How to Apply to Union College
Updated
Union College's admissions process starts on its website, where the three primary calls to action are Request Info, Visit, and Apply. The site does not publish application deadlines, required materials, or standardized testing policy on the page provided, so you will need to follow the Admissions section for those specifics. What the site does make clear is that Union positions itself as a college where "things come together" — the liberal arts and engineering, research and student life — and the admissions office gives you three ways to engage before you commit: ask questions, see the campus, or submit an application.
The Three Entry Points
The homepage presents admissions as a simple three-part path:
| Action | What it's for | Where it leads |
|---|---|---|
| Request Info | Get materials and updates from the admissions office | An inquiry form |
| Visit | See the campus and the surrounding area | Campus visit scheduling |
| Apply | Submit your application | The application itself |
If you are early in your search, start with Request Info. If you are deciding between schools, Visit matters more — Union's location in Schenectady is part of its pitch, described as blending "city energy and outdoor adventure" with restaurants, cafes, shops, theaters, and hiking, biking, and skiing minutes from campus. If you already know you want to apply, go straight to Apply.
What to Know Before You Apply
The page evidence does not list deadlines, essay prompts, testing requirements, or a checklist of materials. Treat the Admissions section of union.edu as the authoritative source for all of that, and confirm anything time-sensitive directly with the admissions office rather than relying on third-party summaries.
Two things worth knowing as you prepare:
- Academics are broad. Union advertises 62+ areas of study, so you are not locked into a single track when you apply. The college's identity rests on combining liberal arts and engineering.
- Research is built into the experience. The site states that "no matter your major(s)," students do hands-on research with faculty in labs, archives, studios, or the field. If that matters to you, it is a reasonable thing to ask about during a visit or in an inquiry.
Why a Visit Is Worth Considering
Union explicitly encourages prospective students to visit, and the reasons are concrete rather than vague:
- Campus culture is hard to judge from a website. With 130+ clubs and organizations — beekeeping club, an off-road racing team, music festivals, movie nights — the social fit is something you can only partly assess remotely.
- The surrounding area is part of the decision. Schenectady offers city amenities plus outdoor access, and whether that appeals to you is a personal call best made in person.
- Facilities are a selling point. Union cites a #1 ranking for Best Science Lab Facilities (Princeton Review), which is the kind of claim worth verifying with your own eyes if you plan to study in the sciences or engineering.
What Union Says About Outcomes
If cost and career results factor into your decision, the site offers several data points (all as published by Union, drawn from third-party rankings):
- #22 Engineering programs (non-doctoral), U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges
- #13 Early career earnings for graduates among liberal arts colleges
- 4.5 out of 5 stars, Money Best Value colleges
These are rankings, not guarantees, and they should be weighed alongside net cost and financial aid — neither of which is addressed on the page provided. Ask the admissions office directly about aid and cost.
A Practical Sequence
- Request Info from the admissions page to get on the mailing list and receive current materials.
- Visit — schedule through the site's visit link — and use the time to sit in on a class, see labs, and walk the surrounding area.
- Apply through the application link, and confirm all deadlines, required documents, and testing policy on the Admissions section before submitting.
- Ask questions you cannot answer from the site — financial aid, specific majors, research opportunities — directly to the admissions office.
The single most important caveat: this page gives you the path to applying, not the requirements. For deadlines, materials, and eligibility, go to the Admissions section of union.edu or contact the office, since those details are not published in the source material here.