From its founding in 1833, Oberlin College has been at the forefront of history. In the 1830s, Oberlin became the first college in the United States to adopt a policy to admit students of color and to admit women into a coeducational program. By 1900, one-third of all African Americans with a college degree had graduated from Oberlin.

Oberlin’s learning environment is like no other, combining a top-ranked liberal arts college, a prestigious music conservatory, and one of the finest academic art museums in the country – on a single campus. At Oberlin, you’ll find that you truly have the power to make a difference. Oberlin's 2,900 students are engaged, determined, intellectual, and creative and embrace the idea that one person can change the world. With small class sizes and a focus on undergraduate teaching, the relationships you’ll build with faculty will provide you with the mentorship you need to navigate your academic life at Oberlin and beyond.

At Oberlin, you’ll engage with your education well beyond the classroom, putting learning into practice through internships, research, study away experiences, winter term, fellowships, and more. All students are guaranteed up to $5,000 in funding to pursue an internship or other pre-professional opportunity, ensuring that you are prepared for success after Oberlin.

More Oberlin alumni have gone on to pursue PhDs than graduates of any other undergraduate institution, and Oberlin students are accepted into medical school at a rate twice the national average. Oberlin graduates pursue a wide array of professional paths and can be found innovating in every field. Employers range from Google to NPR to Goldman Sachs.

Our campus has an incredibly vibrant music and theater scene, with 500+ performances offered each year. We also host an extraordinary lineup of speakers and touring artists. Guest performers in recent years have included Lizzo, Kendrick Lamar, and Chance the Rapper. Outside of music, you’ll find nearly 200 student clubs and organizations on campus, spanning social justice, music, faith, identity, politics, sports, and art. And if it doesn’t already exist, you can easily create it!