Seattle University is a private Catholic Jesuit research university founded in 1891 and located on a 50-acre, garden-like campus in Seattle's vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood — within walking distance of downtown Seattle, Pike Place Market, and Amazon's headquarters. With about 7,200 students (roughly 4,400 undergraduates), Seattle U is a mid-sized institution that combines Pacific Northwest urban energy with the centuries-old Jesuit tradition of educating the whole person — intellect, conscience, and a commitment to social justice. The campus has been certified as the only Bee Campus and Salmon-Safe certified university in the U.S., reflecting its environmental ethos. Academically, Seattle U operates on a quarter system (10-week terms instead of 15-week semesters, three terms per year), enabling students to take more diverse coursework in a single year. The university is best known for the Albers School of Business and Economics (AACSB-accredited, top-50 nationally for several specialties), the College of Science and Engineering (with strong programs in Computer Science and Civil Engineering), the Nursing program (with direct admission and clinical rotations at Seattle Children's, Swedish, and Harborview Medical Center), and the School of Law. Roughly 50% of international students enroll in Albers Business — Seattle U is a recognized pipeline into the city's tech, biotech, and finance corridor (Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, T-Mobile). For international students, Seattle U is one of the most international-friendly mid-sized U.S. universities — over 10% of the student body is international, drawn from 60+ countries. Top sending countries include Vietnam, China, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Canada, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Mongolia. Seattle U automatically considers all admitted undergraduates for merit scholarships of up to $48,000 over four years (about $12,000/year), and offers an English Language and Cultural Bridge (ELCB) program for students who narrowly miss English-proficiency cutoffs. The location in Seattle — North America's #2 tech hub after Silicon Valley — provides exceptional internship and OPT-employer access.
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 SourceThe deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
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.
AACSB-accredited business school where 50% of Seattle U's international students study. Top-50 nationally for International Business and Specialized Management. Strong placement into Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, and Seattle's tech corridor.
ABET-accredited Engineering programs (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer) plus Computer Science. STEM-designated for OPT; project-based curriculum with industry partners (Boeing, Microsoft).
Direct-admit BSN with clinical rotations at Seattle Children's Hospital, Swedish Medical Center, and Harborview. Among the top nursing programs in the Pacific Northwest.
Houses 33 undergraduate majors across humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and natural sciences. Notable for Psychology, Strategic Communications, and the Matteo Ricci humanistic studies program.
ABET-equivalent ABA-accredited law school known for Indigenous Peoples Law, environmental law, and the Korematsu Center for Law & Equality. Most international applicants pursue JD or LLM.
4 years
Top-50 nationally (US News). Curriculum integrates a required study-abroad term, foreign-language proficiency, and international consulting projects. Strong placement into Boeing, Amazon Global, and Pacific Rim trade firms — leveraging Seattle's port-city economy.
4 years
STEM-designated. Project-based curriculum culminating in a year-long capstone with industry partners (Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing). Located 10 minutes from Amazon HQ, with strong internship-to-OPT-to-H1B pipeline.
4 years
Direct admission as a freshman — no separate nursing-school application required. Hands-on simulation labs and clinical rotations at the top Seattle hospitals starting sophomore year.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $56,721
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.
