“Public research university and academic medical center, and Alabama's largest employer.”
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public R1 research university and academic medical center spread across roughly 100 city blocks in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Founded as an autonomous campus in 1969, UAB has grown into Alabama's largest single employer and one of the South's most influential research enterprises, with annual research expenditures of more than $700 million — the vast majority concentrated in biomedical and clinical sciences. UAB Hospital and the affiliated Heersink School of Medicine sit at the center of the campus and give undergraduates rare hands-on access to research labs, hospitals, and clinics. Academically, UAB is best known for health sciences — Heersink School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the School of Public Health, and the School of Health Professions are all nationally ranked, and the university's joint biomedical engineering and bioinformatics programs let undergraduates plug directly into translational research. Beyond medicine, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Collat School of Business, and the School of Engineering offer the standard breadth of a comprehensive research university, and UAB is the only US university to offer a dedicated undergraduate degree in Cancer Biology. For international students, UAB combines an unusually low cost of living (Birmingham is one of the more affordable mid-sized US cities) with an active Office of Global Engagement, an INTO UAB pathway program for students who need additional English support, and an automatic $7,500/year International Scholarship for academically strong applicants. The school is athletic (UAB Blazers compete in the American Conference), professionally oriented, and a strong choice for students aiming at medical school, public health, or biomedical research careers.
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
Top Public Schools
US News 2026
International Student Enrollment (F-1)
DHS SEVIS by the Numbers (2024)
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research classification
Carnegie
Research expenditures FY24
UAB
UAB Health System
UAB
Nursing (Master's)
US News 2025
Health Care Management
US News 2025
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourcePriority Deadline (Fall)
Best consideration for scholarships and housing
Final Deadline (Fall)
Rolling admission after priority date, space-permitting
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$9,098
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$22,562
/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
The only undergraduate Cancer Biology degree in the United States; students work in active labs at the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.
4 years
Joint program of the School of Engineering and Heersink School of Medicine, with a built-in clinical exposure track.
4 years
Direct entry to one of the highest-ranked nursing schools in the South, with clinical placements at UAB Hospital.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $22,562
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.
