


University at Albany is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole, including areas such as educational quality, governance, and student support; it is distinct from approval of an individual major.
Some professional programs also hold field-specific accreditation. For example, business programs are associated with AACSB accreditation, public health with the Council on Education for Public Health, and social work with the Council on Social Work Education. Applicants to a licensed profession should verify the accreditation and state licensing requirements for their specific degree, since university-wide accreditation alone does not establish eligibility for a professional license.
Institutional accreditation is relevant to eligibility for federal student aid. It can also matter when seeking graduate admission or transferring credit, although another institution decides which credits it will accept.
First-year applicants to University at Albany generally submit a SUNY Application or Common Application, a secondary-school record, and the supporting materials required for their application route. A high school diploma or recognized equivalency is expected for degree-seeking admission. Academic performance and the rigor of completed coursework are important parts of review.
The university is not open-admission: in the reported entering class, about 69% of first-year applicants were admitted. That rate describes an earlier applicant pool, not an individual applicant's chances. Recommendation and essay requirements should be checked against the instructions for the chosen application and entry term. Some majors may have additional expectations.
SAT and ACT policies have changed across SUNY application cycles. Applicants should confirm whether scores are optional for their intended entry term and whether a particular program has a separate requirement; optional scores should not be mistaken for a universal requirement. Applicants educated primarily in a language other than English may also need to document English proficiency through an accepted test or qualifying exemption. Deadlines and document requirements can differ for first-year, transfer, international, and graduate applicants.
The standard undergraduate application fee reported for University at Albany is $50. This is an application charge, not an enrollment deposit, and applicants using the SUNY Application should account for fees assessed per campus selected.
Eligible applicants may be able to request a fee waiver through SUNY, the Common Application, or an applicable university process. Routes can include demonstrated financial hardship and certain SUNY eligibility categories; the application itself identifies the documentation or certification required. Applicants should select a waiver option before submitting rather than assuming a paid fee can be refunded afterward. Graduate and specialized applications may use different fees or waiver rules.
University at Albany students have access to Army ROTC activities on campus and may pursue Air Force ROTC through a cooperating institution. These arrangements are not the same: a cross-enrollment option can require travel, a separate registration process, or a schedule coordinated with the host program.
ROTC combines college coursework with military training. Scholarship eligibility, medical and fitness standards, commissioning requirements, and any resulting service obligation depend on the branch and the student's status. Interested students should establish the current host unit, class locations, and participation rules with the branch program before building an academic schedule around ROTC.
University at Albany admits transfer applicants for fall and spring and reports a summer entry option. Transfer admission considers prior college coursework, academic standing, and preparation for the intended major. Applicants ordinarily submit official transcripts from every college attended; high school records may also be needed, particularly when a student has completed relatively little college work.
Admission and credit acceptance are separate decisions. A transferable course may count as elective credit without satisfying a particular major or general-education requirement. UAlbany provides transfer-planning and course-equivalency resources, and SUNY pathways can help students moving between system institutions, but an official evaluation is the basis for a student's individual degree plan. Applicants with Advanced Placement or other examination credit should submit official score reports for assessment.
Transfer students should check the deadline for their intended term and any higher standards, prerequisites, or space limits in a proposed major. Asking for a degree audit after the official credit evaluation is especially useful when estimating how many semesters remain.
University at Albany offers education-abroad advising and access to programs that can include semester, year-long, summer, and shorter-term study. Depending on the destination, a student may join a UAlbany program, another SUNY program, an exchange, or an approved external program; those arrangements can have different costs and academic rules.
Students should obtain academic approval before committing to a program so they know how overseas courses will apply to their major, general education, or elective requirements. Financial aid may be usable for eligible study abroad, but its treatment depends on the program, enrollment, and aid type. Program charges, housing, travel, visas, and scholarships need to be compared together rather than against home-campus tuition alone. Early planning matters most for majors with tightly sequenced courses.
13% of admitted students enrolled (2,830 of 22,416)
Application fee
$50Early Decision
NoEarly Action
NoMedian composite SAT score
1185Median composite ACT score
26High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Considered but not requiredSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
Considered but not requiredRecommendations
RequiredFormal demonstration of competencies
Considered but not requiredAdmission test scores
Considered but not requiredTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
RequiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
NoAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesOrientation program
YesDisabilities services
YesOff-campus study
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionStudy abroad
YesWeekend/evening college
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
YesPreparation at another institution required
YesApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
YesGenerally accepts credits
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Spring, SummerData 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.