Universities in Worcester, The United States

Worcester, in central Massachusetts, is the second-largest city in New England and a student city in its own right. According to Worcester State University, it is home to 37,000 college students at more than a dozen colleges and universities. For an international student it offers the campus life of a New England college town, with Boston within reach by train.

The universities in Worcester are small to medium-sized and very different from each other: a technological university, a research university with a liberal arts core, a Catholic university and a public, state-supported university. All four teach in English and award bachelor's, master's and (at WPI and Clark) doctoral degrees.

What the universities in Worcester offer

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI): a technological university founded in 1865, built around hands-on, team-driven projects. It offers more than 70 degree programmes, runs more than 50 project centres in the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe, and is designated an R1 research institution. It has 7,584 students, 5,558 of them undergraduates.
• Clark University: founded in 1887 by Jonas Gilman Clark as the first all-graduate school in the United States, today a small research university with a liberal arts core and 44 undergraduate majors. It has 3,925 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1.
• Assumption University: a Catholic university founded by the Augustinians of the Assumption, with a school of business, a school of nursing, a college of liberal arts and sciences, a school of health professions and a campus in Rome. It has 2,037 students.
• Worcester State University: a state-supported liberal arts and sciences university on a 58-acre campus in the residential northwest of the city, with 5,745 students.

Student numbers are from the US Department of Education's College Navigator. All four universities have campus housing.

Costs

Tuition depends mainly on whether a university is private or public. College Navigator lists these undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2024-25 academic year:

• WPI: $60,965, plus $18,386 for on-campus food and housing
• Clark University: $58,867, plus $12,500 for on-campus food and housing
• Assumption University: $51,356, plus $15,752 for on-campus food and housing
• Worcester State University: $11,786 in-state and $17,866 out-of-state, plus $14,307 for on-campus food and housing

Books, health insurance, travel and personal costs come on top. Ask the university's international office which fee rate applies to you and which scholarships are open to international students.

Admission and visa

International students apply directly to each university. According to EducationUSA, the US government's advising network, study at an accredited US college or university requires an F student visa. Once a student is accepted at a school certified for international students, its international student office issues a Form I-20 (or DS-2019 for exchange programmes), which is needed for the visa application. With permission of the international student office, international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Practical tips

• Choose by profile: engineering and science at WPI, a research-oriented liberal arts education at Clark, a Catholic liberal arts setting at Assumption, or a lower-cost public option at Worcester State
• Compare the total cost of attendance, not tuition alone: on-campus food and housing adds $12,500 to $18,386 a year at the four universities
• Worcester is linked to Boston by MBTA Commuter Rail from Worcester/Union station; one-way Commuter Rail fares range from $2.40 to $13.25 depending on distance
• Winters in New England are cold and snowy, so budget for warm clothing if you come from a warmer country

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Worcester?

Worcester has more than a dozen colleges and universities with about 37,000 students in total, according to Worcester State University. The best known include WPI, Clark University, Assumption University and Worcester State University.

How much does it cost to study at a university in Worcester?

In 2024-25, undergraduate tuition and fees ranged from $11,786 (in-state) or $17,866 (out-of-state) at the public Worcester State University to $60,965 at WPI, according to College Navigator. On-campus food and housing costs $12,500 to $18,386 a year.

Which university in Worcester focuses on engineering?

WPI is the city's technological university: it was founded in 1865 for science and engineering and teaches through hands-on projects.

Can international students work while studying in Worcester?

Yes, within limits. EducationUSA says international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year, with the permission of the international student office.