About UAB

Since opening its doors in 1969, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has used its entrepreneurial spirit to rapidly evolve from a small extension center into a comprehensive research university that encompasses 82 city blocks. What once was a commuter school for just over 5,000 students is now home to more than 17,000 students, of whom nearly 11,000 are undergraduates.

UAB’s incoming student body reflects steadily increasing preparedness. The average ACT score of entering freshmen has risen to 24. At the same time, UAB maintains its legacy as a university of opportunity. More than 30 percent of undergraduates are African-American and more than 35 percent are minorities; nearly 61 percent are females. The Princeton University Review described UAB as  “a mecca of multiculturism. Here you will find students of all ages, from all walks of life, all religion and all ethnic backgrounds.” These students come from every region of the country and more than 110 nations throughout the world.

Sixty-five percent of incoming freshmen live on campus and 95 percent of undergraduates are of traditional age. In response to these changes, UAB in the last two years constructed additional on-campus housing, a new dining facility, an award-winning student recreation center to enrich student life, and new state-of-the-art classroom space.

There are approximately 1,150 predoctoral students and nearly 300 postdoctoral trainees at UAB. UAB doctoral programs attract students from all areas of the U.S. and from many other countries. In 2006-2007 UAB awarded 192 doctoral degrees.

As the state’s largest single employer, UAB’s annual impact on the Alabama economy is significant – exceeding $3 billion. In just two decades, the UAB Research Foundation has created more than $40 million in royalty and license fees with more than 1,800 invention disclosures, 700 patents and more than 500 licenses and other agreements. UAB is committed to helping create new companies based on technologies its researchers develop.