The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public research university and academic medical centre in Alabama's largest city. It is best known for medicine, public health, nursing, biomedical engineering and business, with one of the largest hospitals in the US on campus. Choose it for a health-focused degree at moderate public-university cost.
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Official website: uab.edu
#901
R1 — very high research activity
One of the largest hospitals in the US, with over 1,200 beds
Top 30 in the US for NIH funding
$24,000 – $32,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$13,000 – $17,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on uab.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Master of Public Health
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Biomedical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MS Management Information Systems
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA (Collat School of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Biomedical Sciences
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
UAB Hospital — one of the largest in the US and Alabama's biggest employer.
School of Public Health — a top-25 US programme.
Biomedical engineering — strong links to the medical centre and Birmingham's biotech firms.
Downtown campus that covers 100 city blocks of Birmingham's Southside.
Graduates join UAB Medicine, Regions Bank, Southern Company, Shipt and Birmingham's healthcare and tech firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Public health alumni enter the CDC, state health departments and hospital systems across the South.
MIS graduates move into IT and analytics roles at banks and healthcare companies.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The campus spreads across Birmingham's Southside, with the medical centre, the Campus Green, engineering and business buildings and student housing within a 15-minute walk of each other.
Birmingham is Alabama's largest city, with a revived downtown, a strong food scene and low rent. Winters are mild, and Atlanta is two and a half hours away.
Form I-20 issued by UAB
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Undergraduate admission is rolling, with a 1 December 2026 priority date for fall 2027 that gives the best chance at scholarships; international applicants should apply by May to leave time for the visa. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most closing between January and June for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, public health, biomedical engineering, MIS and the MBA, admit for both fall and spring. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. International Student and Scholar Services issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, public health, biomedical engineering, management information systems and the MBA attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades.
Yes. International undergraduates are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on their grades when they apply by the priority date; need-based aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in engineering, public health and the sciences.
