“Public HBCU in Montgomery founded in 1867 during Reconstruction to train Black teachers.”
Alabama State University (ASU) is a public Historically Black University in Montgomery, Alabama, founded in 1867 by nine freed slaves known as the Marion Nine. As one of the oldest HBCUs in the United States, ASU's legacy is inseparable from the American civil rights movement — its Montgomery campus sits just blocks from the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached, and ASU faculty and students played pivotal roles in the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott. The university today enrolls roughly 5,600 students across eight colleges and divisions and awards degrees at the bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral levels. Academically, ASU is known for strong programs in the health sciences (including occupational therapy and physical therapy doctorates), education, business, biology, and the visual and performing arts — its dance and music programs are consistently ranked among the top HBCU programs in the nation. The university's research enterprise focuses on public health, microbiology, and biomedical sciences, and it operates one of the few HBCU-based Forensic Sciences programs in the Deep South. Student life at ASU revolves around a vibrant HBCU culture — the 'Mighty Marching Hornets' band, the internationally recognized Stingettes dance line, Greek life on the Yard, and a football and basketball tradition that makes the ASU-Tuskegee Turkey Day Classic and the Magic City Classic against Alabama A&M two of the most celebrated events in HBCU sports. The campus offers a close-knit community that emphasizes service, leadership, and cultural pride while giving international and first-generation students meaningful access to a historically Black educational experience.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceFall (International)
Strictly enforced for F-1/J-1 visa applicants
Spring (International)
Summer (International)
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$11,248
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$19,576
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Home to ASU's nationally recognized doctoral programs in occupational therapy and physical therapy, plus undergraduate programs in nursing, health information management, and rehabilitation services.
AACSB-accredited business school offering degrees in accounting, finance, management, marketing, and an MBA, with a focus on preparing HBCU graduates for careers in corporate America and entrepreneurship.
ASU was founded as a teacher-training institution and continues that legacy through nationally accredited programs in elementary, secondary, and special education, plus a doctorate in educational leadership.
One of the most celebrated arts programs among HBCUs, ranked nationally for dance and music — includes the famed Stingettes dance line and the Mighty Marching Hornets.
Offers strong STEM pathways with an emphasis on biology, forensic science, biomedical sciences, and computer information systems; supports undergraduate research opportunities.
Offers programs in criminal justice, history, English, political science, and social work, drawing on Montgomery's rich civil-rights history as a teaching resource.
3 years
One of the few HBCU-based OTD programs in the nation, preparing clinicians to work in underserved communities. Nationally ranked among HBCU health programs.
4 years
A distinctive STEM program — rare among HBCUs — that combines chemistry, biology, and criminal justice with hands-on lab training, preparing graduates for crime lab and federal agency careers.
4 years
Consistently ranked the #2 HBCU dance program in the country, with a strong performance tradition anchored by the internationally recognized Stingettes.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $19,576
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
