Study in Dover, The United States

About Dover

Dover is the capital of Delaware, a small state on the East Coast of the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 40,191 in 2024. Dover is the main town of Kent County, a largely rural county in the centre of the state with 192,690 inhabitants in 2024.

Students choose Dover for a public university and a community college in a small-town setting. According to Delaware State University, the city is about 1.5 hours from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and a short drive from the beaches at Rehoboth and Ocean City.

Studying in Dover

Our directory lists one university and one community college in Dover. Delaware State University (DSU) was founded in 1891 as the State College for Colored Students. It is one of the country's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and one of its first land-grant institutions. DSU is a public university accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, with a 356-acre campus. College Navigator lists 5,327 students, 4,581 of them undergraduates, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1.

Delaware Technical Community College (Delaware Tech) is the state's only community college and has four locations. Its Charles L. Terry, Jr. Campus in the northern part of Dover serves Kent County; it covers 112 acres and has seven buildings. The college offers degree programmes that lead directly to work and connected degree programmes with other institutions for associate degree students who want a bachelor's degree. Community colleges usually cover the first two years of a four-year degree. College Navigator counts 13,337 students across the college; there is no campus housing.

Teaching is in English. The academic year typically runs from September to May.

Admission and student visa

International students usually need an F student visa. After admission, the institution's international student office sends a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes) to present when applying for the visa. According to EducationUSA, international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Delaware Tech accepts international students on an F-1 visa. They must meet the admission requirements and show proficiency in English before starting a degree or diploma programme; students whose test scores are too low first enrol in the college's intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) programme. Applicants outside the United States apply by 1 June for the fall semester, which starts in late August, and by 1 October for the spring semester, which starts in January. The college does not issue an I-20 for the summer semester.

Cost of living for students

At a public university, international students pay the out-of-state rate. According to College Navigator, a first-year undergraduate at Delaware State University paid $20,634 in out-of-state tuition and fees in 2024-25 ($10,670 for Delaware residents), plus $16,664 for food and housing on campus. The estimated total for an out-of-state student living on campus was $43,768. Delaware Tech students need to arrange their own housing in the city.

On DART First State, the state's bus network, a one-zone adult fare is $2.00 and the student fare is $1.00 (student ID required from age 17). A daily pass costs $4.00 and a 30-day pass $60.00. Fare zones follow the county lines, so trips within Kent County count as one zone.

Getting around and daily life

DART First State runs the bus services in Dover and across Delaware. Fares can be paid in cash with exact change or with the DART Pass mobile app. The Terry Campus of Delaware Tech has regular, scheduled bus stops around the campus.

Dover has four seasons, with cool winters and warm summers. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for the Dover station give an average temperature of 36.0 °F (about 2 °C) in January and 77.9 °F (about 25.5 °C) in July.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Dover, Delaware?

Our directory lists Delaware State University, a public HBCU founded in 1891, and the Terry Campus of Delaware Technical Community College.

How much does a year at Delaware State University cost?

For 2024-25, College Navigator gives $20,634 in out-of-state tuition and fees and an estimated total of $43,768 including food and housing on campus.

Can international students study at Delaware Technical Community College?

Yes. The college admits students on an F-1 visa for the fall and spring semesters; applicants outside the United States apply by 1 June or 1 October, and those who need more English start in its intensive ESL programme.

How much is the bus in Dover?

A one-zone ride on DART First State costs $2.00, or $1.00 for students with ID. A 30-day pass costs $60.00.