Florence sits on a bend of the Tennessee River in north-west Alabama, next door to Muscle Shoals and its famous recording studios. The University of North Alabama traces its history to LaGrange College, chartered in 1830. It's a mid-sized public university with business, nursing and computer science, plus an entertainment industry degree that draws on the area's music history. The mascot is a lion, and UNA has long kept live lions in a habitat on campus.
Florence, Alabama, United States
Official website: una.edu
Public university in Alabama
LaGrange College, chartered 1830
Florence, on the Tennessee River
SACSCOC
$16,000 – $22,000
International undergraduates, before scholarships
$10,000 – $13,000
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 una.edu before you apply.
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
BS Computer Science
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BS Entertainment Industry
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
Live lions in a campus habitat, a long UNA tradition.
An entertainment industry degree close to the Muscle Shoals studios.
Low costs in a small river city.
Business and computing graduates join employers in Huntsville, Nashville and Birmingham.
Nursing graduates work in hospitals across north Alabama and southern Tennessee.
STEM graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Campus is a few blocks from downtown Florence, where Court Street has cafes, bookshops and live music. The W.C. Handy birthplace museum is in town, and riverside trails are close.
Rent and food are cheap by US standards. Nashville is about two hours north by car, and Huntsville's aerospace and defence employers are roughly 75 minutes east.
Form I-20 issued by University of North Alabama
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
UNA reviews international applications on a rolling basis. Aim to apply by June for the fall semester and by October for spring, so there's time for your I-20 and visa interview.
Most programmes start in fall (August) or spring (January). Nursing admits students into its professional courses on its own schedule.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from University of North Alabama after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Business, computer science, nursing and the entertainment industry degree are popular, along with the MBA. Undergraduates need secondary school results and IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 61. The MBA needs a bachelor's degree and slightly higher English scores.
UNA offers merit scholarships to international undergraduates, which can reduce tuition noticeably. Some departments also have graduate assistantships. Check the international admissions page for current amounts.
