Scholars who Build. Leaders who serve. Formation for a Lifetime.

Admissions

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ATLAS

Atlas University welcomes applicants of exceptional promise, craft, and character. We read applications holistically, valuing rigorous scholarship, clarity of thought, quality of work, leadership through service, and the maturity to thrive in our studios, labs, clinics, and houses. Standardized testing is optional; strong writing and evidence of mastery matter most. Generous aid—merit, need-based, and work-study—makes an Atlas education accessible to talented students from every background.

From Pre-K to PhD we have you and your family covered.

Application Deadlines

  • November 1 (decision by mid-December)

  • November 15 (decision by January)

  • January 15 (decision by March)

  • March 15 (rolling thereafter)

  • February 1 (rolling as space allows)

  • See individual program pages; most deadlines January–March.

How We Review

Every Atlas application is read by at least two admissions officers. We seek evidence of intellectual rigor; mature, publishable-quality writing; craft and mastery (proven by projects, research, design, code, or service outcomes); and the willingness to be formed in community. Sloppy or untruthful work is grounds for denial. Interviews, when offered, are conversational and assess readiness and fit.

Five lenses:

  1. Scholarship & Writing • 2) Craft & Mastery • 3) Moral Character & Service • 4) Fit & Growth Mindset • 5) Personal Writing

What Makes Atlas Admissions Different

  • $49 formal application (non-refundable).

  • Tuition: $2,500/semester, with generous scholarships and full-ride awards.

  • Monastic Fellows study tuition-free: a limited, highly selective pathway for men and women called to a consecrated life of study, prayer, service, and craft.

  • No neutrality: Atlas is explicitly Christian; all courses begin with Scripture recitation, and the life of the mind is ordered toward the glory of God.

Make it

Pathways

Atlas educates from Pre-K through Graduate study. All applicants are placed within our Twelve Tribes (vocation archetypes) and one of Four Houses (residential/intellectual communities). Formation follows our Tiered Curriculum System—Foundations → Proficiency → Mastery → Canon—so each student advances by demonstrated mastery, not seat time.

Pre-K (Ages 4–5) — Imago Dei Foundations

What it is: Gentle, wonder-led formation in the image of God. Daily Scripture recitation, song, nature walks, storytelling, habit training (attention, order, kindness), and rich play that prepares for reading, number sense, and craft.

Imago Dei Method (Pre-K emphasis):

  • Reverence & Rhythm: short liturgies, quiet work cycles, unhurried transitions.

  • Embodied Learning: touch, movement, outdoor observation; fine-motor and language games.

  • Narration & Imitation: children “tell back” stories and model virtues they see.

Placement: Tribe temperament profile (age-appropriate) for class fit; House affiliation introduced through family events.

Tuition: See Early Learning tuition page (varies by schedule).
CTA: Apply to Pre-K • Visit Early Learning

Lower School (Grades 1–6) — Imago Dei Grammar

What it is: Early literacy, numeracy, languages, music, and nature study—ordered to worship and wonder. Children learn to read closely, speak clearly, write simply, count precisely, and work with cheer.

Imago Dei Method (1–6 emphasis):

  • Scripture & Great Tales: daily recitations; Aesop, Scripture narratives, early biographies.

  • Language & Number: phonics, copywork, dictation; mental math, measurement, practical geometry.

  • Nature & Craft: field notebooks, sketching, handwork (wood, fiber, clay), kitchen basics.

  • Habit Formation: attention, neatness, punctuality, charity.

Tiered Curriculum:

  • Foundations (G1–2): phonics, number bonds, nature observation.

  • Proficiency (G3–4): fluent reading, composition starts, fractions/measurement.

  • Mastery (G5–6): research mini-projects, formal paragraphs, multi-step problem solving.

Placement: Tribe profile + House mentorship (non-residential) for service and feasts.
Tuition: See Lower School tuition page.
CTA: Apply to Lower School • Download Guide

Secondary (Grades 7–12) — Classical & Laboratory

What it is: Great Books seminars, applied-only mathematics, scientific replication labs, languages (continuous Koine Greek plus a second language), build-labs (software, product, media, health), and quarterly oral boards. Houses are the core social-spiritual unit; students compete, serve, and exhibit publicly.

Tiered Curriculum:

  • Foundations (G7–8): close reading, applied geometry/accounting, replication basics, Greek alphabet → core morphology.

  • Proficiency (G9–10): formal disputation, systems math (energy, budgeting), sensors/data, Greek prose.

  • Mastery (G11–12): capstone builds and experiments, policy briefs, dual-credit seminars, translation labs.

  • Canon (G12 defense): public disputation + published artifact.

Placement: Tribe + House at matriculation (mentorship, liturgy, service, exhibitions).
Tuition: Typically lower than degree programs; see Atlas Secondary tuition page.
CTA: Apply to Atlas Secondary • Visit • View Curriculum

Undergraduate — Bachelor’s Studies

What it is: A rigorous, Christ-centered liberal and practical education: Great Books + biblical literacy; design-centered mathematics; replicable sciences; civics by doing; arts & aesthetics; apprenticeship/field practice. Students live and learn through their House.

Tiered Curriculum:

  • Foundations: Core seminars; design math for real builds; replication standards.

  • Proficiency: Concentration entry; internships/apprenticeships; second-language proficiency.

  • Mastery: Research studios, venture/service delivery, peer teaching.

  • Canon: Senior disputation + publishable work (text/design/experiment).

