Colgate University

Yes. Colgate meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted undergraduates regardless of citizenship, so international students can be funded up to a full ride. Under the Colgate Commitment, every institutional aid package is loan-free — grants and campus work only, nothing to repay — and it automatically covers the average cost of textbooks. All aid is need-based; there are no academic merit scholarships.

No — Colgate is need-aware for international applicants. The admissions committee sees how much financial aid you're requesting when deciding whether to accept you, so requesting a full scholarship makes admission significantly more selective. Once you're admitted, however, Colgate meets 100% of your demonstrated need with a loan-free package.

No. Colgate is fully test-optional, so international applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Yes, unless you qualify for a waiver. An English proficiency test is required if English is not your native language or was not the primary language of instruction at your secondary school. Colgate accepts the TOEFL iBT (minimum 100), IELTS Academic (minimum 7.0), or Duolingo English Test (minimum 130). If English is your native or instruction language, the requirement is waived.

Yes. The CSS Profile is required for aid (Colgate school code 2086) and there is no ISFAA alternative, but CSS Profile fee waiver codes are available to international applicants experiencing severe financial hardship. The process is internal: submit your admission application first, and a CSS Profile Fee Waiver Code Request Form will appear in your Colgate applicant portal. Request the code by November 1 for Early Decision I, or by January 22 for Early Decision II and Regular Decision.

Approximately 12–14% overall for freshman admissions, and lower for international applicants requesting a full ride. Transfer admission runs around 15–23%, though it is far lower for those needing high financial aid.

Yes — Colgate extends its loan-free, 100%-of-demonstrated-need policy to international transfer students. The catch is money, not policy: the international transfer aid budget is tightly restricted, so a full-ride transfer is exceptionally difficult even though transfer admission (roughly 15–23%) is less selective than freshman admission. Transfer applicants need the Common App for Transfer, all college transcripts, a final high school transcript with graduation date, a Transfer College/Registrar's Report, one academic recommendation from a college professor or instructor, English proficiency scores if applicable, and the CSS Profile by the transfer aid deadline. The transfer application fee is $0.

The Common Application or Coalition Application with Colgate's supplemental essays, official high school transcripts, the School Report and counselor recommendation, two teacher letters of recommendation, English proficiency scores if applicable (TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7.0, or Duolingo 130), and the CSS Profile (school code 2086) if applying for aid — with a fee waiver code available through your applicant portal for severe hardship. The application fee is $0 for international freshmen.