Best Colleges for Mental Health and Wellness Support
Many students feel overwhelmed by the thought of college and deciding where to apply and enroll. Some students are not even sure they want to go right now. For many, that decision comes down in part to whether they will have real mental health support on campus.
The good news is that many colleges now offer mental health and wellness support that is easier to find and use. That can shape how college feels once you get there.
That’s why we created this list, which highlights colleges where you can find and access support from day one.
How to use this list of colleges
This list isn't a top ten ranking of student outcomes. Instead, think of it as a starting point for asking better questions when learning about schools. Does this school talk openly about mental health? What do their support programs look like? Are there peer-led resources? Are there accommodations? Can I get an appointment quickly?
You know what matters to you. Use that understanding and this list to find schools that actually deliver it.
Why we created this list: What the research shows
Mental health support is not just a nice bonus for students. It can shape whether college feels possible at all, even before submitting your first application.
In a survey of 5,866 Appily high school students:
- 84.6% reported feeling nervous, anxious, or unable to stop worrying for at least a few days in the previous two weeks.
- 42% said they don't currently have all the mental health support they need.
- A school’s mental health support ranked 3.20 out of 5 in importance when choosing a college.
- 28% of students unsure about college or delaying enrollment cited mental health challenges as a key reason.
Mental health support is more than just a nice-to-have when you're choosing a college, and you’re not alone in considering it.
What makes a college strong in mental health and wellness support?
That looks different at different schools. At some, it means same-day or urgent appointments, 24/7 crisis lines, and teletherapy options. At others, it's peer listeners, wellness programs, group counseling, or support for students returning from leave. The strongest colleges layer these together so you have options no matter what you need.
On the other hand, support falls short when it is hard to find, confusing to access, or only feels available in a crisis.
Schools with strong mental health support
When you're comparing colleges, asking "Do you have counseling?" isn't enough. You need to know if you can get in when you need to. Is there help after hours? Are there options beyond therapy?
These colleges stand out because their support is easy to find and access, and it’s built into how the campus operates. Explore what makes them different now.
Arizona State University
ASU offers same-day clinical services, telehealth, and 24/7 support through a dedicated crisis line. Their counseling pages lead with same-day appointments, Open Call, and Open Chat, and a dedicated mental health line, making the path to help direct and clear.
Beyond one-on-one counseling, the Mental Well-being program is an online education course on managing stress and supporting peers. Devils 4 Devils is a student organization focused on building peer support around mental health. Community Circles offers peer-based support.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT offers in-person and telehealth counseling, 24/7 phone consultation, and walk-in services, plus off-campus referral support for therapy, psychiatry, or psychiatric nurse practitioners. MIT sees nearly 21% of the student body each year, a concrete sign that the service is accessible and used.
Peer support is substantial. Togetherall provides 24/7 anonymous peer support from trained undergraduate and graduate students. Nightline is a peer-run, anonymous phone line available daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and MedLINKS trains student peer advocates who live in residence halls. MIT also expanded the Peer Ears program to train 32 additional students as confidential peer-to-peer support providers in residence halls. Active Minds at MIT uses peer outreach to advocate for and educate about mental health.
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens offers free counseling, 24/7 crisis support, and free unlimited teletherapy through a partnership with Uwill. On weekdays, they also offer dedicated in-person crisis support from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What makes Stevens distinctive is its cross-departmental coordination. The Wellness Peer Educator program works closely with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the Office of Student Support, Student Health Services, and the Office of Disability Services.
Active Minds is a student-led group that raises awareness about mental health and encourages students to seek help. Stevens has also implemented a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, early intervention, and crisis response, with a dedicated wellness component. The Red Folder is the university's mental health crisis assessment and response plan, which guides faculty and staff in recognition and response.
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers crisis intervention, individual, couples, and group counseling, as well as referrals to community providers. TimelyCare provides 24/7 virtual mental health access via voice or video, and TalkNow offers on-demand conversations with mental health professionals at any time. They also have a 24/7 crisis line staffed by licensed counselors familiar with campus resources.
