Why Choose an Independent College?

Choosing a college is one of the most significant decisions you can make.  What you learn at college, the experiences you share, and the friends you make will transform your life and influence future decisions.  Vermont’s independent colleges and universities are dedicated to helping students find their passion and achieve rewarding and satisfying careers.

Independent colleges are free of direct state control and offer a wide variety of educational programs and approaches to engage students in vigorous debate and creative thinking.

Our member institutions offer academic and personal enrichment opportunities through a breadth of programs ranging from sustainable agriculture to international politics; from film studies to economics; from computer & digital forensics to architecture; from nursing to accounting; and much more.

AVIC institutions:

• provide a high quality education with an engaged faculty;
• comprise a sector rich in the liberal arts and sciences tradition;
• honor individualized learning;
• prepare students for a career or graduate school;
• maintain a rigorous focus on personal inquiry and the development of strong personal values;
• create opportunities to extend classroom learning to the field;
• offer cultural activities and volunteer services;
• promote the completion educational goals in a timely manner; and
• deliver several types of financial aid based on each student’s individual financial situation.

Most students receive some form of financial aid to help pay for their education.

When you graduate from a Vermont independent college, you will leave with more than a degree.  You will have the knowledge and skills to meet new challenges and succeed in today’s ever changing global economy.