Campus & Student Life at Western Washington University

Home to about 14,194 undergraduates in 2020, WWU is a large, public university located in Bellingham, Washington. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, WWU offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by WWU can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our WWU Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

WWU Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 12.0% of the student population at WWU. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit WWU Disability Services.

WWU for the Military

While not a "service academy", WWU does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. There is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit WWU Veteran Services . For more information, check out our WWU for Veterans Guide.

WWU offers On-Campus Day Care

For students with young families, WWU does offer some day care. Programs like this are often in very high demand, so be sure to inquire as soon as you can.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Western Washington University

WWU offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Western Washington University

WWU has a comparatively large, student body. There were 14,194 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 12,622 (88.9%). Part-time attendance was 1,572 (11.1%).

Western Washington University is Ranked #763 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, WWU is more diverse than average in terms of overall diversity. We rank WWU #763 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at WWU by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the WWU Diversity Guide.

Western Washington University Competes in the NCAA

WWU has a total of 317 student athletes, 144 men and 173 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Western Washington University Athletics