Danville, Kentucky — USA
Centre College
A full ride at Centre exists for international freshmen ONLY through one competitive named award — the Lincoln Scholars Program, which covers tuition, fees, housing, and food plus research/travel stipends. Outside Lincoln Scholars, standard aid leaves a significant gap: expect to self-fund at least ~$25,000/year. Centre is NOT a meets-100%-of-need school.
Last updated July 2026. Always confirm details on the school's official page before applying.
Centre College in Danville, Kentucky is worth knowing about, but only if you understand exactly where its money comes from. The genuine full ride here is a single, competitive named award — the Lincoln Scholars Program — open to international freshmen only. If you win it, it covers 100% of tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and food/board, plus stipends for summer research or international study travel. You must apply for it separately from regular admission. Outside of Lincoln Scholars, Centre does NOT meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. General international students receive standard merit awards and limited grants that leave a significant gap — you should expect to self-fund at least about $25,000 per year toward remaining housing, food, and fees. Overall freshman admission is fairly accessible (~54–68%), but the near-full-funding international pool is far more selective. One thing to be clear-eyed about: international transfer students are accepted, but they are strictly ineligible for the Lincoln Scholars Program, so there is no full-ride path for transfers — they receive standard merit plus limited grants and must self-fund at least ~$25,000/year.
At a glance
- SAT Required
- No — Centre is permanently test-optional. SAT/ACT scores are not required for admission or for standard merit consideration.
- English Proficiency Required
- Yes, required if English is not your native language — TOEFL iBT 93 (or TOEFL Essentials 9.5), IELTS Academic 7.0, Duolingo 125, or PTE 64. Waived if you have strong SAT/ACT Reading-Writing sub-scores, or if your entire high school curriculum was taught exclusively in English.
- Apply With CSS Profile
- No — Centre does NOT require or look at the CSS Profile. Apply for aid for free through Centre's own online Certificate of Finance form, which every international applicant submits.
- CSS Fee Waiver
- Not applicable — there is no CSS Profile at Centre, so there is no CSS fee to waive.
- CSS Waiver Type
- None needed. Financial-aid applications run through Centre's free online Certificate of Finance form instead of the CSS Profile.
- Acceptance Rate (Freshman)
- ~54–68% overall (accessible); the near-full-funding international pool is far more selective
- Application Fee (Freshman)
- $0 — free for first-year freshman applicants.
- Transfer Students
- Accepted, but strictly INELIGIBLE for the Lincoln Scholars Program — so no full ride. Transfers receive standard merit plus limited grants only and must expect to self-fund at least ~$25,000/year.
- Acceptance Rate (Transfer)
- ~68% overall — but maximum aid is extremely restricted (no full ride)
- Application Fee (Transfer)
- $0 — no application fee for transfer applicants.
Lincoln Scholars Program (full ride — international freshmen only)
Merit-based · Bachelor's
What it covers
- 100% of tuition
- All mandatory fees
- Housing
- Food / board
- Stipends for summer research or international study travel
Who qualifies
Centre's premier full-ride award, open to international FRESHMEN only. It is highly competitive — the near-full-funding pool is far more selective than Centre's accessible overall acceptance rate. You must apply for it SEPARATELY from regular admission. International transfer students are strictly ineligible.
Key deadlines
How to apply
- 1Apply for first-year admission via the Common Application or Coalition Application (no application fee).
- 2Submit the separate Lincoln Scholars Program application — regular admission alone does not put you in the running.
- 3Submit official high school transcripts, a teacher evaluation/recommendation, and your written application essay.
- 4Submit English proficiency scores if English is not your native language (unless you qualify for a waiver).
- 5Complete Centre's free online Certificate of Finance form (no CSS Profile required).
Standard Merit Awards & Limited Grants (significant gap remains)
Merit-based · Bachelor's
What it covers
- Partial merit scholarships based on your academic record
- Limited need-based grants
Who qualifies
Available to general international students who are not awarded the Lincoln Scholars full ride. Be honest with yourself about the math: Centre does NOT meet 100% of demonstrated need, and these awards leave a significant gap — expect to self-fund at least ~$25,000/year toward remaining housing, food, and fees. Transfer students are limited to these awards (no full ride).
Key deadlines
How to apply
- 1Apply for admission via the Common Application or Coalition Application (freshmen) or the Common App for Transfer (transfers) — no application fee.
