Sarah Lawrence is a prestigious, residential, coeducational liberal arts college. Founded in 1926 and consistently ranked among the leading liberal arts colleges in the country, Sarah Lawrence is known for its pioneering approach to education, rich history of impassioned intellectual and civic engagement, and vibrant, successful alumni. In close proximity to the unparalleled offerings of New York City, our historic campus is home to an inclusive, intellectually curious, and diverse community.
Talented, creative students choose Sarah Lawrence for the opportunity to take charge of their education. In close collaboration with our dedicated, distinguished faculty, students create a rigorous, personalized course of study and connect their passions across a wide array of disciplines. They graduate knowing how to apply the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking necessary for life after college.
Campus
Sarah Lawrence College occupies 44 wooded acres in Yonkers, NY, near the Village of Bronxville—just north of New York City. A 30-minute train ride from the Bronxville station takes students into Midtown Manhattan. Learn more about the area
Facilities
In addition to our round-table classrooms, Sarah Lawrence has outstanding theatres, art and performance studios, and music spaces; modern science labs; state-of-the-art graphic computing equipment; competitive sports facilities; a 60,000-square-foot visual arts center; and recently renovated dining facilities.
Student Body
Our students share an enthusiasm for intellectual rigor, academic risk taking, creativity in all disciplines, and original and interdisciplinary work. We are particularly committed to having our faculty, administration, and student body reflect the social, racial, and economic diversity that characterizes our society. The College’s undergraduate students come from nearly every state and from 50+ countries; more than 80 percent of undergrads live on campus.
Faculty Interaction
At Sarah Lawrence, students spend more time one-on-one with award-winning faculty than do students at any other college in the country. Meet the faculty
Study Away and Exchange Programs
For further information on Global Education programs, please click here: http://www.sarahlawrence.edu/global-education
Graduate Programs
The College offers distinctive master's degree programs—several of which have defined their fields—that delve deeply into three rigorous areas of creative, societal, and pedagogical inquiry and mastery: the arts; health sciences and society; and children, childhood, and education.
Learn more about Graduate Studies
Academic Program
The academic structure combines small seminar classes with individual, biweekly student-faculty conferences. Students choose from a wide variety of disciplines and subjects with the guidance of their faculty adviser (or “don”). Explore academics at Sarah Lawrence
Admission
The College considers many factors in evaluating applicants. These include intellectual promise, motivation, and creativity, in addition to the quality of each student’s secondary school program and writing skills. Teacher recommendations and extracurricular activities play a role in admission decisions as well. A personal interview is recommended. SAT/ACT scores are optional. Learn more about admission
Financial Aid
Sarah Lawrence College is committed to enrolling students from all backgrounds and perspectives. Through a combination of grants (that do not need to be repaid), student employment, and student loans, the Office of Financial Aid works with information you provide to us to create an aid package that makes a Sarah Lawrence education possible for admitted students. More than 70 percent of our student body receives financial assistance. Learn more about financial aid
Statement of Accreditation Status (SAS) and Program Approvals
Sarah Lawrence College is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) www.msche.org. Sarah Lawrence College’s accreditation status is Accreditation Reaffirmed as posted on the institution’s Statement of Accreditation Status (SAS). The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on June 22, 2017, was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States.
The following degree programs are offered by Sarah Lawrence College as authorized by the Office of College & University Evaluation of the New York State Education Department*:
Program | Degree Awarded |
---|---|
Liberal Arts (4901) | B.A. |
Child Development (2009) | M.A. |
Dance (1008) | M.F.A. |
Theatre (1007) | M.F.A. |
Women's History (2299) | M.A. |
Writing (1507) | M.F.A. |
Writing, Directing, and Producing for the Screen (1010) | M.F.A. |
Human Genetics (0422) | M.S. or M.P.S. |
Health Advocacy (4901) | M.A. or M.P.S. |
Art of Teaching (0802) | M.E.Ed. |
*New York State Education Department Office of Higher Education and the Professions Cultural Education Center, Room SB28, Albany, New York 12230; 518.474.5851.
Licensure Test Pass Rates: Art of Teaching, Dance/Movement Therapy, and Human Genetics
Art of Teaching
2016
Group | Number taking tests | Number passing tests | Pass rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|
All program completers, 2014-15 | 11 | 8 | 73 |
All program completers, 2013-14 | 9 | ||
All program completers, 2012-13 | 12 | 12 | 100 |
2015
Group | Number taking tests | Number passing tests | Pass rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|
All program completers, 2013-14 | 9 | ||
All program completers, 2012-13 | 12 | 12 | 100 |
All program completers, 2011-12 | 7 |
2014
Group | Number taking tests | Number passing tests | Pass rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|
All program completers, 2012-13 | 12 | 11 | 92 |
All program completers, 2011-12 | 7 | ||
All program completers, 2010-11 | 14 | 14 | 100 |
Dance/Movement Therapy
Class year | Results |
---|---|
2014 |
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2015 |
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2016 |
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Common Data Set
For more detailed information about Sarah Lawrence College, download the 2023-2024 Common Data Set.
