Private research university founded 1853, ranked among America's top institutions with 16,399 students across 10 schools.
Washington University comprises 10 schools including Arts & Sciences, McKelvey School of Engineering, Olin Business School, School of Medicine, School of Law, Brown School, Bursky School of Public Health, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, and School of Continuing & Professional Studies. The university offers over 150 undergraduate fields of study and hundreds of master's and doctoral programs. In 2021, WashU adopted a need-blind undergraduate admissions policy. The university is a member of the Association of American Universities (joined 1923) and maintains strong research programs across sciences, engineering, medicine, and social sciences.
The university spans 355 acres across its Danforth Campus (main undergraduate and graduate campus northwest of Forest Park) and Medical Campus. Students represent all 50 US states and more than 110 countries. WashU supports over 400 undergraduate student organizations and emphasizes residential life with multiple residence halls including the South 40. The campus features libraries, research labs, makerspaces, and studios. Athletic teams, the Washington University Bears, compete in NCAA Division III as founding members of the University Athletic Association and the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, having won 26 NCAA Division III championships.
For the Class of 2028, WashU received over 32,750 applications and admitted 12 percent. Undergraduates must select one of four schools at application. The university offers need-blind undergraduate admissions and provides financial aid through scholarships and grants. Graduate and professional admissions are available for over 60 doctoral and master's programs. WashU has hosted four US presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate on campus.
Washington University is a major research institution with partnerships including Barnes Hospital (formalized 1911) and St. Louis Children's Hospital (1912). Notable research achievements include Arthur Holly Compton's 1922 experiments demonstrating the Compton Effect, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1927. The university maintains extensive labs, research facilities, and makerspaces supporting faculty and student research across engineering, medicine, sciences, and social sciences.