Arizona State University at the West Campus

• Location: Phoenix, USA,
• Year of foundation: 1984,
• Number of students: about 4600,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of studying: mixed.

Arizona State University at the West Campus (ASU West Valley) is the academic territory of one of the country's leading universities. More than 125 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs are taught here in fields such as criminology, business, engineering, pedagogy, and others.

Arizona State University has five campuses, several large specialized schools, conducts active research activities and cooperates with dozens of national and foreign universities and organizations. It regularly occupies positions in the ratings of the best higher education institutions due to many aspects: from highly qualified teaching staff, innovative teaching methods and the introduction of technology into the studying process to active student life and high-quality additional services, the environmental friendliness of educational areas.

The ASU West Valley campus, located in Phoenix, is the smallest academic site of the university, but it is in no way inferior to other educational territories in equipment and infrastructure. About 4,600 students, including foreign students, study there annually. ASU attracts hundreds of foreign students to its campuses, providing excellent conditions for obtaining competitive qualifications. Despite its small size, ASU West Valley is considered one of the most comfortable, cohesive and active university campuses in the state. Its regular positions in student ratings shows its relevance among future specialists in various scientific fields.

Valentina Nikitina

Senior Marketing and Recruitment Manager at Kaplan Pathways with a focus on students from Russia and the CIS.

What factors are considered when evaluating U.S. universities, and how reliable are current rankings?

That's an interesting topic. The criteria used to evaluate universities vary by ranking. For nationwide rankings, factors like class size, teacher salaries, and the number of faculty members with advanced degrees in their field are common considerations. If a ranking focuses on student satisfaction, the criteria will differ. However, rankings don't always align with individual student needs and should be considered alongside other factors.

Each student receives comprehensive support from qualified teachers and administration. International students can attend additional English classes, career counseling, psychological seminars and many other activities focused on a comfortable stay in a foreign country.

The ASU West Valley campus is home to specialized schools and faculties that offer education in the following scientific areas:

• Interdisciplinary Arts, Sciences,
• Integrated engineering,
• Business
• Nursing, Healthcare Innovation,
• Pedagogy
• Medicine
• A global future,
• Global Management,
• Public service, public decisions.

ASU West Valley takes an active part in the research activities of the university, conducting regular project work on its territory under the guidance of qualified researchers. Students are also involved in research, thanks to which they gain practical skills and experience in conducting them.

ASU is one of the leading universities in the United States in terms of the number of inventions and licensing agreements. It has already become a launching pad for more than 250 startups, generating more than $2 billion in economic revenue in Arizona alone.

ASU West Valley has been running on a large solar panel since 2011, which fully provides the entire infrastructure of the campus.

In the first year, students are accommodated in the comfortable Casa de Oro residence, located a few steps from the Verde Dining Pavilion, fitness complex and other residential buildings. The building has prepared:

• Luxury double apartment with full furniture, mini fridge,
• Bathroom,
• Shared living room,
• Game room,
• Study rooms,
• Public kitchen,
• Laundries,
• Business Center,
• An inner landscaped courtyard.

Casa de Oro provides students with adaptation support — curators and staff live in the residence, available around the clock. In subsequent academic years, students can live in one of two residential buildings:

• Las Casas in the western part of the campus and Casa del Valle, located in the very center of the academic area. Las Casas is a three—storey complex for senior students offering a variety of public spaces, including a spacious center for self-study and teamwork, a swimming pool and a sand volleyball court. Here, students are accommodated in apartments with two or four bedrooms, shared or private bathrooms, and fully equipped kitchens.
• Casa del Valle is a residence with 507 double rooms with bathrooms, opened in 2024. Inside the building, you can find a lively public lounge and a special self-study area, a creative center, and many other spaces.

Students can choose the most suitable meal plan for them, which includes from 7 to 14 meals per week or unlimited access to the university's dining halls. Each meal plan includes not only a certain number of dishes, but also additional points — "dollars" that can be spent on pastries, desserts, and drinks in cafeterias.

Students mostly attend the Verde Dining Pavilion, which regularly updates the menu and provides discounts on purchases.

ASU West Valley's sports infrastructure allows students to maintain an active lifestyle and engage in sports. During their free hours, they can visit the fitness complex, which offers cardio and strength classes, participate in volleyball, softball, table tennis, soccer, swimming and other sports. All sections are led by experienced and highly qualified coaches who help students not only in developing their physical abilities, but also in understanding proper nutrition and  recovery after exertion.

University athletes often participate in interuniversity and regional competitions, winning prizes and decorating their personal portfolios with awards.