Tuition: $4,995 per semester (Undergraduate). House residency is included in undergraduate enrollment; specialized lab/expedition fees may apply.
CTA: Apply Undergraduate • Programs • Request Aid Info

Graduate — Advanced Study & Research

What it is: Mentored scholarship and practice in Atlas schools, labs, clinics, and studios. Emphasis on original research, replication fidelity, and public usefulness (open datasets, community translation, deployable tools).

Tiered Curriculum:

  • Foundations: Methods colloquia, research ethics, field survey.

  • Proficiency: Lab/clinic placement, project design, preregistration.

  • Mastery: Data collection, analysis, public seminar; supervise juniors.

  • Canon: Thesis or deployable artifact with defense and documented impact.

Tuition: $4,995 per semester (Graduate). Assistantships/fellowships available; some programs offer tuition remission for teaching/service.
CTA: Apply Graduate • Explore Labs • Funding & Assistantships

Monastic Fellows — Tuition-Free Consecrated Track

What it is: A distinct vocational pathway for men and women called to a rule of prayer, study, service, and craft. Fellows enroll in a full academic load within a Monastic House under a lived Rule.

Support: Tuition waived; housing/board provided; modest Rule-related fees (texts/tools/retreats) may apply. Annual reaffirmation and House Board approval required.

Tiered Formation:

  • Foundations: Daily Office, obedience to rule, core seminars.

  • Proficiency: Service leadership, lectio seminars, skill of hand.

  • Mastery: Teaching within Houses; community stewardship.

  • Canon: Lifelong vows (as discerned), public defense of a crafted corpus (homilies, translations, designs).

CTA: Explore Monastic Fellows • Inquire with Chaplaincy

Tuition & Aid at a Glance

  • Undergraduate: $9,995 per semester (House residency included; program/lab fees may apply).

  • Graduate: $9,995 per semester (assistantships/fellowships available).

  • Secondary (7–12): Priced below degree programs; see Atlas Secondary tuition page.

  • Lower School (1–6) & Pre-K: See Early Learning/Lower School tuition pages (varies by schedule).

  • Scholarships: Generous merit, need-based, service, and House/Tribe awards; full-ride awards available across levels.

  • Monastic Fellows: Tuition-free, with housing/board provided.

Aid Process: All admitted students are automatically reviewed for scholarships. Need-based aid requires a short financial profile after admission.

Application Pathway

  1. Application Form (online) + $49 fee.

  2. Academic Record

    • Secondary: transcripts or portfolio of studies (homeschool welcome).

    • Undergraduate: official high-school transcript (or equivalent); any college transcripts if applicable.

  3. Two Short Essays

    • Scripture Essay (400–600 words): an exegesis on a passage of your choice, concluding with a concrete practice you adopted for 30 days.

    • Great Books Essay (400–600 words): a close reading from any classical text; state the argument, then dispute or defend it.

  4. House & Tribe Profile (15–20 minutes): a narrative questionnaire used to help us place you within one of the Twelve Tribes and Four Houses (undergraduate and above only).

  5. Interview & Disputation

    • 25-minute interview on vocation, habits, and household life.

    • 10-minute micro-disputation: you defend a paragraph you wrote; we test clarity, charity, and proofs.

  6. Faith & Conduct Commitment

    • Agreement to Atlas’s Christian identity, Scripture recitation at the opening of classes, and House standards for speech, time, and service.

  7. Optional Materials (encouraged)

    • Portfolio (builds, code, design, music, research replication).

    • Standardized tests are optional; submit if they strengthen your file.

  8. Monastic Fellows add: a one-page Rule-of-Life statement, pastor/elder letter, and willingness to serve on a rotating prayer/study/work rota.

Join A House.

When you join Atlas we sort you into a Tribe and a House (undergraduate+) based on our award winning psychology - Covenant Psychology. Which one will you be in?

Selection Criteria

We admit by evidence of capacity, not polish. Committees consider:

  • Intellectual honesty and close-reading skill (your essays and disputation).

  • Habit fidelity: sleep/wake regularity, steady work rhythms, household contribution.

  • Service posture and teachability.

  • For Monastic Fellows: stability of vocation, joy in hidden work, and fitness for communal rule.

Sloppy or unprepared submissions are returned once for revision; chronic sloppiness is disqualifying.

Key Dates (2025–2026)

  • Fall Entry

    • Priority Round: November 1 (decisions by Dec 15)

    • Regular Round: January 15 (decisions by Mar 1)

  • Spring Entry (limited): October 1

  • Monastic Fellows review is rolling with quarterly Boards.

We admit on a rolling basis until Houses are full. Early application is strongly advised.

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

— Proverbs 1:5

Transfers, International and Special Cases

Transfers welcome; we award Atlas credit through portfolio, Boards, and demonstrated mastery (not only course labels).

International applicants submit the same materials; English proficiency can be demonstrated through essays and interview.

Homeschooled applicants: portfolios and narrative evaluations are welcome in lieu of conventional transcripts.

Contact

Email: admissions@a1.university

Phone: 321 ATLAS IU

Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9-5 EST

How to Apply

  1. Complete the form and pay the $49 application fee.

  2. Upload transcripts/portfolio + two essays.

  3. Submit the House & Tribe Profile.

  4. Schedule your interview and micro-disputation.

  5. Receive decision and automatic scholarship review.

  6. On acceptance, confirm your Tribe /House and enroll.