Culinary students at Johnson & Wales spend much of their first year in teaching kitchens on the Harborside campus, near Narragansett Bay. The Downcity campus, in central Providence, holds business, hospitality and arts classes. Founded in 1914 as a business school, JWU is now best known for food, hospitality and applied business programmes. Providence itself is a good food city, which helps.
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Official website: jwu.edu
Private university
1914
Downcity and Harborside, Providence
$38,000 – $44,000
International students, undergraduate, before scholarships
$14,000 – $18,000
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 jwu.edu before you apply.
BS Culinary Arts
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 70
BS Baking and Pastry Arts
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 70
BS Hospitality Management
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 70
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Teaching kitchens and bakeries on the Harborside campus.
Culinary and hospitality degrees with required internships.
A walkable downtown campus in Providence.
Culinary graduates work in restaurants, hotels, food manufacturing and product development.
Hospitality graduates join hotel groups, events companies and resorts.
Boston is an hour away by train, which widens the job search.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Downcity residence halls are close to Kennedy Plaza, the bus hub, and a shuttle links the Harborside kitchens. Federal Hill's Italian restaurants are a short walk away.
Providence is small and affordable by New England standards. Trains to Boston take about an hour, New York around three.
Form I-20 issued by Johnson & Wales 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
JWU reviews applications on a rolling basis. International applicants should apply by spring for fall so there is time for the I-20 and visa interview.
Most programmes start in fall and spring.
You'll need an F-1 visa. Once you accept your offer and send proof of funding, Johnson & Wales 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.
Culinary arts, baking and pastry, hospitality management and the MBA are popular. Undergraduate entry is based on school grades with IELTS 6.0 or equivalent; no portfolio is needed for culinary programmes.
Yes. JWU awards merit scholarships to many international undergraduates at the point of admission.
