Why W&L
Washington and Lee University is a small liberal arts university nestled in the mountains of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. We are committed to providing a highly personalized academic experience, making our education affordable for all students, and preparing our graduates for lives of personal fulfillment and professional success.
Access and Affordability
Washington and Lee’s dedication to access and affordability is reflected in its generous need-based financial aid and merit-based scholarships. The university is need-blind for all undergraduate students and guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need with aid packages that do not include loans. Through the W&L Promise, students with an annual household income of less than $150,000 pay no tuition, and those with an annual household income of less than $75,000 pay no tuition, room or board.
In addition to need-based aid, the Johnson Scholarship Program awards merit-based, full tuition, room and board scholarships to roughly 10% of each incoming class.
A Liberal Arts University
We augment the liberal arts and sciences with offerings not commonly found at a small college. Our core curriculum, combined with the breadth of our course catalog, encourages students to make connections across disciplines.
The College
The College is the liberal arts core of W&L, home to fine arts, humanities, social sciences, journalism, and STEM fields.
The Williams School
The Williams School of Commerce, Economics and Politics is distinctive among its peers — offering a business education within a larger liberal arts curriculum.
The School of Law
W&L’s only graduate program, The School of Law seeks to cultivate broad-minded, highly skilled, and honorable practitioners of law.
The Campaign for Washington and Lee
Leading Lives of Consequence
Leading Lives of Consequence celebrates Washington and Lee’s ideals and represents a powerful investment in current and future students who will carry those values forward. This campaign funds critical priorities that will allow the transformative power of a W&L education to endure for generations to come.
Scene on Campus
Scene on Campus is a frequently updated collection of candid photos highlighting W&L campus life.
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From The Columns
Read The Columns for W&L stories on campus and around the world.
Washington and Lee University to Host Inaugural Summit on the Future of AI
The PLAI Summit offers a full day of programming and discussion in tandem with W&L’s Young Alumni Weekend.
Summer Research Scholars Brian Kim ’26 and Ansley Stotts ’27 have spent their summer conducting field research in a unique outdoor classroom.
Meredith Harron ’26 trained and performed with the Mediterranean Opera Festival this summer through a Johnson Opportunity Grant.
Every day at W&L our community comes together to research to mentor to collaborate to learn.
