Clarkson University

The main campus is in Potsdam, NY. located on the historic 640-acre wooded homestead of the Clarkson family in the foothills of the Adirondack Park. With four other universities in the nearby region, Potsdam is truly “a college town”.

The Clarkson community enjoys a constantly changing social scene and an unparalleled intellectual quality of life largely influenced by the school’s proximity to the north slope of the Adirondacks; easy drives to Lake Placid as well as Ottawa and Montreal, Canada; and a high level of regional camaraderie to encourage innovative partnerships in small business development, arts, tourism, recreation, agriculture and green energy.

There is also a branch campus, the Capital Region Campus, located in Schenectady, NY. It’s centrally located to many of Clarkson’s corporate partners for research, graduate education, talent development and alumni networking. The campus is less than 15 minutes from the state capital in Albany, and less than three hours from New York City, Syracuse and Boston.

One of the most noteworthy facilities at Clarkson University is the Center for Advanced Material Processing (CAMP), which forms alliances with industry, corporations and government to apply science, engineering and technology to improve their products, maintain their competitive edge, and foster economic development.

Students work with faculty in research, demonstration, and transfer of new technologies related to the synthesis and processing of advanced materials of value to industry and corporations. This prepares students to enter the workforce with knowledge and hands-on research experience on projects of importance to industry and corporations.

There are 65 countries represented on campus among the student body, with three percent of students at undergraduate level classed as international students. At the graduate level, about 16 percent of students are international.

Clarkson is home to a range of fraternities and sororities, as well as more than 130 clubs and organizations. Notable ones include the K2CC Amateur Radio Club, Golden Knotes (an a cappella group) and Clarkson Theater Company.

COVID-19 Information: 

•            What is the status of planned campus admission open days/tours?
Clarkson is not conducting in-person events at this time. You can always access an online virtual tour on our website: https://clarkson.university-tour.com/player/1/who-we-are/we-are-all-golden-knights . You can also check our calendar of events for virtual information sessions: https://gradapp.clarkson.edu/portal/prospective_grad_events. 

•              How can applicants contact the university about their application?
Feel free to contact us at admissions@clarkson.edu for bachelor’s degree questions or gradintil@clarkson.edu for Master’s and PhD options  

•               How is the university handling applicants whose exams have been cancelled?
Starting in Fall 2021, Clarkson University will be test optional for all students who are seeking a bachelor’s degree. Students wishing to provide ACT or SAT test scores will have that information factored into their application review; those who do not provide scores will not be penalized. All students planning to take other standardized exams, such as A-levels, IB exams, WASSCE and other national exams, should provide predicted scores or results, if available.

For students seeking Master’s and PhD options, many typically require exams such as the GRE or GMAT. Please contact Graduate Admissions at gradintl@clarkson.edu for assistance with questions concerning these exams and the potential for waivers or postponement of submission.

Most international students, at all levels, are required to provide evidence of English proficiency. The minimum scores for our English exam requirements are as follows: TOEFL 80; IELTS 6.5; PTE 56; Duolingo 115.

•             What advice is the university offering to applicants unable to take an English-language test due to centers being closed?
Clarkson accepts the Duolingo English Test, which is available online and does not require a test appointment. Other exam providers are planning for at-home testing. Check the TOEFL and IELTS websites for availability.

•             How is the university supporting applicants whose visa applications have been delayed?
Clarkson is monitoring the situation with visa appointments at local consulates around the world. We are issuing I-20 documents for those who are able to get appointments. Some students will get them at a later date, when visa interviews resume. I-20s will be reissued, as needed, if the original document expires before students are able to make an in-person interview appointment.

•             Is the university still accepting applications? Are there any restrictions being placed on international applicants?
Clarkson University is still accepting applications with no restrictions on international applicants.

•             How are applications for university accommodation being handled?
Admitted Fall 2020 undergraduate students can complete housing arrangements after they make their enrollment deposits. Limited housing is also available for graduate students.

•             Is the university making any changes to entry requirements (i.e. test results, required documents)?
Clarkson University is test-optional for bachelor’s admission beginning in Fall 2021.

For students seeking Master’s and PhD options, check the program-specific pages for GRE, GMAT, and Miller Analogies requirements.

All undergraduate and graduate students are considered for merit funding during the admission process. On the undergraduate side, scholarships range from $5,000 to $30,000 annually. Decisions are made based on the applicant’s academic record.

For graduate students, there are partial scholarships, which are based on academic factors. The main factor in fully-funded assistantship decisions is the match between the student’s background and the department’s needs for research or teaching. Most fully funded offers are at the doctoral level.

Undergraduate students have a 93 percent placement rate within the first six months, either in employment or advanced studies. Among graduate students earning a master’s or PhD in 2017, 98 percent were placed by the time of our 2018 study.

One in five alumni of Clarkson University is a CEO, president or senior executive of a company or business.