Study abroad at Portland

Portland (proudly known as 'The City of Roses' and 'Bridgetown') is an environmentally progressive, vibrant, and innovative tech and creative metropolis situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers in northwestern Oregon, shadowed by majestic, snow-capped Mount Hood, home to Portland International Airport (PDX - consistently voted Best Airport in the US). Celebrated for its eco-friendly urban design, Washington Park (home to the International Rose Test Garden and Portland Japanese Garden), Powell's City of Books (the world's largest independent bookstore spanning an entire city block), vibrant food truck pods, zero state sales tax (0%), and its status as 'Silicon Forest' (the Pacific Northwest's booming semiconductor, clean technology, athletic apparel, and software epicentre housing Intel's largest global campus, Nike World Headquarters, Columbia Sportswear, and Adidas North America). Portland is home to premier higher education and medical research institutions: Portland State University (PSU - public doctoral research university enrolling over 22,000 students on an innovative 50-acre urban campus centered around the South Park Blocks in Downtown Portland, internationally recognized for the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, School of Business AACSB-accredited, School of Public Health, and College of Urban and Public Affairs), Reed College (elite private liberal arts college renowned for undergraduate science research and producing one of the highest percentages of Rhodes Scholars and future PhDs in America), and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU - world-leading academic medical center and Knight Cancer Institute), alongside University of Portland and Lewis & Clark College. Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from direct Silicon Forest corporate internships, generous PSU International Student Scholarships ($3,000 to $10,000/year), TriMet MAX Light Rail transit, and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Portland for international undergraduate students at Portland State University (PSU) range between $26,500 and $29,800 per academic year for Maseeh Engineering, Computer Science, School of Business, and Urban Planning (with PSU awarding automatic International Achievement and Merit Scholarships discounting $3,000 to $10,000/year from tuition for qualified applicants with a GPA of 3.0+, bringing net tuition down to approx. $17,500–$23,500/year). At Reed College, undergraduate tuition is approx. $64,000/year (with extensive need-based financial aid). Postgraduate Master's degrees range from $18,000 to $28,000 per year. Modern on-campus university residences (PSU: Broadway Housing, Stephen Epler Hall, Blumel Hall, Ondine - fully furnished eco-friendly student apartments with high-speed Wi-Fi, utilities, and kitchens) cost between $750 and $1,250 per month (inclusive of utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Downtown Portland, Goose Hollow, and Pearl District range from $650 to $1,150 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $850 and $1,400 (with savings from 0% state sales tax).

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. $24,000), International Student Services (PSU ISS) 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 Silicon Forest and nationwide).