“Private R2 research university in Tulsa with a Collegiate Gothic campus and NSA-designated cyber defense programs.”
The University of Tulsa (TU) is a small, private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma — founded in 1894 and shaped by Oklahoma's oil-and-gas heritage into one of the most internationally recognized petroleum-engineering and energy-research universities in the world. With about 4,000 total students (around 2,800 undergraduates) on a leafy 230-acre campus three miles from downtown, TU offers an unusually intimate experience for an R2 research university: a 9-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, average class size in the high teens, and direct undergraduate access to faculty research laboratories. Despite its size, TU consistently produces a top-five-per-capita number of National Merit Scholars in the country and ranks at the very top of U.S. News for value among private universities. TU's academic strengths cluster around three pillars. First, energy and engineering: the McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering is internationally recognized — ranked #1 nationally among private universities and top-3 overall — with industry-funded research consortia that bring together every major energy company in North America. Second, computing and cyber: TU has been a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for over two decades, with strong programs in computer science, cybersecurity, and information assurance. Third, the Collins College of Business (AACSB-accredited), the Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences, the Henry Kendall College of Arts & Sciences, and the College of Engineering & Computer Science round out a comprehensive small-university portfolio that includes nationally ranked programs in finance, energy management, accounting, and the natural sciences. For international students, TU is one of the most generous private universities in the United States. Every admitted international undergraduate is automatically considered for the International Leadership Scholarship (renewable, merit-based) and the highest-achieving applicants compete for the Presidential Scholarship — full tuition for four years. Tulsa itself is an affordable, friendly mid-sized city with a famously walkable downtown, the Gathering Place park (one of the best urban parks in the U.S.), the Philbrook and Gilcrease museums, and a low cost of living. STEM-designated programs (engineering, computer science, the sciences) qualify for the 24-month STEM-OPT extension, and TU's tight industry ties — especially in energy — produce strong employment and H-1B-sponsorship outcomes for international graduates.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Petroleum Engineering (graduate)
U.S. News & World Report
Petroleum Engineering (undergraduate)
U.S. News & World Report
Cyber Defense
National Security Agency
Research Classification
Carnegie Classification
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourcePriority / Scholarship Deadline
Required for Presidential Scholarship and full merit-aid consideration
Regular / Rolling Decision
Rolling review through the summer; international applicants encouraged to apply by April 1 for visa processing
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$50,061
/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.
4 years
STEM-designated. Ranked #1 in the U.S. among private universities and #4 overall by U.S. News (2025). Internationally recognized industry-funded research consortia (21+ joint industry projects) and a deliberately small student-to-faculty ratio (under 5:1) deliver direct industry pipelines into ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Shell, BP, Devon, and the broader global energy industry.
4 years
STEM-designated. TU is a long-standing NSA/DHS National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, and the Tandy School of Computer Science has placed students into the NSA, FBI, federal contractors, and major tech firms for two decades.
4 years
One of the few standalone undergraduate Energy Management programs in the U.S. — combines business fundamentals with deep oil-and-gas industry coursework, taught by faculty with operating-company backgrounds. Direct pipeline into Tulsa's energy-industry employer base.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $50,061
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.
