When you're ready, you're ready.

Bowdoin admits students through Early Decision, Regular Decision, QuestBridge Match, and Transfer application rounds. We can't wait to meet you!

First things first:

We believe that if you give smart, kind, young people access to one of the best educations on earth, they will use it to create good in the world. We admit students of uncommon promise, and uncommon character. We look for bright minds who want to work together.

Whether you're just starting your application, have one thing left to do, or a few more questions about Bowdoin, we're here to answer your questions.

Fee Waivers Dates & Deadlines FAQs

So, you're applying to Bowdoin: What's required and what's optional? We'll break it all down for you in three minutes.

Let's get started:

A step-by-step guide to your Bowdoin application

Required Bowdoin Application Materials

Application

Bowdoin accepts applications submitted from the Common App, the Coalition on Scoir application, and the QuestBridge application.

Application Fee or Waiver

Bowdoin automatically waives the application fee ($65) for students applying for financial aid and/or first-generation-to-college students (neither parent graduated from a four-year college or university). The application fee is also waived for veterans, Explore Bowdoin applicants, and anyone for whom paying the application fee presents a significant financial hardship.

It is not necessary to request a fee waiver; it is automatically granted during the application process for the situations above.

Bowdoin Supplement

The Bowdoin Supplement includes a variety of Bowdoin-specific questions, including two optional short essays (which are further explained in the optional application questions section below). The method by which you complete the supplement depends on which application you choose:

Common Application — the Bowdoin Supplement is the "Questions" section of the Common Application and automatically included when you submit your application.
Coalition on Scoir — the Bowdoin Supplement is a separate form on Bowdoin’s website. You will be directed to the form once you submit your Coalition on Scoir application. You will also find a link to the form in the checklist on your Application Portal.
QuestBridge — applicants (excluding QB Match*) who use their QuestBridge application to apply to Bowdoin will complete the Bowdoin Supplement on Bowdoin’s website. You will find a link to the form in the checklist on your Application Portal once your application has been received.
*QuestBridge Match — if you’re a finalist applying via QB Match, you are only required to complete the Bowdoin Testing Preferences Selection form. If you decide to apply to Bowdoin with your QuestBridge application outside of the Match, the Bowdoin Supplement will be available in your Application Portal.

Recommendations (3 required)

Counselor Recommendation: Advisor's estimate of your character and accomplishments and any relevant school information.
Teacher Recommendation: An evaluation completed by a teacher who has taught you in either junior or senior year in an academic core subject (English, math, lab sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages) that appears on your official high school transcript.
Other Recommendation: This may be a second teacher evaluation or a recommendation from a clergy, coach, community-based organization counselor, employer, peer, or community member who can speak to the applicant's contributions to the wider community or share insights not otherwise captured in the application.

Secondary School Report (SSR)

This document is completed by a school counselor or official and includes information about your school offerings and environment. The SSR must be submitted by a school official.

Official High School Transcript / Secondary School Record

This is a high school transcript that contains grades for secondary school years 9, 10, and 11 (or US equivalent). It must be submitted by a school counselor or official.

Note: A final high school transcript with grades for your final year of secondary school, plus a graduation date — or its recognized equivalent — is required before enrolling at Bowdoin College. If you matriculate at Bowdoin, the application and transcript becomes part of your permanent record.

Mid-Year Transcript or Report

This is an official report of your mid-year grades and performance, and it must be submitted by a school counselor or official.

(Applicable for students applying to Early Decision 2 or Regular Decision)

Early Decision Applicants (Additional Required Materials)

Early Decision Agreement (3 signatures): Signed Early Decision Agreements are required from the student, a parent, and a school counselor/official. View and download an Early Decision agreement. (This signed document may be submitted regardless of your application type, but it must be submitted by a school official.)
Quarter 1 or Trimester 1 official report of grades: For ED1 applicants, this report from your final year of secondary school must be submitted by a school official as soon as they are available.