Student-Right-to-Know/Consumer Information
The following are links to consumer information, notices, and disclosures provided in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), which reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
Institutional & Student Information
- The Sarah Lawrence Education
- Faculty
- Undergraduate Disciplines
- Graduate Programs
- Satisfactory Academic Progress
- Institutional and Program Accreditation
- Privacy of Student Records (FERPA)
- Policy: Institutional Recording of Student Complaints
- Transfer Credit Policy
- Disability Services
- Copyright Policy
- Textbook Price Lookup
- Computer and Network Acceptable Use Policy
- Academic and Student Life Contact Information
Financial Information
- Cost of Attendance
- Sarah Lawrence College Net Tuition Price Calculator
- Withdrawal Refund Policies
- Loss of Academic Credit
- Financial Aid for Undergraduate Students
- Financial Aid for Graduate Students
- Student Employment/Work-Study
Health & Safety
- Security and Fire Safety Annual Report
- Drug-Free Campus and Workplace Program
- Student Medical Insurance Requirements
- Fire Safety Fines and Sanctions
- Campus Lockdown Procedures
Student Outcomes
Under the Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008), Sarah Lawrence College is required to make available the retention and graduation rates of degree-seeking, first-time, full-time undergraduate students. Of the cohort of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students who initially enrolled at Sarah Lawrence in Fall 2018, 83% were actively enrolled at Sarah Lawrence in Fall 2019.
The percentage of the Fall 2013 first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduates who completed their studies and were awarded degrees by Sarah Lawrence College within six years of initial enrollment is as follows:
- Overall: 78%
- By Race/Ethnicity:
- Hispanic/Latino: 78%
- Asian: 70%
- Black or African American: 79%
- Two or more races: 64%
- White: 78%
- Non-resident alien: 81%
- Race/Ethnicity unknown: 85%
Graduation Rates by Financial Aid Status
Under Title IV, Section 485(a)(7) of the Higher Education Act as amended, higher education institutions are required to disaggregate six-year graduation rates by financial aid status. Specifically, the original entering Fall cohort is divided into three aid categories, namely: recipients of Pell Grants; students who did not receive Pell Grants but who were recipients of a subsidized federal loan; and students who received neither a Pell Grant nor a subsidized loan as part of their financial aid award package. Here are the results for the class that entered in Fall 2013:
Aid Category | Initial Cohort | 6-Year Graduation Rate |
---|---|---|
Pell Grant Recipients | 81 | 74% |
Subsidized Stafford Loan Recipients without Pell Grants | 98 | 84% |
Neither Pell nor Subsidized Stafford Loan | 248 | 77% |
National Survey on Student Engagement
Sarah Lawrence College participates in the National Survey on Student Engagement initiative (NSSE), which measures students’ participation in studies and activities that are predictors of positive learning outcomes. In the 2011 administration of the survey, Sarah Lawrence first-year and senior students reported Levels of Academic Challenge and Student-Faculty Interaction within the top 10% of high-performing institutions. In fact, for both Level of Academic Challenge and Student-Faculty Interaction, Sarah Lawrence students reported statistically significant levels of engagement above the mean for the top 10% of high-performing institutions.
Graduate School Attendance and Study
Through the National Student Clearinghouse, Sarah Lawrence College has graduate school attendance of our alums. For specifics about rates of attendance, fields of study, and colleges attended, download our graduate school information sheet.
Credit Hour Standards: September 2016 Policy Statement
Sarah Lawrence College Credit-Bearing Program Approval, Compliance with Credit Hour Standards
The Office of College and University Evaluation (OCUE) of the New York State Education Department, oversees all degree-granting colleges and universities in New York, and assures that the programs these institutions offer for credit meet or exceed minimum quality and instructional and contact hour standards. The Regents Rules and Commissioner’s Regulations (8 NYCRR §50.1(o)) define “semester hour” (and credit hour) in the New York State context. Sarah Lawrence College must comply with this definition and it is OCUE that enforces it. The definition set by New York State is as follows:
…. Semester hour means a credit, point, or other unit granted for the satisfactory completion of a course which requires at least 15 hours (of 50 minutes each) of instruction and at least 30 hours of supplementary assignments, except as otherwise provided pursuant to section 52.2(c)(4) of this Subchapter. This basic measure shall be adjusted proportionately to translate the value of other academic calendars and formats of study in relation to the credit granted for study during the two semesters that comprise an academic year.
