Kent State University is a public research university in Kent, Ohio, about 40 minutes from Cleveland and Akron. It is best known for fashion design, aeronautics, journalism, architecture, business, nursing and computer science, with a fashion campus in New York City and a study centre in Florence. Choose it for an applied degree at low public-university cost in the American Midwest.
Kent, Ohio, United States
Official website: kent.edu
#1001
R1 — very high research activity
Top 5 fashion school in the US (Fashionista)
Over 34,000 students across eight Ohio campuses
$21,000 – $25,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$12,000 – $15,000
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 kent.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA (Ambassador Crawford College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MA Fashion Industry Studies
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Information Architecture and Knowledge Management
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Aeronautics (Professional Pilot)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
School of Fashion — a top-ranked US programme with studios in New York and Florence.
Aeronautics — a university airport and flight school with its own fleet.
May 4 memorial — a National Historic Landmark commemorating the 1970 campus shootings.
Campus in a small college town 40 minutes from Cleveland and Akron.
Graduates join Goodyear, Progressive, Cleveland Clinic, Sherwin-Williams and Ohio's manufacturers and hospitals.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Fashion graduates work at Abercrombie & Fitch, Macy's, Ralph Lauren and New York design houses.
Aeronautics graduates move into regional and major airlines through partnership programmes.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 950-acre campus fills the east side of Kent, with the Student Center and library at its core, the fashion school and design buildings nearby and residence halls around the edge.
Kent is a small college town on the Cuyahoga River with very low rent and a walkable downtown. Cleveland's sports, museums and airport and Akron's employers are each about 40 minutes away.
Form I-20 issued by Kent State
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 admission is rolling, with a 1 December 2026 priority date for fall 2027 scholarships; international applicants should apply by June to leave time for the visa. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing and business master's closing between 1 February and 1 June.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, data science, the MBA and information architecture, admit for both fall and spring, while fashion industry studies is fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Student and Scholar Services issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, data science, the MBA, fashion industry studies and information architecture attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for the Global Scholarship, a renewable merit award based on grades, when they apply by the priority date; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in computing and the sciences.
