The Saint Michael’s Difference

An Education Rooted in Purpose and Belonging

Saint Michael’s College is charting a future rooted in its longstanding strengths while embracing innovation and responding to the needs of a new era. Students are known, supported, and challenged in a close‑knit, inclusive residential community where they can bring their full selves to their learning. We blend the liberal arts, experiential learning, service, and the Catholic intellectual tradition to prepare students not just for their first job, but for meaningful lives that contribute to the common good. The Catholic intellectual tradition places the world’s biggest questions – about justice, meaning, technology, and humanity – at the center of our education.

At Saint Michael’s, faith and reason are not in tension but in conversation, shaping every discipline. In a world transformed by artificial intelligence, environmental crisis, and civic fracture, this becomes powerful preparation. Students, faculty, and staff of every faith and belief system are welcome, and the College’s size and mission allow them to feel a sense of belonging regardless of differences.

Learn about the College’s Division of Edmundite Mission.

Academic Excellence

Saint Michael’s continues to build on its enduring strengths in academic excellence, experiential learning, and community engagement. Many students collaborate with faculty on impactful research addressing global health, environmental sustainability, and the evolving fields of digital marketing and design.

• 78% Student Internships
• Over 80% medical school matriculation rate — more than twice the national average.
• One of only 25 Catholic institutions with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.
• Designated a “Top Producer” of Fulbright scholars by the U.S. State Department.
• One of just 33 U.S. colleges awarded a Freeman Foundation Grant to support internships in Asia.
• Consistent recipient of the NCAA Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence

These outcomes reflect a community built on inquiry, mentorship, and a shared desire to do good in the world. 

Location matters

Saint Michael’s sits at the edge of the Green Mountains in Colchester, minutes from Winooski and Burlington — a small city where more than half of adults hold a college degree. Vermont’s traditions of locally based democracy, environmental stewardship, and civic engagement turn abstract classroom questions into lived ones.

Here, questions of justice, sustainability, and community governance aren’t hypothetical. Insights to these issues are only minutes away. That is no accident — it’s central to what a Saint Michael’s education is designed to be.

Access and affordability

Saint Michael’s College is committed to making education accessible by simplifying the financial aid equation:

• Full tuition for Vermont students from households earning under $100,000.
• Vermont students from households earning above $100,000 pay tuition matching the University of Vermont.
• Out‑of‑state students pay their in‑state flagship tuition rate.
• $11,500 commuter tuition for Vermont residents living off campus.

Leadership, service, and community

Student Investment Fund

A student-led initiative supported by the College that empowers students to manage and invest a portion of the College’s endowment, gaining real-world financial experience.

Pre-law Club & Mock Trial

Provides resources and community for students interested in legal careers. The newly added Mock Trial subgroup is open to all students, regardless of major, offering hands-on legal practice and teamwork.

Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE)

Connects students with more than 20 local nonprofits, offering meaningful volunteer opportunities that support the most vulnerable members of the community.

Student-Run Volunteer Fire & Rescue

Established 55 years ago, this unique program trains students to serve the surrounding community through emergency response and life-saving efforts. Students respond to calls both on campus and in nearby towns.

Adventure Sports

Students hike, rock climb, ice climb, kayak, and ski while developing outdoor skills, practicing environmental stewardship, and building camaraderie.

Four-Year Residential Housing

Fosters a strong sense of belonging and lifelong connections in a safe, inclusive living environment, which supports student engagement beyond the classroom.

A transformative education for a changing world

Saint Michael’s continues to evolve academic offerings to meet emerging needs — while remaining grounded in mission and the liberal arts.

Over the past 18 months, Saint Michael’s College reorganized its 20 academic departments into four newly established interdisciplinary schools — creating greater efficiency and coherence across the curriculum.

This reorganization fosters deeper collaboration among faculty and students through three dynamic co-curricular institutes that address critical issues of the 21st century: Environment, Equity & Justice, and Global Engagement. These institutes serve as living laboratories, where students gain hands-on experience in multidisciplinary teamwork, leadership, research, and experiential learning that enrich traditional academics.

The creation of the four schools—Arts & Humanities, Business & Technology, Society & Culture, and Natural & Health Sciences—positions Saint Michael’s to adapt nimbly to emerging workforce demands while staying true to our roots.

New academic offerings under development respond directly to today’s workforce demands and tomorrow’s opportunities. They include:

• Finance
• Nutrition
• Science Education
• Emergency Services – Builds on our proud 55-year Fire & Rescue legacy.

Explore our Majors and Minors

The Purple Knight network

Saint Michael’s students have access to an alumni network of more than 20,000 Purple Knights. Our alumni network is one of our greatest superpowers as a college – and our graduates consistently step up to help pave the way for current students and new graduates into internships and jobs.

Throughout the year, the College hosts numerous opportunities for students to interact and network with alumni, both on and off campus.

More recently, we’ve seen:

• Alumni engagement is growing through new joint alumni and prospective student events across New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
• A 144% increase in giving in FY 2025, including a 56% rise in Saint Michael’s Fund donations. (Some of these donations help support scholarships for current students, providing greater access to Saint Michael’s education.)
• More alumni are including Saint Michael’s in their estate plans, reflecting a deep and lasting commitment to our community.

Alumni and family engagement opportunities
Explore ways to give

Athletics

Our more than 20 Athletics teams reinforce the values that define us: teamwork, dedication, and character. Competing in the NE10 – the nation’s most competitive Division II conference – Saint Michael’s College athletes excel on and off the field.

Some highlights:

• 92% retention rate among student-athletes
• Consistently among the top schools in NCAA Division II for academic success.
• Dozens of student-athletes are inducted each year into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national college athlete honor society.

Visit our Athletics website