The University of Rhode Island is the state's flagship public research university, in Kingston, a few miles from the Atlantic coast and 90 minutes from Boston. It is best known for oceanography, pharmacy, engineering, nursing, business and its international engineering programme, with the Graduate School of Oceanography on Narragansett Bay. Choose it for a coastal New England degree with strong pharmacy and ocean science.
South Kingstown, United States
Official website: uri.edu
#1001
R1 — very high research activity
One of the top ocean science schools in the US, on Narragansett Bay
Top 30 pharmacy college in the US (U.S. News)
$30,000 – $36,000
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 uri.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Sep, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Sep, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Sep, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Oceanography
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Marine Biology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Graduate School of Oceanography — a leading ocean research campus with its own research vessel.
International Engineering Program — a five-year degree combining engineering with a language and a year abroad.
Pharmacy — a top-ranked college with a modern building and industry links.
Coast — beaches ten minutes away and sailing on Narragansett Bay.
Graduates join CVS Health, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Amgen, Raytheon and Boston's biotech firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Pharmacy graduates report near-full employment in retail, hospital and industry roles.
Ocean science alumni work at NOAA, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and marine agencies.
Undergrad
1 Feb 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
1 Dec 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 1,200-acre Kingston campus sits in a rural setting with the Quadrangle and granite Green Hall at its centre, the library and Memorial Union nearby and the pharmacy and engineering buildings a short walk away.
Kingston is a quiet village in South Kingstown with beaches ten minutes away and moderate rent. Providence is 30 minutes by car or train, and Boston about 90 minutes.
Form I-20 issued by URI
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
For fall 2027 undergraduate entry, Early Action closes 1 December 2026 and Regular Decision closes 1 February 2027; spring 2027 entry closes 1 December 2026. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing and engineering master's closing between 15 February and 15 April.
Undergraduates can start in fall (September) or spring (January). Computer science, data science and electrical engineering master's programmes admit for both fall and spring, while the one-year MBA and oceanography master's are fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Office of International Students and Scholars 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, electrical engineering and oceanography attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate around 75%.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on their grades when they apply by the Early Action deadline; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in engineering, oceanography and pharmacy.
