“A tight-knit liberal arts college in the Indianapolis metro, known for personalized mentorship, Division III athletics, and a nationally regarded journalism school.”
Franklin College is a private liberal arts college in Franklin, Indiana, founded in 1834 as the Indiana Baptist Manual-Labor Institute and the first coeducational college in the state (1842). Located roughly 20 miles south of downtown Indianapolis, its 207-acre wooded campus includes a 31-acre biology woodland and the iconic Old Main clock tower. With approximately 1,000 students, a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and an average class size of 15, Franklin is designed for students who want close relationships with professors rather than the anonymity of a large university. Academically, Franklin offers Bachelor of Arts degrees across 49 majors in 25 disciplines, 43 minors, 11 pre-professional programs, and graduate programs in Athletic Training and Physician Assistant Studies. The Pulliam School of Journalism, headquartered in Shirk Hall, is the college's signature program and hosts the Indiana High School Press Association, student-run radio station WFCI 89.5, and The Franklin newspaper. Other standout areas include kinesiology and exercise science (the most popular major), business, psychology, elementary education, and the health sciences housed in the Franklin College Graduate Health Science Center, which opened in 2018. Student life is anchored by NCAA Division III athletics as the Grizzlies (charter members of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference), a storied rivalry with Hanover College for the Victory Bell, over 40 student organizations, eight fraternities and sororities, and beloved traditions like rubbing Ben Franklin's nose for exam luck and the annual Lighting of the Wellhouse. The motto, "Relentlessly Pursue," captures the college's focus on hands-on learning, internships in nearby Indianapolis, and preparing students for careers and graduate school.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceApplication Opens
Rolling admissions thereafter
Priority Deadline
Complete applications by this date receive maximum scholarship consideration and notification by December 31
Rolling Decision
Applications reviewed on rolling basis; decisions in 3-5 weeks after file is complete. May 1 enrollment deposit priority deadline.
International Priority
International students should apply at least 60 days before the start of classes for F-1 visa processing
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$40,230
/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.
Franklin's flagship program, founded in 1978 and housed in Shirk Hall. Home to the Indiana High School Press Association, student-run radio station WFCI 89.5 FM, and The Franklin student newspaper. Emphasizes hands-on reporting, multimedia storytelling, and internships with Indianapolis-area newsrooms.
Houses the college's business, accounting, and economics programs. Students benefit from small classes, mentor-driven faculty, and internship pipelines into Indianapolis corporate employers.
Covers biology, chemistry, kinesiology, exercise science, and pre-health tracks. The Franklin College Graduate Health Science Center (opened 2018) hosts the M.S. in Athletic Training and M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies graduate programs.
Encompasses English, history, modern languages, philosophy, religion, and the fine and performing arts. Supports the college's liberal arts core curriculum.
Home to psychology, sociology, political science, criminology, and the highly regarded elementary education program, which requires supervised field placements in Indiana schools.
4 years
One of the most respected undergraduate journalism programs in the Midwest. Students write, edit, and produce for the student newspaper and campus radio station from day one, and the program places graduates in newsrooms across Indiana and beyond.
4 years
Franklin's most popular major, with a curriculum built around hands-on labs, clinical experiences, and clear pipelines into the college's graduate Athletic Training and Physician Assistant programs.
2 years
A cohort-based graduate program housed in the Graduate Health Science Center. Prepares students for the PANCE certification exam and clinical practice, with rotations at Indianapolis-area hospitals.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $38,710
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.
