WhatsApp
West Chester University logo

West Chester University

7.3(2)
VerifiedPublic0
Type
Public
University Guide

About West Chester University

Explore overview, courses, fees, admissions, campus life, scholarships and student accommodation guidance in one premium Admistay guide.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania follows a semester-based calendar. The university enrols around 15,000 students with international students representing over 40 countries. Mostly the students live on the campus specially during their first year as a student. Programs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania include over 200 options leading to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. It is considered as one of the primary educational institutions in the Atlantic Region and one of the most sought after academic institutions in the USA.

On average, the entering students have a G.P.A. of 3.35.(83%) Admissions to West Chester University of Pennsylvania are offered in fall, spring and summer semesters. With an annual acceptance rate of 75% the admissions are moderately selective. Official Transcripts, ELP scores, funds availability and other documents are required to submit the online application. The approximate cost to attend the institution for a year is around 42,000 USD. The notable alumni of the university include Jill Biden, the present first lady of the United States.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Rankings

  • The US News has ranked the university at #50 in Regional Universities North,
  • #23 in Best Colleges for Veterans
  • #11 in Best Undergraduate Teaching universities.
  • Forbes has ranked the university at #141 among the best colleges in the country.
  • Niche ranks the university at # 13 of 849 in the Most Liberal Colleges in America.

Highlights

Type of University Public
Placement Rate 87%
Application Fee (Undergraduate) 45 USD
Application Fee (Graduate) 50 USD
Cost of Attendance 36,163.14 USD
Website https://wcupa.edu
Number of Programs (Undergraduate) 118
Number of Programs (Graduate) 80
Acceptance Rate 75%
Application Deadline October 15

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Campus and Accommodation

West Chester University campus life is great for the students. Facilities ranging from athletic facilities, dining facilities, to libraries and academic buildings in the close range provide ease of access to the students. The campus is also the site of the largest academic building in the state. Several research facilities, over 104 student organisations, housing for more than 1200 students and a health centre is also easily accessible in the campus.

Student housing in the USA is available in two types. The Traditional Housing is university owned housing and is operated by the West Chester University. Whereas the Affiliated or USH housing is owned by the University Student Housing, which is a subsidiary of WCU foundation. Both types of housing are on-campus housing and lie either in North Campus or South Campus..

The Cost of campus housing is as follows:

Accommodation Cost in USD per semester
South Campus Apartment Complex 3169- 3451
College Arms Apartment Complex 4594
1-Bedroom Apartment-Double Bedroom 3827
1-Bedroom Apartment-Triple Bedroom 3254
1-Bedroom Apartment-Quad Bedroom 2966
2-Bedroom Apartment-Single Bedroom 4212
2-Bedroom Apartment-Double Bedroom 3541

*Along with this a student is needed to deposit 200 USD against his name. Meal plan per semester

Meal plans Cost per semester in USD
14 meals per week plus 250 USD flex 1489
10 meals per week plus 300 USD flex 1398
Unlimited meal plan plus 250 USD flex 1850

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Programs

UG at West Chester University of Pennsylvania has over 118 undergraduate programs, amongst total over 180 academic programs. 80+ graduate programs and around 50 doctoral programs in different fields are also provided. Among the courses known to have made its reputation in the university are social work, and the RN-BSN program.

The most popular programs of the university include Marketing, Management, Health Professions, etc. As far as the demand of the international students has been surveyed, they have mostly leaned towards Marketing, Management, Education and Accounting, Computer Science, Public Health, etc.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania International Admission Process

The university offers many programs to students coming to study in the US . The admission process for international students is as follows;

Application Portal: Online Common Application ; WCU application form
Application fee: 45 USD for undergraduates and 50 USD for graduates
Documents required:

  • Official Transcripts in English
  • English language proficiency scores
    • TOEFL iBT 80
    • IELTS 6.0
  • Passport ID pages
  • Statement of purpose
  • Financial documents to show availability of funds covering minimum one year’s expenses.
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Any other required document

Students are required to purchase their health insurance once they are authorised to study in the United States.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Cost of Attendance

The approximate annual cost of attendance is given that may change depending on course selection and lifestyle but can be used to calculate the budget to study in the USA.

Expense Heads Annual cost in USD
Tution 21,568
Room and Board 10,702
Instructional Technology Fee 728
General Fees 2,217
International Fee 150
Books & Materials 1,200
Insurance 2,400
Personal Expenses 3,000
Total 41,965

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Scholarships

There are a lot of scholarships to study in the USA available for international students studying at the university. Some of these words are :

Addy Kelly Memorial Scholarship: Given to the graduate students with demonstrated community leadership. Preference is given to athletes.

