LIST OF UNIVERSITIES

10 U.S. Colleges Offering the Most Affordable Tuition to International Students

1. University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois is a research university located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign in east-central Illinois. Establish in 1867, the school features the second-largest university library in the country behind Harvard University.

It also hosts the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and is home to the fastest supercomputer on any university campus. This public university also features one of the biggest Greek systems in the country.

The total enrollment is over 51,000 students, with students from over 100 different countries.

U.S. News ranked the University of Illinois as 47th in the list of "Best National Universities." It was ranked 45th in Forbes' "Top Universities for International Students," 22nd in Money's "Best Colleges," and 18th in Washington Monthly's "National University Rankings."

• Tuition and Fees — $34,312

• Acceptance Rate — 59%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 20:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 93%

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, is a public research university and institute of technology located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia.

The school features six colleges with 31 departments and an emphasis on science and technology. It enrolls 36,127 students (4,000 of which are international students).

U.S. News recognized Georgia Tech for its support for international students, ranking it 35th of the "Best National Universities." Forbes' "Top Universities for International Students" ranked it at 49th, and it is ranked 21st by Money's "Best Colleges."

• Tuition and Fees — $33,794

• Acceptance Rate — 21%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 19:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 97%

3. Purdue University - West Lafayette

Located 65 miles northwest of Indianapolis in West Lafayette, Indiana, Purdue University is a public research university with a prominent Greek life and many other organizations and activities.

The school was founded in 1869. Today, the university offers over 200 majors for undergraduates and over 69 masters and doctoral programs, as well as professional degrees in pharmacy and veterinary medicine.

Purdue enrolled 44,551 students in the 2020-2021 school year and received recognition for its support of international students by U.S. News. The university hosts nearly 10,000 international students each year, the fourth largest foreign student population of any university in the country.

The school was also ranked 53rd in U.S. News' "Best National Universities," 23rd in Money's "Best Colleges," and 39th in Washington Monthly's "National University Ranking."

• Tuition and Fees — $28,794

• Acceptance Rate — 60%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 13:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 92%

4. Virginia Tech University

Virginia Tech University is a public research university located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and established in 1872. It features seven research institutes and two university research centers.

The school enrolls over 36,000 students and hosts about 4,000 international students yearly. It received notoriety regarding its support for international students by the U.S. News.

The University was ranked in the top 100 by U.S. News' "Best National Universities." It was ranked 37th in Money's "Best Colleges" and 42nd in Washington Monthly's "National University Ranking."

• Tuition and Fees — $32,893

• Acceptance Rate — 70%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 14:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 92%

5. Brigham Young University - Provo

This private research university was established in 1975 in Provo, Utah. It is founded and supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), lending itself to the lower tuition cost. The school hosts about 1,323 international students.

Brigham Young University focuses on undergraduate education with 179 majors, but it also offers 62 masters and 26 doctoral degree programs.

Students attending the university follow an honor code that mandates behavior in line with LDS teachings. It is estimated that 99% of students are members of the LDS church.

U.S. News recognized Brigham Young as successful in supporting international students. It ranked the university among the top 100 in its "Best National Universities" list and ranked it 11th in its "Best Value Schools" list. The school also ranked 35th in Money's "Best Colleges."

• Tuition and Fees — $5,970

• Acceptance Rate — 67%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 20:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 90%

Do you need to apply for an F-1 visa to study in the U.S.? Discover everything you need to know about an F-1 visa.

6. North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University is a public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is the largest 4-year college in the state. The school enrolls 36,304 students and hosts international students from 117 different countries.

The school's strengths lie in its engineering, statistics, agriculture, life sciences, textiles, and design programs. It offers 106 undergraduate degrees, 104 master's degrees, and 61 doctoral degrees.

U.S. News identified the school as successfully supporting international students. It ranks the university in the top 80 schools on its "Best National Universities" list while Money's "Best Colleges" ranks it 35th.

• Tuition and Fees — $29,220

• Acceptance Rate — 45%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 14:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 94%

7. University of Georgia

The University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia. Established in 1785, it is one of the oldest public universities in the U.S.

