St. Louis, Missouri — USA
Washington University in St. Louis
Meets 100% of demonstrated need with no loans for admitted freshmen — plus merit scholarships, a free alternative to the CSS Profile, and an auto-waived application fee for aid applicants. International transfers get zero aid.
Last updated July 2026. Always confirm details on the school's official page before applying.
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) offers full need-based financial aid — up to a full ride — and prestigious merit scholarships to international freshman applicants. WashU guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans for all admitted undergraduate students. Two things to understand before you apply: freshman admissions is need-aware for international students, so requesting significant financial assistance will lower your chances of acceptance — your application needs to be exceptional. And like Vanderbilt, the generosity is freshman-only: international transfer students are completely ineligible for university-funded aid, so if you need funding at WashU, apply as a freshman.
At a glance
- SAT Required
- No — test-optional through the freshman entering class of Fall 2027. International applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
- English Proficiency Required
- Yes, if your native language is not English — WashU accepts the TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test.
- Apply With CSS Profile
- Yes — international freshmen seeking aid submit the CSS Profile (school code 6929).
- CSS Fee Waiver
- Yes — via WashU's own free form (no College Board waiver codes).
- CSS Waiver Type
- If you can't afford the CSS fee, use WashU's free Institutional Financial Aid Form instead — it appears in your WashU Pathway portal in October, after you've submitted your admission application.
- Acceptance Rate (Freshman)
- 11–12%
- Application Fee (Freshman)
- $75 — automatically waived for any international student who indicates on their application that they're applying for financial aid.
- Transfer Students
- Accepted, but international transfers are completely ineligible for university-funded aid. You must fully self-fund your entire degree.
- Acceptance Rate (Transfer)
- 17–20% depending on the year and division
- Application Fee (Transfer)
- $75
What “full scholarship” means here
This school guarantees it will meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need. In simple English: if you get accepted and you've applied for financial aid and you don't have any money to attend, they can give you a full scholarship to cover your cost of attendance. Both conditions matter — and the CSS Profile is how you prove your need.
WashU Need-Based Financial Aid (100% demonstrated need)
Need-based · Bachelor's
What it covers
- 100% of your demonstrated financial need — up to a full ride
- No loans in the package — nothing to repay
Who qualifies
International freshman applicants who apply for financial aid. Admissions is need-aware for international students — requesting significant assistance lowers your acceptance odds, so the rest of your application must be exceptional. Not available to international transfer students.
Key deadlines
How to apply
- 1Apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application with the WashU supplemental essay. Indicate that you're applying for financial aid — this automatically waives the $75 application fee for international students.
- 2Submit your official high school transcripts, School Report, and one counselor recommendation.
- 3Provide one teacher recommendation.
- 4Submit English proficiency scores if required (TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo).
- 5Complete the CSS Profile (school code 6929) — or, if you can't afford the CSS fee, use WashU's free Institutional Financial Aid Form, which appears in your WashU Pathway portal in October after you've submitted your application.
Good to know
- WashU also awards prestigious merit scholarships to international freshmen — a separate route on top of need-based aid.
- The application fee trick: indicating you're applying for financial aid automatically waives the $75 fee for international students — no separate waiver request needed.
- Transfer applicants (self-funded only) need the Common App for Transfer Students, official transcripts from every college attended, a high school transcript confirming graduation, a College Instructor Evaluation, a College Report, and English proficiency scores.
Frequently asked questions
Does WashU give full scholarships to international students?
Yes — for freshmen. Washington University in St. Louis meets 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans for admitted students, up to a full ride, and also offers prestigious merit scholarships. Note that freshman admissions is need-aware for international students, and international transfer students are completely ineligible for aid.
Does WashU require the SAT for international students?
No. WashU has extended its test-optional policy through the freshman entering class of Fall 2027, so international applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does WashU require an English proficiency exam for international students?
Yes, if your native language is not English. WashU accepts the TOEFL iBT, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET).
Is there a CSS Profile fee waiver for international students at WashU?
WashU doesn't hand out College Board CSS fee waiver codes, but there's a free alternative: if you can't afford the CSS Profile fee, you can use WashU's Institutional Financial Aid Form at no cost. It becomes available in October inside your WashU Pathway portal after you've submitted your admission application.
Is there an application fee for international students at WashU?
The fee is $75, but it's automatically waived for any international student who indicates on their application that they're applying for financial aid.
What is WashU's acceptance rate?
Between 11% and 12% for freshman admissions. Transfer admission runs 17–20% depending on the year and division — but international transfers must fully self-fund.
Does WashU accept international transfer students with full funding?
No. WashU explicitly makes international transfer applicants completely ineligible for university-funded financial assistance. If you apply as an international transfer, you must be prepared to fully self-fund your entire degree. If you need funding at WashU, apply as a freshman.
What is required to apply to WashU as an international freshman?
The Common Application or Coalition Application with the WashU supplemental essay, official high school transcripts, a School Report with one counselor recommendation, one teacher recommendation, English proficiency scores if required, and the CSS Profile (or WashU's free Institutional Financial Aid Form) if applying for aid.
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