Optional Bowdoin Application Materials

Bowdoin Supplemental Essay (from The Offer of the College)

This optional essay (max 250 words) is available in the Bowdoin Supplement. Based on The Offer of the College, which represents Bowdoin’s values, you have the option to reflect on any line of The Offer and how it has meaning to you:

Generations of students have found connection and meaning in Bowdoin’s “The Offer of the College,” written in 1906 by Bowdoin President William DeWitt Hyde.

To be at home in all lands and all ages;
To count Nature a familiar acquaintance,
And Art an intimate friend;
And the criticism of your own;
To carry the keys of the world's library in your pocket,
And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake;
To make hosts of friends...who are to be leaders in all walks of life;
To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms and cooperate with others for common ends –
This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.

Which line from The Offer resonates most with you?

Navigating through Differences Essay

This optional essay (max 250 words) is available in the Bowdoin Supplement. The essay question reads as follows:

Bowdoin believes that only through building a more diverse and inclusive campus community will the College best prepare graduates to be contributing and useful citizens of the world. Every graduate of this institution should be confident in their preparation to be able to navigate through differences and in all sorts of situations. A Bowdoin education does not guarantee these skills, but it does impart a set of tools necessary to bravely enter unfamiliar conditions with the confidence to deal effectively with ambiguity.

If you wish, you may share anything about the unique experiences and perspectives that you would bring with you to the Bowdoin campus and community or an experience you have had that required you to navigate across or through difference.

ACT or SAT Scores

Bowdoin has been test optional for more than 50 years. ACT or SAT scores are not required for the purpose of admission. If you elect to submit test scores, they will be reviewed along with other indicators of academic ability. Test scores may be submitted directly from the testing agency, as part of your application, or through your Application Portal once you’ve applied. Learn more on our test optional web page.

Video Response

This is an opportunity to record a short, spontaneous video to supplement your application. You can record the video response in your Application Portal once you’ve submitted your application. Learn more on our video response web page.

Interviews

In-person and virtual interviews are available with Admissions staff members, students, and Bowdoin alumni. They are open to anyone applying for first-year admission for the following fall term (e.g. often students entering or in their senior year of high school).

International students are asked to submit their application before requesting an interview, due to the large volume of requests we receive.

Interviews are not available to transfer students unless you are a US veteran or military member. We also accept independent interviews from vendors such as InitialView, Vericant, and others.

Arts Supplement

Students with a notable visual or performing arts talent may submit a Bowdoin Arts Supplement.

English Proficiency Testing

English proficiency tests are optional for all international students; we will review your scores if you choose to include them with your application. Please note that we do not offer English as a Second Language courses at Bowdoin so all incoming students are expected to be highly proficient in spoken and written English at a college level. Learn more on our International Students web page.

After you've hit submit on your application:

Look for an email with your Application Portal credentials. This is the place where you can monitor your application checklist, submit additional materials. Have a question? Chances are you'll find an answer on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Fee Waivers Dates & Deadlines FAQs

Special information for:

Early Decision

A binding application program designed for students who believe that Bowdoin is their top choice.

International students

Information for students with an international passport or hailing from outside the US.

Undocumented/DACA

We welcome all undergraduate applicants regardless of citizenship status.

QuestBridge

Each year we enroll a number of students from QuestBridge, a nonprofit organization that matches high-achieving, underserved students with opportunities in higher education.

Transfer

Information for students hoping to transfer their enrollment from another college or university.

US Military Veterans

We welcomes applications from former members of the United States Armed Forces.

Homeschooled Students

Information for homeschooled applicants and families.

Special Students

Special students are those whose education has been interrupted and who have a serious commitment to resuming their education on a part-time basis in a demanding liberal arts curriculum.

Student Athletes

Bowdoin is part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Student-athletes applying to NESCAC institutions should be aware that specific guidelines have been agreed to by all eleven members regarding all candidates for admissions. Learn more on the NESCAC website.

What are we looking for in your application?

