·Private·Est. 1824
“Philadelphia's professionally-focused private university — uniting one of America's oldest medical schools with a top design and architecture institute.”
Thomas Jefferson University is a private, professionally-focused research university in Philadelphia, formed in 2017 by the historic merger of Thomas Jefferson University (founded 1824 as Jefferson Medical College) and Philadelphia University (founded 1884 as the nation's first textile school). The combination created a single institution with two distinct identities: a venerable academic medical center anchored by the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, and a design-and-innovation campus anchored by the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce. The result is a university with an unusual academic mix — top-tier programs in fashion design, architecture, industrial design, and textiles operating alongside one of the country's largest physician assistant programs, accelerated nursing pathways, occupational and physical therapy, pharmacy, and a full Sidney Kimmel medical college. Roughly 8,400 students study across 10 colleges and nearly 200 programs. Cross-disciplinary collaboration — design students working with medical students on JeffSolves healthcare-innovation projects, for example — is the institution's signature. For international students, Jefferson offers a pre-professional alternative to traditional liberal arts colleges: students applying directly into BS Nursing, BS Health Sciences, or accelerated dual-degree pathways like the 4+2 BS/MS Physician Assistant program can enter a healthcare career within 5–7 years. Costs sit at typical private-university levels (~$49,000 tuition), and the East Falls campus offers a green, residential feel a short shuttle from Center City Philadelphia and the academic medical center on Walnut Street. Jefferson reports a 97% employment-or-graduate-school placement rate.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Sidney Kimmel Medical College (Primary Care)
US News 2024
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.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$48,022 – $49,450
/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.
Founded 1824 as Jefferson Medical College — one of the largest private medical schools in the U.S., with strong primary care and surgical residency placement.
One of Pennsylvania's leading nursing schools, offering traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN-to-BSN, MSN/DNP, and BSN-to-DNP pathways.
Houses Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Cytotechnology, and other allied health programs — known for high board pass rates.
Distinctive design-engineering hybrid college — home to Fashion Design, Industrial Design, Textile Design, Architecture, and innovation-focused engineering programs.
PharmD program with strong clinical placement across the Jefferson Health system.
6 years
Highly selective accelerated dual-degree pathway: complete a BS Health Sciences and an MS in Physician Assistant Studies in six years. Requires earlier Dec 1 deadline.
4 years
Top-ranked fashion design program with NYC industry partnerships, runway shows, and required textile science core unique to Jefferson.
5 years
Five-year NAAB-accredited professional degree on a beautiful arboretum campus, with strong sustainability and Nexus Learning hands-on focus.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $47,505
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.
