Join the fellowship: Applications now open for Ralston College Master’s in the Humanities

Who can apply to Ralston College?

Previous graduating classes have included students from 49 states with academic and professional experience in the realms of arts, science, mathematics, engineering, music, psychology and criminology. 

Their undergraduate degrees have been granted by a wide range of universities–national, international, public, and private–and include several Ivy League institutions such as Yale and Columbia. 

In addition to a record of strong academic achievement, successful applicants to Ralston College have shared: 

• An ambition to reflect deeply on fundamental questions
• A readiness to read and think for long hours, and 
• A willingness to question one’s own assumptions, and to engage with the thoughts of others in a spirit of intellectual charity and good faith 

What is student life like at Ralston College?

Each year, the Ralston College MA is governed by a theme that provides a pathway across disciplines and times, stretching from classical antiquity to the present. 

While “Fellowship” is the theme of the 2025-26 curriculum it is also an articulation of the emerging character of the College’s student life.

Throughout each term, students live in a tight-knit community–whether on a small bay on the island of Samos in Greece or on the College’s campus in historic Savannah where they learn together to speak, listen and read ancient Greek, share meals, and pursue common interests such as sport, painting, acting and musical performance. 

The sense of community is a welcome contrast to the more fractious mood becoming prevalent at other universities campuses, President Blackwood says.

"Young people deserve to be able to access a university education focused on the questions at the very center of our lives—loss and love, suffering and mortality, freedom, justice, and redemption," he said.

“That kind of education is only possible when the pursuit of truth is a genuine and free adventure.”

Who teaches at Ralston College? 

Students’ direct access to world-class academics is a frequent and novel aspect of Ralston College’s Master’s program.

The curriculum is guided by faculty with degrees from the University of Cambridge, Princeton, Warburg Institute at the University of London, Yale and Emory while lecturers and seminars are lead by accomplished graduates from Cornell, Notre Dame, the University of Strasbourg in France, and the University of Toronto–each is free to broach any academic topic without constraint. 

Students also enjoy lectures from dozens of visiting scholars and world-renowned musicians from around the world in addition to excursions throughout Georgia’s Lowcountry, and an annual student-led academic Symposium.

Students are welcome to attend Ralston College’s many free, public events and lectures, including its annual Sophia Lectures which, since the launch of the series is 2022, has welcomed well-known scholars to explore the perennial questions of philosophy as they bear on the meaning and value of modern life.

During the 2023-24 academic year, celebrated public intellectual, and author of several critically acclaimed books Dr Iain McGilchrist delivered the College’s annual Sophia Lecture series. 

Distinguished philosopher Dr Douglas Hedley from the University of Cambridge, gave the inaugural Sophia Lectures in 2022. He discussed this new work in conversation with President Stephen Blackwood.

Between each Sophia Lecture—before sold-out crowds in Savannah—Drs McGilchrist and Hedley were welcome guests at the students’ residence and available to them throughout their respective stays.

How much does Ralston College cost? 

The College has a strong scholarship program to ensure that financial means will not be a barrier; all admitted students are eligible for partial or full scholarships to cover tuition and living costs.

Tuition for the program is $60,000, which will cover accommodation and most meals in Term I in Greece. The College estimates that, in Savannah, room and board for a single student costs about $16,000.

What does the application process entail?

Submitted applications, including an 500- to 1000-word response to an essay question, will be reviewed by the Ralston College faculty. 

Those selected for a 30-minute panel interview by the College’s faculty will receive an email from a coordinator assigned to each application to answer questions and provide status updates as appropriate. 

Applicants who advance to the final stages will be required to submit references as well as additional documents to corroborate the details of their submission.

About Ralston College

Ralston College’s expanding campus in Savannah is the headquarters for its student residence, faculty and administrative staff. 

Founded in 2010, Ralston College is a private, 501(c)(3) institution of higher education. 

The College has been authorized for operation and awarded degree-granting powers by the State of Georgia. 

Ralston College is also seeking accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education, and was authorized on November 16th, 2023 to publish the following statement: “The New England Commission of Higher Education has determined that Ralston College is eligible to proceed with an application for candidacy for accreditation within two years. A determination of eligibility is not candidacy or accreditation, nor does it indicate a likelihood of eventual accreditation. Questions about eligibility and the accreditation process should be directed to the President of the Commission.” 

Ralston College is devoted to freedom of thought and speech, has no political or religious affiliations, and does not accept government funds.

Its mission is to revive the conditions of a free and flourishing culture by providing transformative, rigorous education in the humanities. 

In addition to its degree program, the College has welcomed more than 1,500 guests to its many free public lectures and concerts. To date, the College’s podcasts and online lectures–also available for free–have reached millions.