What makes Stony Brook distinctive as a large public university is how it layers peer support and outreach. The Student Support Team includes peer interns trained to connect with, listen to, and guide students through campus life and non-clinical crises. The CHILL Peer Education Internship is a credit-bearing opportunity supporting student mental health, and Active Minds engages students in destigmatizing mental illness. The Center for Prevention and Outreach offers workshops, skill-building series, peer-led mindfulness activities, and QPR bystander intervention training.
University at Albany, SUNY
Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program, founded in 1970, operates a hotline, peer wellness ambassadors, and peer wellness coaches. The hotline is available Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to midnight, and all weekend, 1 p.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, during fall and spring semesters. The program responds to more than 1,000 calls per year and has trained nearly 2,000 undergraduate student volunteers over five decades.
What makes Albany distinctive is how Middle Earth connects to the broader health system. UAlbany's Health & Well-being units include Student Health Services, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), the Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program, the Office of Health Promotion, the Collegiate Recovery Program, and Project SHAPE.
Peer wellness ambassadors offer programs and workshops on topics like adjusting to college, stress management, and substance use concerns, while peer wellness coaches meet one-on-one with students. Licensed psychologists train volunteers and receive course credit through the School of Education.
University of Florida
UF's Counseling and Wellness Center's primary commitment is to ensure each student is connected with the best-fitting university or community resources to meet their needs. Services include individual, couples, and group counseling, as well as consultations to help students determine next steps. Group counseling meets weekly for 1.5-2 hours in groups of 4-10 students, and students work with a consultation and referral specialist to match with the right fit.
UF emphasizes practical access and awareness. The CWC encompasses AWARE, a student ambassador program that raises awareness of mental health issues and reduces stigma, including initiatives such as Gator-2-Gator (an online peer support program) and Fresh Mentality, a course that teaches incoming students about mental health resources. The center offers 24/7 crisis support, workshops, off-campus referrals, and psychiatry services. Walk-in or phone-based counseling is available for urgent mental health needs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with phone-based support after hours and weekends.
UNC Greensboro
Counseling & Psychological Services at UNC Greensboro offers individual therapy, support groups, workshops, crisis intervention, alcohol and drug counseling, recovery support, psychiatric services, case management, and referrals. UNCG students can access free Togetherall, a 24/7 online mental health support platform monitored by trained clinicians, and WellTrack, a free online self-directed therapy tool for managing depression and anxiety.
What makes UNCG distinctive is its layered approach to support beyond traditional appointments. The university offers peer support through Spartan Recovery for students in recovery from alcohol and other drugs, plus online mental health screenings and BASICS and CASICS programs for alcohol and cannabis use exploration. Same-day walk-in screening appointments are available Monday through Thursday between noon and 4 p.m.Services and programs are designed to promote positive mental health throughout the entire university community, not just for students in crisis.
Princeton University
Princeton’s Counseling and Psychological Services offers individual counseling (including drop-ins), couples counseling, group counseling and support, urgent consultations, psychiatric consultation, ADHD assessment and support, and BASICS conversations. Same-day urgent care is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the CPS Cares Line provides 24/7 phone access to counselors.
Services are available at no cost to all currently enrolled students, and the university encourages students to use support services before problems feel too big to carry.
Beyond traditional counseling, Princeton emphasizes accessibility and peer support. TigerWell Outreach Counselors provide drop-in counseling services in satellite offices around campus where students live, work, and socialize, making it easier to connect with counselors outside the main health center.
The Princeton Peer Nightline is an anonymous peer listening service run by undergraduates available Tuesday and Friday nights through phone or chat, for students who want to talk about problems that may not feel "big enough" for professional counseling.The UMatter bystander intervention program, Peer Health Advisers, and TigerWell initiative engage staff, faculty, and students in promoting proactive approaches to health and well-being across campus.
