Ferris State University
78%
Acceptance rate
$21,000
Tuition/yr
13,500
Enrollment
15:1
Student:Faculty
About Ferris State University
Public university in Michigan. Strong engineering, business, and health professions programs.
Ferris State University is a public university founded in 1884 in Big Rapids, Michigan. It operates on an 880-acre main campus and hosts a satellite campus in Grand Rapids. With roughly 9,959 students enrolled as of fall 2024, it offers more than 170 degree programs across eight colleges, including doctoral-level programs in pharmacy and optometry.
The university has built a strong reputation in professional and applied fields. Its Michigan College of Optometry is the only optometry school in the state and one of only 24 accredited optometry programs in the United States. The College of Pharmacy graduates produce more than half of Michigan's practicing pharmacists, and the pharmacy program ranks among the top 60 of 141 accredited schools nationally. Other well-regarded programs include criminal justice administration, nursing, information security, and engineering technology.
Big Rapids is a small city in western Michigan, roughly 90 miles north of Grand Rapids. The campus is largely self-contained with more than 115 buildings. The university competes in NCAA Division II athletics and has won three football national championships between 2021 and 2024, giving it a visible national profile despite its mid-sized enrollment.
World University Rankings
Campus & Location
MI
Suburban
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.
For Nepali students
- Ferris State's pharmacy, optometry, nursing, and information security programs are in regulated, high-demand fields where U.S. credentials carry strong employment value, graduates in STEM-designated programs such as Information Security and Intelligence are eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension on top of the standard 12-month OPT, giving international students up to three years of U.S. work authorization after graduation.
- Tuition for international undergraduates runs approximately USD 20,000–22,400 per year, placing it in the mid-cost tier among U.S. public universities; incoming international students are automatically considered for the merit-based Woodbridge N. Ferris Scholarship, which awards between USD 1,500 and USD 10,000 per year for four years based on GPA and English-proficiency test scores, no separate application is required.
- The university's acceptance rate is comparatively accessible, and its career-first curriculum suits Nepali students who prioritise direct employment pathways over research-intensive environments; practical placements and internship integration are embedded across most professional programs.
- The university's Office of International Education provides dedicated advising for F-1 visa holders, and the Grand Rapids satellite campus offers an urban alternative for students in business and health programs, broadening internship and part-time work opportunities in one of Michigan's largest cities.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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