About 80 miles east of Nashville, Cookeville is home to Tennessee Tech, a public university that began in 1915. Engineering, computer science, cybersecurity and business are its best-known subjects. Out-of-state tuition is low by US standards. The area is quiet and hilly, with waterfalls and state parks within a short drive.
Cookeville, Tennessee, United States
Official website: tntech.edu
1915
Public university in Tennessee
NSA-designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense
Cookeville
$22,000 – $27,000
International students, undergraduate and graduate
$10,000 – $13,000
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 tntech.edu before you apply.
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Mechanical Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
MS Mechanical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
Engineering and computing with low tuition.
Cybersecurity teaching with federal recognition.
A small, walkable campus town.
Engineering graduates join Tennessee manufacturers and car plants, including Nissan and Volkswagen.
Cybersecurity graduates work for federal agencies and defence contractors.
STEM graduates can apply for up to three years of OPT.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
The campus is walkable and close to Cookeville's small downtown and its restored train depot.
Cookeville is cheap and quiet. Burgess Falls and Cummins Falls are nearby, and Nashville is about 80 miles west on Interstate 40.
Form I-20 issued by Tennessee Tech 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
Tennessee Tech reviews applications on a rolling basis. International applicants should apply by May for fall and October for spring to leave time for the I-20 and visa.
The main intakes are fall (August) and spring (January). Some graduate programmes also start in summer.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Tennessee Tech University after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Computer science, mechanical and electrical engineering and the MBA are popular. Undergraduates need secondary school results and around IELTS 6.0; graduate programmes need a relevant bachelor's degree and IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 79.
Tennessee Tech offers some international undergraduate scholarships and graduate assistantships in engineering and computing. Check the department pages.
