University in United States
Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
University profile
The University of Alabama (UA), known as the Capstone, is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the west-central part of the state about 60 miles southwest of Birmingham. It offers more than 200 majors and programs across 13 colleges and schools, and enrolled 42,431 students in fall 2026, including 1,251 international students from 100 countries. UA describes itself as the state's flagship university and holds the Carnegie R1 classification (Very High Spending and Doctorate Production).
The campus covers roughly 1,400 acres in a city of more than 100,000 residents on the Black Warrior River. Teaching and research are organised through the Barefield College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Communication & Information Sciences, the College of Education, the Graduate School, the College of Human Environmental Sciences, the Capstone College of Nursing, the Culverhouse College of Business, the College of Community Health Sciences, the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering, the Honors College, the School of Law, the School of Social Work and the School of Leadership and Policy.
Fall 2026 enrolment comprised 35,506 undergraduate, 6,484 graduate and 441 professional students; 44% of students are Alabama residents and 56% come from other states and abroad. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1 and 39.3% of undergraduate class sections have fewer than 20 students. Entering-class figures for fall 2026 include a 3.86 average high school GPA and 280 National Merit Scholars; 1,209 National Merit Scholars are enrolled in total, and one in four entering students joined the Honors College.
Student life includes more than 650 student organisations, Housing and Residential Communities with living-learning communities, and Crimson Tide athletics. Capstone International, the International Center and the English Language Institute support international students, who can enter through conditional admission and the Pathway to UA programme if they have not yet met English proficiency requirements.
Nationally ranked programmes cited by UA include the School of Law (number 12 among public law schools, U.S. News 2024-25), the Capstone College of Nursing (number 19 for Bachelor of Science in Nursing programmes, U.S. News, with a 99.6% NCLEX pass rate for 2025 graduates), the Culverhouse College of Business (number 30 among public undergraduate business programmes, U.S. News) and the Manderson MBA (number 27 among public business graduate schools, U.S. News).
Automatic merit scholarships are included in the UA Undergraduate App and are based on test scores and GPA (2027 entry): Crimson Legends $6,000 per year; Capstone $8,000; Collegiate $10,000; Foundation in Excellence $15,000; UA Scholar $24,000; Presidential $28,000 (GPA 3.50+ for each). The Presidential Elite Scholarship (4.0+ GPA and 36 ACT or 1600 SAT) covers tuition for up to four years, first-year on-campus housing, $1,500 per year and a $2,000 research or international study allowance. Competitive scholarships include the UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship ($6,000 up to tuition) and the UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship (tuition plus housing and $1,000 per year). Test scores are required for automatic awards; priority deadlines are November 2, 2026 (Spring) and December 4, 2026 (Summer/Fall). Freshman scholarships.
Out-of-state and international transfers are not eligible for automatic merit scholarships but may receive the Roll Tide Transfer Scholarship ($6,000 per year) or the Capstone Transfer Scholarship through the admission application. Transfer scholarships.
Federal student aid through the FAFSA is not available to international students. UA awarded $412.7 million in scholarships and grants to undergraduates in 2024-25 ($257 million need-based, $155.8 million non-need). Graduate students may receive assistantships, fellowships and scholarships; more than $25 million was awarded last year and nearly half of graduate students received funding. Further scholarships are offered through ASAM by the National Alumni Association, colleges and departments. How to apply.
UA Automatic Merit Scholarships for International Freshmen →
UA Competitive Transfer Scholarships for International Students →
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View scholarships for University of Alabama →Applicants apply through the UA Undergraduate App; first-time main-campus freshmen can also apply through the Common App. The application fee is $50 (nonrefundable); Alabama residents applying through the UA Undergraduate App pay no fee. Priority deadlines: Spring 2027 entry November 2, 2026; Summer/Fall 2027 entry December 4, 2026. Admission is holistic, considering high school GPA, performance in core subjects, academic honors and test scores, with leadership, volunteering, extracurricular activities and employment also reviewed.
Minimum units: English 4; mathematics 3 (algebra I, algebra II and one unit of geometry, trigonometry or calculus recommended); natural sciences 3 (two with labs); other academic courses 10. Applicants for 2027 entry must submit an ACT or SAT score if their cumulative high school GPA is below 3.0; all applicants for 2028 entry must submit a score. There is no minimum test score. UA's ACT code is 0052 and SAT code is 1830. Official transcripts come from the high school; transcripts are accepted electronically or emailed as PDF directly from the school or counsellor.
Transfer applicants need a 2.0 overall college GPA and 24 transferable semester hours (36 quarter hours), excluding technical, remedial and vocational courses. Applicants with fewer hours also submit a high school transcript and ACT/SAT score under the same 2027 and 2028 testing rules. The application fee is $50. Transient status may be granted for one term.
International freshmen from schools outside the United States are considered with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, with all coursework reviewed and a college-preparatory curriculum expected. Applicants requiring F-1 or J-1 visas submit documentation to secure an I-20 or DS-2019. English proficiency (undergraduate): TOEFL iBT 79 or above for tests before January 21, 2026 (4.5 for tests on or after that date); TOEFL paper-based 550; TOEFL Essentials 8.5; IELTS 6.0; Pearson PTE 54; Duolingo English Test 110 (tests after July 15, 2019); IB English Literature or Language and Literature grade 4; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 550; ACT English 22. Students with lower writing or speaking sub-scores take ELC 111 and ELC 110 alongside degree courses. Students who meet academic requirements but not English requirements may be admitted conditionally into the English Language Institute (six sessions, up to about a year) or the Pathway to UA programme, which includes up to 18 undergraduate credit hours. Conditional admission deadlines: Fall 1 May 1, Fall 2 August 1, Spring 1 October 1, Spring 2 December 1, Summer 1 March 1, Summer 2 April 1.
Applicants apply to the Graduate School through the online portal with an overall GPA of at least 3.0, a statement of purpose, unofficial transcripts and three letters of recommendation, plus test scores where the programme requires them; requirements vary by programme. International graduate applicants need the equivalent of a US four-year bachelor's degree (many three-year degrees are considered equivalent). Minimum English scores for regular admission: TOEFL iBT 4.5 (79 for tests before January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo English Test 120 and PTE 59. Fall entry is strongly recommended and online programmes do not accept international applicants. Applicants from recognised English-speaking countries, or with a degree from one, are exempt from submitting English scores.
Main campus, Tuscaloosa, Alabama: about 1,400 acres on the Black Warrior River in west-central Alabama, with all thirteen colleges and schools, the Gorgas Library, Denny Chimes and the Quad. Tuscaloosa is about three hours from Atlanta, 3.5 hours from Nashville and about 4.5 hours from the Alabama Gulf Coast, and has a moderate climate with an average annual temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Housing and Residential Communities runs on-campus residences and living-learning communities; Bama Dining, Action Card, the Counseling Center and the Career Center operate on campus. UA Online delivers programmes at a distance.
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