Eastern Washington University was opened in 1882 and was originally named after its founder, Benjamin P Cheney. 

There are 135 fields of study available with nine master's degrees, 12 graduate certificates, 39 graduate programmes, one educational specialist degree and one applied doctorate. The university is divided into the College of Arts, Letters and Education, the College of Business and Public Administration, the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the College of Social Science and Behavioural Sciences and Social Work, and the College of Health Science and Public Health.

The main campus is located in Cheney, with programmes in Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Seattle, Shoreline, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver. The Cheney campus is situated near Turnbull National Park, with mountains and rivers on its doorstep. The campus itself comprises 300 acres of parkland.

The university’s outdoor programme, EPIC Adventures, helps students take advantage of their location by renting out kayaks, camping gear, climbing equipment and snow-proof clothing. EPIC Adventures also runs backpacking and mountaineering trips.

While Cheney itself is a small town, it’s a short distance from Spokane, Washington’s second largest city. Many students find internships in the city either during or after their study.

Eastern Washington competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the highest level of inter-college sport in America.