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Current Students

Tuition and Scholarships

UW tuition rates for undergraduates

Tuition rates are set annually by the University. For complete information on cost of attendance at UW Seattle, including cost of living, see academic year student budget provided by the Office of Student Financial Aid. More information on tuition fees is provided by Student Fiscal Services. 

Use the tuition dashboard to help you understand tuition and fees depending on your level, residency and more.

Scholarships for engineering undergraduates

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers the following scholarships for current MSE undergraduate students thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends:

MSE Scholarships

  • Boeing Materials Science & Engineering Scholarship
  • Frederick B. Brien Memorial Scholarship
  • Paul A. Bundy Endowed Scholarship
  • Daniel W. Frech and Mary T. Katchur Endowed Fund
  • Donald J. and Mary Ann Gorski Endowed Scholarship in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering
  • Mary Ellen Gulden Memorial Scholarship
  • Ralph Yates Lewis Endowed Fund
  • William MacKay Scholarship
  • James I. Mueller Scholarship
  • David and Pauline Pfeiffer Endowed Fund for Materials Science & Engineering
  • Livingston Wernecke Memorial Scholarship
  • Eugene A. White Scholarship
  • Jim and Joanne Williams Endowed Scholarship

To apply, MSE undergraduate students complete a single, online application through the College of Engineering. Applications are accepted annually from April 1 – May 15. Scholarships are awarded in June for the following academic year.

Many of the above scholarships have a financial need requirement. Make sure to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form as soon as possible. It will be used to determine your level of financial need.

The personal statement is extremely important. Start working on it early. Use it to tell your story and demonstrate why a scholarship award would make a difference in your education. Writing about your special interests and skills, career plans, and future goals can help the awards committee identify a scholarship for you. If you need help with your personal statement, please contact the MSE undergraduate adviser.

For additional information, including the application process, see Tuition and Scholarships on the College of Engineering’s website.

Additional scholarship opportunities

MSE Chair's Community College Excellence Awards are given to top scholars in the undergraduate MSE program who transferred from a community college and are ineligible to apply for federal financial aid. The awards recognize the students' commitment to excellence in their scholastic pursuits. Please contact the MSE undergraduate adviser for additional information, including the application process.

The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) helps low- and middle-income Washington state residents earn their bachelor’s degrees in the high-demand fields of science, technology, engineering, math and health care. 

The UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards provides assistance for students navigating and applying for local and national scholarships, especially nationally recognized merit-based scholarships such as the Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall and more.

The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program aims to increase retention of high-achieving, low-income students who transferred from a Washington State community college. The award will be approximately $5700/year, and will be renewable for a second year if you maintain good academic standing.

Financial aid

The UW Office of Student Financial Aid provides resources to students for various types of aid such as scholarships, grants, loans and veteran benefits. To be eligible for federal financial aid, students must complete the federal student aid FAFSA application. Only U.S. students are eligible to receive federal financial aid.

The FAFSA should be received at the federal processor by January 15 for priority consideration for our aid programs for the upcoming school year. Late applications for aid are accepted, but the options for aid available will be fewer.

More resources

Fastweb is a great resource for information on scholarships and other types of aid.

International student tuition and fees

Tuition for international students is the same as the non-resident rate.

International students who wish to study in the U.S. on an F-1 or J-1 student visa need to provide proof of adequate financial support for one year. If you are offered admission and you decide to enroll, you will be required to submit a bank statement or letter showing proof of finances to cover the first year of tuition, living expenses, and other campus fees. Detailed instructions will be sent with the offer of admission. If the offer of admission includes funding support from the MSE department, the requirement for proof of financial support can be waived.

See the UW Office of Admissions' Money Matters and Annual Student Budget for International Students for more information on international student fees.