A college like no other
Berea College isn’t like other colleges. It was the first integrated, co-educational college in the South, and it has not charged students tuition since 1892.
You Belong Here
We’re looking for students with grit, determination and a hunger for learning; students ready to take on a rigorous, top-ranked liberal arts education and turn it into a rewarding career; students willing to work, to grow and to expand their horizons in a diverse educational setting. We want students who want to join a community of support that is invested in their success.
Is that you? Learn more about what Berea College has to offer.
Find what interests you
Low income, high potential
We only serve students with limited resources, and we're built to help you to thrive.
Visit and apply for free
A campus visit is worth a thousand brochures.
Life at Berea
Imagine yourself here!
Ranked Among the Best
Student Voices
Current students answer your questions
The Heart of Berea
Berea College was founded in 1855 by an ardent abolitionist. We encourage values such as inclusion, equity and impartial love. It shows in everything we do.
The Great Commitments
Our Eight Great Commitments make up the moral framework that informs every action we take toward serving our students, our community and the world beyond. They encourage us to advance the power of love over hate, human dignity and equality, and peace with justice, among other principles.
Distinctly Berean
Berea is a special place. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Berea is a place where art, craft, music and the imagination thrive. At Berea, we nurture the whole student.
The Farm
The oldest continuously operating student educational farm in the U.S.
Craft
Art and traditional crafts matter at Berea.
Forestry Outreach Center and the Pinnacles
The Forestry Outreach Center is the welcome center for our 9,000- acre forest and the #1 hike in KY.
The Farm Store
At the farm store, you can eat food grown and raised within two miles.
You'll love it here
Conveniently located 45 minutes south of Lexington, Kentucky, you will find a wealth of things to do, from grabbing lunch made with organically grown foods from our College Farm to shopping to hiking to exploring our student-made crafts.
The “Trace” is the thread that weaves together our history and our future, the forest and farm, shops and galleries. We can’t wait to share all of these amazing places with you.
Visit the Berea College Trace website to learn more.
Find Your Place
At Berea, academics is only part of the journey. We encourage our students to explore opportunities that will make their four years unforgettable—from studying abroad, to paid internships and work program positions that explore their range of interests. We even give every student a brand-new laptop to facilitate their learning.
No other college in the nation offers scholarships and financial aid packages as generous as the ones Berea grants. We want to make all opportunities to learn, work or volunteer as accessible as possible.
A Berea liberal arts education fosters exploration. Your coursework is taken from different disciplines while pursing a major that follows your own education and professional interests.
Our students explore their interests through experiential learning opportunities. Because of that, graduates leave Berea positioned to succeed.