“A public regional university in north-central West Virginia known for nursing, aviation, occupational safety, and hands-on career programs.”
Fairmont State University is a public regional university founded in 1865 and located in Fairmont, West Virginia, a small Appalachian city in the north-central part of the state about 20 minutes south of Morgantown (home of WVU) and roughly 90 minutes south of Pittsburgh. The 120-acre main campus sits on a hilltop overlooking the Monongahela River valley, with two additional teaching sites in nearby Bridgeport and Clarksburg. With about 3,400 students — roughly 3,200 of them undergraduates — Fairmont State is intentionally small: classes are taught by faculty rather than TAs, and the university markets itself as a place where students get personal attention and direct access to mentors. Academically, Fairmont State is built around career-focused programs that punch above the weight of a regional school. It is one of the few universities in West Virginia (and the wider Appalachian region) to offer a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Administration with a Professional Flight concentration through its Aviation Center of Excellence, and its ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety is a national draw for students entering industrial safety, mining, oil and gas, and construction. Other signature programs include nursing (ASN, BSN, and RN-to-BSN), education (the university began in 1865 as a teacher-training school), criminal justice, National Security and Intelligence — home to the Open Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX) applied research lab — engineering technology, and architecture. Student life centers on the residential campus and the Falcons, who compete in NCAA Division II as part of the Mountain East Conference across about 15 varsity sports including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and track. Greek life, the International Student Organization, and a wide slate of academic and service clubs anchor the social calendar, and Fairmont's location gives students easy access to outdoor recreation in the Monongahela National Forest and weekend trips to Morgantown, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. For international students, Fairmont State offers a low-cost-of-living alternative to large flagship universities while still providing F-1 visa support, on-campus housing, and a dedicated international scholarship program.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceInternational — Fall
International undergraduate priority deadline for Fall semester
International — Spring
International undergraduate deadline for Spring semester
Domestic Rolling
Open/rolling admissions; complete file recommended 6 weeks before term start
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$8,970 – $19,493
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$19,493
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Houses Fairmont State's flagship Aviation Center of Excellence alongside business and information systems programs, with industry partnerships including IBM and ManTech.
Home to engineering technology, computer science, architecture, occupational safety, and the National Security & Intelligence program with its Open Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX) applied research lab.
Continuing the university's 1865 founding mission as a teacher-training institution, the college prepares educators, nurses, and health professionals through programs ranging from elementary education to nutrition science.
Offers programs in the behavioral sciences, humanities, and social sciences with a focus on writing, communication, and critical thinking.
4 years
One of the only collegiate professional pilot programs in West Virginia. Students complete FAA flight training (Private, Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine, CFI ratings) at the Aviation Center of Excellence while earning a 4-year degree, positioning graduates for airline, corporate, and military aviation careers.
4 years
ABET-accredited (ANSAC) program preparing students to lead workplace safety in mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction. Combines technical coursework with leadership training and industry internships — graduates are highly recruited by Appalachian energy and industrial employers.
4 years
Pairs classroom study with hands-on research in the Open Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX), an applied lab where students do real-world OSINT work for government and private clients — a rare undergraduate experience in the intelligence community.
4 years
Pre-licensure BSN program with strong NCLEX pass rates and clinical rotations across north-central West Virginia hospitals. Requires the TEAS exam for admission to the nursing major.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $18,924
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
