Admissions & Aid
Why Choose Stephens
At both our Women’s College and our all-gender Conservatory for the Performing Arts, students are partners in their own education. From day one, collaborate with your talented peers, accomplished faculty mentors, and a network of community and industry partners to build the real-world experience you’ll need to launch your career.
Since 1833, our college has empowered voices too often overlooked, voices with a fresh vision for the future and the confidence to transform communities to meet it. If big things are in store for you, we invite you to apply to become a key part of our community.
Applying to Stephens
Free Applications. Fast Decisions.
We understand it’s hard to let yourself fall in love with a college when you don’t know if you’ll be accepted or what you can afford. That’s why we’ve made it so easy to apply.
Apply before our priority deadline of December 1, 2026 and receive your admissions decision within six days, along with your merit scholarship award. Knowing where you stand early allows you to focus on discovering whether Stephens is the right fit—without the stress of the “what if.”
- No application fee
- No transcript required to start
- Test-optional
- Completed in minutes, not hours
A World-Class Education
Women’s College
As the second-oldest women’s college in the country, Stephens has a storied tradition of cultivating leadership, community, and careers in an environment designed for women.
Conservatory for Performing Arts & Film
Rated one of the best colleges for Performing Arts and Film by students, our conservatory welcomes students of all genders and backgrounds to create fresh and exciting art.
Graduate Programs
Three specialized programs, open to all genders, working to train the next generation of physician assistants (PAs), counselors, and screenwriters.
Small College.
Big Opportunities.
Columbia, Missouri (COMO) and our campus are one big hands-on learning lab, full of student-run enterprises, clubs and organizations, shows and film festivals, internships and field experiences, college sports, and so much more. At a small college, you can easily plug into any opportunity and be heard. Once you graduate, COMO is consistently rated one of the top 10 small U.S. cities for starting a career after college.
Pet-Friendly Campus
We’ve been one of the most pet-friendly campuses in the country for nearly two decades. Your dog, cat, or bird isn’t just welcome—they’re part of campus life, helping to create a warm and joyful community. Don’t have a pet? We partner with a local no-kill animal shelter to foster pets before they find their forever homes.
Visit Campus. Earn $1,000.
The best way to experience life at Stephens is to be here—meet our students, sit down with faculty, and see what it means to live and study in Columbia, Missouri as part of our vibrant community. Attend one of our Preview Days or schedule a one-on-one visit and receive a $1,000 scholarship for your first year.
Invested in Your Success
100% of students
receive scholarships
100% of tuition
covered for qualified students
Rated one of the best values in higher education by Research.com, Stephens is committed to making a world-class education affordable for all students. All students receive a merit scholarship with their acceptance letter, and qualified families will have 100% of their tuition covered through our Stephens Promise program.
Our Admissions Team Is Ready to Help
Have questions? Your admissions counselor is a call or email away. Let’s make you confident that applying to Stephens College is the right decision for you.