Washington University in St. Louis

USA | St. Louis, United States

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Overview

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) was established in 1853 by Wayman Crow, a St. Louis merchant, and William Greenleaf Eliot, a religious minister, in response to the growing need for higher education institutions in the Midwest. The university is named after George Washington and is now a private research university with approximately 16,500 students from all 50 U.S. states and over 110 countries.

WashU is organized into seven schools: Art and Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Business, Continuing Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, and Social Work and Public Health. The university operates from multiple campuses, with the primary academic campus, the Danforth Campus, housing the majority of students. The Washington University Medical Campus is home to the School of Medicine. WashU also owns a former St. Louis department store site and a 2,000-acre outdoor research laboratory.

The university has a strong emphasis on research in areas like biotechnology, plant science, and business development. WashU offers various global opportunities for its students, including elective rotations for medical students in Africa, Asia, and South America, and internships for law students in the Netherlands. The university also has an exchange program with Fudan University in Shanghai. Around one-third of WashU's students participate in study abroad programs, and many pursue double majors or minors, with 60% engaging in community service. The university has produced 26 Nobel Laureates, 11 Pulitzer Prize winners, four U.S. Poet Laureates, and 15 recipients of the National Medal of Science.

Ranking

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) holds strong rankings across several prestigious platforms. In the US News & World Report rankings for 2025, it is placed at 21 among U.S. universities, demonstrating its solid standing within the U.S. academic community. The university is ranked 69 globally in the Times Higher Education 2025 rankings, which reflects its academic reputation and research output on an international scale. However, in the QS World University Rankings for 2025, WashU is ranked 171, indicating a slight drop in comparison to its past rankings. Despite this, Washington University remains highly regarded for its programs in medicine, business, and engineering, and continues to be a top choice for both U.S. and international students.

University Courses

No courses available for this university.