Richard Bland College of William and Mary

Richard Bland College (RBC), Virginia’s selective, two-year, residential, liberal arts transfer institution, was born through innovation. In 1959, years before the Virginia Community College system was imagined, Frank Ernst – a Gateway region native, entrepreneur, and retired executive of Hopewell’s Allied Chemical Plant – proposed the creation of an institution grounded in the liberal arts tradition with opportunities for specialized training in in-demand fields such as engineering to the State Council of Higher Education. After discussions with Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia, Ernst found a willing partner in the College of William & Mary, the second-oldest university in the United States, who founded Richard Bland College in 1960. RBC has since offered multiple certificates and university-parallel two-year degrees.

The beginning of Richard Bland:

The College was named for the Virginia statesman and champion of public rights, Richard Bland. Son and grandson of successful planters, Richard Bland was educated at The College of William and Mary. From 1742 until his death in 1776, he represented the area in which the College is now located, first in the House of Burgesses, and later, with the adoption of a state constitution, in the House of Delegates. He also served as a delegate from Virginia in both the First and Second Continental Congresses.

It seems fitting, therefore, that an institution of higher learning located in an area served for so many years by this distinguished Virginia patriot and scholar, should derive its name from one whom Jefferson described “as the most learned and logical man of those who took prominent lead in public affairs.”

At a glance:

• 20:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio
• 2345 Total Headcount (2021)
• 18,000 RBC Alumni Worldwide
• 35+ Direct Transfer Agreements
• $8,250 Yearly Tuition & EG Fees

Cost of attending:

Richard Bland College of William & Mary is one of the most affordable colleges to attend in Virginia. Commuter students pay as low as $8,160 per year to receive a liberal arts education steeped in the tradition of William & Mary, one of America’s oldest and most prestigious institutions.

What's it like to live on campus?

Richard Bland College of William & Mary is the only two-year college in Virginia that offers on-campus living in either Patriot Hall and Freedom Hall. Patriot and Freedom feature apartment style rooms divided into two separate bedrooms accommodating four students. Each suite has a common area, a full kitchen, two bathrooms, and a washer and dryer. All residence halls have common spaces with games, televisions, computer labs and free WiFi. Watch the video to learn more about living on campus.

Join our global campus:

Richard Bland College of William & Mary prides itself on being a diverse campus that welcomes students from all over the world through its Global Student Success Program (GSSP). The College’s Racial Equity & Justice Task Force is committed to providing equality throughout campus for all students and employees.

Admission requirements vary from course to course. Kindly contact our admissions counsellor for more information!