Spring Arbor University

Private · Moderately Selective · MI

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationMI · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads1,010

Student:faculty12:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate48.4%

6-yr grad rate63.5%

Drop-out rate22.9%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$34k

Out-of-state tuition$34k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity30.9%

Gender diversity64.8%

International3.7%

IdentityFree Methodist

Overview

Spring Arbor University is a private Free Methodist university in Spring Arbor, Michigan, southwest of Ann Arbor and Jackson. Its curriculum is deliberately organized around a shared core built on the Christian liberal arts, including a required cross-cultural study experience for undergraduates.

Academics

Education, business, and nursing are the university's mainstay professional programs, delivered in small classes on a close-knit residential campus. The cross-cultural requirement sends students off campus, often internationally, as a standard part of the degree rather than an optional add-on.

Campus & student life

Campus life is organized around chapel, small-group faith community, and a traditional residential experience, with the rural southern Michigan setting keeping students centered on campus activities and athletics (the Cougars, NAIA).

Getting in

Spring Arbor reviews applicants holistically with attention to fit with its Christian mission, and the cross-cultural study requirement is something applicants should understand as a built-in part of the degree before enrolling.

Worth knowing

The required cross-cultural study experience is a genuine differentiator: nearly every graduate leaves with an off-campus, often international, immersion experience built into their transcript rather than as an elective option.

arbor.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate51.5%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1010–1240

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying