement should be waived, please submit a waiver form for consideration.
Centre College currently does not offer DET fee waivers. We do offer other ways for you to provide proof of English proficiency. Please review the Application Requirements section above on this webpage.
When Centre reviews an international applicant for admission, we need some reassurance that, if admitted, the student will be able to afford to attend our institution. That is why we ask for the Certificate of Finance which states the family’s ability to pay for education. It is sometimes the case that while a student’s credentials would make them a very qualified applicant, we will not be able to offer admission due to a lack of finances. We do sometimes place students on a financial aid waitlist, which indicates that while we would like to offer admission, we are unable to do so unless the student: a) receives a premier scholarship from Centre, or b) the family amends the Certificate of Finance to show a greater capacity to pay educational expenses.
If a student needs a significant amount of financial assistance to afford attendance to Centre College (beyond our general international student merit scholarships), they should apply separately for the Lincoln Scholars Program, which provides full financial support. The Program is open to international applicants and requires a separate online application. The deadline to apply for this program is December 1; finalists are named in February and recipients are named in April.
Need-based financial aid grants are available to highly qualified students and can be combined with merit scholarships. Over the last three years, these grants ranged from $3,000-$21,000, with the average grant of $11,000 awarded to highly qualified admitted students who required additional financial support.
The financial aid that Centre College can provide to international students is limited. International students receiving financial aid should still expect to self-fund their education at the rate of approximately $25,000 per year.
If a student wants/needs full funding to attend Centre, they can apply separately for the Lincoln Scholars Program, which is Centre’s only option for covering the full cost of attendance.
Centre College does not require interviews for international applicants. Students who complete their application to Centre will be invited via email to sign up for an optional interview (Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp, or WeChat). Interviews are available on a limited basis and are not mandatory. Please do not request an interview if you have not completed your application.
Our welcoming and knowledgeable staff members will help you navigate the admissions, enrollment, and immigration process. The International Student Services Office will support your academic and personal needs, such as getting a driver’s license or finding employment.
Learn more about International Student Services
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