Seattle, often referred to as the ‘Emerald City’ due to its green spaces, is located in the state of Washington, in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. It is renowned for its modern and tech-driven attitude, but also holds onto a sense of tradition and charm.
The city of Seattle is home to a number of universities and colleges, the highly ranked University of Washington being one of them. Any international student would be lucky to call Seattle home, as it is a blend of great academics and beautiful scenery.
Seattle has its roots in the maritime industry, but is more recently known as the birthplace of tech companies such as Microsoft and Amazon. As well as being modern and tech-friendly, it is also happy to embrace its history and its contributions to music, with several well known musical artists and groups having been formed in the city.
The University of Washington (UW) is a globally recognised university, that is particularly well known for its contributions to research. It has a long history of academic excellence, and routinely performs well in annual university rankings. UW offers a range of programs, but is regarded as a leader when it comes to technology and health sciences. The university campus is home to cherry blossom trees, which are a wonderful sight to see when they are in full bloom. For international students, UW offers a forward thinking learning environment, as well as access to businesses and industries that are leading the way.
Seattle University, which is located in the centre of the city, places emphasis on social justice, holistic learning and engaging with the wider community. It offers a wide array of programs in various disciplines, and prides itself on having smaller and more intimate class sizes, allowing for more personalised learning. International students choosing to study at Seattle University will be well placed for not only their education, but also for their future careers.
Below are the top-ranked Seattle universities for international students, with their ranks in two of the world’s most well-respected international university rankings, the QS 2024 University World rankings and the Times Higher Education 2024 Rankings.
For more information about rankings systems and methodologies see our University rankings explained guide.
| University | QS World Ranking 2024 | Times Higher Education Ranking 2024 |
| University of Washington | 63 | 25 |
| Seattle University | 1,201-1,400 | – |
Seattle is a major city in the US, meaning that it will have slightly higher living costs when compared to smaller cities. International students can expect to pay between $20,000 and $50,000 per year for tuition fees, depending on your course of choice. Living expenses will need to be budgeted for when planning your student life in Seattle, but scholarships and grants could be useful for students who require them.
Seattle offers international students a mix of urban life and easy access to peaceful nature spots. You can travel out to Puget Sound and Mount Rainier, or take in the sights of the city. Diverse neighbourhoods, from Capitol Hill to the historic Pioneer Square, showcase the city’s welcoming atmosphere. Any international student looking to study in Seattle will be able to find a slice of home in their new city.
Study in the USABrowse our list of higher education providers in the USA.
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