


CDU is not organized around an intercollegiate varsity athletics program, and applicants should not expect the sports teams, recruiting process, or conference schedule associated with a larger residential university.
Students seeking exercise or informal sports should ask about current recreational activities and nearby facilities rather than assume a varsity, club, or intramural offering exists for a particular sport. Athletic participation and scholarship opportunities at other institutions do not automatically extend to CDU students.
CDU student involvement reflects its health-professions focus. Reported organizations include Student Government, the Pre-Health Society, the Pre-Dental Society, and Critical Exploration of Academic Literature (CEAL). The Charles R. Drew University Alumni Association offers a separate way for graduates to remain connected to the institution.
Academic groups can give students a setting to discuss professional pathways or scholarly work outside class, while student government provides a channel for student representation. Organization rosters and activity levels can change, so an admitted student should check which groups are recruiting in the current term. Joining a pre-health group does not confer admission to a professional program.
CDU is a small university with reported total enrollment of 852 students across its programs. Its undergraduate entry pattern is notably different from that of a conventional freshman-centered college: reported enrollment included 110 transfer-in degree-seeking undergraduates and 11 first-time degree-seeking undergraduates.
Those counts suggest that meeting classmates at different stages of study may be more typical than entering with a large, single freshman class. The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 5 to 1, but that institution-wide measure does not specify the size of an individual lecture, laboratory, or clinical group.
Reported student counts include substantial Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American enrollment. Counts by race and ethnicity describe enrollment, not any individual student's experience. Applicants seeking a sense of their likely peer group should compare the overall university figures with the enrollment and format of the specific program they plan to enter.
Student life at CDU is shaped by health-professions coursework, a relatively small university population, and commuting. Reported figures characterize the student body as overwhelmingly commuter-based, so opportunities to meet peers may center on classes, study groups, student organizations, and scheduled events rather than residence-hall life.
Students have reported access to personal or psychological counseling. A prospective student balancing coursework with work or clinical responsibilities should check appointment procedures and the locations and hours of support services. CDU's health and community-service emphasis may also make academic projects and local engagement important parts of campus life, but the time available for activities will depend on the demands of a particular program.
CDU's main library is the Health Sciences Library, an academic resource for studying and research in medicine, nursing, and related fields. Reported library services include reservable study rooms.
For research-heavy courses, students should check access to health-sciences databases, online journals, research guidance, and materials needed for a particular assignment. Those working from home or a clinical site should confirm how off-campus authentication works. Reservable rooms can be useful for group work, but students who need late-night space should check current building hours rather than assume the library offers around-the-clock study access.
Total enrollment
852Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen
22Total staff
96 full time, 255 part timeVeterans affair office
NoData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.