- 2Complete Centre's free online Certificate of Finance form to be considered for grants (no CSS Profile required).
- 3Submit transcripts, recommendation(s), your essay, and English proficiency scores if required.
Good to know
- The ONLY full ride at Centre is the Lincoln Scholars Program, for international freshmen only, and you must apply for it separately. Outside of it, Centre does not meet 100% of demonstrated need — plan to self-fund at least ~$25,000/year for remaining housing, food, and fees.
- No CSS Profile — a real advantage. Every international applicant instead submits Centre's own free online Certificate of Finance form, so there is no CSS fee to pay or waive.
- English proficiency IS required if English is not your native language: TOEFL iBT 93 (or TOEFL Essentials 9.5), IELTS Academic 7.0, Duolingo 125, or PTE 64. It is waived only with strong SAT/ACT Reading-Writing sub-scores or if your entire high school curriculum was taught exclusively in English.
- It costs $0 to apply as either a freshman or a transfer, and Centre is permanently test-optional.
- Transfers, read carefully: Centre accepts international transfers and offers standard merit plus limited grants, but transfers are strictly INELIGIBLE for the Lincoln Scholars Program — there is no full-ride path. Even with ~68% transfer acceptance, maximum aid is extremely restricted, so expect to self-fund at least ~$25,000/year.
- Freshman checklist: Common Application or Coalition Application, official high school transcripts, a teacher evaluation/recommendation, your written application essay, English proficiency scores, and Centre's online Certificate of Finance — plus the separate Lincoln Scholars application if you are competing for the full ride.
- Transfer checklist: Common App for Transfer, current college transcripts, final high school transcripts, one academic recommendation (a college professor), a College Report, English proficiency scores, and the free Certificate of Finance.
Frequently asked questions
Does Centre College give full scholarships to international students?
Only through one competitive named award: the Lincoln Scholars Program, which is open to international freshmen only and must be applied for separately. If you win it, it covers 100% of tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and food/board, plus stipends for summer research or international study travel. Outside of Lincoln Scholars, Centre does NOT meet 100% of demonstrated need — standard merit awards and limited grants leave a significant gap, and general international students should expect to self-fund at least about $25,000 per year.
What is the Lincoln Scholars Program at Centre College?
It is Centre's premier full-ride scholarship for international freshmen. It covers 100% of tuition, all mandatory fees, housing, and food/board, plus stipends for summer research or international study travel. You must apply for it separately from regular admission, and it is highly competitive — the near-full-funding pool is far more selective than Centre's accessible overall acceptance rate. Transfer students are not eligible.
Does Centre College meet 100% of demonstrated financial need?
No. Centre is not a meets-100%-of-need school. The only way to get a full ride is to win the competitive Lincoln Scholars Program as an international freshman. Everyone else receives standard merit awards and limited grants that leave a significant gap — plan to self-fund at least about $25,000 per year toward remaining housing, food, and fees.
Does Centre College require the SAT for international students?
No. Centre is permanently test-optional, so SAT/ACT scores are not required for admission or for standard merit consideration. That said, strong SAT/ACT Reading-Writing sub-scores can be used to waive the English proficiency requirement.
Does Centre College require an English proficiency exam for international students?
Yes, if English is not your native language. Centre accepts TOEFL iBT 93 (or TOEFL Essentials 9.5), IELTS Academic 7.0, Duolingo 125, or PTE 64. The requirement is waived only if you have strong SAT/ACT Reading-Writing sub-scores, or if your entire high school curriculum was taught exclusively in English.
Does Centre College require the CSS Profile for international students?
No — Centre does not require or even look at the CSS Profile. Instead, every international applicant submits Centre's own free online Certificate of Finance form to apply for aid, so there is no CSS fee to pay or waive.
What is Centre College's acceptance rate?
Overall freshman admission is fairly accessible at roughly 54–68%, and transfer acceptance is around 68%. However, the near-full-funding international pool — especially for the Lincoln Scholars Program — is far more selective than those overall rates suggest.
Does Centre College accept international transfer students with full funding?
No. Centre accepts international transfer students and offers them standard merit awards plus limited grants, but transfers are strictly ineligible for the Lincoln Scholars Program, so there is no full-ride path for transfers. Even with a transfer acceptance rate around 68%, maximum aid is extremely restricted, and transfers should expect to self-fund at least about $25,000 per year. There is no application fee for transfers.
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