All current credit-bearing programs at Sarah Lawrence College have been reviewed, approved and registered with OCUE and found in compliance with Section 50.1 as it pertains to credit/semester hours. OCUE’s Inventory of Approved and Registered Programs at Sarah Lawrence College. (New York State Education Department)
Any newly proposed credit-bearing curricula must comply with the instructional contact and supplementary assignment requirements set by New York State. The curricular program application process is coordinated by the Office of the Dean of the College and the Vice President of Administration (the College’s official OCUE contact). Any application for new or modified credit-bearing program submitted to OCUE must be in compliance with all applicable Regents Rules and Commissioner’s Regulations.
Audited Financial Statements
Audited financial statements are available upon request. Please send request in writing to:
Vice President for Finance & Operations
Sarah Lawrence College
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, NY 10708
Requests may also be made by phone at 914.395.2314.
Sarah Lawrence Policy Statement: Compliance with 38 USC 3679 Pursuant to 38 USC 3679, Sarah Lawrence College acknowledges that it is required to permit individuals entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which an individual provides to Sarah Lawrence a certificate of eligibility or entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or (a certificate of eligibility can also include a Statement of Benefits obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs, (VA) website eBenefits, or a VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes);and ending on the earlier of the following dates:
- The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
- 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility
- Sarah Lawrence does not impose any penalties, including the assessment of late fees,the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any individual covered by this policy because of the individual's inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.
SARA Complaint Processes: Students Engaged in Distance Education
The New York State Education Department has approved Sarah Lawrence College’s participation in SARA, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement setting protocols and standards for the delivery of distance education programs to students located in other SARA-member states. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) provides detailed information about student consumer protections under SARA on its website.
As a SARA-participating institution, Sarah Lawrence is committed to the principle that every student deserves a positive educational experience. Sometimes a student’s pedagogical experience may not be what they anticipate and the student may have a concern or a complaint about the content or delivery of educational offerings. Students with such complaints or concerns should contact the dean of graduate and professional studies directly at 914.395.2373 or kferguson@sarahlawrence.edu. In keeping with federal law (34 CFR 602.16(a)(1)(ix) and 34 CFR 668.43(b)) and the standards set forth by the College’s accreditor, a complaint made to Sarah Lawrence College should take the form of a formal, signed request specifying the nature and timeframe of the alleged infraction, identifying the person(s) and/or office(s) involved in the complaint and (iii) identifying a proposed form of redress.
If the matter is not resolved to a student’s satisfaction, the student may appeal to the Committee on Graduate and Professional Studies. The committee will review the matter and render a decision. The committee’s decision is final.
If a graduate student wishes to make a complaint against the dean of graduate and professional studies, the student may request a hearing with the Committee on Graduate and Professional Studies in writing to the director of administration. The director of administration can be contacted at 914.395.2373 or jmccann@sarahlawrence.edu. The committee reviews the matter and renders a decision. The committee’s decision is final.
If a resolution to such matters cannot be found through Sarah Lawrence’s procedures, a student may contact Sarah Lawrence College’s home state SARA Portal Entity: the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Before reaching out to NYSED, please consult the guidance provided by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements at: http://www.nc-sara.org/student-complaints. NYSED’s complaint procedure is available at: http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university
Please note: under SARA protocols, students must bring complaints first to Sarah Lawrence College. SARA’s policies on consumer protection do not extend to assigning of course grades, student conduct, the violation of community standards, or faculty assessments of student academic performance. Students with complaints regarding such matters should follow the guidance set forth in the Student Handbook. It is the duty of every student to become familiar with the contents of the Student Handbook. Additional consumer/student-right-to-know guidance is available in the section immediately above this information (Student Right-to-Know/Consumer Information).Hate Crimes Reporting
In 2023, Sarah Lawrence College's Department of Campus Safety did not receive any reports of a hate crime.
Review the College's full Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report
College Statistics
Number of students
- Undergraduate: 1,462
- Graduate: 234
- Total: 1,696
Undergraduate Student Body
- Students of Color: 26%
- International Students: 6%
Graduate Student Body
- Students of Color: 25%
- 71% between the ages of 22-29
State representation
- 44 states plus Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam
- States sending most students: California and New York
International Representation in Recent Years
Students come from 53 countries, including: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom.