“Virginia's Brethren-affiliated liberal arts college in the Shenandoah Valley — Eagles community with strong career outcomes and 145-year heritage.”
Bridgewater College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, founded in 1880, located on a 240-acre campus in Bridgewater, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. Notable as the first coeducational college in Virginia, Bridgewater combines its 145-year Brethren heritage with a comprehensive liberal arts and pre-professional curriculum. With approximately 1,500 undergraduates and a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Bridgewater offers a personally engaged academic experience grounded in Brethren values of peace, simplicity, and community service. Bridgewater's curriculum spans the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, business, education, and the arts, with strong programs in business, biology, education, communication, and pre-professional pathways. The college's distinctive 4-week January Term enables intensive single-subject study, internships, or off-campus travel. Bridgewater's affordable published tuition ($17,523) — significantly lower than most private LACs — combined with strong financial aid keeps the average net price at $20,173. Campus life at Bridgewater centers on the Eagles community in NCAA Division III athletics through the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Students live on campus in residence halls, with extensive opportunities for service learning (reflecting Brethren peace and service traditions), Greek life, and engagement with the surrounding Shenandoah Valley. The Cardinal red and Vegas Gold school colors define athletic identity. With its combination of Brethren heritage, exceptional affordability, distinctive January Term, and stunning Shenandoah Valley setting, Bridgewater offers a distinctive Virginia small-college experience.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding; priority scholarship review
Regular Decision
Rolling admissions
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$17,523
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Strong programs in biology, chemistry, and pre-health pathways.
Practical business education with strong career placement.
Teacher preparation with K-12 licensure plus communication studies.
Programs in literature, history, philosophy, religion, psychology, and sociology grounded in Brethren tradition.
Distinctive equestrian program with on-campus stables.
4 years
Distinctive 4-week January Term enabling intensive single-subject study, internships, or off-campus travel — a defining Bridgewater academic experience.
4 years
Strong pre-health track with placement to medical and dental schools.
4 years
Distinctive program with on-campus equestrian center; rare offering at small Virginia colleges.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $16,090
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