This research university is known for its vibrant student community featuring nearly 800 student organizations. The University of Georgia is also known as one of the country's top three producers of Rhodes Scholars in the past 20 years.

The school enrolls over 38,000 students and more than 2,600 international students. U.S. News' "Best National Universities" ranked it 47th and identified it as successfully supporting international students.

• Tuition and Fees — $31,120

• Acceptance Rate — 46%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 19:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 96%

8. Ohio State University - Columbus

This public research university is located in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1870, the school offers over 200 undergraduate majors and many highly ranked graduate schools.

Ohio State University enrolls 61,391 students, 6,000 of which are international students from more than 100 countries. The school also hosts over 1,000 student organizations.

U.S. News ranked Ohio State University 53rd in its "Best National Universities" and identified it as supporting international students.

• Tuition and Fees — $33,501

• Acceptance Rate — 54%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 19:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 94%

9. Florida State University

Florida State University is a public research university located in Tallahassee, Florida. Founded in 1851, the school has 16 separate colleges and over 360 programs of study. The university enrolls over 2,000 international students from more than 130 different countries.

Florida State University is home to the largest museum/university complexes in the nation and was also the birthplace of the commercially viable anti-cancer drug Taxol.

The university has 600 student organizations and 18 NCAA Division 1 sports teams. The school was ranked 58th in U.S. News' "Best National Universities" and is recognized supporter of international students.

• Tuition and Fees — $21,673

• Acceptance Rate — 36%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 21:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 93%

10. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

Just three miles from bustling Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh features a highly ranked School of Medicine, School of Education, and Swanson School of Engineering.

This public research school enrolls 28,391 students and 6,000 international students, scholars, staff, and faculty. The university is comprised of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and received the third largest federally sponsored health research fund among U.S. universities in 2018.

U.S. News' "Best National Universities" ranks it 58th and identifies it as helpful in supporting international students.

• Tuition and Fees — $33,706

• Acceptance Rate — 57%

• Student/Faculty Ratio — 14:1

• Freshman Retention Rate — 93%

Honorable Mentions

Rutgers University — New Brunswick, NJ

• Tuition and Fees — $31,785

• University Type — Public

• U.S. News' "Best National Universities" (Top 70)

University of Minnesota — Twin Cities — Minneapolis, MN

• Tuition and Fees — $33,325

• University Type — Public

• U.S. News' "Best National Universities" (Top 70)

Howard University — Washington, DC

• Tuition and Fees — $28,440

• University Type — Private

• U.S. News' "Best National Universities" (Top 80)

Soka University of America — Aliso Viejo, CA

• Tuition and Fees — $33,962

• University Type — Private

• U.S. News' "National Liberal Arts Colleges" (Top 30)

Thomas Aquinas College — Santa Paula, CA

Tuition and Fees — $26,000 University Type — Private U.S. News' "National Liberal Arts Colleges" (Top 40)

Bonus! 10 U.S. Colleges Awarding the Most Financial Aid to International Students

There are some universities that will provide a significant amount of financial aid to international students. There are often two different types of financial aid available to international students:

• Need-Based Financial Aid — Many U.S. colleges offer financial aid for international students based on their financial need. Keep in mind most financial aid for international students is offered to graduate students.
  

• Scholarships — Many schools and other educational organizations offer merit-based scholarships for international students. Usually the scholarship application is separate from the admission application.

Below are some of the American universities that award the most financial aid to international students in 2019-2023 school year.

University Locations

Columbia University New York, NY

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 299

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $71,069

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $64,380

Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 96

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $70,069

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $58,128

Amherst College Amherst, MA

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 133

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $70,250

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $60,890

Dartmouth College Hanover, NH

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 261

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $68,998

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $59,458

Williams College Williamstown, MA

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 108

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $68,456

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $50,760

Duke University Durham, NC

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 211

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $68,044

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $60,488

Stanford University Stanford, CA

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 245

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $68,000

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $56,169

Wesleyan University Middletown, CT

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 95

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $67,465

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $59,386

Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 67

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $67,165

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $54,656

Harvard University Cambridge, MA

Number of International Students Who Received Financial Aid in the 2019-2020 School Year: 605

Average Amount of Financial Aid Per Student: $66,805

Annual Cost of Tuition and Fees: $54,022