Alexander von Humboldt Foreign Language Scholarship Endowed by Dr. Stephen D. Gilmour & Kenneth C. Haughton is awarded to third or fourth year students majoring in foreign language with a GPA of minimum 3.0 (80%) and wants to graduate or is enrolled in a study abroad program.

Alice Conway Scholarship- This scholarship is awarded to one student annually. It supports a non-traditional student with dependents under the age of 18 years. Students must demonstrate financial need.

The Alumni-Mary Anderson Scholarship is for students with impressive academic achievement, demonstrating financial need, involved in campus activities and must have completed at the very least 32 credits at the time of the application.

Alumni - Michael R. Horrocks '85 Scholarship is named after the memory of Golden Ram quarterback who unfortunately died in the 2001 World Trade Centre Attack. It is given to students with outstanding academic achievement, demonstrated financial need, shows interest in campus activities and should have completed 32 credits at the time of the application.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Alumni

The university has over 120,000 alumni members all over the world and maintains a connection with them through various social media platforms. The alumni contribute in many ways and receive many discounts for organising events, insurance, buying books etc.

The notable alumni of the university have been impressive all along.

  • Jill Biden, American professor, and currently the First Lady of the United States.
  • Michael Dever a business and the CEO of Brandywine Asset management, Inc.
  • Jessica Bart, an actress
  • Derek Frey, a film director and a producer.
  • Dean Wink, the former speaker of South Dakota House of Representative,
  • Tommy Tomlinson, Member of the Pennsylvania Senate

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Placement

According to the data by the university the placement rate of the graduate students within a year of being the graduate, since the year 2017 has been 100%. According to the data suggested 87% of the students are either employed or are continuing their education after graduating.

Among them 76% of them are employed within 6 months of their graduation. The maiden salary range of the graduating students is 50,000 USD to 54,999 USD, which is an impressive amount, almost double the national average. Some of the graduate salaries are given below for reference:

Position Average Annual Salaries in USD
Account Manager 56,000
Software Engineer 86,930
Marketing Manager 63,700
Project Manager 60,560

West Chester University has been considered one of the primary learning institutions in the Pacific area, and rightfully so for its academic excellence. The number of programs that the university provides are more career and learning oriented, which produces greater chances of success for the students. As the last 4 years have shown, that the graduating students have all been placed to get their jobs, only proves the learning environment that the university provides. Though the university has largely produced alumni who have been extremely successful in the political field, it has also seen a large number of business icons and artists of the entertainment field as its students. The university apart from imparting necessary education also helps and provides students with the deserving scholarships and grants to help them afford and finish their studies which is very important.

FAQs

Ques. Can I move into my hall early?

Students are not permitted to move in before the designated day/time.

Ques. Is there an international student Orientation program?

New International Student Orientation is mandatory for all international students and is very beneficial for a successful transition into West Chester University. Don’t forget to let us know when you will arrive by reserving your place for Orientation.

Ques. Are there jobs available for international students?

Part-time student jobs are listed on West Chester University’s Career Development Website. International student workers may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic semester.

Ques. Is housing available for international students?

West Chester University offers on-campus housing accommodations for all students

Ques. What is the SEVIS fee?

SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is a result of the 1996 Immigration Act, which mandated that a fee should be charged to all new F-1 and J-1 visa holders in order to fund the federal student and scholar database.

Ques. What documents do I need to enter the United States?

Passport, Visa, I-20 , Supporting financial documentation, Proof of course registration are some of the documents. It is recommended to review the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) travel guidelines.

Ques. Do I need health insurance?

For your safety, West Chester University requires all international students with non-immigrant student (F-1 or J1) status to maintain health insurance that meets the minimum standard as determined by the U.S. Department of State. In addition, the U.S. Department of State requires that all individuals in Exchange Visitor (J-1) status also meet the minimum insurance requirement.

Ques. How long does it take to receive an I-20 form?

Once you have paid your deposit and submitted the required documents, an I-20 will be mailed to you. All immigration documents are mailed First Class Foreign Air Mail. Please allow up to two – four weeks for delivery from the time we receive the required documents for mailing.

Courses & Fees

Compare courses in a cleaner, easier way

Explore tuition, duration, language, eligibility, and exam requirements without the clutter.

