Study in Phoenix, The United States

About Phoenix

Phoenix is a large city in Arizona, in the desert south-west of the United States. For students it is home to two very different private universities that both have their main address in the city: Grand Canyon University (GCU), a Christian university with a residential campus, and the University of Phoenix, which teaches mainly online.

Students come to Phoenix for a large campus university with on-campus housing, for flexible online degrees, or for its dry, sunny climate. Courses are taught in English.

Studying in Phoenix

Our directory lists three schools under Phoenix: a campus university, an online university and a study abroad agency.

Grand Canyon University is a private not-for-profit university on West Camelback Road. College Navigator, the U.S. Department of Education's college database, counts 113,257 students, 75,936 of them undergraduates; the total includes students on its online programmes. It awards certificates, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, and it has campus housing.

The University of Phoenix was founded in 1976 for working adults and was one of the early online universities. Students take one course of five to six weeks at a time. In October 2024 it closed all its ground campuses except the one in Phoenix. College Navigator lists it as a private for-profit university with an open admission policy, 111,248 students and no campus housing.

A2Z Languages is an agency that arranges language immersion and study abroad programmes with schools in other countries, so it is a contact for students in Phoenix who want to study elsewhere.

Students who come for a full degree need an F student visa, which covers study at an accredited college or university. After admission, the school's international office issues a Form I-20, which is used to apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate. According to EducationUSA, the academic year usually runs from September to May, and international students may work on campus for up to 20 hours a week in their first year. A fully online programme is usually followed from home; ask the university whether a programme can be taken on a student visa.

Cost of living for students

College Navigator gives these figures for full-time beginning undergraduates in the 2024-25 academic year:

• Grand Canyon University: $17,850 in tuition and fees, and $11,700 for food and housing on campus
• University of Phoenix: $9,552 in tuition and fees; the university has no campus housing

These figures do not include health insurance, books or travel, and prices for international students can differ, so check each university's current cost of attendance.

Getting around and daily life

Phoenix is a large, spread-out city, and many trips are easier by car. Valley Metro runs the regional public transport, and its light rail line links Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. At Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the PHX Sky Train connects directly to Valley Metro Rail at the 44th Street station.

The climate is hot and dry. At Sky Harbor airport, the 1991-2020 normals of NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information give an average temperature of 56.8 °F (about 14 °C) in January and 95.5 °F (about 35 °C) in July, when average daily highs reach 106.5 °F (about 41 °C). Students arriving for the autumn semester should plan for summer heat, drink plenty of water and avoid outdoor activity in the middle of the day.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Phoenix?

Our directory lists Grand Canyon University, a private not-for-profit Christian university with a campus and online programmes, and the University of Phoenix, a private for-profit university that teaches mainly online.

How much does a year at Grand Canyon University cost?

According to College Navigator, tuition and fees for a full-time beginning undergraduate were $17,850 in 2024-25, plus $11,700 for food and housing on campus.

How hot is Phoenix in summer?

Very hot. The average temperature at Sky Harbor airport in July is 95.5 °F (about 35 °C), with average daily highs of 106.5 °F (about 41 °C), according to NOAA's 1991-2020 normals.

Can I study at the University of Phoenix on a student visa?

The University of Phoenix teaches mainly online and has no campus housing. Students who want to live in the United States on an F visa should ask the university which programmes, if any, qualify.