
Undergraduate Application Process
Undergraduate Admissions
Students may apply to Hillsdale College after completing their junior year of high school. All students are automatically considered for academic scholarships; no additional paperwork is required. Need-based aid applications require the Confidential Family Financial Statement; the FAFSA is non-applicable.
Application Deadlines
Early Decision
November 1
Early Decision is a binding application deadline for fall-term applicants. Accepted students are asked to withdraw application from other institutions. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions in early December.
Regular Decision
April 1
Fall-term applicants wishing priority consideration for academic scholarship should apply no later than January 1. Admissions decisions are generally mailed within four weeks of completing an application beginning December 15.
Spring Admission
December 15
Priority consideration is given to applications completed by November 1. Admissions decisions are generally mailed within two weeks of completing an application file beginning November 15.
Admissions Counselors
Featured Counselors
Lily Carville
From the moment I stepped onto Hillsdale’s campus as a freshman, I was inspired by the sense of community. My fellow students not only welcomed me and made me feel at home, but…
Lily Carville
Jenny Pridgeon
I love Hillsdale for many reasons, but as a student I most loved the core curriculum, the relationships I built with the professors, and the friends I made across campus. Some of…
Jenny Pridgeon
Alexander Green
I cannot think of Hillsdale without having a mix of hilarious, challenging, and meaningful memories come to mind. Students, faculty, staff, and community members alike showed me a…
Alexander Green
Maddie Conover
I was first drawn to Hillsdale because of its intentional focus on intellectual and moral development. I knew that self-government was something I wanted, even if I didn’t…
Maddie Conover
Application Checklist
Applicants have three options for applying: the Hillsdale College Online Application, The Common Application, and the Hillsdale College Paper Application. Equal consideration is given to each.
Apply Online Apply Via The Common Application Download Paper Application
In addition to the application, applicants must also submit the materials below. Beginning May 1, submitted applications with missing supplemental items will be reviewed with those materials on file.
Official High School Transcripts
We require official grades from all institutions in which you have enrolled or are currently enrolled. This includes both high school and college. If a transcript includes grades from past institutions, those institutions do not need to send a separate transcript.
Two Academic Letters Of Recommendation
Students applying via The Common Application will use the Common Application recommendation template. Students applying via the Hillsdale online or paper applications can have their recommenders use the form below.
Download Recommendation Template
Essay and Short Answers
Applicants using The Common Application will respond to a Common Application essay prompt and Hillsdale Member Screen short answer questions. Applicants using the Hillsdale application online will respond to a Hillsdale essay prompt and short answer questions via a Writing Supplement form.
Applicants using the paper application will include their essay and short answer questions with their application submission as additional pages.
Official ACT, CLT, or SAT Scores
Résumé
Applicants are encouraged to submit a résumé of their extracurricular activities, leadership, and work experience. Please include dates/class years for all items.
An Admissions Interview
Though not required, an admissions interview is highly recommended for all applicants, especially those wishing to be considered for scholarship.
Special Instructions
Students With College Credit: Students wishing to receive Hillsdale College credit for any college coursework taken while in high school must submit official transcripts from the institution(s) granting credit. A student who has taken and received one or more college credits but has never enrolled full-time as a degree-seeking student should select “Freshman” on the application.
Transfer Students: A transfer student is any applicant who is presently or was once enrolled full-time at another institution working towards a degree. In addition to the application requirements listed, transfer students must submit official transcripts from any institutions at which college credit was received, as well as a Dean of Students Transfer Form.
Homeschool Students: Candidates for admission from homeschooling backgrounds are required to submit high school transcripts from the primary educator. We prefer that courses be listed on one page, be organized by year/level, and include grades. Notations may be made if courses were taken in a variety of contexts (i.e. co-op, guild, association, etc.). Detailed course descriptions, textbooks used, and/or a high school reading list may be submitted in addition to a transcript, but should not exceed five pages. If a homeschool student dual-enrolled at the college level during his or her high school education, please submit official college transcripts once the courses are concluded to be considered for transfer credit.
Letters of recommendation should be written by individuals of no relation. If the primary educator is a parent, three letters may be submitted.
International Students: Candidates for admission from other countries follow the customary entrance procedures while also being responsible to submit all transcripts with English translation. If this service is not available, evaluations may be performed by one of the approved credential evaluation agencies, such as World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Other reputable agencies can be found on the NACES website. Students whose first language is not English must demonstrate proficiency by submitting the results of the TOEFL or an equivalent test (IELTS, MET, ACT, SAT, and CLT are also acceptable, as is completion of level 108 or higher of an ESL course).
Guest & Special Students: Guest students are students in good standing at another institution who plan to return to their home institution but desire temporary enrollment at Hillsdale College. They should obtain an application form in the records office of their home institution, or by contacting Hillsdale’s Undergraduate Admissions Office. Permission is granted to a limited number of Special Students to enroll for fewer than the minimum number of credit hours carried by a regular student. These students pay the per-credit-hour tuition fee and enroll for not more than eleven hours of coursework each semester. They must follow the standard application procedure.
Veteran Admissions: Veterans who have served honorably follow the usual undergraduate application process. A Commanding Officer Endorsement and the last two performance evaluations will supplement the typical two required letters of recommendation from academic/civilian references for Freedom Scholarship consideration. Once admitted, a copy of form DD214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty will be part of the final financial aid consideration process.
How to Submit Application Materials
Hillsdale College Application
Students using the Hillsdale online application will have the opportunity to upload most supplementary items using their application account.
Transcripts, additional items, or students submitting paper applications can mail materials to:
Admissions Office
Hillsdale College
33 E. College Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242
These materials can also be emailed to:
Common Application
Students using The Common Application may submit all supplemental materials directly through The Common App.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the admissions process, or need help submitting an application, please contact us by phone during regular office hours, or by email.
Phone: (517) 607-2327Email: [email protected]