Western Michigan University is a public research university in Kalamazoo, midway between Chicago and Detroit. It is best known for aviation, engineering, business, paper and chemical engineering, computer science and its medical school, with one of the largest college aviation programmes in the US. Choose it for an affordable Midwestern degree with strong aviation and engineering options.
Kalamazoo, United States
Official website: wmich.edu
#1201
R2 — high research activity
One of the largest and best-equipped college aviation programmes in the US
Around 17,000 students
$18,000 – $24,000
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 wmich.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Data Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (Haworth College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Electrical and Computer Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Engineering Management
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Aviation Flight Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
College of Aviation — a fleet of over 50 aircraft at its own airport campus in Battle Creek.
Haworth College of Business — AACSB-accredited, with a top-ranked sales and supply chain programme.
Paper and chemical engineering — a pilot plant and links to Michigan's paper and pharmaceutical industries.
Kalamazoo — a college city with the Kalamazoo Promise and low rent.
Graduates join Stryker, Pfizer's Kalamazoo plant, Delta, Whirlpool, Kellogg and Detroit's automakers.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Aviation graduates move into regional and major airlines through pathway agreements.
Sales and business graduates report placement rates above 90% within six months.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 1,200-acre main campus sits on hills west of downtown Kalamazoo, with the Bernhard Center and Waldo Library at its core, the engineering campus at Parkview a shuttle ride away and residence halls on the main site.
Kalamazoo is a city of about 75,000 people with low rent, a walkable downtown, craft breweries and Lake Michigan beaches 45 minutes away. Chicago and Detroit are each about two and a half hours by train or car.
Form I-20 issued by Western Michigan
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 and computing master's closing between 15 February and 1 June for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (late August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, data science, the Haworth MBA, electrical and computer engineering and engineering management, admit for both fall and spring. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Admissions and 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, data science, the Haworth MBA, electrical and computer engineering and engineering management 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; the GRE and GMAT are 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 awards can bring costs close to the in-state rate. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in engineering, computing and the sciences.
