Willamette University

Willamette is a liberal arts university in Salem, Oregon, about an hour from Portland, where it also operates an art school and several graduate programmes. Two features define an international application here, and both are financial rather than academic. Willamette requires documented financial support of at least USD 36,000 before it will issue an admissions decision. Money evidence precedes the offer rather than following it, which is unusual, and it means a Kazakh family must have documentation ready at application. And Willamette states plainly that it 'does not offer funding up to the full cost of attendance', advising directly: 'If you require full funding, we encourage you to seek other funding sources or pursue your education through alternative means.' That is unusually candid guidance and should be taken at face value.