Bowdoin seeks students who are bright and engaged inside and outside the classroom, and who demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to take intellectual risks.

Bowdoin is also a community of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. For each entering class, we are interested in students who respect different views, opinions, and backgrounds, and who welcome the challenges associated with such diversity.

Factors

Of the credentials Bowdoin evaluates, a student's overall academic record is by far the most important.

Although Bowdoin does not require a prescribed high school program or number of courses, the typical entering first-year student will have had four years each of English, foreign language, mathematics, and social science and three to four years of laboratory sciences.

Everyone who applies to Bowdoin is evaluated individually. Admissions officers pay special attention to:

Academic (grade) success
Level of course challenge
Counselor and teacher recommendations
Writing samples
Overall academic potential
School and community involvement
Character and personality

Bowdoin Application FAQs

What applications do you accept? +

Bowdoin accepts both the Common Application and the Coalition on Scoir. All applications are treated equally, regardless of source. We also partner with Questbridge, a nonprofit organization that matches high-achieving, low-income students with opportunities in higher education.

Can I change my application round? How do I do that?+

To change your application round, please email admissions@bowdoin.edu and let us know the new round you wish to apply to. Please let us know as soon as possible, some late round changes may not be possible.

How do I get an application fee waiver? +

Your application fee will be automatically waived within the Common Application and Coalition Application if you are applying for financial aid and/or first-generation-to-college student (neither parent graduated from a four-year college or university).

You do not need to request a waiver prior to applying as the fee waiver happens automatically. Learn more about our fee waiver policy.

Does Bowdoin offer merit-based scholarships?+

Bowdoin College does not offer special scholarships based solely on academic, athletic, or artistic achievement. Bowdoin meets every admitted student's full demonstrated need with on-campus work expectation, grants, and other resources that families may use to help pay their share of college costs.

Will applying for aid impact my chances for admission? +

No. Our admission process is need blind, which means that admissions does not consider family finances in their selection criteria. There are a few exceptions. Waitlisted and transfer students may be admitted under a need-aware policy. This means that admissions may consider family finances before making an admission decision.

Is Bowdoin need blind for international students? +

Bowdoin College is need blind for international students. That means your family's ability to pay is not a factor or barrier to admission. If you require financial assistance to attend college, Bowdoin will work closely with you and your family to ensure your financial aid meets your need.

Applicants who indicate they will apply for financial aid will be automatically granted an application fee waiver. If admitted, Bowdoin will meet your full calculated need using scholarships (not loans), which never have to be paid back.

Can I get a CSS Profile Fee waiver? Do you accept the ISFAA?+

Domestic students whose parents’ total income is below $100,000 will automatically receive a fee waiver.

If submitting the CSS Profile will cause extreme financial hardship, international students may complete the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) rather than the CSS Profile. The best way to submit this document is to scan the file and send it via our secure File Upload. You may also send it to us by fax at 207-725-3864 or by regular mail to the address below. Please complete this document and submit it to us at your earliest convenience. Learn more on the Student Aid international students page

We'll waive the CSS Profile requrement when we receive your completed ISFAA.

What are the application and material deadlines? +

Early Decision 1: November 15
Early Decision 2: January 6
Regular Decision: January 6
Transfer: March 3
The application itself is subject to the application deadline. Additional materials (items that are not automatically submitted with your application) are accepted after the deadline. Check your Bowdoin Application Portal to view your checklist of application materials received.

How do I submit application materials?+

Counselors may submit application materials for a student through Slate.org or through partner organizations such as Common App, Coalition, Naviance, Parchment, SCOIR, and other electronic services.

Materials may also be emailed to appmaterials@bowdoin.edu—please be sure to provide the student's full name and name of their high school.

Materials may also be submitted by fax to 207-725-3101 or mailed to:

Bowdoin College Admissions
5000 College Station
Brunswick, ME 04011

Have you received my application materials (recs, transcript, scores, etc.)? +

Login to your Bowdoin Application Portal to find your current checklist of application materials. That will show you which materials have been received and which are still missing. If you or your counselor recently sent materials, note that it can take 3-5 business days for them to appear on your checklist. Please check back frequently.

