2021 Best Colleges for International Students in Tennessee
31
Colleges
$28,541
Avg Tuition & Fees*
45%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
International students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Colleges for International Students in Tennessee ranking is part of that endeavor.
We analyzed 31 colleges and universities across Tennessee to determine which were the best for international students in Tennessee. Our ranking is based on several objective factors, including the school's overall quality and the total number of international students at the school. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Customizing Your List
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to online students or returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Top Colleges in Tennessee for International Students
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Vanderbilt University tops this year’s ranking as the best school for international students in Tennessee. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,365 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
International students make up 10.3% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Vanderbilt come from such countries as China, India, and South Korea.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Full Vanderbilt University Report
A rank of #2 on our list means The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a great place for international students in Tennessee working on their bachelor’s degree. UT Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,356 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 3.1% are international. Students studying at UT Knoxville come from such countries as China, India, and Saudi Arabia.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Report
A rank of #3 on our list means Rhodes College is a great place for international students in Tennessee working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 463 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
International students make up 5.7% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, Vietnam, and Germany come to Rhodes College to study.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Rhodes College Report
Out of the 31 schools in Tennessee that were part of this year’s ranking, Sewanee - The University of the South landed the #4 spot on the list. Sewanee - The University of the South is a small private not-for-profit school located in Sewanee, Tennessee that handed out 429 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 4.3% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at Sewanee are China, Nigeria, and Hungary.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full Sewanee - The University of the South Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lipscomb University. It ranked #5 on our 2021 Best Colleges for international students in Tennessee list. Lipscomb is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 725 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 2.3% are international. Students studying at Lipscomb come from such countries as China, Saudi Arabia, and United Kingdom.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Lipscomb University
Belmont University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. Belmont is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,711 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 0.7% are international. Students from as far away as Canada, China, and Brazil come to Belmont to study.
Read More…
Union University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #7. Union is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jackson, Tennessee. It awarded 523 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 1.6% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Union come from such countries as South Korea, Brazil, and Kenya.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Union University Report
Tennessee Technological University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking, coming in at #8. Tennessee Tech University is a public institution located in Cookeville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,905 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 2.5% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Tennessee Tech University are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and India.
Full Tennessee Technological University Report
Freed-Hardeman University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Henderson, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 363 students in 2020-2021.
International students make up 0.5% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Canada, Costa Rica, and South Africa come to FHU to study.
Full Freed-Hardeman University Report
Middle Tennessee State University landed the #10 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3,926 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Around 2.3% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at Middle Tennessee State University are Saudi Arabia, China, and India.
Read More…
Lincoln Memorial University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. LMU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Harrogate, Tennessee. It awarded 412 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 1.9% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at LMU come from such countries as Canada, United Kingdom, and Brazil.
Read More…
University of Memphis came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. University of Memphis is a large public school located in Memphis, Tennessee that handed out 3,273 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 2.9% are international. Students studying at UofM come from such countries as India, Saudi Arabia, and China.
Read full report on University of Memphis
Christian Brothers University landed the #13 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Memphis, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 386 students in 2020-2021.
International students make up 5.3% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Christian Brothers come from such countries as India, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
Full Christian Brothers University Report
East Tennessee State University landed the #14 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Johnson City, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,676 students in 2020-2021.
International students make up 2.0% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and China come to ETSU to study.
Read More…
With a ranking of #15, The University of Tennessee - Martin did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. The University of Tennessee - Martin is a medium-sized public school located in Martin, Tennessee that handed out 1,066 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 0.5% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at UT Martin come from such countries as Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan.
Full The University of Tennessee - Martin Report
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. UT Chattanooga is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,139 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
International students make up 1.4% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at UT Chattanooga are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and India.
Read More…
Lee University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 859 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 2.6% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Nigeria, Bahamas, and South Korea come to Lee University to study.
Full Lee University Report
Trevecca Nazarene University landed the #18 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Trevecca Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 572 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 5.3% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as Honduras, China, and India come to TNU to study.
Full Trevecca Nazarene University Report
Maryville College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Maryville, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 228 students in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 2.7% are international. Students from as far away as Mexico, Japan, and China come to Maryville College to study.
Read More…
Johnson University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee ranking. Johnson University is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 293 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the total number of students at the school, 4.0% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Johnson University are China, Brazil, and Zimbabwe.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read More…
Fisk University landed the #21 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 103 students in 2020-2021.
Of the total number of students at the school, 9.2% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Fisk are Bahamas, Nigeria, and Nepal.
Read full report on Fisk University
Carson - Newman University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. Carson - Newman is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jefferson City, Tennessee. It awarded 341 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Around 3.1% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at Carson - Newman are Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and South Korea.
Read full report on Carson - Newman University
Bryan College - Dayton landed the #23 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Located in Dayton, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 193 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
International students make up 1.4% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as United Kingdom, Brazil, and Canada come to William Jennings Bryan College to study.
Read full report on Bryan College - Dayton
Tennessee Wesleyan University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee list. Located in Athens, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 315 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
International students make up 4.8% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at TWU are United Kingdom, Spain, and Brazil.
Read full report on Tennessee Wesleyan University
King University landed the #25 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for international Students in Tennessee. Located in Bristol, Tennessee, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 540 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
International students make up 2.2% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at King are United Kingdom, Canada, and South Korea.
Full King University Report
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