Nichols College

Nichols College, located in Dudley, Massachusetts, is a private institution renowned for its business and leadership education. Founded in 1815, it has a rich history of preparing students for successful careers through its distinctive blend of academic rigor and practical experience. With a curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning we ensure students apply theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts. Our AACSB-accredited business programs are known for their quality and relevance. Students engage in internships, cooperative education, and consulting projects that provide hands-on experience and foster professional skills.

The college offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs across disciplines such as business administration, accounting, finance, marketing, and more. These programs are designed to meet the evolving needs of industries, equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge to excel in competitive global markets.

Nichols College prides itself on our supportive community and personalized approach to education. Small class sizes allow for individualized attention from faculty who are both scholars and practitioners in their fields. This close-knit environment fosters mentorship and networking opportunities that enhance students' learning and career development.

With a vibrant campus life, we have numerous clubs, athletic teams, organizations, and events that contribute to a well-rounded student experience. As pioneers in leadership education, we empower students to embrace responsibility and grow through meaningful leadership roles and make a positive impact on campus and in their future professions.

Nichols College stands out for its commitment to preparing students not only academically but also professionally and personally, ensuring they graduate with the skills, confidence, and connections needed to thrive in their chosen careers. Join the Bison family--where leaders are made.

• Princeton Review named Nichols a “Best in the Northeast” college in its 2025 Best Colleges: Region by Region report.
• Nichols is ranked #133 in the competitive Regional Universities North category of the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
• Nichols is ranked #153 nationally in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings.
• Nichols is ranked 9th nationally among undergraduate business schools for salary potential by Payscale.com.
• Nichols is ranked 10th nationally as a Best Value Business College by Payscale.com.
• Nichols was awarded “Best Business Education” by the Worcester Business Journal in 2014 and 2016-2024.
• Forbes included Nichols in its list of Best Master’s in Cybersecurity Online Degrees of 2024.

First-Year Students

• Application.
• Students interested in Fall 2024: visit the Nichols College Application.
• Students interested in Spring 2025 or Fall 2025: apply via the Common Application.
  • Students interested in Fall 2024: visit the Nichols College Application.
  • Students interested in Spring 2025 or Fall 2025: apply via the Common Application.
• Official high school transcripts. Transcripts should include grades through junior year.
• Test optional. Nichols is test-optional. If you would like us to consider your scores, our SAT CEEB code is 3666 and our ACT code is 1878.
• One letter of recommendation. Preferably from a guidance counselor or teacher.
• Essay / personal statement.
• TOEFL/IELTS. Required for international students.

If you’re a home-schooled applicant, follow these steps. Be sure your high school curriculum or certified program you followed satisfies the requirements of your home state.

Undergraduate Online Students

• A completed undergraduate online education online application (you can submit your application at any time; we accept applications throughout the year)
• Official high school transcript or GED certificate
• Official college transcripts from all accredited colleges, if applicable

Transfer Students

• Application.
• Students interested in Fall 2024 visit the Nichols College Application page to submit your application.
• Students interested in Spring 2025 or Fall 2025, apply via the Common Application for Transfers.
  • Students interested in Fall 2024 visit the Nichols College Application page to submit your application.
  • Students interested in Spring 2025 or Fall 2025, apply via the Common Application for Transfers.
• Essay or personal statement regarding your desire to transfer (waived for students transferring from a partner institution).
• One letter of recommendation (waived for students transferring from a partner institution).
• SAT or ACT scores (waived if you have been out of high school for over two years).

