Lehigh Supplemental Essays 2026–27: Prompts & Tips

First-Year Essay Requirements

This application asks all first-year candidates to write two short essays totalling about 400 words. The prompts below are the baseline requirements for everyone. Depending on the specific college or interdisciplinary program you select, Lehigh University will require one additional short response to explain your academic choice. Do not assume you are finished until you have selected your intended major in the portal.

How did you first learn about Lehigh University and what motivated you to apply? (200 words)

What this prompt is really asking: Admissions officers want both your literal origin story with the school and the concrete reasons you decided to follow through. They are looking for the exact spark that put the campus on your radar, followed by the academic or cultural specifics that kept it there.

A strong approach:

• Answer both halves: Give one or two sentences to the person, event, or search that introduced you to the university. Pivot immediately to what sustains your interest.
• Name the specifics: Skip the rankings and broad praises of the Bethlehem campus. Point to a distinct lab, a unique curriculum feature, or a student tradition that fits your exact goals.
• Prove your interest: Our analysis shows that referencing a campus visit, an insightful chat with an alum, or deep research into a niche offering grounds your application in reality.

Most common mistakes:

• Skipping the origin: Ignoring the "how you first learned" clause entirely to write a standard why-us response.
• Listing without linking: Naming five different professors or clubs without explaining how they serve your specific trajectory.

At Lehigh, we believe in pausing to celebrate the good: meaningful moments that bring joy, pride or motivation. What’s something great happening in your life right now? It… (200 words)

At Lehigh, we believe in pausing to celebrate the good: meaningful moments that bring joy, pride or motivation. What’s something great happening in your life right now? It could be an accomplishment, a personal win (big or small) or something you’re genuinely excited about. If it matters to you, we’d love to hear about it.

What this prompt is really asking: This is a culture-fit question testing your perspective and personality. Readers want to see how you define success on your own terms and what brings you energy outside of a purely academic grind.

A strong approach:

• Go small and specific: A massive achievement works, but mastering a difficult recipe, finishing a tough project, or landing a new skateboard trick often makes a more relatable story.
• Capture the feeling: Describe the tactile reality of the moment you succeeded. Show the reader why this matters to you instead of just claiming that it does.
• Keep it current: The prompt asks what is happening right now. Focus on something active in your life today.

Most common mistakes:

• Bragging by numbers: Using this space to rehash your resume or repeat an award already sitting in your activities list.
• Faking profundity: Trying to make a simple joy sound like a world-changing event. Sincerity beats forced depth.

Program-Specific Essays (200 words)

Applicants to specific colleges or interdisciplinary tracks must write one additional essay. Each prompt below appears only if you select that particular path.

• ONLY for Intended College or Program: "How will the unique combination of college, program, major and/or 4+1 program that you selected above allow you to achieve your educational or professional goals?" (200 words)
• ONLY for Integrated Business and Health Program: "What makes the Integrated Business & Health (IBH) Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals?" (200 words)
• ONLY for Integrated Business and Engineering Program: "What makes the Integrated Business & Engineering (IBE) Honors Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals?" (200 words)
• ONLY for Explore Lehigh: "Explore Lehigh is designed for students who are undecided or are considering multiple areas of study and wish to explore which of Lehigh’s colleges or integrated programs are right for them. You will spend your first semester engaging with big questions, collaborating with peers and developing essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving and communication while you have an opportunity to sample from any of Lehigh's colleges. Explore Lehigh allows you to make a thoughtful decision about your academic direction (without the pressure of choosing a college or program during the application process). With the above in mind, tell us why Explore Lehigh is a more attractive option to you than starting in a specific college or intercollege program." (200 words)
• ONLY for 5-Year Arts and Engineering Program: "How will the 5-year dual degree Arts-Engineering program, which requires a major in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering, allow you to achieve your educational or professional goals?" (200 words)
• ONLY for Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences: "What makes the Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences (IDEAS) Honors Program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals?" (200 words)
• ONLY for Computer Science and Business: "What makes the Computer Science and Business (CSB) program the best fit for your academic and/or professional goals?" (200 words)

What these prompts are really asking: The admissions committee needs to know why you require this exact intersection of disciplines. They are checking if you understand the curriculum and whether your career goals actually demand this specific dual approach.

A strong approach:

• Connect the disciplines: Explain how business informs health, or how engineering requires the arts. Show the synergy rather than treating the two fields as separate hobbies.
• Look ahead: Tie the specific structure of the program directly to what you want to do after graduation.

Most common mistakes:

• Praising the prestige: Focusing on how exclusive or well-regarded the honors program is, rather than how its classes fit your plans.
• Staying generic: Failing to name a single specific course, capstone project, or advising feature unique to the program.

Scheduling Your Lehigh Drafts

Start by verifying your exact requirements in the application portal. Select your intended major or program first, as this will trigger any hidden conditional prompts. Draft the 200-word core responses early in your process. These short word counts require heavy editing to cut filler. Give yourself a week to let the drafts sit before trimming them down to size.