Liberal arts colleges for [marine] biology [with enough financial aid or scholarships for international students]

College Search & Selection
1

Do you know any liberal arts colleges with an undergraduate biology major? I have in mind: Bowdoin, Smith, Grinnell, reed, pomona etc

2

I think most every college would offer a major in biology. A few LACs we visited and felt had strong STEM programs include: Lafayette, Union, Franklin and Marshall, & Bucknell. I’m sure there are many others.

3

Thank you so much I’ll check their website

4

Biology is a popular enough major that most “general” colleges have it.

However, it is a broad enough major that if you are interested in a specialty area, check what the college’s department offers in that area.

5

I’m looking for liberal arts colleges that offer financial aid I want to study marine bio but must of those colleges don’t have that major

6

Check if marine biology exists under general biology at each school.

7

Okay I’ll do that thanks!

8

You probably will want to look into Eckerd.

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9

I don’t think you mentioned marine biology or the need for financial aid early in this post but I found this from a quick google search. Marine Biology Degree Programs In The U.S. (by State) ~ MarineBio Conservation Society I’d go through this list and see which, if any, schools meet your criteria.

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For marine biology Bowdoin is an obvious good choice. Admissions is competitive and it can be expensive depending upon whether you qualify for need based aid. I am guessing that you might already know about their coastal studies center on Orr’s Island in Maine. I do not actually know what students get to do there.
https://www.bowdoin.edu/coastal-studies-center/

If you want somewhere that is a bit easier to get accepted to, Roger Williams University in Rhode Island is another option. It is not officially a “liberal arts college”, but with 4,400 undergraduate students it is nonetheless a moderate sized school. It might cost a bit less than Bowdoin unless you get good need based aid from Bowdoin.

The University of Maine is another option.

If you wanted to look a bit further afield, Acadia University in Nova Scotia has a very good biology program with several possible concentrations, including marine biology. One reason for its strong marine biology program is that if you want to study estuary biology you need to go where the estuaries are, and Acadia is right on the Bay of Fundy with 40 foot tides. It also owns a small island “Bon Portage” off the coast of Nova Scotia where they have short field classes in late summer (before the regular university opens). Acadia is very reasonably priced even for international students, but is not well known outside of Canada.

I agree with other answers that Biology is available as a major nearly anywhere. It would be the marine part that would limit your choices somewhat – but there are still many very good choices.

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This list may help. I see schools like Rollins - so if you can ferret out the. LACs and you don’t choose the top ones you’ll find merit. Of course validate the list with the schools you see to ensure they do offer the major….Rollins does, for example.

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I already checked that school but they don’t give financial aid to international students that’s why I’m looking for other colleges in the first place.

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Yes, I didn’t mentioned it sorry. It’s just that I didn’t catch how to use this website yet I’m still figuring it out :slight_smile: but thank you so much I’ll definitely check the link

14

Yesss, for the moment Bowdoin its being my top choice. I didn’t know about those other schools you mentioned but I’ll look into those I really appreciate your help

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Ohh I see, I’ve heard about Rollins before. I’ll look up on their website but thank you for bringing this up it helped me a lot

16

It would really help others help you if you list all of your constraints up front:

  • Marine biology.
  • Need financial aid or scholarships (what price limit?).
  • International student.
  • Anything else?
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17

No, I think that’s about it. Where do I have to put this again?

18

It would help to edit your first post to include this information.

19

Okay gotcha. Should I also put that I’m in my gap year?

20

Yes, if you have graduated high school and are in a gap year, that will help others help you.

Also, college admission stats would help others suggest admission-realistic colleges (or scholarship-realistic) colleges.

Where you attended (and for how long) and graduated high school may matter, since some states allow even international students to get in-state tuition under those conditions.

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