International Students

Application process for Degree-Seeking International Students. Submit the following by June 25th:

• Application
• Proof of English Proficiency (see English Language Proficiency Requirements)
• If seeking a degree, official secondary and (if applicable) post-secondary school transcript(s), translated and evaluated
• Declaration of Finances or Notarized Affidavit of Support
• Personal statement or essay
• One academic letter of recommendation

Application process for Inbound Study Abroad (semester-only) Students. Submit the following by June 15 for the fall semester and by November 1 for the spring semester:

• Application
• Proof of English proficiency (see English Language Proficiency Requirements)
• Declaration of Finances or Notarized Affidavit of Support
• Nomination letter from home university sent to the Office for International Engagement and Coordinator of International Admissions

Our experienced, professional student life and residence staff are dedicated to making your time with us fun-filled, safe, and enriching.

Nichols College may be nestled into the beautiful, rolling hills of central Massachusetts, but there’s never a shortage of things to do, people to meet, and places to go. Enjoy everything the area has to offer, including hiking, biking, and fishing for our nature-loving students, or venture out to Worcester, Putnam, Providence, and Boston for the best nightlife New England has to offer. From ax-throwing to wine tasting, the local businesses offer a variety of activities for students looking to hop off-campus and explore the community.

Events for Everyone

Our Student Involvement team provides students an on-campus experience jam-packed with events and activities. Events hosted by Resident advisors in their residence halls allow students to get to know who they’re living next to– we often hear that the best friendships begin here! Whether you’re tie-dying t-shirts or meeting a reality tv star as they make a campus visit, you’ll always be active on the Hill. Interested in planning events? Join our Campus Activities Board, a club where students make the calls and decide what kind of activities to host.

Fels Student Center

The heart of Nichols’ campus life is the Fels Student Center. Students come here for freshly made food and gourmet coffee. Student clubs and organizations meet here, and the trading room offers dual-monitor workstations for various classes and student projects. On any given evening or weekend, students might be entertained by bingo, comics, guest speakers, or a movie screening.

Athletic Facilities

Our athletics center offers a basketball gym, squash and racquetball courts, a weight room, a fitness room, four locker rooms, and an indoor climbing wall. Elsewhere on our campus, we’ve got volleyball courts (outdoor and indoor), tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, soccer fields, softball fields, and the Chalmers Field House, with indoor basketball courts, an aerobic room and another weight room. If you’re looking for an excuse not to work out, you won’t find it here.

We play all of our home football, field hockey and lacrosse games on the Michael J. Vendetti Multi-Purpose Field. Men’s and women’s soccer teams also play some of their home contests here. The field includes an eight-lane rubberized quarter-mile track surrounding a turf field surface and Musco lighting. It’s a beautiful place to cheer on the Bison.

Student Involvement

Nichols’ Student Involvement works to maximize the personal growth and development of our students facilitating a variety of opportunities for involvement, service, and leadership in co-curricular activities.

Inbound Degree-Seeking students will need to submit the following by June 25th:

• Application
• Proof of English proficiency (see English Language Proficiency Requirements)
• Official transcripts, translated and evaluated
• Declaration of Finances or Notarized Affidavit of Support
• Personal statement or essay
• One academic letter of recommendation

Bilateral Exchange Partner Students will need to submit the following by June 15 for the fall semester and by November 1 for the spring semester for semester-only students; submit the following by June 25th for degree-seeking students:

• Nomination letter from home university sent to the Office for International
• Declaration of Finances or Notarized Affidavit of Support

To demonstrate English proficiency, you must submit at least one of the following:

• Minimum TOEFL Score of 72 (ibt)
• Minimum IELTs Score of 6
• Minimum of 49 on the Pearson Academic PTE
• Minimum SAT Verbal/Critical Reading score of 350
• Minimum score of 95 on Duolingo ESL
• Minimum score of 14 on the ACT English and Reading sections
• Interview with a member of the Nichols Admissions Team
• Graduation from an accredited, English speaking, non-distance learning secondary school with a college preparatory curriculum
• Successful completion of an English Language Program

Additional Information

• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires that all international students maintain full-time status. This means 12-19 credits per term in an undergraduate program or 6 credits in our graduate programs.
• Massachusetts State law requires that students enrolled at a minimum of 3/4 full-time enrollment participate in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage.
• Letters of recommendation, essay, and transcripts must be submitted in English. You cannot apply for a student visa until you have been accepted. Before you can start that process, we will ask for documentation that states you are able to meet financial expenses.
• If you are admitted, a $1,000.00 tuition deposit will be required along with an affidavit of financial support with official certification from your bank and a color copy of the identification page of your passport. Your Nichols College I-20 cannot be issued without these items.
• This College is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant students in F-1 status.

