“Public R2 research university on a 250-acre urban campus in Little Rock, Arkansas.”
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock, UALR) is a public metropolitan research university in Arkansas's capital city, founded in 1927 as Little Rock Junior College and elevated to university status in 1969. The campus sits just minutes from the downtown financial and government corridor, and that proximity shapes the school's identity: UA Little Rock is an applied, career-forward institution with deep connections to the state legislature, the Little Rock tech startup scene, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) across town, and the William H. Bowen School of Law, which is integrated into the university. The school enrolls roughly 8,000 students across four academic units — the College of Business, Health, and Human Services; the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education (CHASSE); the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); and the Bowen School of Law — plus a large online division. UA Little Rock is best known for its programs in information science, criminal justice, cybersecurity, social work, and systems engineering, and for housing one of the country's most advanced Emerging Analytics Center and Arkansas Cyber Range facilities. The Donaghey College of STEM partners with regional employers like Dassault Falcon Jet, Entergy, and Arkansas Children's Hospital, while the Bowen School of Law is the only ABA-accredited law school in central Arkansas. Undergraduate teaching is intentionally practical: class sizes are small, research access starts early, and most STEM majors are STEM-OPT designated, giving international students a 36-month post-graduation work window. Student life centers on the Donaghey Student Center and Jack Stephens Center, an on-campus 5,600-seat arena that hosts the 15-sport Little Rock Trojans Division I athletics program. Although a large share of students commute, roughly 1,000 students live on campus across four residence halls and the University Village Apartment Complex. Cultural programming leans on the capital — the Clinton Presidential Center, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Little Rock's River Market, and year-round outdoor access to the Arkansas River Trail. International students join a diverse student body through the International Student Services office, with dedicated CPT/OPT advising and an on-campus Intensive English Language Program that serves as a pathway for students who don't initially meet English proficiency minimums.
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
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceFall Priority (International)
90 days before semester start recommended for visa processing
Spring (International)
Rolling, but submit early for I-20 processing
Domestic Regular
Rolling admissions
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$9,748
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$22,158
/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.
Houses STEM programs including computer science, information science, cybersecurity, engineering technology, and the Emerging Analytics Center. Most majors are STEM-OPT designated.
AACSB-accredited business programs plus nursing, health sciences, social work, and audiology/speech-language pathology.
Liberal arts core plus nationally recognized programs in criminal justice, mass communication, and education.
ABA-accredited public law school — the only one in central Arkansas. Strong placement into state government, the judiciary, and regional firms.
4 years
One of UA Little Rock's flagship programs, housed in the Donaghey College of STEM. Tracks in data science, information technology, and cyber-physical systems. STEM-OPT eligible.
4 years
Uses the on-campus Arkansas Cyber Range for hands-on offensive/defensive security labs. Students work directly with the Emerging Analytics Center on real threat-hunting projects.
4 years
A nationally visible program due to Little Rock's role as the state capital — strong placement into state corrections, probation, federal agencies (FBI, DEA), and law school.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $22,158
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.
