“A public research university on the shore of Lake Champlain — known for environmental science, the outdoors, and a small-city feel.”
The University of Vermont (UVM) is the flagship public research university of Vermont, founded in 1791 — making it the fifth-oldest university in New England. Its 460-acre main campus sits on a hilltop in Burlington, overlooking Lake Champlain to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. With about 14,500 students (roughly 12,300 undergraduates), UVM is a Carnegie R1 research university that still feels intimate, with a college-town vibe shaped by Burlington's walkable downtown, year-round outdoor culture, and strong sustainability ethos. Academically, UVM is best known for environmental and natural-resource sciences — the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, plant biology, ecological agriculture, and a top-25 environmental studies program. The Larner College of Medicine, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Grossman School of Business, and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences round out a comprehensive university with strong pre-health pipelines and growing computer science enrollment. UVM's Honors College adds a small-college experience for high-achieving students inside the larger university. For international students, UVM offers a small but growing international community (about 450 international students total, ~3% of enrollment), an automatic merit scholarship of up to $25,000/year for academically strong applicants, a test-optional admissions process, and a setting that is genuinely safe, walkable, and welcoming. Burlington is consistently ranked among the most livable small cities in the US, with a famous food scene, easy access to skiing at Stowe and Sugarbush, and a 100-mile lake just steps from campus.
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.
Domestic
$16,280 – $18,890
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$41,280 – $43,890
/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.
One of the oldest environmental colleges in the US; signature program in environmental sciences, natural resources, and forestry.
UVM's largest college; houses biology, psychology, political science, and the humanities, including a strong creative writing program.
AACSB-accredited business school with strong sustainability and entrepreneurship focus that fits Burlington's startup scene.
Houses BSN, communication sciences and disorders, and health sciences programs, with clinical access at UVM Medical Center.
Strong land-grant traditions in plant biology, animal science, dietetics, and food systems — closely tied to Vermont's working landscape.
4 years
Interdisciplinary program housed in the Rubenstein School with field work across Lake Champlain, the Green Mountains, and the surrounding ecosystem.
4 years
Direct entry to UVM's nursing program with clinical placements at UVM Medical Center, an academic teaching hospital on the edge of campus.
4 years
One of the first food systems undergraduate degrees in the country; combines agriculture, nutrition, business, and sustainability around Vermont's food economy.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $45,502
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.
