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Deep Springs continues to thrive as one of the most unique institutions of higher learning in the country. The educational program is built upon three pillars: academic training, self-government, and manual labor. The school is located 37 miles from Bishop, California on an isolated cattle ranch.
Each year, up to 13 students are admitted. A full-ride scholarship covers all costs of the program, including tuition, room, and board, for every student offered admission.
Classes are usually seminars with small groups of students. Coming largely from elite institutions, professors are attracted by the highly motivated students and the close intellectual relationships that can be formed in such a setting. Topics range widely throughout the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Credit from the two-year program can be used to earn an Associate's of Arts or transferred toward a Bachelor's.
The student body, which fluctuates between 24 and 30 members, is responsible for deciding admissions, hiring faculty, reviewing student performance, and many other aspects of running the college.
In addition to academics and self-governance, students are expected to participate in labor for at least 20 hours each week. Labor includes farm and ranch work, but also cooking, cleaning, gardening, butchering, milking cows, and maintaining facilities and vehicles, among many other daily tasks.
Each year, up to 13 students are admitted. A full-ride scholarship covers all costs of the program, including tuition, room, and board, for every student offered admission.
Classes are usually seminars with small groups of students. Coming largely from elite institutions, professors are attracted by the highly motivated students and the close intellectual relationships that can be formed in such a setting. Topics range widely throughout the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Credit from the two-year program can be used to earn an Associate's of Arts or transferred toward a Bachelor's.
The student body, which fluctuates between 24 and 30 members, is responsible for deciding admissions, hiring faculty, reviewing student performance, and many other aspects of running the college.
In addition to academics and self-governance, students are expected to participate in labor for at least 20 hours each week. Labor includes farm and ranch work, but also cooking, cleaning, gardening, butchering, milking cows, and maintaining facilities and vehicles, among many other daily tasks.
Overview
Employees
11-50
Mentions in press and media 3
| Date | Title | Description |
| Sign up to see | Sign up to see | Sign up to see |
| May 4, 2017 | Social-Emotional Learning Is the Rage in K-12. So Why Not in College? | Whether you believe the purpose of college is to foster intellectual curiosity or simply to land a job after graduation, emotional well-being is a prerequisite to both. Research links learning ability to social and emotional health, which w... |
| Sep 20, 2016 | What Does Innovation Mean in Higher Education? | You can’t walk around any college campus, school district or company without hearing the word “innovation.” Organizations of all sorts display front and center the innovative ideas and innovative ways they build and sell products to change ... |
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FAQ about Deep Springs College
What has the press written about Deep Springs College?
Parsers VC has collected 3 articles mentioning Deep Springs College, among them “Social-Emotional Learning Is the Rage in K-12. So Why Not in College?” (May 4, 2017) and “What Does Innovation Mean in Higher Education?” (Sep 20, 2016).
Is Deep Springs College still active?
Yes, Deep Springs College is active; its latest activity on Parsers VC dates from Aug 17, 2025.