Study abroad at North Andover

North Andover is an affluent, historic, and exceptionally safe suburban university community in Essex County on the picturesque North Shore of Massachusetts, situated along the Merrimack River and Lake Cochichewick, located just 25 miles (30 minutes by direct MBTA Commuter Rail or I-93) north of Downtown Boston and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Celebrated for its historic Old Center colonial architecture, Harold Parker State Forest (over 3,000 acres of hiking trails and lakes), Steven-Coolidge House and Gardens, and immediate proximity to Greater Boston's world-leading biotechnology, high-tech, and robotics corporate corridor (Route 128 / I-495 tech belt). North Andover is the campus home of one of New England's fastest-growing private comprehensive colleges: Merrimack College (founded in 1947 by the Order of Saint Augustine, premier private master's institution ranked among the US Top 35 Regional Universities in the North and Top 10 Most Innovative Schools by US News & World Report with over 5,500 students across a scenic, tree-lined 220-acre campus). Merrimack College is internationally acclaimed for the Girard School of Business (AACSB-accredited, leading in Finance, Marketing, and Healthcare Management), School of Engineering and Computational Sciences (ABET-accredited Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Data Science), School of Nursing and Health Sciences (Exercise Science, Athletic Training, and Nursing), and Winston School of Education and Social Policy. Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from small class sizes (15:1 student-to-faculty ratio), extensive Boston co-op and internship connections, generous Merrimack International Presidential and Academic Merit Scholarships ($18,000 to $28,000/year), and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in North Andover for international undergraduate students at Merrimack College range between $49,500 and $51,800 per academic year for Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Girard Business, and Health Sciences (with Merrimack College awarding very generous automatic International Presidential and Academic Merit Scholarships discounting $18,000 to $28,000/year from tuition for qualified applicants with a GPA of 3.0+, bringing net tuition down to approx. $21,500–$31,500/year). Postgraduate Master's degrees range from $16,000 to $26,000 per year. Modern on-campus university student residences (Merrimack: North Residential Village, Royal Crest, Monican Hall, Ash Centre - fully furnished student suites with high-speed Wi-Fi, utilities, and dining halls) cost between $800 and $1,350 per month (inclusive of meal plans), while off-campus student apartments in North Andover, Andover, and Lawrence range from $650 to $1,150 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $850 and $1,400 (substantially more economical than Downtown Boston).

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses minus scholarship awards approx. $28,000), the Office of International Programs (Merrimack OIP) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization across Boston and nationwide).