Schools like University of Puget Sound provide the ultimate destination for international students.

Picture it: You’re in a cozy flannel shirt, enjoying an excellent cup of locally roasted coffee, and standing underneath a towering Douglas Fir tree. If this combination sounds appealing to you, you’ll want to consider studying abroad in the Pacific Northwest (PNW)! With multiple school options in Washington State, Oregon, and Idaho, the PNW offers a wide variety of exciting educational opportunities for international students.

Entrepreneurs welcome!

The Pacific Northwest is home to many important global companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Nike, and Boeing. If you’re entrepreneurial, an internship facilitated through a college like University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, could help you gain valuable experience at one of these local businesses. If you’re more interested in social issues and learning to be a leader that changes the world, check out the many nonprofits in the area, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Beautiful biodiversity

The PNW contains vast forests, beaches on the Pacific Ocean, mountain ranges, lakes, the Puget Sound (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean), and even deserts! No matter where you’re from, there is beauty to be admired — but it’s not just for looking at. Colleges such as University of Puget Sound provide opportunities for students to ski in the winter, go on overnight camping trips on the weekends, take climbing lessons, and even hike before class at beautiful trails just minutes from campus.

See beautiful sights while making friends in the process! If you love the great outdoors, there’s no place like the Pacific Northwest.

Get into the culture!

One of the best reasons to choose the PNW is the culture. It won’t take long to recognize the local obsession with coffee, and it goes way beyond Starbucks — there are numerous local coffee roasters throughout the region who not only seek a perfectly crafted cup of coffee but also want to source it as ethically as possible. Beyond the coffee scene, the Pacific Northwest is a food destination for the country, partially due to the international influence of many communities. Among many others, you’ll find excellent Mexican, Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Italian, French, and Japanese cuisine, not to mention some of the best craft breweries in the country.

The PNW is home to Seattle, Washington, a prominent city known as the birthplace of the grunge music movement, and the city of Portland, Oregon, for those of you who watched the popular TV show Portlandia. The city of Tacoma, Washington, where University of Puget Sound is located, was voted in the top 50 best college towns in the U.S. by Best College Reviews. With all the historic theaters, many museums, and awesome food scene, it’s no wonder.

Experience the adventure

Does the Pacific Northwest sound like the place for you? If the combination of diverse natural beauty, engaging culture, and an entrepreneurial environment appeals to you, the PNW has it all and more. Explore schools in Washington State, Oregon, and Idaho, to find your perfect study abroad adventure. And be sure to check out University of Puget Sound!