I-20 and F-1 Visas

Nichols College is approved by the US Government to accept international students for study at Nichols.

What immigration documents will I need?

• Your valid passport
• A US I-20 from Nichols College
• An F-1 Visa from an American Consulate

What is an I-20 and how do I get an I-20?

The I-20 is a multi-purpose document issued by a US government-approved educational institution certifying that a student has been admitted to a full-time study program and that the student has demonstrated sufficient financial resources to stay in the US The I-20 is officially titled the “Certificate of Eligibility” because it allows an individual to apply for an F-1 Student Visa at a US embassy or consulate abroad.

If you are a new student outside of the US, upon acceptance to Nichols College, you will provide proof of finances, fill out an I-20 request form when requested by Nichols International Admissions, provide a color copy of the picture page of your passport, and pay your Nichols College tuition deposit. Once the Nichols DSO (Designated School Official) has this information, we enter your name and biographic information into a US government database called SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). The SEVIS database processes your information for a unique number (SEVIS number) and I-20 document. The DSO prints and signs the I-20 and then delivers it to you by mail.

If you are a transfer student already in the United States, you will ask the DSO at your current school to process your “Transfer Out” request in SEVIS. Often they will have a form for you to fill out. You will need to show them our Nichols Acceptance Letter. You must plan to enroll in the next possible semester at Nichols in order to remain in compliance with the terms of your I-20.

SEVIS is the database and information system of the Student Exchange Visitor Program which holds all your official visa status information, authorizing you to study full time in the United States.

What is an F-1 student visa and how do I get one?

All non-immigrant visitors are required to have a valid visa (except Canadians) in their passport to be allowed entry into the U.S.

An appointment for a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate abroad may be required.

Visas cannot be issued inside the US unless you are eligible for a Change of Status.

Use the SEVIS number we send to you to get an appointment at the US Consulate in your country.

Check the current wait times for visa appointments and issuance in your city.

Pay the SEVIS Fee, if applicable.

Make a visa appointment and go to an interview at a US embassy or consulate.

Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens are not required to apply for a visa to enter the US as an F-1, but must still pay the SEVIS Fee and present their I-20 at the US port of entry. However, if the visitor has “Landed Immigrant” status in Canada, a US Visa is required to enter the US.

Visa Appointments

Read the U.S. Department of State website for more information about the visa application process and Temporary Visitors to the U.S.

Visa Wait Times

Since visa appointments are limited and visa processing times can be lengthy, make the appointment as early as possible. Consulates will generally accept appointments up to 120 days prior to the start of studies. There may be long waiting periods for appointments, especially May through August. However, consulates may give priority to F-1 student applicants, if requested.

Visa Interviews

When going to the visa interview, bring:

• Passport (valid at least six months into the future)
• Certificate of Eligibility I-20 (F-1)
• Proof of admission (or proof enrollment for current students)
• Evidence of financial support
• Visa application forms and fees
• SEVIS Fee Receipt (F-1)
• Students on OPT or STEM OPT must also bring an unexpired EAD card and a job offer letter or employment verification letter

Some consulates may require additional documentation, so check the consulate website for visa application instructions. Visa application forms and fees can be found on the consulate website.

Once you have a scanned copy of your SEVIS number, most often you will be able to make an appointment at an American consulate.

Once we have a local address for you, we will send your original I-20 through the mail.

You will need the original I-20 at the visa interview at the consulate.

Check the consulate website to make sure you have all the documents they require for your visa application.

Pay the visa application fee and keep the receipt.