Lincoln University was founded in 1854 as the nation's first degree-granting Historically Black College and University, or HBCU. Originally chartered as Ashmun Institute, it was re-named Lincoln University in 1866 in honor of President Abraham Lincoln.

Since the beginning, Lincoln has attracted an interracial and international enrollment from the surrounding community, region, and around the world. Today, our liberal arts and science-based degree programs serve a diverse student body, representing many cultures, countries, and career interests.

Our main campus is an oasis amid the rolling farmlands and wooded hilltops of southern Chester County in Pennsylvania. Even in our rural setting, we are within about an hour of several major cities: 45 miles from Philadelphia; 55 miles from Baltimore; and in Delaware, 25 miles from Wilmington and 15 miles from Newark.