Youngstown grew up around steel, and Youngstown State University started in 1908 as a YMCA school for the city's workers. It is now a public university in north-east Ohio known for engineering, business through the Williamson College of Business Administration, nursing and the Dana School of Music. The Butler Institute of American Art sits beside campus. Costs are low, both for tuition and rent.
Youngstown, Ohio, United States
Official website: ysu.edu
1908
Public university in Ohio
Williamson College of Business Administration
Dana School of Music
$14,000 – $19,000
International tuition, undergraduate and graduate
$10,000 – $13,000
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 ysu.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science and Information Systems
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
MS Mechanical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 79
BS Mechanical Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 5.5, TOEFL: 61
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
Engineering and computing with low tuition.
The Dana School of Music.
The Butler Institute of American Art next to campus.
Engineering graduates work in manufacturing, steel and additive manufacturing across Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Business graduates join firms in Youngstown, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
STEM master's graduates can apply for up to three years of OPT.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Campus sits on the north edge of downtown, with a mix of older stone buildings and newer residence halls. Mill Creek Park, a long wooded gorge with trails and lakes, is a short drive south.
Youngstown is a former steel city with some of the lowest rents in the US. Cleveland and Pittsburgh are each about an hour away by car.
Form I-20 issued by Youngstown State University
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
YSU admits international students on a rolling basis. Apply by June for fall and October for spring, allowing time for the I-20. Some graduate programmes close earlier.
Most programmes start in fall (August) or spring (January).
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Youngstown State University after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Computer science, engineering, the MBA and nursing are popular. Undergraduates need secondary school results and IELTS 5.5 to 6.0. Master's applicants need a relevant bachelor's degree, and some engineering programmes look at the GRE.
YSU offers international merit scholarships for undergraduates and some graduate assistantships, which can cover tuition and pay a stipend. Apply early to be considered.
