University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States · Established 1861
Official website ↗Total Students
51,719
Student:Faculty
14:1
Setting
Urban
Overview
The University of Washington, founded in 1861 in Seattle, is one of the oldest public universities on the US West Coast and one of the most research-intensive universities in the country, with particular strength in computer science, medicine, oceanography, and public health. Its main Seattle campus sits directly across Lake Washington from Microsoft's headquarters and a short distance from Amazon's headquarters, giving UW an unusually direct pipeline into the Seattle tech industry that few peer public research universities can match -- the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering in particular is consistently ranked among the top computer science programs in the US. With more than 51,000 students across three campuses (Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma), UW is a test-blind institution -- it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions at all, evaluating applicants instead on coursework rigor, grades, and a required personal statement/short-response essays. UW draws a substantial international student population, particularly into computer science, engineering, and business programs, though as a large public research university its financial aid for international undergraduates is limited relative to elite private universities. For prospective IELTS or TOEFL candidates, this dataset was unable to confirm UW's current official minimum score thresholds directly during research (UW's admissions and international-student-services pages returned access errors), so specific IELTS/TOEFL minimums are left unpublished here rather than assumed from memory or a third-party aggregator -- applicants should confirm current requirements directly on UW's official international-admissions pages before testing.
Rankings
US News National Universities
#42 (2026)
US News Best Global Universities · Overall (Global)
#8 (2026)
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings · Overall (Global)
#25 (2026)
Admissions, Requirements & Costs
Requirements, deadlines, and test-score cutoffs differ significantly between undergraduate and graduate/Master's programs — shown separately below.
Undergraduate
Acceptance Rate
39.5%
Documents required: Coalition Application or UW's own application portal, Official high school transcript, Personal statement and short-response essays, English proficiency test scores (IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo/PTE) for applicants not schooled primarily in English, Application fee or fee waiver request
| Term | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Confirm the current cycle's deadline directly on UW's official admissions page (historically mid-to-late November) | Regular Decision |
Waiver: Applicants who completed secondary education taught primarily in English, including at an accredited US high school, are generally exempt from the English-proficiency testing requirement -- exact waiver criteria should be confirmed on UW's official international-admissions page.
Popular Programs
Gabble Prep Insights
Where applicants lose points: Because UW is test-blind (SAT/ACT scores are not considered at all), the personal statement and short-response essays carry unusually heavy weight in a holistic review -- international applicants should prioritize essay-writing preparation alongside English-test prep, since a strong test score alone cannot offset weaker essays the way it might at a test-optional (rather than fully test-blind) peer institution.
Applicants targeting UW's most selective majors, particularly Computer Science through the Allen School's direct-to-major admission process, face considerably longer odds than the university-wide acceptance rate suggests, since capacity-constrained majors admit through a separate, more competitive internal review.
Acceptance rate (39.5%), enrollment, and test-score/ranking data are from UW's Wikipedia profile (fall 2024 entering-class figures) rather than a live official UW admissions page, which returned access errors during this research pass -- SAT/ACT fields are set to null (not simply omitted) because UW is confirmed test-blind and does not consider these scores at all, which is a distinct policy from 'test-optional.' Tuition, living costs, application fee, and IELTS/TOEFL thresholds could not be confirmed from an official source during this research pass and are left null rather than estimated from memory or third-party aggregators; confirm all of these directly on UW's official admissions and international-student-services pages before relying on this dataset for them.
Recommended prep timeline: 10 weeks
Graduate (Master's & PhD)
Documents required: Statement of Purpose, Official transcripts from all institutions attended, Letters of recommendation (number varies by department), Resume/CV, English proficiency test scores (IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo/PTE) unless exempted, GRE or GMAT scores (required by some programs, e.g. the Foster MBA; not required by most engineering MS/PhD programs)
| Term | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Varies significantly by department -- confirm the specific program's deadline directly | Rolling |
Waiver: Applicants who hold a prior degree from an institution where instruction was conducted entirely in English are generally eligible for a waiver, subject to program approval -- exact criteria should be confirmed with the specific department.
Scholarships
Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships
Full tuition waiver plus a monthly stipend; amount varies by department
Departmentally funded TA and RA positions that typically cover full tuition plus a living stipend for many master's and PhD students, particularly in engineering and the sciences.
