Clark University
A small Worcester research university, founded for graduate study, that pairs a liberal arts core with 4+1 master's.
- Acceptance rate
- 41%
- Fall 2025 entering class
- Students
- 3,275
- 2,112 undergraduates
- International
- 6%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 9:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $62,070
- From · 2026-27
About Clark
Clark University was founded in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1887 with an endowment from businessman Jonas Gilman Clark, and began as one of the first all-graduate institutions in the United States; its undergraduate college opened later. That research-first history still shows: Sigmund Freud gave his only US lectures at Clark in 1909, rocket pioneer Robert Goddard earned his PhD and taught physics here, and the Graduate School of Geography dates from 1921.
Today Clark is small, with about 3,300 students: 2,112 undergraduates and 1,163 graduate students in fall 2025. Undergraduates take the Clark Core, which begins with a First-Year Intensive seminar and ends in a capstone, and choose from 44 majors, with psychology, interactive media, biology, political science and computer science the most popular. The student-faculty ratio is 9 to 1 and the average undergraduate class has 18 students. Many students stay a fifth year for a 4+1 accelerated master's, with tuition scholarships of up to 100% for that year.
Admission is moderately selective: 4,426 of 10,936 first-year applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (40.5%), and testing is optional. In June 2025 Clark announced a three-year restructuring that reduces full-time faculty positions by about 30% by 2028 and regroups academic programs into thematic schools (Worcester Guardian, 20 June 2025). Clark suits students who want research access and close faculty contact in a mid-sized city, and who are comfortable with a campus in Worcester's Main South neighborhood rather than a rural setting.
Fiat lux
“Let there be light” — university motto
Why students choose Clark
The 4+1 Accelerated Master's Degree lets qualified undergraduates add a master's in one extra year, with a tuition scholarship of up to 100% for the fifth year.
Clark's research tradition runs from Robert Goddard's rocketry to the Graduate School of Geography (1921) and the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
The Becker School of Design and Technology, opened in 2021, runs Clark's interactive media and game design programs from a new Center for Media Arts, Computing, and Design.
Aid is substantial: 99% of first-year students receive aid, the average first-year package is $50,755, and all admitted students are considered automatically for merit scholarships.
Admissions
Fall 2025 entering class
About 1 in 2 applicants is admitted
4,426 admitted from 10,936 applicants
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
Middle 50% of admitted students scored in this range.
417 first-year students enrolled in fall 2025. Clark says acceptance rates are higher for Early Decision applicants but does not publish ED numbers. Admission is need-aware for international applicants.
Deadlines
- Early Decision I Binding Next deadline · In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Binding. Clark's rounds table gives notification in late December (the Common Data Set lists December 15), while its Early Decision page says ED applicants receive admission and scholarship decisions by Thanksgiving; the two Clark pages do not agree, so treat late November to mid-December as the likely window and confirm with admissions.
- Early Action Non-binding In 26 daysNovember 1, 2026
Non-binding; decision and financial aid award in mid-January (Common Data Set: January 15).
- Early Decision II Binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
Binding; notification in early March per the rounds table (Common Data Set: February 15).
- Regular Decision Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
Notification in mid-to-late March.
Clark's current admissions page lists the rounds without a year (ED I and EA November 1, ED II and RD January 15); for fall 2027 entry these fall on the dates shown. Clark also admits over 50 first-year and transfer students each spring.
How to apply
Common App or Coalition Application with Scoir, with no application fee; transcripts; counselor recommendation and one teacher recommendation; optional interview (strongly encouraged, about 20 minutes, on campus, virtual or off-campus). Early Decision applicants submit a signed ED Agreement. International applicants also submit English test results and the International Student Certification of Finances and Financial Assistance Application Form.
What admissions looks for
- Very important in the Common Data Set: rigor of the secondary school record, academic GPA and recommendations.
- Important: the application essay, extracurricular activities, talent or ability, and character and personal qualities.
- Clark reads the transcript for challenge and growth, especially in junior and senior years, and values involvement in family, community, jobs and school activities.
- Clark says it looks for students who are eager to be engaged and community-focused; the interview and level of interest are considered.
Tips for applying to Clark
- 1 Book the optional interview: Clark strongly encourages it for everyone, and for international students it can also count as evidence of English proficiency.
- 2 If Clark is your first choice, ED I or ED II brings early scholarship consideration, a higher admit rate, and early consideration for the Honors Program.
- 3 Apply by the admissions deadline to be considered for the Presidential Scholarship, which covers tuition, housing and meals for about 3-5 students a year; finalists are interviewed.
- 4 International applicants should budget carefully: Clark is need-aware for them and says international students typically pay around $40,000 a year after scholarships and aid.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for Clark University
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
All admitted students, including international students, are automatically considered for merit scholarships, and the Presidential Scholarship covers full tuition, housing and meals for a handful of students each year. Need-based aid for US students uses the FAFSA; international students apply with Clark's own financial assistance form, and admission is need-aware for them. In 2025-26 Clark met on average 92% of need for first-years awarded need-based aid.
