Study abroad at Florence

Florence is the picturesque, historic cultural and musical jewel of northwestern Alabama situated along the Tennessee River in 'The Shoals' metropolitan area (world-famous as the 'Hit Recording Capital of the World' - birthplace of W.C. Handy, the Father of the Blues, and home to legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and FAME Studios where Aretha Franklin, Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan recorded). Florence is celebrated for its historic tree-lined Court Street, Wilson Dam on the Tennessee River, and affordable Southern hospitality (located 70 miles west of Huntsville rocket city and 120 miles south of Nashville). Florence is the proud home of the University of North Alabama (UNA - founded in 1830, Alabama's OLDEST public four-year university, consistently ranked in the top 20 Public Regional Universities in the South by US News & World Report with over 10,500 students). UNA is internationally renowned for the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions (one of the top nursing colleges in the US with exceptional NCLEX pass rates and state-of-the-art simulation hospital labs), Sanders College of Business and Technology (AACSB-accredited, with pioneering programs in Entertainment Industry / Music Business, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Professional Sales), and College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (Chemistry, Biology, and Geospatial Science). Degrees are taught 100% in English with prestigious US accreditations. International students benefit from some of the most affordable public university tuition rates in the US, generous International Academic Merit Scholarships, live music culture, and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition fees in Florence for international undergraduate students at the University of North Alabama (UNA) range between $16,800 and $18,500 per academic year for Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Entertainment Industry / Music Business, Business Administration, and Nursing (with UNA awarding generous international merit scholarships such as the International Student Merit Scholarship of $3,000 to $8,000/year to qualified students, reducing net annual tuition to approx. $10,500–$14,500/year). Postgraduate Master's programs (MBA, MS in Computer Science) range between $13,500 and $17,500 for the full program. On-campus university residence halls (UNA Rivers Hall, Mattielou, Olive, Hawthorne) cost between $550 and $950 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Downtown Florence and Pine Street range from $420 to $750 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $600 and $980 (among the most affordable in the United States).

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses minus scholarship awards), the Office of International Affairs (UNA OIA) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization).