The University of Wyoming is the state's only public university, in Laramie, a small town at 7,200 feet in the Rocky Mountains. It is best known for energy and petroleum engineering, geology, environment and natural resources, business and computer science, with some of the lowest tuition of any US university. Choose it for an affordable engineering or earth-science degree in a mountain setting.
Laramie, United States
Official website: uwyo.edu
#1001
R2 — high research activity, with R1-level energy research
Among the lowest non-resident tuition of any US flagship
Campus at 7,200 feet — the highest of any US university
$19,000 – $23,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$11,000 – $14,000
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 uwyo.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 76
MS Petroleum Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 76
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 76
MBA (College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 76
MS Geology
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 76
BS Petroleum Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
School of Energy Resources — research on oil, gas, coal, carbon capture and renewables.
Low tuition — non-resident rates far below most US universities.
Geology — a leading department in a state built on mining and energy.
Mountains — the Snowy Range and Medicine Bow National Forest 30 minutes away.
Graduates join ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Chevron, Microsoft's Cheyenne data centres and Denver's energy firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Petroleum and energy engineering graduates report high starting salaries in the Rocky Mountain region.
Geology alumni work in mining, energy and environmental consulting across the West.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 785-acre campus sits beside downtown Laramie, with Prexy's Pasture at its centre, the Coe Library and Wyoming Union nearby and the engineering and energy buildings a short walk away.
Laramie is a mountain town of about 32,000 people with low rent, cold, snowy winters and skiing, hiking and climbing nearby. Denver is two and a half hours away.
Form I-20 issued by the University of Wyoming
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 engineering master's closing between 15 January and 1 June for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, petroleum engineering, electrical engineering and geology, admit for both fall and spring, while the one-year MBA is fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. 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, petroleum engineering, electrical engineering, the MBA and geology attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 76 or IELTS 6.5; the GRE is optional for most programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on their grades when they apply by the priority date, and tuition is already among the lowest in the US. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in engineering, geology and energy research and usually include a tuition waiver.
