Organizer Information
Carleton College is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college offers undergraduate education across the arts, humanities, mathematics, and natural and social sciences, with more than 50 majors and minors. Its Art & Art History department includes separate Studio Art and Art History majors, while Cinema and Media Studies (CAMS) provides study combining film/media analysis with digital video and audio production.
Key Information
- Official Institution Name: Carleton College
- Opportunity Type: University Programs & Admissions
- Study Levels: Undergraduate
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Academic Fields: Fine Arts, Art History, Film, Cinema & Media, Photography, Media Production
- Relevant Programs: Studio Art; Art History; Cinema and Media Studies
- Language of Instruction: English
- International Applicants: Yes
- Application Period: Fall Early Decision; Winter Early Decision; Regular Decision; Transfer
- Application Deadline: 15 November; 15 January; 31 March, depending on application round
- Start of Studies: Fall 2027
- Application Fee: No application fee
- Tuition: $71,607 for 2025–26; 2026–27 comprehensive fee is $94,980
- Funding: Need-based financial aid, grants, scholarships, and student employment
Field of Study & Eligible Disciplines
- Carleton’s Studio Art major develops skills across multiple art media and includes areas such as drawing, photography, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, metalsmithing, and related interdisciplinary practices. Art History examines artworks and visual culture in historical and cultural contexts. Cinema and Media Studies combines critical study of moving-image and sound media with digital video and audio production, including fiction and nonfiction filmmaking, television production, sound design, and film/television writing.
- The Studio Art and Art History programs are housed within the Department of Art & Art History. Portfolio submission is relevant to applicants interested in demonstrating artistic work, but an arts portfolio is not required for admission or for majoring in the arts.
General Eligibility
Carleton admits first-year and transfer students to its undergraduate programs. Applicants are evaluated holistically, considering academic preparation, personal qualities, extracurricular involvement, recommendations, and other application materials. Carleton does not establish a single required GPA or standardized-test score.
Educational Background
- First-year applicants must provide a secondary-school transcript covering their coursework and grades, including the senior-year schedule and available senior-year grades. Carleton recommends rigorous secondary-school preparation, including English, mathematics, science, social science, and foreign or classical language study.
- Transfer applicants must submit final high-school and college transcripts and a report confirming good standing from their registrar or school official.
- International applicants must also submit a Certification of Finances, regardless of whether they seek financial aid. Documents not originally issued in English must be accompanied by an English translation; applicants may not translate their own documents.
Language Requirements
Applicants whose primary language of instruction or first language has not been English must submit English-language proficiency results unless they meet Carleton's stated English-language background conditions.
Carleton identifies the following scores as indicating preparation for study:
- TOEFL iBT: 5.5 or higher under the current scale; 100 or higher for tests taken before 2026
- IELTS: 7.0 or higher
- Duolingo English Test: 130 or higher
Application Fee
| Applicant Type | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| First-Year | $0 |
| Transfer | $0 |
Carleton states that there is no application fee for first-year or transfer applicants.
Tuition
| Academic Year | Tuition | Other Mandatory Charges / Comprehensive Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | $71,607 | Comprehensive fee: $90,462, including housing, food, and CSA activity fee |
| 2026–27 | — | Comprehensive fee: $94,980 |
The latest published academic catalog gives tuition of $71,607 for 2025–26. Carleton's current admissions page gives a 2026–27 comprehensive fee of $94,980, including tuition, housing, food, and an activity fee, but does not provide the tuition component separately on that page.
Funding & Financial Support
- Carleton states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and uses grants, scholarships, and student employment as components of financial-aid packages. International students are eligible to seek financial aid, although Carleton states that funding for international students is limited. International applicants must apply for aid during the admissions process; aid applications cannot be newly submitted or revised after an admission offer.
- International applicants seeking aid may submit the International Student Application for Financial Assistance or the CSS Profile. Carleton automatically considers applicants who apply for aid for the Starr Foundation Grants, Kellogg Scholarships, and Underbrink Fund for Global Initiatives.
University Services & Academic Support
International students receive support through Carleton's Office of International Student Life. The college also provides academic and career support, campus employment opportunities, library resources, and off-campus study programs. Carleton's curriculum includes substantial hands-on production resources within Cinema and Media Studies and studio-based study within Studio Art.
Application Requirements
First-year applicants must submit:
- Common Application, QuestBridge Application, or Coalition Application
- Secondary-school transcript
- High School Counselor Recommendation / School Report
- Two academic teacher recommendations
- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test results where required for applicants whose primary language of instruction has not been English
- SAT or ACT scores, optional
- Certification of Finances for international applicants
Interviews are optional. Arts supplements in visual arts, film, music, theater, and dance are also optional. Visual-art applicants may submit up to 20 images; video and audio applicants are advised to submit three to five full, unedited samples.
How to Apply?
- Application Portal
Deadline & Timeline
- Fall Early Decision Deadline: 15 November 2026
- Fall Early Decision Admission Decision: 15 December 2026
- Winter Early Decision Deadline: 15 January 2027
- Winter Early Decision Admission Decision: 15 February 2027
- Regular Decision Deadline: 15 January 2027
- Regular Decision Admission Decision: 1 April 2027
- Transfer Application Deadline: 31 March 2027
- Transfer Admission Decision: 15 May 2027
- Enrollment Confirmation — Regular Decision: 1 May 2027
- Enrollment Confirmation — Transfer: 1 June 2027
- Fall 2027 Start of Studies: Fall 2027
Location
Carleton College — Northfield, Minnesota, United States
Additional Details
Carleton's current admissions materials apply to undergraduate admission for the Fall 2027 entering class. The latest academic catalog currently available on the official site is the 2025–26 catalog, while the admissions page has already published the 2026–27 comprehensive fee. The 2026–27 tuition component was not separately identified in the current official admissions material reviewed, so the latest separately published tuition figure above is retained as 2025–26 rather than estimated from the comprehensive fee.