“R1 public research university in Norfolk, Virginia with seven colleges and three schools offering 175 degree programs.”
Old Dominion University (ODU) is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia, set along the Elizabeth River in the Hampton Roads region — one of the largest naval and port complexes on the planet. Founded in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary, ODU became an independent institution in 1962 and achieved university status in 1969, taking its name from one of Virginia's colonial nicknames, the Old Dominion. Today ODU enrolls ~23,500 students across a 250-acre main campus plus satellite locations in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and Hampton, and has recently integrated Eastern Virginia Medical School to form the ODU-EVMS Health Sciences Center. The university is classified R1 for high research activity and is organized into several colleges: the Batten College of Engineering & Technology, Strome College of Business, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Ellmer College of Health Sciences, Ellmer School of Nursing, College of Arts & Letters, College of Sciences, plus interdisciplinary schools in Cybersecurity, Data Science, and Supply Chain/Logistics & Maritime Operations — a combination that reflects Hampton Roads' maritime economy. ODU is one of very few US universities offering MBA concentrations in maritime, port, and transportation management, and its engineering, nursing, coastal/environmental sciences, and cyber programs are national standouts. The student-faculty ratio is roughly 19:1 and ODU runs on a traditional semester calendar. Student life at ODU is shaped by big-school opportunities and a distinctly coastal Virginia vibe. The Monarchs field 16 NCAA Division I teams in Sun Belt Conference play (football, basketball, sailing, and field hockey are particular strengths), and the campus hosts 350+ student organizations, a SAIL-certified sailing program, and easy access to Virginia Beach, the Chesapeake Bay, and Washington D.C. for internships and weekend trips. For international students, ODU offers a rare combination of big-state-university research resources, affordable public tuition, accessible F-1 advising, and a location next door to an economy full of Department of Defense, shipbuilding, logistics, and healthcare employers.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
International Student Enrollment (F-1)
DHS SEVIS by the Numbers (2024)
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research activity
Carnegie Classification 2022
Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourceEarly Action
Priority consideration for scholarships and honors programs.
Regular Decision
Rolling review continues for most programs; apply earlier for scholarships.
International (Fall start)
Earlier is strongly recommended for visa processing.
This university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$12,750
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$33,780
/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.
4 years
NSA/DHS-designated program blending technical cyber skills with policy, law, and human factors. Students tap into the Virginia Cyber Range and Department of Defense internship pipelines across Hampton Roads.
4 years
One of the few undergraduate maritime business programs in the US. Draws on Norfolk's deep-water port, Navy presence, and Strome's International Maritime, Ports & Logistics Institute.
2 years
Distinctive engineering master's rooted in Hampton Roads' modeling-and-simulation cluster (NASA Langley, Department of Defense contractors, training industry).
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $33,780
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.
