The University of the South

The University of the South is a private institution that was founded in 1857. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,613 (fall 2022), its setting is rural, and the campus size is 13,000 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. The University of the South's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #51. Its tuition and fees are $53,704.

Among The University of the South’s many traditions, the one that most distinguishes its students is their clothing. Unlike at most other schools, wearing pajamas or T-shirts to class is not typical. Instead, many students elect to dress up for class, as a way to show respect for professors and the academic experience.

After class, students may need to change clothes if they want to explore all of the campus’ surrounding wilderness. The southern Tennessee university’s large swath of property, known as the Domain, offers opportunities for rock climbing, mountain biking and caving.

All students are required to live on campus unless they are granted an exception. The campus is also home to more than 100 student organizations, including more than 20 Greek organizations. The Sewanee Tigers mostly compete in the NCAA Division III Southern Athletic Association. The football team plays on the oldest field in the South.

The University of the South has about three dozen majors, and students must also complete a set of rigorous general education courses. Each summer, the school hosts the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, which offers readings and workshops exploring the craft. Nearly half the student body studies abroad before graduating. For shorter trips within Tennessee, the campus is a 45-minute drive from Chattanooga and 90 minutes from Nashville.

The university is owned and governed by dioceses of the Episcopal Church, and it is the only school in the country to bear this distinction. However, the university is open to students of all faiths. Students with high GPAs are inducted into the Order of the Gownsmen and receive priority selection for dorm rooms and classes. Notable alumni of The University of the South include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham, National Geographic photographer Stephen Alvarez and dozens of esteemed clergymen, including the Most Rev. Edmond Browning and the Most Rev. John Maury Allin, former presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church.