This article was originally reported in March 2025. How the first semester went and how to apply now are covered in the latest update below.
In March 2025, Lehigh University announced Explore Lehigh, a first-semester program for incoming students who are not yet sure which of Lehigh’s four undergraduate colleges fits them best. Students in the program sample courses from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Health and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science before choosing a college, instead of committing on their application and switching later (Lehigh News, March 25, 2025).
“We can’t expect every first-year student to know what path they will take,” said Dan Warner, vice provost for admissions and financial aid. Terry-Ann Jones, deputy provost for undergraduate affairs, said the program came after “two years of development and ideation.” Lehigh said the first cohort, starting in fall 2025 with the Class of 2029, would have room for 30 students.
How the program works
According to Lehigh’s admissions page (Lehigh Admissions: Explore Lehigh):
- Required courses (10 credits): WRIT 001 (3 credits); a math course (about 4 credits, chosen by area of interest and ALEKS placement); and IC 096 Intercollege Experience (3 credits), a module-based course on solving problems across disciplines.
- Two of four college courses (3–7 credits): the Arts and Sciences Big Questions Seminar, Foundations of Business, the College of Health’s first-year seminar, and Introduction to Engineering Practice.
- Advising: each student’s primary academic advisor is Lehigh’s director of coordinated advising, and each is also paired with a faculty mentor who shares their interests and a career coach from the Center for Career and Professional Development. The program includes summer contact with advisors, a pre-orientation program (PreLUsion), a spring reunion and annual check-ins throughout the undergraduate years.
- Interdisciplinary programs: Explore Lehigh students remain eligible for Lehigh’s interdisciplinary programs CSB, IBE and IDEAS.
Latest update: the first semester and applying now
The first cohort that actually enrolled in fall 2025 was smaller than planned: Lehigh’s student newspaper reported 11 first-year students. Admissions counselors recruited them after the program was approved in spring 2025. The Intercollege Experience seminar was taught by Chris Kauzmann, innovator in residence at Lehigh’s Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation. “My goal is that the students leave this program saying ‘I know more about myself,'” he said. Emily Ford, director of coordinated advising, said the aim was “to make them feel a part of the Lehigh community, since they are not identifying with a college just yet” (The Brown and White, September 15, 2025).
For the Class of 2031 (entering fall 2027), applicants can apply to Explore Lehigh directly through the Common Application or Coalition Application, as part of the regular Lehigh application; applications opened August 1, 2026. Students must be judged admissible to all four undergraduate colleges to be admitted to the program, but they do not need to submit the separate applications otherwise required for the College of Business or the College of Engineering. Questions go to [email protected] (Lehigh Admissions).
What international applicants should know
- Explore Lehigh suits applicants who are still deciding between, for example, engineering and business; admission to the program requires being admissible to all four colleges, including engineering.
- Lehigh is need-aware for international applicants and has limited need-based aid for them; merit scholarships from $5,000 up to full tuition are considered without a separate application. Early Decision I closes November 1, and Early Decision II and Regular Decision close January 15 (Lehigh Admissions: International Students).
- Lehigh is No. 44 among national universities in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. For fall 2025 it received 20,396 first-year applications and admitted 25.9%; 394 of its 5,911 undergraduates were international. 2025–26 tuition and fees were $64,980, plus about $17,220 for room and board (IPEDS).
See our Lehigh University page for more admissions and cost data.
References
- Lehigh News: First-Year Students Offered Unique Opportunity to Explore Lehigh With Inaugural Program (March 25, 2025)
- Lehigh Admissions: Explore Lehigh
- The Brown and White: New Explore Lehigh program offers classes across disciplines (September 15, 2025)
- Lehigh Admissions: International Students
- Forward Pathway: Lehigh University