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The University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) is a public liberal arts university and member of the University of Nebraska system, located in Kearney, Nebraska. Founded in 1905 as a state normal school, UNK enrolls approximately 5,881 students — 4,213 undergraduates and 1,668 graduate students — across three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Technology, and the College of Education. UNK is ranked #24 among Regional Universities Midwest and #6 for Best Value by U.S. News & World Report. The university has a deeply distinguished record in teacher education: approximately 79% of Nebraska's PK-12 teachers are UNK graduates, and 43% of Nebraska school superintendents and 30% of principals are UNK alumni. UNK's international community is among the most diverse for its region — 290 international students from 56 countries represent 4.93% of enrollment, with particularly strong representation from Japan (108 students), Mexico (45), South Korea (41), China (27), and Nepal (24). All international students automatically qualify for the International Loper Scholarship, which reduces tuition by over 30%, bringing international tuition to approximately $9,527 per year — competitive with many in-state public university rates. The 515-acre campus is a Nebraska Statewide Arboretum site in Kearney, a regional hub city of approximately 33,000 in central Nebraska.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$9527 – $14126
/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.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $15,284
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.
