,·Private (Interdenominational Christian, Liberal Arts)·Est. 1846
“Indiana's oldest evangelical Christian university — small, residential, and shaped by a 50-year tradition of global mission.”
Taylor University is one of the oldest evangelical Christian universities in the United States, founded in 1846 and rooted on a 950-acre rural campus in Upland, Indiana. With roughly 2,000 undergraduates representing 42 U.S. states and more than 40 countries, Taylor blends the small-class, mentor-driven feel of a residential liberal arts college with academic strengths normally found at much larger universities — particularly in Computer Science, Film & Media Production, Engineering, Business, and the health sciences. U.S. News has ranked Taylor No. 1 in Best Undergraduate Teaching in the Midwest and consistently places it in the top of the Regional Colleges Midwest list, where it currently sits at No. 4 (2026 edition). What sets Taylor apart from other Christian colleges is the depth of its global, missions-focused identity. The Lighthouse program has sent students abroad on cross-cultural January-term mission trips for more than 50 years, and Taylor World Outreach, Spiritual Renewal Week, and World Opportunities Week are central rhythms of campus life. Faith integration is woven into every major; chapel three times a week, intentional residence-life community, and a covenant-style Life Together commitment shape the day-to-day experience. International students arrive into a campus where 'Missionary Kids' and 'Third Culture Kids' are large enough cohorts to have their own orientation track. Academically, Taylor is unusually strong for its size: the Computer Science department is nationally recognized for its undergraduate research output, the Film & Media Arts program runs an LA semester inside the Hollywood industry, and the Engineering program offers ABET-track concentrations in environmental, mechanical, and systems engineering. Tuition runs free during the four-week January term, students live integrated across class years (no segregated freshman dorms), and the Calling & Career Office posts a 99% Class of 2023 success rate (employed or in graduate school). For an international student looking for an intensive Christian community, real personal mentorship, and serious academics in one of the safest small-town settings in the U.S., Taylor is one of the most distinctive options in the country.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Colleges Midwest
US News Best Colleges 2026
Best Undergraduate Teaching (Regional Colleges Midwest)
US News Best Colleges 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding; recommended for merit-scholarship consideration
Honors Program / Endowed Scholarship Deadline
Required for Honors Guild and competitive endowed scholarships
Regular Admission
Rolling admission; applications reviewed continuously through early August
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$41,925
/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.
Houses Taylor's nationally recognized Computer Science department alongside Engineering, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, and the Pre-Health pathways. Strong tradition of undergraduate research with faculty co-authorship.
Home to the LA-based Film & Media Production program, Theatre Arts, English, History, Communication, Music, and the foundational Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries programs.
ACBSP-accredited undergraduate business school offering accounting, finance, management, marketing, international business, and entrepreneurship with strong career-services placement.
Includes Taylor's flagship Elementary Education program, plus Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Kinesiology, Criminal Justice, and graduate programs in Higher Education and Counseling.
4 years
Tracks in Software Engineering, Systems, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity. Distinctive small-cohort culture with active undergraduate research; alumni place into major tech firms and graduate programs.
4 years
Includes the Taylor LA Film Studies semester, a fully embedded program in Los Angeles that pairs students with working Hollywood mentors and industry internships — rare for a school of Taylor's size.
4 years
ABET-track program with concentrations in Environmental, Systems, Mechanical, and Computer Engineering. Project-based curriculum with hands-on lab access from year one.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $40,490
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.