Colorado State University
CSU Health Network provides therapy groups, skill-building workshops, brief individual therapy, psychiatric services, and more, with specialty teams for students experiencing hospitalization, substance use, interpersonal violence, or trauma. Services include online 24/7 tools, skill-building workshops, therapy groups, brief individual counseling, and psychiatric services, with drop-in hours available Tuesday through Friday. CSU has one of the largest group counseling programs in the country, allowing students to connect with others sharing common experiences and identities.
What sets CSU apart is its integrated approach to student success and well-being. YOU@CSU is an online, self-paced portal that allows students to explore topics such as depression, difficulty sleeping, stress, and anxiety as part of a broader student success resource hub.
SilverCloud Health provides free online modules based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help students manage anxiety, depression, and sleep, with options for virtual coaching support. Multicultural Counseling Services includes weekly drop-in hours and targeted consultations for students from communities of color, LGBTQ+ students, and other marginalized communities. Health Education and Prevention Services operates prevention-focused strategies across the campus, from fostering protective factors to suicide prevention efforts, through the CSU Health Network.
Howard University
The University Counseling Service offers one-on-one sessions with a counselor, group therapy sessions, workshops, and referrals for medication management. Appointments are available by phone on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. UCS also provides a crisis line after 5 p.m. on weekdays, weekends, and holidays, staffed through Protocall Services. The outreach team is dedicated to preventing mental health challenges by presenting workshops in classrooms, dormitories, and at campus events that address stress, adjustment, career choice, and other topics.
What distinguishes Howard from its peers is its integration of clinical and nonclinical support. The Office of Student Advocacy and Support provides non-clinical case management to assist students with challenges such as illness, hospitalization, bereavement, adjustment concerns, and connecting with campus services. Nonclinical case managers help students navigate the financial aid office, discuss concerns with professors, connect students experiencing similar situations, and provide support through unfamiliar territory.
The office also offers group discussions on topics including relationships, bereavement, and family, along with lunch activities and mindfulness activities.The Office of the Dean of the Chapel offers weekly wellness programming in residence halls, including mindfulness and meditation, as well as scheduled peer-to-peer wellness support facilitated by trained staff and wellness leaders.
University of North Dakota
The University Counseling Center is a fully accredited counseling facility offering one-on-one support for stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, and other personal concerns, with in-person and telehealth services available. Daily crisis sessions are available during office hours, and 24/7 support is accessible through 988 and community resources. The center provides individual, group, and couples therapy for both mental health and substance use, crisis sessions, and psychological evaluations, with services covered by student fees.
What distinguishes UND is its integrated, team-based approach to mental health care. Student Health Services provides mental health care through a team approach that includes primary care, mental health professionals, and community health care providers. Telehealth services are available through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, allowing the center to provide care to 43 states.
The Green Bandana Project is a campus-wide mental health awareness and suicide prevention campaign that trains students to recognize peers in distress and ask how they can help. UND was recognized on the Princeton Review's Mental Health Services Honor Roll as one of 16 institutions with a demonstrated commitment to student mental health and well-being.
A quick reminder as you use this list
No college list can tell you exactly which school is right for you. The best fit depends on the kind of support you need most. For some students, that means same-day counseling, after-hours help, individual accommodations, or psychiatry services. For others, it means peer support, wellness coaching, digital tools, or a campus culture that talks openly about mental health before things reach a crisis point.
That's why this list is a starting point, not a final answer. Use it to notice what each school offers, ask better questions, and find the support that will actually help you feel grounded.
The kind of support you deserve
The best colleges for mental health and wellness support make help easy to find and use. They do not stop at having a counseling center and calling it enough. The strongest schools usually offer a mix of counseling access, crisis support, wellness programming, peer support, and broader campus commitment.
That does not mean every student will want the same kind of support. Some may care most about getting a counseling appointment quickly. Others may want peer-led programs, digital tools, strong referrals, or a campus culture where mental health is talked about openly and without stigma. The goal is not to find one perfect college. It is to find a college where support feels real, accessible, and built into everyday student life.
Because when college already feels like a lot, support should not be hard to find.
Build your college list with Appily
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Along with exploring the schools on this list, you can use Appily’s college match quiz to find colleges that fit your goals, preferences, and support needs.
