Swarthmore College: Rankings, Fees, Courses & Admissions

Swarthmore College ranking is #4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges by US News Best Colleges 2022-2023 edition. It is also ranked #741-750 in QS World University Rankings 2024.

To apply to Swarthmore College, first-year applicants may apply via the Common Application, Coalition on Scoir Application, or QuestBridge Application. The college does not have a preference among any of the application options. The regular admissions application deadline for Swarthmore is January 4, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Swarthmore College requires a minimum GPA of 3.5 for admission. The college offers various financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans

Documents Required for Swarthmore College

The list of documents required to take admission to Swarthmore College are:

• Completed Application Form
• Official High School Transcript
• Secondary School Report
• Teacher Evaluation
• Mid-Year Report
• Final School Report
• Standardized Test Scores (Optional)

Exam Requirements for Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College has suspended its requirement that applicants submit SAT or ACT scores for students applying to Swarthmore in the 2023-24, and 2024-25 admissions cycles. Instead, test scores are optional. 

Swarthmore College campus has a gorgeous arboretum but also appreciates the easy access to downtown Philadelphia, with a train station right at the edge of campus. About 95 percent of students live in College housing each semester, and students receive an educational experience in these spaces just as they do in the classroom. The College provides diverse housing options, comprising traditional residence halls, apartments, and special interest housing. The housing cost for the 2023-2024 academic year amounts to $9,578, while the food cost is $9,386.

The cost of attendance at Swarthmore College includes tuition, fees, housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses. Swarthmore meets 100 percent of your determined financial needs. The regular College tuition covers the normal program of four courses per term and variations of as many as five courses or as few as three courses. The tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 academic year are $61,992. The total billed charges for the 2023-2024 academic year are $81,376.

Other Costs

Swarthmore’s commitment to financial aid and access is at the core of our educational mission. Swarthmore College scholarships include need-based scholarships to its students. Swarthmore awarded more than $46 million in need-based scholarship aid to 52 percent of its students for the 2021-222 academic year. Fifty-one percent of the student body received need-based Swarthmore Scholarship aid in 2022-23 from an overall financial aid budget of nearly $48 million.