Study abroad at Northfield

Northfield is an internationally celebrated, affluent, and historic liberal arts and sciences college town in Rice and Dakota Counties in southeastern Minnesota along the Cannon River, located just 45 minutes south of Minneapolis–Saint Paul (Twin Cities) and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). Globally acclaimed for its unique motto 'Cows, Colleges, and Contentment', celebrated for its historic 1876 defeat of the James-Younger Gang bank raid, picturesque Victorian downtown, and Cowling Arboretum (880 acres of native prairie and forest trails). Northfield is home to two of America's highest-ranking undergraduate colleges: Carleton College (founded in 1866, consistently ranked among the Top 10 National Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States by US News & World Report with over 2,000 students on a 1,040-acre campus, renowned for Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics, Pre-Med, and producing more PhD graduates per capita in sciences than almost any institution in America), and St. Olaf College (founded in 1874, ranked among the US Top 50 National Liberal Arts Colleges with 3,000 students on a 300-acre hilltop campus known as 'The Hill', globally famous for the St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Orchestra, Mathematics, and Biomedical Sciences). Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from an elite 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, generous need-based and merit scholarships (covering up to 100% of demonstrated need), and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Northfield for international undergraduate students at Carleton College and St. Olaf College range between $58,000 and $65,500 per academic year for Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, Pre-Med, and Biology (with Carleton and St. Olaf meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need and awarding generous International Merit Scholarships of $20,000 to $45,000/year to qualified international applicants). Modern on-campus residential housing (Carleton: Watson Hall, Burton Hall, Cassat Hall; St. Olaf: Ytterboe Hall, Larson Hall, Mellby Hall) costs between $850 and $1,350 per month (inclusive of comprehensive meal plans, utilities, and high-speed Wi-Fi). General monthly living expenses range between $750 and $1,200.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year expenses minus scholarship awards), the Office of International Student Life (Carleton OISL / St. Olaf ISS) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization).