Greenville, on the Tar River in eastern North Carolina, is very much a college town, and East Carolina University is the reason. ECU is a public university of around 27,000 students with the Brody School of Medicine, a large College of Nursing and a growing engineering college. On autumn Saturdays the Pirates fill Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Greenville, North Carolina, United States
Official website: ecu.edu
1907
Public university in the UNC System
Brody School of Medicine
About 27,000
$24,000 – $28,000
International students, non-resident rates
$11,000 – $14,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on ecu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Software Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
The Brody School of Medicine and a large nursing college.
Graduate programmes in computer science and software engineering.
Pirates football at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Nursing and health graduates join ECU Health and hospitals across North Carolina.
Computing graduates find roles in Raleigh, the Research Triangle and Charlotte.
STEM master's graduates can stay on OPT for up to three years in total.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Programme deadlines
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Selected programmes
Main campus sits right next to downtown Greenville. The health sciences campus, with Brody and the teaching hospital, is a few miles west.
Rent is cheap compared with Raleigh, about 90 minutes away. The Outer Banks beaches are within a two-hour drive.
Form I-20 issued by East Carolina University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Undergraduate deadlines for fall entry fall around March. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, often between February and June. International students should apply early to leave time for the visa.
ECU admits students in fall (August) and spring (January), with a few summer starts.
You'll need an F-1 visa. Once you accept your offer and send proof of funding, East Carolina University issues the Form I-20. After that it's the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 form and an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, software engineering, the MBA, engineering and nursing are popular. Graduate study needs a bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 79; undergraduates need school results and IELTS 6.0.
International undergraduates can be considered for some merit scholarships. Most graduate funding comes through departmental assistantships, so contact your programme directly.
