Attending college or university can be costly, and going far from home does not appeal to everyone. Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, can be a strong option for students who live in Tennessee and want to stay close to home while saving money.
Nashville is widely known as Music City, especially because of its long connection to country music and live entertainment. The city and its surrounding metro area are home to several universities and colleges. Below, we highlight four affordable higher education institutions in and near Nashville and share a little about each school to make your search more manageable.
Affordable Schools in Nashville for International Students
1. Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University, also known as TSU, begins our list of affordable schools in the Nashville area. Founded in 1912 after its organization in 1909 as the Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School, TSU is a public HBCU and land-grant university in Nashville. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees.
Students can explore programs across fields such as agriculture, business, education, engineering, health sciences, liberal arts, life and physical sciences, and public service. The university also offers campus activities and opportunities for students to get involved in student life and the campus community.
2. Welch College
Formerly known as Free Will Baptist Bible College, Welch College is a private Christian college now located in Gallatin, Tennessee, just north of Nashville. Founded in 1942 by the National Association of Free Will Baptists, it changed its name to Welch College in 2012.
Welch offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs, including on-campus, adult, online, and graduate options. Students can study in areas such as theology and ministry, humanities, organizational leadership, teaching, music, education, business, psychology, biology, and other liberal arts and professional fields. Welch’s graduate options include Theology and Ministry, Teaching, and the Master of Divinity.
3. Fisk University
The next school on our list is Fisk University. Unlike Tennessee State University, Fisk is private; like TSU, it is a historically Black university. Fisk’s founders were supported by the American Missionary Association, and the institution was incorporated as Fisk University in 1867.
Fisk supports a vibrant campus life through student engagement programs, residence life, and musical ensembles, including the Fisk University Choir and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Students who live on campus can reside in residence halls and Living Learning Centers.
Programs at Fisk University are housed in schools and departments. The School of Humanities & Behavioral Social Sciences includes areas such as Arts & Languages, Music, Behavioral Sciences, History and Political Science, and Education. The School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Business includes natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, and business-related departments.
Its notable alumni include Mathew Knowles, music executive and father and former manager of Beyoncé; two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Levering Lewis; and former South Carolina Senator Theo Mitchell.
As an international student, you can choose among several affordable colleges and universities if you want to pursue a degree in Nashville or the surrounding metro area. Students interested in HBCUs can consider Fisk University and Tennessee State University. Be sure to check each school’s admissions and tuition pages before applying, since fees and requirements can change.
We hope this article on affordable schools in Nashville was helpful. If you are interested, check out the Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students!