Eligibility: Awarded competitively by individual academic departments as part of, or shortly after, the admission decision; not need-based
Popular Programs
Gabble Prep Insights
Where applicants lose points: Applicants to UW's Computer Science and Engineering graduate programs, among the most competitive in the country given the school's direct Seattle-tech-industry pipeline, should expect English-proficiency scores to matter less than research fit and recommendation strength, but should still avoid scores near any program's stated floor given how oversubscribed these specific programs are.
Not independently confirmed for this dataset -- see editorialNotes.
Graduate acceptance rate, IELTS/TOEFL thresholds, and cost of attendance could not be confirmed from an official UW source during this research pass (relevant pages returned access errors) and are left null rather than estimated. UW's graduate admissions are decentralized by department, so a single aggregate figure would be misleading in any case; confirm directly with your target department.
Recommended prep timeline: 10 weeks
Programs Offered
BS in Computer Science
Undergraduate · 4 yr
BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Undergraduate · 4 yr
BA Business Administration
Undergraduate · 4 yr
MS in Computer Science and Engineering
Masters · 2 yr
MBA
Masters · 2 yr
PhD
PhD · 5 yr
Campus Life
UW's Seattle campus, overlooking Lake Washington and the Cascade mountains, is widely regarded as one of the most scenic large public university campuses in the US, and its direct proximity to Seattle's tech industry (Microsoft's headquarters sits directly across the lake, and Amazon's headquarters is a short distance away) shapes a campus culture unusually oriented toward technology, entrepreneurship, and internships even outside the Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering specifically. UW Huskies athletics competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and international students benefit from a large, established international community supported by UW's International Student Services office.
Notable clubs: Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW), The Daily (independent student newspaper), Foster United (Foster School of Business student organization), UW Information Technology Society, Numerous registered student organizations across academic, cultural, and hobby interests
Outcomes
Undergraduate
Graduate
Notable Alumni
Linda B. Buck — Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2004) for research on olfactory receptors; earned a BS from UW
Dale Chihuly — Internationally acclaimed glass sculptor whose work appears in major museums worldwide; studied at UW
Tom Foley — Speaker of the US House of Representatives (1989-1995); earned his undergraduate and law degrees from UW
Visa Interview Prep
UW's International Student Services (ISS) office issues I-20s and supports F-1 visa applicants. Given UW's strong ties to the Seattle tech industry, many computer science and engineering graduate applicants rely on a research or teaching assistantship offer as proof of funding -- ensure that documentation is finalized before the visa interview, since consular officers weigh funding evidence heavily.
- Clarity on the specific program and department, and why UW specifically
- Demonstrating strong ties and credible intent to return home after studies
- Financial sufficiency and clear documentation of funding sources (self-funded, assistantship, or family support)
- Consistency between academic/professional background and chosen field of study
FAQs
Does UW require the SAT or ACT?Undergrad
No. UW is a test-blind institution -- it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions at all, even if submitted. This is distinct from a 'test-optional' policy; applicants are evaluated on coursework rigor, grades, and required essays instead.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for UW?
This dataset was unable to confirm UW's current official minimum score during research (UW's admissions pages returned access errors) -- confirm the current threshold directly on UW's official international-admissions page before testing, rather than relying on an unverified third-party figure.
How competitive is UW for undergraduate admission?Undergrad
UW's overall acceptance rate runs around 39.5%, but this varies enormously by major -- Computer Science through the Paul G. Allen School's direct-to-major admission process is considerably more selective than the university-wide average, given the program's direct pipeline into Seattle's tech industry.
Is Bill Gates a University of Washington alumnus?
No -- this is a common misconception. Bill Gates attended Harvard University (and dropped out); his father, William H. Gates Sr., is the actual UW alumnus (BA 1949, JD 1950) and later served as a UW regent. Co-founder Paul Allen attended Washington State University, not UW.
What is UW best known for academically?
Computer science and engineering, given its direct pipeline into the Seattle tech industry (Microsoft and Amazon are both headquartered within a few miles of campus), alongside strong programs in medicine, oceanography, and public health. The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering is consistently ranked among the top computer science programs in the US.
Does UW require the GRE or GMAT for graduate programs?Grad
It depends on the program. The Foster School of Business MBA generally requires the GMAT (or accepts the GRE); most engineering MS and PhD programs do not require a standardized graduate test. Always confirm the specific program's current policy.