“Public research university on the Gulf Coast with Alabama's only academic healthcare system in the region.”
The University of South Alabama (USA), home of the Jaguars, is a public research university located on a 1,200-acre campus in Mobile, a historic Gulf-Coast port city. Founded in 1963, USA has grown into a comprehensive doctoral-granting institution of approximately 14,000 students organized around 10 divisions — the College of Arts & Sciences, Mitchell College of Business, School of Computing, College of Education & Professional Studies, College of Engineering, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions, Graduate School, and the Auburn University School of Pharmacy at USA. The university is classified by Carnegie as 'R2: Doctoral Universities — High research activity,' and its USA Health system is the only academic health system along the Alabama Gulf Coast, giving students a rare concentration of clinical training in one place. The academic profile leans heavily toward health professions, engineering, computing, and marine sciences — USA's Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences takes advantage of the Mobile Bay and Gulf of Mexico just minutes from campus. The School of Computing is one of the oldest in the region and is particularly strong in cybersecurity, with National Security Agency/Department of Homeland Security Center of Academic Excellence designations. Mitchell College of Business is AACSB-accredited and known for supply-chain and international-business programs that tie directly into the Port of Mobile's logistics economy. Student life centers on the main campus in west Mobile — a lively mix of modern residence halls, the Mitchell Center arena (home of NCAA Division I basketball in the Sun Belt Conference), Hancock Whitney Stadium for football, and a Mardi Gras spirit that carries over from Mobile's cultural calendar (Mobile celebrates the oldest Mardi Gras in the United States). International enrollment is a notable strength for a regional university: students come from 70+ countries and benefit from a dedicated International Admissions & Student Programs office, a Global USA scholarship portfolio, and English-language support through the English Language Center.
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
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research
Carnegie Classification
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourcePriority (Fall) — Outside U.S.
International applicants outside the U.S.
Priority (Fall) — Inside U.S.
International applicants already in the U.S.
Priority (Spring) — Outside U.S.
Priority (Summer) — Outside U.S.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$10,116
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$19,092
/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 Center of Academic Excellence program with a dedicated cyber range, paid research through the USA Center for Forensics, Information Technology & Security, and direct pipelines into federal and defense employers.
4 years
Partnered with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab on the Gulf of Mexico, giving undergraduates semester-long field-station access, research cruises, and hurricane-coast ecosystem work.
4 years
Traditional and accelerated BSN with clinical rotations across USA Health hospitals and strong NCLEX outcomes; one of the largest RN producers in the Gulf region.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $19,092
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.