Throughout the school year, ASU organizes national events for students from all over the world: foreign students can tell about the history, culture and customs of their country, cook national dishes. Recently, for example, the university honored American students, Spanish- and Latin-speaking students.

For more than 85 years, fraternities and sororities have played an important role in the life of ASU. Today, there are more than 70 organizations based on the pursuit of common values: students live together, organize various events together to create a favorable, friendly atmosphere on campus.

• ASU is ahead of many universities, including Yale University, Stanford University, and Harvard University, in aspects such as the quality of teaching in undergraduate programs, innovation, the diversity of the student body, and others.
• "Pride of the Phoenix" award for the level of quality of buildings, improvement of the educational area,
• A small campus with a variety of infrastructure, modern equipment,
• A wide range of national and international universities, partner organizations, on the basis of which students can take internships, improve their skills, participate in research,
• Active student life.

ASU West Valley is the smallest academic site of the university. It is located in northwest Phoenix, bordering the city of Glendale and has excellent transport links to major cities in the region.

The academic area includes two main academic buildings:

• Sands and the Classroom/Lab/Computer Classroom (CLCC). The Sands building consists of standard lecture halls with an average capacity of about 36 students. CLCC, in turn, has classrooms with a wide range of capacities, and many research laboratories for mathematics, natural sciences, and forensic science.
• ASU West Valley has one large lecture hall, Lecture Hall 110, which accommodates 150 students and is the largest auditorium on campus. Seminars with invited speakers and group classes between courses are held here.

The new academic building is currently under construction, which will be completed in the spring of 2025. It will house additional classrooms and computer labs, faculty offices, research laboratories, and additional facilities.

On campus, you can also find:

• Three residences,
• Main dining hall and several cafeterias,
• Fitness complex,
• The area around the buildings embodies the natural beauty of the subtropical landscape, has walking areas with fountains, outdoor sports grounds.

Adjacent to the campus are the large home stadiums of the State Farm and Desert Diamond Arena regional teams, five MLB spring training stadiums, and the Westgate entertainment district.

Education at ASU West Valley takes place almost all year round, as there are hundreds of programs on campus with different start dates and duration of courses. The academic year is divided into three semesters:

• Autumn: August-December,
• Spring: January-May,
• Summer: May-August.

Classes are conducted on weekdays, from Monday to Friday, and rest is provided on weekends, national and international holidays, during seasonal vacations. The daily schedule of students includes academic hours, time for student activity after class.

Approximate list of additional costs includes:

• Registration fees, deposits,
• Accommodation, meals and related housing services,
• Books, study materials, personal equipment,
• Compulsory insurance,
• Some extracurricular activities, contributions to student activities,
• Additional academic opportunities,
• Personal expenses.

Applicants go through several entrance stages:

• Filling out the registration form, providing the required documents and paying the entrance fees,
• Receiving a response from the Admissions Committee with an invitation to possible entrance exams,
• Passing an interview, verification tests,
• Obtaining an official letter of admission,
• Making deposits to book a place on the course, in the residence,
• Arrive on campus to begin your studies.

The Admissions Office supports all applicants by assisting them with visa applications, during their arrival in the country, and during their first weeks on campus.

ASU annually graduates hundreds of highly qualified specialists in various scientific fields, who create successful careers in the United States and abroad. The list of alumni has already included leaders of international governments, governors, congressmen and senators of the United States, company founders, pioneers of military service, researchers in the fields of medicine, technology and sustainable development, outstanding entrepreneurs, leading educators, artists and many others.

To study in the United States, international students must have a valid passport, health insurance, visa, or permanent residence permit. The general criteria for admission to higher education programs at ASU West Valley would be:

• Certificate of complete secondary education with an average score of 4 out of 5 and a diploma of initial vocational education, official transcripts and exam results / Bachelor's diploma with an average score of 3 out of 4 and its supplement,
• Language test scores: TOEFL (from 61), IELTS (from 6.0), PTE Academic (from 53), Duolingo (from 95) or a university-recognized equivalent.
• Letters of recommendation from teachers, employers, or mentors.

Some programs may require work experience in the chosen scientific field, individual achievements, and a portfolio of works. Such details are clarified by the admission committee to a particular candidate.

ASU offers a wide range of scholarships that reward students for high academic, athletic, creative, and social achievement. Awards are paid for one academic year and can be extended if success is maintained.

Thanks to partnerships with national and international organizations, external scholarship programs are available to university students that will help reduce the amount of tuition costs, continue their academic path, or cover research costs.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision