Furman University

Private · Selective · SC

Photo: Asheville Post Card Co. (Public Domain)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationSC · South

SettingSuburban

Undergrads2,379

Student:faculty10:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate73%

6-yr grad rate78.8%

Drop-out rate9.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$60k

Out-of-state tuition$60k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity27.5%

Gender diversity57.8%

International6%

Identity—

Overview

Furman is a liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina, known for one of the most manicured campuses in the Southeast, complete with a swan lake, rose gardens, and Blue Ridge Mountain views. It presents itself as a rigorous, close-knit liberal arts community with strong ties to Greenville's culture and economy, and it has increasingly positioned itself as a bridge between a traditional liberal arts education and real-world, career-connected experience.

Academics

Furman emphasizes engaged learning through undergraduate research, internships, and study away, encouraging students to move outside the traditional classroom over their four years rather than treat those experiences as electives. Chemistry, music, and politics are particular strengths, and the university has built a visible, well-regarded sustainability and environmental studies program as well, including hands-on land and garden projects on campus. Class sizes are small and discussion-oriented throughout, even in introductory courses.

Campus & student life

The campus's manicured grounds, centered on its lake and formal gardens, are a genuine point of student pride and a fixture of campus tours, and Greenville's celebrated downtown, with its restaurants, art scene, and outdoor amenities along the Reedy River, sits just minutes away, giving students both a self-contained campus and easy city access. Athletics at the Division I level, along with a range of clubs and Greek organizations, round out student life.

Getting in

Furman's process is holistic, with essays and demonstrated fit weighing meaningfully given its selectivity and relatively small size. The university values students who will actively take advantage of its research and study-away opportunities rather than simply attend classes and graduate, and interviews or campus visits can meaningfully strengthen an application.

After graduation

Furman has strong pre-law, pre-med, and business pipelines, aided by its Greenville location and close alumni ties in the Carolinas, along with a track record of undergraduate research experience that meaningfully supports graduate and professional school applications. Alumni networks are especially active in the Upstate South Carolina business community.

Worth knowing

The engaged-learning requirement means most Furman students complete a research project, internship, or study-away experience before graduating, which is worth understanding as a core part of the curriculum, not an optional extra, and it often shapes course selection from the first year onward.

furman.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate43%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1260–1430 · ACT 28–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Early decisionNov 1

Regular decisionJan 15

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Coalition (Scoir).

Early decision IIJan 15

Financial aid formsFeb 1

Early Decision I and II are binding commitments ("if you're accepted, you're coming to Furman"); Early Action is non-binding.

Interviews: Interviews are required only for home-schooled applicants and those graduating high school early (a required Zoom interview); not required for other first-year applicants.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