The University of Kansas is the state's flagship public research university, in the college town of Lawrence. It is best known for pharmacy, engineering, business, special education and city planning, with one of the lowest non-resident tuition rates among US research universities. Choose it for an affordable public degree with merit awards for international students.
Lawrence, United States
Official website: ku.edu
#452
Member
No. 1 public programme in the US (U.S. News)
Top 25 in the US (U.S. News)
$24,000 – $30,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$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 ku.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MBA (School of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Business Analytics
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Petroleum Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
Among the lowest non-resident tuition of any US research university in the AAU.
Special education — the No. 1 public programme in the US.
Mount Oread campus — a hilltop site known as one of the most attractive in the Midwest.
Basketball — the sport's inventor, James Naismith, was the university's first coach.
Graduates join Garmin, Cerner (now Oracle Health), Koch Industries, Sprint's successor T-Mobile and Kansas City's firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Engineering bachelor's graduates report median starting salaries around USD 65,000-75,000.
Pharmacy graduates enter hospital systems and pharmaceutical firms across the Midwest.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The campus sits on Mount Oread, a hill above downtown Lawrence, with limestone buildings, the Memorial Stadium and the engineering complex spread across a 1,000-acre site.
Lawrence is a lively college town of about 95,000 people with a historic main street, low rent and a strong music scene. Kansas City is 45 minutes away.
Form I-20 issued by the University of Kansas
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 November 2026 priority date for fall 2027 that gives the best chance at merit scholarships; applications stay open into summer. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most engineering and computer science master's closing between December and March.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August) or spring (January). Most engineering and computer science master's programmes also admit for spring, while the MBA and business analytics are fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Support 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, electrical engineering, the MBA, business analytics and petroleum engineering 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 for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for merit scholarships worth up to around USD 12,000 a year based on their grades, if they apply by the priority date; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships in many departments.