Courses

65

Fee from

₹21,74,088.6

Exams

Duolingo · IELTS

Showing 5 of 42 bachelors

Overview
Degree TypeBachelor
Duration4 years
Study ModeFull Time
LanguageEnglish
Fees
Tuition FeeINR 22.6 L/Yr
Native FeeUSD 24,140 /Yr
Fee trendTuition progression
Official Program Page
Admission Guide

Admission Process

With an acceptance rate of 75%, West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU/ WCUPA) is a public university. The university admissions are quite selective and a process of online application with a fee of 45 USD for UG and 50 USD is to be paid. Currently, the university enrolled 15,000 students representing 40 different countries. It is the largest amongst all the 14 universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and one of the renowned universities of the US. 

Check out: Programs offered by West Chester University of Pennsylvania

The West Chester University of Pennsylvania is also equipped with ELS Language Centers for international students. The West Chester University of Pennsylvania is organized into five colleges, offering more than 118 undergraduate programs, more than 80 graduate programs, and 4 doctoral degrees in 50 plus fields of study. Public Health and Computer Science are the most favored programs by international students. The university opens admissions during Fall, Summer, and Spring sessions. Students can avail of fee waivers by applying to the scholarships offered in the US.

Highlights

Application portal Online portal
Application fee 45 USD for UG, 50 USD for PG
Academic calendar Semester based
Intake session Spring, Summer, and Fall
Campus Setting Suburban
Acceptance Rate 75%
TOEFL code 2659
Financial Aid Available in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study
Admission Helpdesk (610) 436-3411

West Chester University Of Pennsylvania Admission Deadlines

West Chester University grants admission on a rolling basis. Below are certain important deadlines that international students can adhere to.

Semester Deadline
Fall Semester 1 July
Spring Semester 15 October
Summer 15 march

It needs to be noted that these deadlines are flexible. Some programs may have earlier deadlines. For program or degree-specific deadlines, visit the Program Deadline Page of the University.

West Chester University Of Pennsylvania International Students Admissions

The West Chester University Of Pennsylvania accepts international applicants, given that they have completed secondary education with a college preparatory curriculum, fulfilled the minimum grade point equivalency, provided required official academic records, met the appropriate deadlines, and verified financial support for one academic year. Students may apply online at the university’s official website. A common application form is also available.
Where to apply: Common Application; WCU application form
Application fee: USD 50
Admission requirements:

  • A completed application
  • Official high school and college transcripts
  • Transcripts must be evaluated by an authorizing agency and translated into English.
  • ACT, SAT, and TOEFL score reports ought to be sent directly to WCUPA.
  • Verification of financial support.
  • Affidavit of support.
  • Copy of passport
  • Other requirements - essays and letter of recommendation

West Chester University Of Pennsylvania English Proficiency Requirements

International applicants are required to present TOEFL, ESL, and/or IELTS scores to demonstrate English proficiency. The minimum scores required by the university are mentioned below,

TOEFL IBT 80
TOEFL PBT 550
IELTS 6
ESL Level 112

The university has also partnered with ELS centres to offer conditional admission to international students.

US Visa for International Students

International applicants can apply for a student visa to study in the USA right after an application letter is issued. Students whose applications have been approved will be issued the I-20 Form. The I-20 form is shipped through First Class Foreign Air Mail and takes about 2-3 weeks. In case, a student requires the form sooner, express delivery services are also available.

F1 visa required documents -

  • Valid passport
  • Form DS-160 for non-immigrant visa applications
  • Two photographs meeting the US Visa Photo Requirements
  • Proof of paid F1 visa fee
  • Form I-20
  • Documents that prove your previous education and current qualification.

F1 visa application process:

  • Get the admissions documents from the SEVP institution
  • Apply online through the DS-160 form
  • Pay the application fee
  • Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
  • Schedule the F1 visa interview
  • Submit the file with the F1 visa required documents

West Chester University Of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Admissions

West Chester University PA offers undergraduate Bachelors's degrees in a range of subjects and few undergraduate certificate programs are also offered. The admission requirements for the same are mentioned below.
Where to apply: Undergraduate Application Portal
Application fee: USD 45
Admission requirements:

  • Official high school transcripts
  • GPA – B to B + (A grade point average is required for Nursing)
  • Average SAT score – 1060 to 1200 ( 1250)
  • Class rank – Top 40%
  • TOEFL Ibt – 80 or above (for international students)
  • IELTS - 6.5 or above (for international students)
  • Other requirements – audition (Music); portfolio ( Studio Art and Graphic Interactive Design); Interview (Respiratory Care)

