Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut, between New York and Boston. It is best known for an open curriculum, film studies, economics, government and the sciences, with graduates well represented in film, media, law and academia. Choose it for a small, rigorous undergraduate education with full-need financial aid for admitted international students.
Middletown, United States
Official website: wesleyan.edu
#601
Top 15 (U.S. News)
Among the top undergraduate film programmes in the US
8:1
$66,000 – $72,000
International students, undergraduate, before financial aid
$18,000 – $24,000
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 wesleyan.edu before you apply.
BA Economics
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Film Studies
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Government
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Neuroscience and Behavior
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MA Earth and Environmental Sciences
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
Open curriculum — no core requirements, so students design their own path.
Film studies — alumni include Michael Bay, Joss Whedon and dozens of Hollywood writers and producers.
Full-need financial aid for admitted international students.
Historic brownstone campus between New York and Boston.
Graduates join Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, HBO and New York's media, finance and tech firms.
Around 20% of graduates go straight to top law, medical and PhD programmes.
Film alumni work as writers, directors and producers across Hollywood and streaming platforms.
STEM graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Undergrad
1 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 316-acre campus sits on a hill above Middletown, with brownstone halls along College Row, the Center for the Arts and residence halls within a ten-minute walk of each other.
Middletown is a small city on the Connecticut River with a walkable Main Street and moderate rent. Hartford is 30 minutes away, and New York and Boston each about two hours.
Form I-20 issued by Wesleyan
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 I closes 15 November 2026, and Early Decision II and Regular Decision both close 1 January 2027. The small number of graduate programmes in the sciences have their own deadlines, typically in January or February.
Wesleyan admits undergraduates for the fall (early September) only. Its graduate programmes in the sciences are also fall entry. There is no spring intake.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Office of International Student Affairs 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.
Economics, computer science, film studies, government and neuroscience are the most popular majors, and students can combine fields freely under the open curriculum. Admission is holistic and highly selective, with an acceptance rate around 15%, and international applicants typically present TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.0.
Wesleyan offers need-based financial aid to admitted international undergraduates and meets their full demonstrated need, though admission for them is need-aware. There are no merit scholarships. Apply for aid at the same time as admission through the CSS Profile.