- $77,970 billed (tuition, room, board, fees, orientation); $82,753 including books, transport, personal costs and health insurance
- 2026-27 billed charges / total estimated cost
- 99%
- First-year students receiving aid
- $50,755 (average need-based grant $44,164)
- Average first-year financial aid package
- 92% (Common Data Set 2025-2026)
- Average share of need met, first-years
- Typically pay around $40,000 a year after scholarships and aid, per Clark
- International students
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Geography
The Graduate School of Geography, founded in 1921, offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees; its Clark Labs developed the IDRISI and TerrSet geospatial software.
Psychology
The most popular declared major, in a department linked to G. Stanley Hall and Freud's 1909 lectures; its clinical psychology PhD is APA-accredited.
Interactive Media and game design (Becker School)
Continues the game design programs of the former Becker College, taught in the Center for Media Arts, Computing, and Design opened in 2023.
Holocaust and Genocide Studies
The Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies runs a doctoral program and houses the Rose Library.
4+1 Accelerated Master's Degree
22 accelerated bachelor's/master's combinations, from accounting to biology, with fifth-year tuition scholarships of up to 100%.
Climate and environment
The School of Climate, Environment, and Society and the George Perkins Marsh Institute anchor research such as Arctic change and Amazon land use.
Research
- All tenure-line faculty are engaged in research or creative work, and Clark's five-year average annual grant expenditure is $5.6 million.
- Robert H. Goddard earned his PhD at Clark in 1911 and chaired the physics department; the main library is named for him.
- Polar scientist Karen Frey is a lead author on NOAA's annual Arctic Report Card.
- Research centers include the George Perkins Marsh Institute, the Center for Geospatial Analytics and the Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise.
Schools & faculties
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Becker School of Design & Technology
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
- Graduate School of Geography
- School of Climate, Environment, and Society
- School of Business
- School of Professional Studies
Clark reports that 97% of students are employed, in graduate school or doing voluntary service six months after graduation (no year given on its facts page).
Student life
Clark's compact campus centers on the Green, where Spree Day, the welcome-back barbecue and graduation take place. First-years live in first-year residence halls, with restored houses and apartments available later. Students decorate the campus statue of Sigmund Freud for special occasions, and the Clark Tank pitch competition awards up to $3,000 to student business ideas. Clark fields 17 NCAA Division III varsity teams in the NEWMAC, with 19% of undergraduates playing a varsity sport, plus club and intramural teams from equestrian to ultimate frisbee. Every student completes an internship or experiential learning opportunity before graduating.
- 17 varsity teams (7 men's, 10 women's) in the NEWMAC, NCAA Division III.
- Spree Day, a campus-wide celebration held on the Green.
- Clark Tank, a Shark Tank-style competition with prizes of up to $3,000.
- Students dress up the campus statue of Sigmund Freud, who gave his only US lectures at Clark in 1909, for special occasions.
Housing. First-year students live in first-year residence halls, with traditional, suite and apartment-style options, restored houses and apartments for later years.
Location
Clark is in Worcester's Main South neighborhood, about 2 miles west of downtown, in a city of about 209,000 people that Clark describes as the heart of New England. Boston is about an hour away, Providence 45 minutes and New York about 3.5 hours by car. More than 30 restaurants are within six blocks of campus, Shrewsbury Street's restaurant row is close by, and the city has minor league baseball (the WooSox) and a large collection of public murals.
Nearest airport: Worcester Regional Airport (ORH)
Notable alumni
- RH Robert H. GoddardRocketry pioneer; MA 1910 and PhD 1911 in physics from Clark
- FC Francis Cecil SumnerFirst African American to earn a PhD in psychology (1920), at Clark
- AG Arnold GesellChild development psychologist and pediatrician; PhD from Clark
- PS Paul SipleAntarctic explorer who developed the wind chill factor; PhD in geography 1939
- RS Ron ShaichFounder of Panera Bread; BA in government and politics 1976
- ML Marc LasryCo-founder and CEO of Avenue Capital Group; BA in history 1981
- LM Libérat MfumukekoBurundian diplomat and former secretary-general of the East African Community; MBA from Clark
Frequently asked questions
What is Clark University's acceptance rate?
For fall 2025, Clark admitted 4,426 of 10,936 first-year applicants, an acceptance rate of about 40.5%. Clark says Early Decision applicants are admitted at a higher rate.
Is Clark University test-optional?
Yes. SAT and ACT scores are optional and considered if submitted. Few enrolled students send them: among the 19% who submitted the SAT in fall 2025, the middle 50% was 1270-1410.
Does Clark University offer interviews?
Yes. Interviews are optional but strongly encouraged for all applicants and last about 20 minutes, on campus, virtually or when counselors travel. International applicants can also use InitialView or Vericant.
Is Clark need-blind for international students?
No. Clark is need-aware for international applicants, but admitted international students are considered for merit scholarships and can apply for need-based aid; Clark says they typically pay around $40,000 a year after aid.
How much does Clark University cost?
For 2026-27, tuition is $62,070 and billed charges including a standard room and meal plan total $77,970. Clark's total estimated cost, including books, transport, personal costs and health insurance, is $82,753.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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