West Chester University Of Pennsylvania Graduate Admissions

WCUPA offers programs in more than 80 graduate domains such as Community Nutrition, Applied Statistics, Human Resource, Geoscience, Mathematics, and Nursing, etcetera. The university also offers post-masters certificate programs in Applied Statistics, Diabetic Internships, among others. All students seeking admission in a graduate program must submit the online application, provide two letters of recommendation, official college transcripts, and a letter of intent. Some graduate programs also require GRE and/ or GMAT.
Application fee: USD 50

Let us now observe some crucial admission-related details of five popular graduate programs offered by the West Chester University Of Pennsylvania.

Requirements MBA M.Sc Computer Science M.Sc Geoscience M.A English M.A Psychology
Transcripts Required Required Required Required Required
GRE/GMAT Required (GMAT) Not required Not required Not required Required (GRE)
Work Experience Recommended but not mandatory Not required Not required Not required Not required
Essay Required Required Required Required Required
CV Required Not required Not required Not required Not required
Letter of recommendation 3 3 2 2 3
Other requirements None B.A. in Computer Science program prerequisites Writing sample; B.A in English or related discipline None

he university admissions are quite selective and International students are mandated to submit their application and all supporting documents to the Office of Admissions six months prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment.

West Chester College Of Pennsylvania Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What modes of online payment does WCUPA accept?

Ans. MasterCard, Visa and Discovery.

Q2. How selective is WCUPA?

Ans. The university is lightly selective with an acceptance rate of 74 per cent.

Q3. Is on-campus housing available for international students?

Ans. Yes

Q4. Is health insurance mandatory for international students?

Ans. Yes. Students are advised to procure health insurance before shifting to USA

Q5.. What is the average annual tuition fees at WCU?

Ans. USD 11000 to USD 22000 (approx)

Q6. Why should I join West Chester University PA?

Ans. A diverse range of programs, small class size, comparative affordability, and highly qualified faculty.

Q7. What are the most majors at WCU?

Ans. Psychology, Business, Finance, Physical Education Teaching and Coaching, and Nursing.

The West Chester University of Pennsylvania is the 4th largest university of the Philadelphia region. It is one of the most sought-after universities of the Mid-Atlantic region of USA. WCU has a retention rate (student satisfaction) of 72 per cent. The college has partnerships with more than 25 college institutions globally so as to cater to cultural, educational, and scholarly exchanges. 88 per cent of West Chester alumni are either employed or pursuing higher education. Also, more than 3000 jobs and internships postings were made through the university’s career centre. The university is committed to admit and enrol quality students from diverse cultural, educational and economic backgrounds. Academic integrity and responsibility are the two most prized principles of the West Chester University Of Pennsylvania.

Placements & Recruiters

West Chester University Placement Details

West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States placement details include salary insights, top recruiters, and hiring trends to help students understand career outcomes and campus opportunities.

Students usually compare highest package, average package, and recruiter profile before applying. This section gives a compact overview of career outcomes and placement visibility in West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States.

Recruiters
N/A
Salary Metrics
0/2
Placement Metric

Highest Package

N/A

Represents the top salary package reported in the available placement information.

Placement Metric

Average Package

N/A

Shows the typical package range students may expect based on the available average salary data.

Placement information is currently limited.

More salary or recruiter data may be updated later for this college.

Rankings over the years

Year-wise highlights from global and country rankings available for this university.

2019

Highlights
2019
  • Best overall country rank: #346
  • Overall: #346 in country
  • Top source: FORBES
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2019

2023

Highlights
2023
  • Education: #58 in country
  • Top source: US News
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Education
  • 1 ranking record in 2023

2024

Highlights
2024
  • Best overall country rank: #54
  • Education: #43 in country
  • Top source: US News
  • 2 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Education
  • 1 ranking record in 2024

2025

Highlights
2025
  • Public Policy: #21 in country
  • Top source: US News
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Public Policy
  • 1 ranking record in 2025

Contact Information

700 South High Street

+1-610-436-1000

Student Reviews & Ratings

Overall sentiment and category-wise rating summary

Overall score

7.3/10
Top Rated

Based on 2 ratings

Rating Breakdown

Visual summary of rating distribution and categories

Live Summary
Academic
9.0/10
Faculty
9.0/10
Infrastructure
7.5/10
Accommodation
7.5/10
Placement
3.0/10
Extracurricular
8.0/10