University of Washington - Overview & Background 

The University of Washington was established in 1861. It is a public research university that is often labeled as a part of the Public Ivies. In fact, it is one of the world’s finest public universities and has been ranked as the 10th best University in the world by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s 2015 rankings. University of Washington’s research budget has consistently been ranked among the top 5 in the country - both public and private universities. 

The University offers various bachelors, master's and doctoral degrees through its 140 departments through schools such as :

  • The Michael G. Foster School of Business
  • The School of Medicine
  • The School of Law
  • The College of Engineering
  • The College of Education
  • The School of Nursing

 

Former Name

Territorial University of Washington (1861–1889)

Established

November 4, 1861

Founder

Daniel Bagley and Arthur Denny

Also Known As

UW

University Motto

Let there be light

University Type

Public Research University

University City

Seattle, Washington

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

Main Campus

Seattle

Campus Size

807 acres (3.3 km2)

Endowment

$4.88 billion (2021)

Acceptance Rate

51.8%

Graduation Rate

83%

Employment Rate

96%

Total Enrollment

46,081

Official Website Link

University of Washington, United States

Contact Detail

+1 206-221-5000

 

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University of Washington Virtual Tour 

Ranking

The University of Washington ranking is #72 in the QS Global World Rankings 2021. The institute is ranked 29th in the World University Rankings 2021 by the Times Higher Education's World University Rankings.

View More University of Washington Ranking

Acceptance Rate

The University of Washington acceptance rate is usually around 30 to 50% overall. Its acceptance rate for Indian students has been 38% historically.

Infrastructure

The University of Washington is located in Seattle and its campus is spread across 20 million square feet. The infrastructure of the University of Washington is top-notch and the campus is dotted with more than 500 brick buildings. With 26 University libraries, the University of Washington has the largest library systems in the world. The campus is also home to numerous top-notch lecture halls, museums, art centers, laboratories, conference centers, and stadiums. A number of restaurants, pizza parlors, cafes, and coffee joints are also located inside the campus. 

Residing Options

The University of Washington offers on-campus accommodation to its students and has a number of residence halls for this. However, many students, especially graduate students, prefer off-campus housing and can be found in areas such as University Village, Avenue, and Greek area. The living expenses in Seattle are on the higher side and students end up paying between $600 and $1200 per month for rent. 

Faculty and pedagogy

The University of Washington, being one of the best Universities in the world, has a long list of notable faculty members, many of whom have been Nobel Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners as well as Fulbright Scholars, Marshall Scholars, and Rhodes Scholars. 

Fees

The University of Washington tuition fees for Indian students is around $30,000, of course, depending upon the course the student is choosing. The annual off-campus living cost is around $8,000.

Financial aid

Being a public University, University of Washington gives out many scholarships. However, students need to have an impeccable academic record to get one of these. If a student performs excellently in academics, they can also apply for Teaching Assistantship and research-based jobs. 

Jobs and Placements

Nearly 70% of the students found placement within 6 months of completing their degree. 10% were found to be seeking employment, while another 19% decided to continue their education.

The average search time for getting employment was about 9.1 weeks. 83% of the students got placed in a career-related position and 17% got placed in a position not related to their careers. 65% of students were employed by a private company while 18% found employment with the government. 17% chose work in the non-profit institutions(figures of 2016-17)

The average salary in the credit-based internships for engineering students (BS and MS) was $28.63 per hour.

66% of students had done at least one paid internship before graduating (BS and MS). The average annual salary for engineering graduates (bachelor’s and master’s) for the year 2016 was $67,626.

Notable Alumni

Some famous alumni from University of Washington include:

  • Peter D. Adkison, American game designer and businessman who is the founder and first CEO of Wizards of the Coast
  • Toshitsugu Saito, Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet
  • Timothy P. Slottow, American businessman who was worked as the president of the University of Phoenix from 2014 to 2017
  • Donald Leroy Bren, American businessman who is chairman and owner of the Irvine Company, a US real estate development company.
  • Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey, Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber, mountaineer and book author
  • Mark Bathum, American Paralympic alpine skier. He has competed at two Winter Paralympics, two World Cups and two World Championships
  • Paige Mackenzie, American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.
  • Venise Chan, Former tennis player from Hong Kong. Chan, who reached No. 1 in Hong Kong and world No. 340 in WTA rankings during her career,
  • Richard John Steves Jr., American travel writer, author, activist, and television personality. 
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Verdict

The University of Washington is an excellent University for every course. However, it has a low acceptance rate and thus is not popular with Asian students. If you have an exceptional academic record and profile, we suggest you apply here and try your luck. 

University of Washington Location

The main campus of the University of Washington is located in Seattle. The area in which it is situated is known as the University District. It is nestled between Union Bay and Portage Bay (south), Cascade Range (east) and Olympic Mountains (west). The heart of the campus is known as the Red Square and houses some of the most iconic buildings of the region.

The campus is divided chiefly into 4 parts:

  • The North Campus contains the photogenic University Quadrangle and Red Square. It also houses the most historical buildings of the university.
  • The South Campus lies adjacent to the Lake Washington Ship Canal.
  • The West Campus consists of the buildings designed with modernist architectural principles.
  • The East Campus houses the pavilions, stadiums and sports facilities.

The campus gets its unique ambiance from its historical buildings, natural surroundings and the buzz of the city, that together make it an ideal place for discovery and learning.

The campus is easily accessible by road. More than 60 bus routes in Seattle link to the university and some of them also help in surfing the campus. The light rail stop for the campus is at Husky Stadium from which the campus is just 10 minutes on foot. The nearest airport from the university is the Sea-Tac International Airport which lies about 20 miles south of the university. 24-hour shuttle service connects it to the campus.

The University also has campuses at Bothell and Tacoma in Washington.

University of Washington Map Location 

Address: PACCAR Hall, 4273 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA 98195, United States

Frequently Asked Questions about University of Washington

Is University of Washington a top University?

One of the top public colleges in the world is the University of Washington (UW). Whether we are launching young people into a limitless future or tackling the great concerns of our day through unflinching research and scholarship, our influence on people our area, and the world is enormous.

Is University of Washington a prestigious school?

On the Times Higher Education annual reputation ranking, the University of Washington tied for 28th place. In 2020, the UW moved up one spot. According to their reputation for research and teaching, academics voted for the "most distinguished" schools to obtain this ranking.

Is UW a hard school to get into?

Just 24,467 out of 43,778 applicants were admitted by the University of Washington's Seattle campus, for a 56% acceptance rate overall. UW admissions are challenging, but your chances of getting in ultimately depend on how strong your application is.

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