Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri, ranked 16th among US National Universities in the 2027 edition of U.S. News. It is known for generous financial aid, beautiful architecture, and strength across the board — from medicine and engineering to business and the arts.
At a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | St. Louis, Missouri, USA |
| Type | Private research university |
| Undergraduate tuition (2026-27) | $71,310 a year |
| Total cost of attendance (2026-27) | $102,260 a year, before health insurance |
| Acceptance rate | About 11.9% for fall 2025 (3,968 admitted of 33,283 applicants) |
| Aid policy | Need-aware for international students; meets 100% of demonstrated need for every undergraduate it admits |
Programmes
WashU's schools cover Arts & Sciences, Engineering (McKelvey), Business (Olin), Architecture, and Art. Undergraduate strengths include biology and pre-med, computer science, economics, psychology, political science and engineering. The medical school is one of the best in the country, which makes WashU a strong choice for students aiming at medicine or biomedical research. Olin Business School's specialised master's programmes are popular with international students — the MS in Finance (Wealth and Asset Management) costs about $34,300 in tuition per semester, plus about $1,350 in programme fees per semester.
Fees and funding
The official 2026-27 undergraduate budget is $102,260 before health insurance: tuition $71,310, student activity fee $712, health and wellness fee $700, and housing and food $24,272 (modern double room, Platinum meal plan). Tuition rose by $3,070 this year, so Fall 2027 entrants should expect higher 2027-28 figures. The key fact for international students is the aid policy: WashU is need-aware — asking for aid can affect admission — but it meets 100% of demonstrated need for every undergraduate it admits. That makes an honest, complete financial-aid application essential. Signature Scholar Programs also offer merit awards; check the current list on the admissions site.
Admission
Undergraduate applicants use the Common or Coalition Application, with an essay, a 250-word answer on what they want to study and why, a counsellor recommendation, one teacher evaluation, transcripts with certified translations, and an English test if English is not their first language. Graduate deadlines vary by programme — Olin's Fall 2027 specialised-master's rounds close on 8 October, 7 January, 25 February and 15 April. Confirm every deadline on the university's own pages, as dates move each year.
Frequently asked questions
Does WashU meet full need for international students? It meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted undergraduates, but admission is need-aware for international applicants.
How much does WashU cost? $102,260 a year in 2026-27 before health insurance, including $71,310 tuition.
How hard is it to get in? About 11.9% of first-year applicants were admitted for fall 2025. It is highly selective.
What is WashU best for? Pre-med and biomedical sciences, engineering, business (Olin) and the arts and sciences, with generous aid for those admitted.
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Sources and verification: Washington University in St. Louis official 2026-27 cost pages (tuition $71,310, total $102,260) and admissions pages (11.9% acceptance, need-aware aid policy), checked October 2026. 2027-28 fees and deadlines to be confirmed on wustl.edu.