What is life on campus like? Do I need to choose my major right away? How much on-campus housing is available? Will Lehigh help me find a job after graduation?
Get these answers and more from our most frequently asked questions below.
Lehigh students enjoy a wide variety of opportunities and activities to immerse themselves in their passions, whether or not they relate to engineering.
Clubs and groups across our campus are inclusive by nature and seek to engage new students with shared interests. There are more than 200 active student clubs and organizations. Each fall, a "Club Fair" introduces new students to the many academic honor societies, sports clubs, cultural organizations, music and theatre groups, etc.
Lehigh's arts and music scene is vibrant and dynamic. The university's athletics department offers both varsity-level and intramural pursuits. We often hear that high school student-athletes and musicians are concerned about balancing an engineering workload and participation in their activity. It is a well-known fact that Lehigh's music programs are heavily populated by engineering students, who make up a significant portion of the orchestra and marching band, and many engineers take advantage of the minor offered by Lehigh's Music Department. And participation in sports is equally possible—our News Center contains many stories about successful student-athletes and musicians in our community.
For more information about any aspect of life at Lehigh, visit Lehigh's Office of Student Life.
The fraternity and sorority system at Lehigh is a thriving one—an integral part of residential life on campus, to be sure, but by no means a dominant force in the campus' social climate. Thus, there's no intense pressure here to "go Greek," nor is there any negative stigma attached to fraternity or sorority membership. Approximately one-third of Lehigh's undergraduate students are involved in the Greek system.
For more information, visit Lehigh's Office of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs.
Lehigh University is in the heart of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, a bustling and growing community of nearly 850,000 people. We are situated within the city of Bethlehem, just 50 miles north of Philadelphia and 90 miles southwest of New York City.
The Lehigh Valley prides itself on a vibrant local arts and music community—a community in which Lehigh, especially through the Zoellner Arts Center, plays a significant role. The valley also boasts an exciting mix of start-up firms and established corporate entities, in fields such as transportation and biotechnology.
Lehigh Valley International Airport, just six miles from campus, is served by many major airlines. Also within driving distance is Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. More than 20 buses travel to and from New York and Philly every day, leaving from stations that are within easy walking distance from campus.
For additional information on life in the Lehigh Valley, visit our Regional Guide.
As a first-year student, you'll be required to live on campus. You'll sleep, study, and hang out in one of several residence halls that surround the academic core of the campus—a short walk from classes, the libraries, and the gym. If you plan on commuting to Lehigh or living off campus with a family member, you will need to petition the Office of Housing Services for exemption from the residency requirement.
Most residence hall rooms are doubles, with a limited number of singles and triples. Lounges, kitchens, and study rooms give you ample room to work and relax. All rooms are equipped with an active television cable jack. Wireless internet access is available throughout all residence halls in both bedrooms and common areas.
All residence hall facilities are smoke-free, and, as of August 2, 2021, Lehigh will become an entirely tobacco-free and smoke-free campus.
To learn more about housing options for first-year and returning students, explore Living at Lehigh.
There are a total of nine meal plans available for students (including four options for first-year students). Your Lehigh University ID card is used to access meal plans. "All you can eat" is available in three central locations during each meal period, and take-out selections are also available for students on-the-go. Another available option is the GoldPlus account. GoldPlus can be used everywhere Dining Dollars are accepted, as well as hundreds of locations on and off campus.
For more information, check out Lehigh's Dining Services.
Lehigh blends the best aspects of a small, private learning institution with those of larger research-driven universities, and draws top students who may be attracted to either academic environment. It is nearly impossible to imagine a "big state school" where undergraduates have as much access to senior faculty and cutting-edge lab equipment as they do here. Nor are there many private institutions in our category that put as much emphasis on fostering and supporting sophisticated undergraduate research; fewer still provide as much direct undergraduate access to next-generation techniques and technologies, from the nanoscale to the megastructural.
Ours is a community where you'll receive personal attention from faculty and staff, but you'll also have access to state-of-the-art resources and facilities that support hands-on, in-depth research projects. Classes are small—at least three-quarters of our engineering courses have 30 students or fewer. And on-campus services such as the Office of Student Affairs and the Center for Career & Professional Development are committed to your personal success and growth.
Perhaps even more compelling, Lehigh is that rare school where faculty researchers who are renowned in their fields also actively teach and advise both graduate and undergraduate students.
Make no mistake about it—Lehigh Engineering is one of the most highly selective programs of its kind. The admissions process certainly factors grades and standardized-test scores into the decision (visit Lehigh's Application Toolbox for information about test-score-optional policies for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024), but there are other important factors as well. We're looking for students who enjoy a challenge and have shown a willingness to push themselves to excel. Submitting a well-conceived, well-articulated essay in your application packet is also key to success in the admissions process. The admissions office also considers extracurricular involvement, recommendations, and the rigor of a student's coursework when making decisions.
