Come as you are.
Life is full of pre-established lanes and rules. But there’s a lot of freedom at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. We believe the best way to approach college is to find what makes you tick, and then build the coming years around it.
A ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ education is open-minded.
We’ll help you try things on for size — in the lab or on the basketball court or in the ceramics studio or wherever your interests lead — until you find what fits for you.
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students tend to be up for just about anything.
It’s a good thing we have about three dozen majors and two dozen minors to choose from.
Some are liberal-arts classics (history, mathematics, philosophy). Some are STEM-focused (neuroscience, engineering, biochemistry). Many draw from more than one discipline (American cultural studies, environmental studies, biochemistry, gender & sexuality studies).
Some won’t exist until you invent them.
Majors
Majors marked with an asterisk (*) represent majors that are interdisciplinary in nature. These programs are administered by a committee of faculty from within the program and from other academic units within the College.
- Africana*
- American Studies*
- Anthropology
- Asian Studies*
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Chinese*
- Classical and Medieval Studies*
- Dance
- Digital and Computational Studies*
- Earth and Climate Sciences
- Economics
- Engineering**
- English
- Environmental Studies*
- European Studies*
- French and Francophone Studies
- Gender and Sexuality Studies*
** Students who choose to participate in the Engineering Combined Plan complete a portion of their education at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and a portion at one of our partner institutions: Case Western University, Columbia University, Dartmouth University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or Washington University in St. Louis.
*** Students may propose individual majors in “” that cross one or more boundaries of the College’s established fields of study. A self-designed interdisciplinary major requires a detailed academic program created in consultation with a faculty advisory board and approval of the Curriculum Review Committee.
Minors and Concentrations
To see a full minors and concentrations and learn more about academics at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, visit this page.
A ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ education is open-hearted.
We know that college isn’t just about developing your intellectual side. It’s also a time to find the people you can lean on so that you can thoughtfully and authentically test your limits.
Class of 2030 Enrollment Profile
Admission rate 16%
Class size 553
Demographic
Female-identified 54%
Male-identified 46%
U.S. students of color 26%
First generation to college 13%
Non-U.S. citizens 9%
Education
Public/charter high school 51%
Independent/private high school 49%
Financial Aid
Total grant aid $16.2 million
% of class receiving ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ grant aid 43%
% of class receiving Pell Grants 14%
Average Need-Based Grant $67,511
Testing
Test-optional since 1984
For those who submitted testing, the middle 50% had score ranges of:
SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing 690-750
SAT Math 710-760
ACT Composite 31-34
Home Geography
Middle Atlantic 23%
Midwest 7%
New England 40%
Southeast 6%
Southwest and West 16%
Outside the U.S. 8%
Statistics are accurate as of 8/01/2026
A ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ education is open-ended.
You’ll never feel like you’re just on a treadmill working toward a diploma. You’ll be too busy making connections across academic fields, job-shadowing alumni, learning in the community, and doing graduate-level research that you really, really care about.
You belong here. Through it all, you’ll have our support to ask big questions — and you’ll find the courage to push through when there aren’t clear answers.
Financial Aid Fast Facts
We awarded $52 MILLION in grants for the 2026-2027 academic year.
When you study abroad, your aid travels with you.
Average federal student loan debt for the Class of 2025 was $13,279 — less than half the national average.
The average need-based grant for this year’s enrolled class is $67,500.
Get to Know Us
Explore
While you may be unable to travel to campus, there are lots of great ways to get to know ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. We invite you to start with the basics of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ or take our virtual tour. You may also scroll through our online Viewbook.
Student Financial Services
1-207-786-6096
sfs@bates.edu
44 Mountain Avenue
Lewiston, Maine 04240
Connect
Ready to talk about ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ with an expert? Strike up an email conversation with a current student, or reach out to your regional admission representative. Join us for a variety of live virtual programming.
Apply to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½
More information on applying to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, including requirements (we are test-optional), decision plans, and deadlines.