Welcome School, CBO, and College Counselors

Counselors are a key partner in helping Roger Williams University serve both our current and future students. At RWU, our holistic approach to making admission decisions considers the whole student, and allows a greater number of students access to an RWU education.

We would love it if you visited us this academic year! We have a special sign up just for Counselors. 

Sign up for a visit

Stay informed! We send out quarterly counselor newsletters to keep you apprised of everything happening at RWU, share upcoming events for counselors, etc. 

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Upcoming Events for Counselors

FAFSA Changes Virtual Workshop for Counselors

On Friday, November 17, we will host a virtual FAFSA Changes Workshop for Counselors at 11 a.m. ET. Led by our Financial Aid and Admission leadership, this hour long session will give you all the information you need for your work with students and families on the FAFSA simplification process. Click here to register

Deep Dive into Financial Aid for Counselors

On Friday, January 12, our Financial Aid and Admission leadership will host a Deep Dive into Financial Aid for Counselors. This hybrid workshop will take you beyond the basics and help you deeply understand how colleges package aid, what families can and should consider, and how to advise families to make the best choices based on their circumstances. Please note: This workshop assumes a prior understanding of Financial Aid 101. Our experts will present generally-encompassing information and answer questions. In-person attendees will receive brunch, a roundtable on trends in college admission, and the opportunity to partake in a student-led tour of campus. Click this link to register

RWU at a Glance

  • campus300x200.jpg RWU is a private, liberal arts university located in beautiful Bristol, Rhode Island, a convenient distance from Providence, Newport, and Boston. Named after the founder of Rhode Island and 17th-century revolutionary, we are a university devoted to making society a better, more socially just place.
  • We are seeking students that not only want to dive into their classroom learning but also want to enhance our close-knit and dynamic community. Here at RWU, we value and understand the importance of community, acceptance, and diversity so that we can continue to build the university the world needs now
  • Our Bristol campus is home to six academic schools offering 50 majors and 70+ minors, providing students with diverse and unique program offerings. With an average class size of 19, students are able to personalize their college experience and establish relationships with professors, mentors, and their peers.

Application Deadlines

Early Action: November 15
Regular Decision: February 1
HONORS Program Preferred Deadline: November 15

    Application Requirements

    1. Common Applications
    2. High School Transcript(s)
    3. Essay/Personal Statement
    4. One Letter of Recommendation

    Test-Optional Policy

    Submission of standardized test scores for admission consideration is optional. Students may self-reports their scores, as detailed on our requirements page.

    Portfolio & Audition

    Students applying to Architecture are required to submit portfolios for consideration for direct-entry.

    Dance Performance Studies applicants are required to audition prior to their application being reviewed. They will have the option to schedule and in-person audition or submit an audition video. Videos may be posted to a shared YouTube or Vimeo channel.

    If you'd like to talk with us 1:1 about your student's application status, please reach out to our admission team with any questions. For a listing of admission counselors by territory, click here. You can always call the office at 401-254-3500 or email us

    You can also track your student's application statuses with Slate.org! We encourage our counselor community to use this tool to assist with checking application statuses for their students that apply to RWU. View checklist requirements, upload documents, and track applicant decisions. Didn't know about Slate.org?  Find out more about Slate.org here.

    Scholarships and Financial Aid

    Merit scholarships are awarded by automatic review in consideration of academic performance, rigor of curriculum, standardized test scores (if submitted) and other personal characteristics and accomplishments. Merit awards renew annually with travel grants available for out-of-region students, which equates to 31-61% of tuition cost.

    Additional scholarship opportunities:

    • Intercultural Leadership Ambassador Scholarship (ILA) - students who qualify will have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and positive contributions to their communities. Qualifying students also identify with one of the following: first generation college student; speak a first language other than English or live in a home where English is not the primary language; live or attend high school in an under-resourced community; or live in a geographically underrepresented community. The program includes a scholarship covering 95% of tuition for four consecutive years of undergraduate study in addition to a co-curricular program which provides mentorship and academic support while furthering the holistic and leadership growth of recipients throughout their time at RWU. 

    Need-based financial aid requires that students submit the FAFSA by February 1 (FAFSA Code: 003410); RWU does not use the CSS profile.

    View our financial aid basics page

    Profile of Admitted Student

    • GPA Middle 50%: 3.11-3.85
    • SAT Middle 50%: 1140-1290
    • ACT Middle 50%: 26-30
    • Students of Color: 21%
    • First Generation Students: 24%
    • Out-of-State Students: 87%

    Tuition and Costs

    For most up-to-date tuition and fees, visit the Office of the Bursar website

    Visit Experience Options

    The Roger Williams statue on the RWU campus.We provide a variety of visit experiences to explore our waterfront campus. Offerings include information sessions and tours, special presentations, virtual tours (with student-led guides), and open houses. Click here to learn more and to register. To request a virtual counselor tour, please email us.

    Counselor Experience

    mount hope bayEach spring, our invitational Counselor Experience welcomes school counselors, independent counselors and CBO advisors to join our campus community for a day and gain perspectives on our academic programs, support services, student life, dining options and application review process. We wrap up the day with a cocktail reception overlooking Mt. Hope Bay where you'll connect directly with many members of the RWU community who will ultimately play important roles in the success of your students who choose Roger. For 2024, our Counselor Experience will likely take place in April! For more information, please email counselors@rwu.edu.

    Regional Events

    We travel extensively in the fall and spring to connect with your students and families. We also host regional counselor events periodically. Check back on this website or read our counselor newsletter for updates!

    Contact Us

    admissions_staff300x200.jpgOur undergraduate admission counselors would be happy to chat with you about your students, schedule a visit to campus or answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact your admission counselor.

    Join our counselor mailing list to learn more about RWU and keep up-to-date with our application deadlines, visit opportunities and exciting news from our community.