“One in five Foresters is an international student — a genuinely global liberal arts college 25 miles north of Chicago.”
Lake Forest College is a private liberal arts college located in Lake Forest, Illinois, an affluent North Shore suburb set on the western shore of Lake Michigan, 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. Founded in 1857 as Lind University by a group of Presbyterian ministers and renamed Lake Forest College after becoming coeducational in 1876, the college shed its formal religious affiliation to emerge as one of the most globally oriented small liberal arts colleges in the United States. Today the college enrolls approximately 1,836 students representing 43 states and more than 114 countries, with a remarkable one-in-five international student composition — among the highest concentrations of any U.S. liberal arts college. More than 40 languages are spoken on campus, and the college extends merit-based scholarships and CSS Profile need-based aid to international applicants, making Lake Forest one of the few liberal arts colleges that actively competes for international student talent at a meaningful financial aid level. Academically, Lake Forest offers 34 majors, 49 minors, 15 accelerated programs and professional affiliations, and three pre-professional tracks. Its strongest programs span communication, psychology, economics, business, biology, and environmental studies — all reinforced by proximity to Chicago for internships and professional networking. A 25-minute Metra commuter train connects directly to downtown, giving students same-day access to finance, media, healthcare, and arts employers. The Richter Scholar program supports funded undergraduate independent research, and the Career Advancement Center maintains deep employer and alumni relationships in Chicago and beyond.
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 Decision I
Binding
Early Action I
Non-binding
Early Decision II
Binding
Early Action II
Non-binding
Regular Decision
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$58,902
/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.
Communication, psychology, economics, political science, sociology, and international relations. Strong Chicago-connected internship pathways.
Biology, chemistry, physics, neuroscience, computer science, and environmental studies. Supported by undergraduate research fellowships.
English, history, art, music, theatre, philosophy, religious studies, and modern languages.
Business administration with accelerated graduate program affiliations and direct Chicago employer connections.
4 years
Lake Forest's most popular major, with strong connections to Chicago's media, advertising, PR, and marketing sectors. Internship-intensive and career-focused with direct employer access via Chicago proximity.
4 years
Funded undergraduate research program in which students work independently with faculty mentors on original research projects. Highly competitive; directly strengthens graduate school applications.
4 years
Strong quantitative and applied economics training with direct pipeline to Chicago-area finance and consulting internships. One of the college's strongest graduate outcome programs.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $56,402
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.
