University of Alabama at Birmingham

UAB admitted about 94.2% of first-year applicants in the most recent cycle, roughly 10,474 offers from 11,119 applications, with about 2,519 students enrolling. Admission is largely numbers-driven: academic GPA and the rigor of your high school courses are the only factors UAB weighs as very important.

No, UAB is not hard to get into for most applicants. With an acceptance rate around 94%, students who meet the academic requirements are usually admitted, and the review centers on GPA and course rigor rather than essays, recommendations, or interviews. Competitive programs such as nursing carry their own selective, higher-bar admission once you are enrolled.

Enrolled first-years at UAB average about a 3.82 high school GPA, so a GPA in the mid-3s makes you a strong candidate. Academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are the two factors UAB rates as very important, and most admitted students cluster well above the school's minimum, with about 45% carrying a 4.0.

There is no required minimum, but the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1250–1420 on the SAT and 23–30 on the ACT. A score in or above that range strengthens your application, though most UAB students apply without test scores and are reviewed on GPA and course rigor instead.

Yes, UAB is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting SAT or ACT scores. Only a small share of enrolled first-years sent scores (about 5% submitted SAT and 47% submitted ACT), and when scores are submitted they are weighed only as a considered factor. Some scholarships and specific programs may still ask for test scores, so confirm requirements for your path.

Out-of-state tuition and required fees run about $30,320 a year at UAB, compared with roughly $12,470 for Alabama residents. About 17% of first-year students come from outside Alabama, and the overall 94% acceptance rate applies regardless of residency, since UAB does not weigh state residency as an admission factor.

UAB is best known for health sciences, built around a major academic medical center that drives nationally recognized programs in nursing, the health professions, and biomedical research. Business and marketing is the single most-conferred bachelor's field at about 20% of degrees, with the health professions close behind at 19% and the biological and life sciences at 15%.

No, UAB does not require an application essay or letters of recommendation for general undergraduate admission, and it rates both as not considered in its review. Admission turns on academic GPA and the rigor of your high school record. Specific programs and competitive scholarships may set their own requirements, so check those separately.