The University of Virginia is a public research university in Charlottesville, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819. It is best known for business, law, engineering and public policy, and ranks among the top 5 public universities in the US. Choose it for a highly selective public degree on a UNESCO World Heritage campus.
Charlottesville, United States
Official website: virginia.edu
#297
Top 5 (U.S. News)
Top 15 US MBA (U.S. News)
UNESCO World Heritage Site, designed by Thomas Jefferson
$35,000 – $60,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$16,000 – $22,000
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 virginia.edu before you apply.
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
11 Months
Intake
Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MBA (Darden School of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MS Commerce (McIntire School)
Masters DegreeDuration
10 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
Founded by Thomas Jefferson — the Lawn and Rotunda are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Darden School of Business — the case-method MBA is consistently ranked top 15 in the US.
McIntire School of Commerce — one of the top undergraduate business programmes in the US.
School of Data Science — the first of its kind in the US, opened in 2019.
Graduates join McKinsey, Deloitte, Capital One, Amazon, Goldman Sachs and Washington, DC employers.
Darden MBA graduates report median base salaries above USD 150,000.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
McIntire commerce graduates report median starting salaries around USD 85,000-95,000.
Undergrad
5 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The Grounds, as the campus is called, centre on Jefferson's Academical Village, with red-brick pavilions around the Lawn and the engineering and business schools a short walk or bus ride away.
Charlottesville is a small city in the Blue Ridge foothills with a pedestrian downtown mall, wineries and hiking nearby. Rent is moderate, and Washington, DC is two hours by car.
Form I-20 issued by the University of Virginia
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 Decision and Early Action close 1 November 2026, and Regular Decision closes 5 January 2027. Graduate deadlines vary by school: Darden's MBA runs rounds from September to April, and most engineering and data science master's close between December and February.
Undergraduates start in the fall (late August). Most master's programmes are fall entry, with the MS Data Science starting in July and the MS Commerce in August. A few engineering programmes accept spring applicants, so check your programme's admissions page.
You need an F-1 student visa. The International Student and Scholar Program 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.
Data science, computer science, the Darden MBA, the MS Commerce and electrical engineering attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a strong bachelor's degree, TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.0, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is highly selective, with an acceptance rate around 16%.
Virginia offers no need-based aid to international undergraduates, so budget for the full non-resident cost; a small number of merit awards, such as the Jefferson Scholarship, are open to all applicants by school nomination. Darden and other graduate schools offer merit scholarships, and research-track students can apply for assistantships.