We will send you email reminders if we are missing any of your application materials. It is not necessary for all materials to be submitted by the application deadline for you application to be reviewed, but please submit them as soon as possible.

How do I send additional application materials? +

Self-reported test scores may be submitted through your Bowdoin Application Portal. For additional materials you wish to be considered as part of your application, you may email them to appmaterials@bowdoin.edu.

How do I add required materials to my application? +

There are several options for submitting materials: Electronically: We receive materials through a multitude of electronic services, including but not limited to: Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, SCOIR and Slate.org Email: appmaterials@bowdoin.edu Fax: 207-725-3101 Mail: Bowdoin College Office of Admissions, 5000 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011 Recommendations, transcripts, grades, and school reports must be submitted by a school official.

How many recommendations are required, and from whom? +

Bowdoin requires three recommendations:

A counselor recommendation. This evaluation should be completed by a high school counselor or principal.
A teacher recommendation. This evaluation should be completed by a teacher who has taught applicant either junior or senior year in an academic core subject (English, math, lab sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages) that appears on their official high school transcript.
An “other” recommendation. The “other” recommendation may be a second teacher evaluation (who has taught the student in any subject area) or a recommendation from a clergy, coach, community-based organization counselor, employer, peer, or community member who can speak to the applicant's contributions to the wider community or share insights not otherwise captured in the application.

What is a Secondary School Report? +

The Secondary School Report (SSR) contains information concerning a candidate's school offerings and environment. Here is a blank form if needed. This is different from a transcript or high school report with a student's grades.

Should I complete an interview? +

A personal interview is strongly encouraged but is not required for admission. The interview will give you a chance to talk informally about your academic interests, major activities, and future goals. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about Bowdoin. A candidate’s chances for admission are not diminished because of the lack of an interview, but the interviewer’s impressions of a candidate’s potential can often be helpful to the Admissions Committee. Interviews are available on-campus or virtually with an admissions staff member or a trained Bowdoin senior. Virtual interviews are also available with Bowdoin alumni, and are also considered official Bowdoin Admissions intereviews.

Do I need to submit English Proficiency Testing? +

English proficiency tests are optional for all international students; we will review your scores if you choose to include them with your application. You may submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo English Test (DET) or Cambridge English Assessment (CEA). Because English Proficiency Tests are optional, we no longer offer Duolingo coupon codes. Please note that we do not offer English as a Second Language courses at Bowdoin so all incoming students are expected to be highly proficient in spoken and written English at a college level. Please see our international student page for more details.

How should I decide whether to submit test scores? +

Bowdoin has been test optionalsince 1969. Our test-optional policy allows applicants to decide for themselves whether or not their SAT or ACT results accurately reflect their academic ability and potential. For candidates electing to submit them, test scores will be reviewed along with other indicators of academic ability. Applicants have the option to select some test types and not others for review (for example, a student might choose to use their SAT scores, but not their ACT). Applicants have until the application deadline to change their test optional choice their scores.

Should I apply as a first-year or a transfer student? +

If you have matriculated at another college or university; that is, if you have enrolled in a degree-granting program, then you should apply as a transfer student. However, if you have taken some college-level work while enrolled in secondary school then you should apply as a first-year candidate. If you are a veteran or active member of the US military, please contact our veteran liaison for more information and to discuss your options. Students who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree are ineligible for admission to Bowdoin.

When will you release decisions? How will I find out? +

Early Decision I decisions are released in mid-December

Early Decision II decisions are released by early February

Regular Decisions are released in mid-March

All admissions decisions are released into your Bowdoin Application Portal. We will send you an email a few days prior to decision release to let you know the exact date and time you will receive the decision in your Portal.

For more FAQs, visit our Bowdoin Admissions FAQ page.

Admissions