East Tennessee State University
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Key information:
Location:
Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
Type of Institution:
4-year University
Suitable for:
High school leavers Transfer students Graduate students
Majors:
150+ Bachelor programs (including Communication Studies, Computing, Engineering, Finance, Geosciences, Management, Music, Political Science and Psychology) and 50+ Master’s programs (including Accountancy, Business Administration, Computer Science, Digital Marketing, Nursing and Public Health)
Annual tuition (in USD):
Bachelor: up to $28,672 Master’s: $25,453
I-20 Amount (USD):
Bachelor: up to $45,460 Master’s: $42,241
Number of students:
14,500
Campus housing?
Yes
Nearest airport:
Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI)
Knoxville International Airport (TYS)
Need more info?

Other US Colleges & universities:
Institutions for Freshmen – those looking for US study options immediately after high school:
- Fulton-Montgomery Community College
- Louisiana Tech University
- McNeese State University
- Ohio Dominican University
- Rowan University
- Santa Rosa Junior College
- Shoreline Community College
- The University of Tampa
Institutions for USA Transfer students – those who want to complete their Bachelor degree in the Unites States:
- Louisiana Tech University
- McNeese State University
- Northeastern University
- Ohio Dominican University
- Rowan University
- The University of Tampa
Institutions for Graduate studies – those looking to apply for a Master’s or MBA in the USA:
The institution
First established in 1911, the institution has undergone several name changes and officially became East Tennessee State University in 1963. ETSU is a nationally ranked institution (#298 – 389).
As you will see in the Majors section below, ETSU offers plenty of choice! However, it is worth noting that the institution has a particular strength in the Health Sciences sector.
Approximately 4000 students, over a quarter of ETSU’s total student population, follow a program in one of ETSU’s 5 health-related academic colleges.
Majors
ETSU offers students a wide range of majors at both Bachelor and Master’s level. As well as very common majors at Bachelor degree level, such as Computing, Engineering Finance and Management – ETSU has a very strong background in health sciences and performing arts.
Its health programs include Nursing, Public Health, Health Administration, Health Sciences, Dental Hygiene, Radiologic Sciences and many more. Performing arts majors include Music (with many different concentrations, including contemporary music and music production) and Theater.
At Master’s level, in addition to core programs such as its MBA, ETSU offers programs in some very employable sectors of the future, including AI and Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Data Analytics and Digital Marketing (this program was the first in the USA to earn accreditation from the Digital Marketing Institute).
As with its Bachelor programs, ETSU offers a wide range of Master’s in health fields, including Public Health, Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Nursing.
Scholarships
ETSU offers generous scholarships based on academic merit and all applicants to a bachelor program will automatically be considered for these awards. Undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.0 – 3.59 or equivalent from their high school studies will receive an award of $5,000 per year, while students with a GPA of 3.6 or above will be awarded a scholarship of $9,000 per year!
There are also a number of merit awards for graduate students with the maximum award being $9,000 per year. There are also a limited number of graduate assistantships that international students can apply for.
Location
The main campus is located in Johnson City, a small city of approximately 65,000 inhabitants. Located in East Tennessee, the closest large city is Charlotte, North Carolina. Tennessee is ranked by US News & World Report as the 7th most affordable state to live in the US, so your money will stretch further here!
ETSU is also located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains and enjoys four distinct seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter. In warm weather, many students enjoy kayaking or paddle boarding on nearby lakes and rivers, and in the winter go skiing in the mountains. Hiking, camping, and mountain biking can be enjoyed all year long!

Campus Life
There is plenty to keep you entertained and active outside the classroom. The Wayne Basler Center for Physical Activity is the main campus center for indoor sports: facilities include a fitness center with cardio machines and free weights, indoor running track, training studios for various sports, 4 basketball/volleyball courts, 8-lane swimming pool, indoor climbing wall and 2 squash/racquet ball courts.
Outdoors, there are sports fields, 8 km of woodland trails on-campus for running and mountain biking, 6 tennis courts and a disc golf course (where you throw frisbees towards a target rather than hit a golf ball towards a hole.
There are also plenty of 250+ student organizations and 400+ intramural teams for those who want to play sports for fun, so there’s lots to keep you busy. You will find student organizations to cover nearly every interest, from Amateur Radio Club to the Disc Golf Club, from Anime to Wrestling!
And, of course, you will almost certainly want to be an active member of the International Student Association!
Housing
What comes next?
Upon completion of your Bachelor or Master’s program at ETSU, you will be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). This is an opportunity to work off-campus in an area related to your study for up to 12 months, or 36-months if you have chosen a STEM major. You will gain valuable work experience and, at the same time, you will be paid!
Remember that you do have the right to choose OPT both after your Bachelor and again after your Master’s if you so desire.
Seed loves East Tennessee State University because...
A major university with a small college feel. There are nearly 15,000 students; so lots of busy places and activities - but the average class size is under 23; so lots of personal attention too!
ETSU is famous for the Health Sciences. It has the second longest list of courses of any institution in the United States!
ETSU is in a great location - very affordable, very safe and very beautiful scenery