We believe that grades, rather than standardized-test scores, are generally a better indicator of a student's ability to succeed in the Rossin College. That being said, for Lehigh's Class of 2024, score ranges of the middle 50% of admitted students were 655-730 for SAT Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing and 685-770 for SAT Math. Though it's not required, the middle 50% of admitted students submitting ACT scores (not including writing score) was 31-34.
But we cannot stress enough that Lehigh is not a school that judges prospective students solely on the basis of their scores and grades. We're looking for the right people to join our learning community, not just a volume of enrollment. And numbers simply don't tell enough of a story to support these decisions on their own.
Typically a 4 or 5 gets you credit for AP courses. Individual departments set their own standards for AP acceptance; for more information, check with the appropriate department or review Lehigh's Course Catalog.
There are typically 450 to 500 students in each incoming class within the engineering and interdisciplinary programs. Read more about the composition of Lehigh's Class of 2024 and check out university-wide statistics.
Typically, students do not choose a major until March of their first year, and prior to the decision period, we have many programs and resources in place to help you find your niche. (Note: Some Lehigh engineering programs have special first-year considerations; if you are interested in these, please make sure your application materials tell us so.)
Engineering students take a course called Engineering 5 in their first year. It is designed to help in the major-selection process by teaching the fundamentals of engineering and providing a taste of engineering's many flavors. The course forces students to think creatively and to solve problems—the very heart of what it means to be an engineer. Along with close consultation with an academic advisor and peer mentors (current Lehigh engineering students), Engineering 5 forms a solid basis for selecting a major.
This is another area where Lehigh excels. The boundaries between departments and programs are easy, and professors and staff are very willing to work with you to help make sure your educational goals are met. Students looking for a broader career path that combines engineering skills with other interests may gravitate toward our numerous interdisciplinary programs.
Most engineering majors share a common first-year curriculum. The standard first-year program requires eight courses, four each semester: Even if you are the type of student who knows that you are destined for a career of technical achievement, it is still important for you to gain an appreciation of humanities and social sciences (HSS).
After your first year in the Rossin College, you'll enroll in Economics 1 as well as 13 credits of HSS electives. You'll take two or three courses in one area, with at least one of the courses being above an introductory level, and you'll take at least one humanities course from a secondary area. Most programs also contain six credits of free electives, which can be used to complete minors in HSS or other areas. Other electives will include technical and approved courses required by each department.
You may be able to begin your first year in higher-level courses if you come to Lehigh with Advanced Placement (AP) or transfer credits. Also, please note that some of our interdisciplinary programs have specific first-year requirements, so be sure to check with an advisor for details.
The Lehigh Engineering Curriculum Guide will help you navigate your academic options in the Rossin College.
The short answer to that question is a resounding "absolutely not." Lehigh prides itself on its professors' commitment to teaching and advising undergraduate and graduate students. Every class is taught by a professor, and Lehigh TAs are just that—assistants to those professors. It isn't likely that you find this to be the case at every university you explore. And even though these professors are teaching and advising, they are also researchers of the highest caliber. Because of our professors' balance of teaching and research, students are exposed to the most current tools and techniques in the field. And what's more, Lehigh students—both undergrad and grad—are shoulder to shoulder with their professors in the lab, rolling up their own sleeves and creating new knowledge and innovation.
your Lehigh provides career planning services for undergraduate and graduate students as an integral part of the career development process. We'll partner with you to outline a post-Lehigh plan—and help you execute it—whether you dive into your career or attend a prestigious graduate school. The Center for Career & Professional Development offers opportunities for students to connect with industry partners and alumni through mentorship, internships, co-ops, on-campus and virtual interviews, and career expos. Lehigh's alumni form a tight and powerful network out there in the business world, and more than 3000 alumni mentors are available for Lehigh students.
Lehigh's annual "Career Outcomes Report" provides further insight into the success of our recent grads.
Lehigh's unique and rigorous cooperative education program allows qualifying engineering students to work for eight months at a paid industry or government internship and still graduate in four years, with their classmates, by taking junior-level courses during the summer before their junior year. Internships are another way to explore your profession before making the leap, and can lead to future networking contacts and possibly a full-time job upon graduation. Typically, internships occur during the summer, but you can take advantage of an internship during the semester if your schedule permits.
There are several ways to seek internships within your field of choice, and Lehigh's Center for Career & Professional Development is ready to help.
International graduate and undergraduate students are welcomed and valued as a vital part of the Lehigh community. Each year, about 1,000 international students from 83 countries help enrich the overall campus experience.
To learn more, watch this video and visit the Office of International Students and Scholars, which provides immigration advising and support services to help international students enroll and succeed at Lehigh.
