11 Most Affordable U.S. Colleges for International Students

Molly Steckler

Education at American universities is often very expensive. Federal student aid is usually not offered to international students studying in the U.S.

However, there are many affordable universities which offer a high-quality education in addition to affordable tuition and fees for international students. Use this list to help you guide your research.

Mục Lục

How Did We Come Up With This List?

This list of universities in the U.S. highlights the cheapest colleges for international students based on tuition data from 2020-2021. The estimated tuition and fees for international students of each of the following affordable universities below total less than $35,000.

We considered both cost and quality of education when creating this list. This list showcases universities that were featured in one or more of the following well-known rankings of best U.S. universities:

Bonus points were also given to schools that received special marks by U.S. News because they “successfully support international students.”

Breaking Down Each College Ranking System

Each college ranking system uses unique strategies for determining the top schools. Let’s break down the methodology for each of these five ranking systems.

This system ranks over 1,400 colleges and universities granting baccalaureate degrees. Now in its 36th year, it is the most widely known and respected ranking system for U.S. universities.

This ranking system prioritizes the following elements of each school:

Outcomes (40%)
Faculty Resources (20%)
Expert Opinion (20%)
Financial Resources (10%)
Student Excellence (7%)
Alumni Giving (3%)

This system has been ranking universities for seven years with an emphasis on the financial value and affordability of each school.

Its methodology ranks the universities using 27 factors in three categories:

Quality of Education (30%)
Affordability (40%)
Outcomes (30%)

Washington Monthly’s editors describe their system as a “socially conscious alternative to U.S. News & World Report.” Its methodology ranks schools in three equally weighted criteria that emphasize contributions to the public good.

These three criteria are used to measure a school’s rank:

Social Mobility
Research
Community and National Service

Forbes weighs various factors to assemble its list of some of the best universities for international students.

The criteria used to rank the schools include:

School Quality (60%)
International Student Six-Year Graduation Rate (15%)
Full-Need Aid or Need-Blind Admission Policies for International Students (5%)
High Enrollment in International Students’ Most Popular Majors (5%)
Number of International Students (5%)
Number of Foreign-Born Workers in the College’s Statistical Area (5%)

U.S. News has produced many college rankings lists along with its annual “Best National Universities” list. This was one of those lists. It takes the same system as the “Best National Universities” list and applies it to national liberal arts colleges.

The weights are as follows:

Outcomes (40%)
Faculty Resources (20%)
Expert Opinion (20%)
Financial Resources (10%)
Student Excellence (7%)
Alumni Giving (3%)

Defining Key Terms

Tuition and Fees – Cost of enrollment in school classes for a full-time international student for one year (subject to change every year)
Acceptance Rate – Percentage of admitted students in relation to the total number of applicants
Student/Faculty Ratio – Number of students who attend a school divided by the number of teachers in the institution (U.S. universities average an 18:1 ratio)
Freshman Retention Rate – Percentage of freshmen students who go on to attend their sophomore year at the university (often indicative of student satisfaction)

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

The University of Florida, located just two miles from Gainesville, Florida, is a public research university founded in 1853. The school provides 16 different academic colleges and over 150 research centers and institutes.

The university enrolled 52,407 students in the 2020-2021 school year and is the eighth largest university in the country. The school also hosts more than 6,000 international students every year.

The University of Florida was ranked 30th in U.S. News’ “Best National Universities,” 16th in Money’s “Best Colleges,” and 15th in Washington Monthly’s “National University Rankings.”

Tuition and Fees — $28,858
Acceptance Rate — 37%
Student/Faculty Ration — 17:1
Freshman Retention Rate — 97%

See the University of Florida’s “International” page for additional information regarding international student applications, English proficiency, FAQs, and more.

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%

Check out the University of Illinois’ “International” page for international admissions, student resources, and other resources.

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%

Want more information? See Georgia Tech’s “Office of International Education” page for resources specific to international students.

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%

Navigation to Purdue University’s “International Students and Scholars” page for more information, resources, and FAQs.

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%

Virginia Tech’s “International Admissions” page can provide additional information for interested international students.

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%

Interested in reading Brigham Young University’s International Admission Guide? Find that and more on its “International Students” page.

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.

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%

Check out North Carolina State University’s “Office of International Services” page for more information and resources the university has to offer.

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%

Prospective international students can check out the University of Georgia’s “International” page for requirements, deadlines, and immigration services.

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%

Navigate to Ohio State’s “International Admissions” page for admissions information.

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%

Check out the “International Students” page for Florida State University for more information about admissions for international students.

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%

Visit the University of Pittsburgh’s “International Students” page to learn about the application process, important deadlines, and FAQs.

Need some help creating your budget for studying abroad? Learn how to create a realistic study abroad budget to help you be more financially prepared.

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 2019-2020 school year.