The University of South Alabama is a public research university in Mobile, on Alabama's Gulf Coast. It is best known for medicine and health sciences, engineering, computing, business, nursing and marine sciences, with its own hospital system and some of the lowest costs of any US research university. Choose it for an affordable health or engineering degree near the Gulf of Mexico.
Mobile, United States
Official website: southalabama.edu
#1201
R2 — high research activity
The university's own hospital system, with the region's only academic medical centre
Around 14,000 students
$18,000 – $22,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$11,000 – $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 southalabama.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
MS Information Systems
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
MBA (Mitchell College of Business)
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
MS Systems Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 71
BS Mechanical Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 61
USA Health — a hospital system, cancer institute and medical school run by the university.
School of Computing — one of the few dedicated computing schools in the South.
Low cost — tuition and rent among the lowest of any US research university.
Mobile — a historic port city 30 minutes from Gulf beaches.
Graduates join Airbus's Mobile assembly plant, Austal shipbuilding, USA Health and the Gulf Coast's chemical and logistics firms.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Engineering alumni work in aerospace and shipbuilding along the Gulf Coast.
Nursing and health graduates enter hospital systems across Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 1,200-acre main campus sits in west Mobile, with the Student Center and Marx Library at its core, the engineering, computing and business buildings nearby and residence halls and a stadium on site.
Mobile is a port city of about 185,000 people with very low rent, a warm Gulf climate, historic districts and the oldest Mardi Gras in the US. Gulf beaches are 30 minutes away and New Orleans two hours.
Form I-20 issued by South 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
Undergraduate admission is rolling, with a 1 December 2026 priority date for fall 2027 scholarships; international applicants should apply by June to leave time for the visa. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most computing and engineering master's closing between 1 March and 1 July for fall.
Undergraduates can start in fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May). Most master's programmes, including computer science, information systems, the Mitchell MBA, electrical engineering and systems engineering, admit for both fall and spring. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The Office of Immigration and International Admissions 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, information systems, the Mitchell MBA, electrical engineering and systems engineering attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 71-79 or IELTS 6.0-6.5, 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, and awards can bring costs close to the in-state rate. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships, which are common in computing, engineering and the sciences.
