“Private Methodist HBCU research university in downtown Atlanta, founded 1865.”
Clark Atlanta University is a private, Methodist-affiliated historically Black research university in the heart of Atlanta, formed by the 1988 consolidation of two pioneering institutions: Atlanta University, founded in 1865 as the first HBCU in the United States authorized to confer graduate degrees to African Americans, and Clark College, founded in 1869 as the nation's first four-year liberal arts college for African American students. Carrying more than 160 years of educational legacy, CAU is classified by Carnegie as an R2 doctoral university with high research activity and is one of only two private HBCUs authorized to award doctoral degrees in more than five disciplines, with active research in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cancer biology, and nanoscale science. Academically, the university is organized around four schools — Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Social Work — plus the School of Communications, Media and the Arts, offering more than 40 degree programs guided by the CAU motto 'Culture for Service.' The graduate social work program is consistently ranked among the top 100 in the nation, the School of Business operates Wall Street–focused finance labs, and the Center for Functional Nanoscale Materials has graduated more Black Ph.D.s in nanoscale science than any HBCU in the country. The Isabella T. Jenkins Honors Program offers a close-knit scholarly community for high-achieving undergraduates. CAU is a full member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium — the world's largest contiguous group of HBCUs — sharing the historic Robert W. Woodruff Library with Morehouse, Spelman, and Morehouse School of Medicine. The urban campus places students steps from downtown Atlanta's internships, civil rights landmarks, and global Fortune 500 employers. Panthers athletics compete in NCAA Division II's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and student life draws on a deep cultural tradition in African American art, literature, music, and film. For international students, CAU offers an intimate community of roughly 4,100 students, an explicit commitment to accessibility and service, and the vibrancy of one of America's most dynamic Black cultural capitals.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Carnegie Research Classification
Carnegie / CAU
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding. Priority consideration for merit scholarships. Decision notification by January 1.
Regular Decision
Final deadline for fall freshmen. Notifications on rolling weekly basis.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$28,310
/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.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $28,310
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.
