The University of Washington (UW^[a] and informally U-Dub or U Dub^[b]) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the United States.

The university has a 703-acre (284 ha) main campus located in the city's University District. It also has satellite campuses in nearby cities of Tacoma and Bothell. Overall, UW encompasses more than 500 buildings and over 20 million gross square footage of space, including one of the largest library systems in the world with more than 26 university libraries, art centers, museums, laboratories, lecture halls, and stadiums.

Washington is the flagship institution of the six public universities in Washington state. It is known for its medical, engineering, and scientific research. Washington is a member of the Association of American Universities.^[9] According to the National Science Foundation, UW spent $1.48 billion on research and development in 2021, ranking it 5th in the nation.^[10] Its 22 varsity sports teams compete as the Huskies in the Pac-12 Conference of the NCAA Division I, representing the United States at the Olympic Games, and other competitions.^[11]