Welcome to an Inclusive Community Committed to Justice.

Beginning with our founding in 1852, Mills has always been a leader in providing opportunities for women to pursue higher education—defying the convention of the time. Over the years, we have continued to break barriers by providing underserved students access to a top-ranked college education.

Creating Opportunities for 165+ Years

• We were founded in 1852 to ensure that young women in California could receive an education and chartered in 1885 as the first women's college in the West.
• In the 1920s, we debuted graduate programs for both women and men from all backgrounds with the aim of preparing women to enhance their career potential with advanced degrees.
• With the introduction of college rankings systems, we became recognized as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the nation as we welcomed all ethnicities, ages, and first-generation college students to campus.
• In 2014, we achieved international attention as the first women’s college to create a transgender admission policy and established our role at the forefront of expanding gender definitions and acceptance.
• Our Hispanic/Latinx student body surpassed the 25 percent mark qualifying Mills as an Hispanic-serving institution in 2017 and reflecting the population of our California home.
• Today, we have made our top-ranked education more accessible by reducing undergraduate tuition by 36% in fall 2018. Learn more about our tuition reduction.

To us, the goal is simple. We are committed to providing access to higher education to as many talented students as possible in an environment that respects individuality, builds community, and encourages student success. We devote substantial resources to make our high-quality education as affordable as possible through a range of scholarships and financial aid programs.

We believe in the power of diversity to enrich our learning and our lives, and we are committed to leading the charge to create an inclusive and just society. We invite you to be part of our unique community where everyone can stand out and fit in.

Points of Pride

Key Community Initiatives

Beyond our campus, Mills is focused on helping underserved high school students and local community college students pursue a bachelor's degree through the following special programs.

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