“Private university in Lynchburg, Virginia affiliated with the Disciples of Christ”
The University of Lynchburg is a private residential university in Lynchburg, Virginia, founded in 1903 as Virginia Christian College and now home to roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students. Set on a 264-acre campus in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lynchburg is organized into three schools — the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the School of Professional & Applied Sciences — and offers 39 undergraduate majors, 49 minors, and graduate programs ranging from the Master of Business Administration to doctorates in Physical Therapy and Educational Leadership. The university's flagship Westover Honors Program provides intellectually intense students with small discussion-based seminars, research stipends, and dedicated faculty mentorship. Lynchburg has seen extraordinary international growth in recent years — from just 15 on-campus international students in fall 2021 to more than 120 today, a nearly eight-fold increase that reflects the school's expanding global recruitment effort and its relatively accessible cost structure for a private university. International undergraduates may receive merit awards that reduce effective tuition significantly, and virtually every enrolled domestic and international student receives some form of institutional grant or scholarship. Entry requirements are welcoming: SAT/ACT scores are optional, only one teacher recommendation is required, and the English proficiency threshold (TOEFL 78 / IELTS 6.0 / Duolingo 100 / PTE 59) is among the more accessible in the region. Student life centers on the "Hornets" community (NCAA Division III), active Greek life, more than 90 student organizations, and the signature Equestrian and outdoor-recreation traditions that take advantage of the Appalachian setting. The Center for Community Engagement logs tens of thousands of service-learning hours each year, and the Claytor Nature Center (470 acres, 20 minutes from campus) provides an outdoor classroom for biology, environmental science, and equestrian students. Lynchburg city itself — midway between Washington D.C. and Charlotte, NC — offers a walkable downtown, a growing arts scene, and easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Colleges That Change Lives
Lynchburg homepage
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceRegular Decision (Fall — intl)
Undergraduate international fall-intake deadline (some sources cite July 31 rolling).
Regular Decision (Spring — intl)
Undergraduate international spring-intake deadline.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$36,750
/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.
3 years
CAPTE-accredited DPT with a well-regarded 3+3 pathway allowing undergraduates to enter the doctoral program after three years of pre-professional coursework. Strong clinical placement network across Virginia and North Carolina.
4 years
Selective honors program (roughly 10% of incoming class) featuring small discussion-based seminars, research stipends, study-abroad support, and dedicated academic advising.
4 years
CCNE-accredited four-year BSN with simulation labs and clinical rotations at Centra Health and other regional hospitals. Strong NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $36,750
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.
