The University of Alaska Fairbanks is a flagship campus of the University of Alaska system that was established in 1917. It is a public research university located in Fairbanks, Alaska with a campus of 2,250 acres in an urban setting. In fall 2023, 8,207 students from 50 nations enrolled out of which 2% were international. The university offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, certificate, and associate degree programs on-campus or online in various disciplines. UAF has 9 colleges and schools that offer 139 degrees and 37 certificates in 113 disciplines.

In Fall 2022 University of Alaska admissions, 51.6 % of the admitted students had the average high school GPA of 3.5 or greater with an average ACT composite score of 21. General program/studies, Biological Sciences, Pre-Nursing qualifications, Business administration, Mechanical engineering, and Psychology are the most popular undergraduate majors at UAF. Business Administration, Counseling, Fisheries, Biological Sciences, Interdisciplinary, and Education are the most popular graduate programs.

Due to its polished career services, its graduates are able to avail themselves of numerous job opportunities in the USA. Some notable alumni of the university are Mark Myers, Brad Oleson, Cody Kunyk, Jordan Henry, Kim Elton, and Dermot Cole.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus

The student to faculty ratio stands at 11:1. Moreover, the institute has over 500 full-time faculty members working towards providing quality education. It has its presence all over Alaska through 8 campuses. The university has produced over 35,000 alumni so far.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Rankings

The University of Alaska at Fairbanks has been ranked by some of the reputed agencies. A snapshot of the same is given below:

Rank Agency Category
#298-389th US News and World Report Best College National Universities
#736 US News and World Report Global Universities
#389 US News and World Report Top Performers on Social Mobility
#154-#209 US News and World Report Top Public Schools
#401-500th Times Higher Education World University Rankings

Highlights

Institute type Public
Campus location Fairbanks, Alaska
Campus setting Urban
Academic calendar Semester-based
Intake seasons Fall, spring, summer
Housing Available
Financial aid Scholarships, loans and grants.
Official website https://uaf.edu/uaf/

University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus

  • Located in Fairbanks, Alaska, the institute, has six community and rural campuses and nine learning centers across the state.
  • All the campuses have modern classrooms. Additionally, the institute has Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, the biggest library in Alaska, having 1.2 million resources.
  • The university offers an excellent student life experience with over 100 student organizations, clubs, leadership, and volunteering options.
  • Students interested in sports can get a chance to participate in NCAA Division I or II.
  • Students produce the weekly Polaris newspaper and run KSUA, the campus radio station and winner of the MTV Woodie Award.
  • Annual events organized at the institute include tarvation Gulch bonfires, Winter Carnival, SpringFest, etc.
  • Taking a glance at dining and food services, The Wood Center student union houses student dining, a coffee shop, lounges, a pub, a games area, a bowling alley, the student government and newspaper, as well as offices for student activities, clubs and leadership and more.
  • The recreation center has recreation space, weigh room, swimming pool, climbing walls, ice arena and much more.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Residence

  • UAF students have the option to opt for on-campus housing, which is offered in forms of residences, apartments, etc. About 38.8% freshmen opt to live on-campus
  • The residences are separated between two areas, the upper campus, and the lower campus.
  • The students can choose from various room options such as a single room, double room, four-person double suites, and apartment-style flats.
  • The residences offered are Moore hall, Skarland hall, Bartlett hall, Wickersham hall, and McIntosh hall.
  • Basic cable service, laundry, and security are all a part of the housing costs. Also, all the rooms have a dresser, beds, desk, chair, Wi-Fi connection, TV lounge and kitchen area.
  • Graduate, employee, and family housing are provided in Harwood Hall, Chandalar Hall, Garden apartments, Walsh hall, Stuart hall, Hess Village, and Tanana homes. These housing halls have the following features:
    • Sofa
    • Arm chair
    • Twin beds / full size bed (depends on number of bedrooms)
    • Dining table with 4 chairs
    • Desk and chair
    • Night stand
    • Coffee table
    • Bedroom dressers
    • Garage
  • It is compulsory for first-year students to live on-campus and the majority housing is gender diverse/inclusive.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Programs

  • University of Alaska has 10 colleges and schools that offer 146 degrees and 32 certificates in 112 disciplines.
  • The institute offers numerous study options at various levels, including, certifications, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, associate degree, doctorate, post-baccalaureate certificate, and more.
  • The campus has different colleges under its head, like, College of Engineering and mines, College of liberal arts, School of education, School of Management, School of education, etc.
  • The areas of study offered at the university are Business, accounting, and economics, Education and teaching, Engineering and Science, Liberal arts and humanities, Computers and Technology, Nursing and healthcare, and Workforce programs.
  • According to 2018 data, the most popular undergraduate majors taught at UAF were,
    • General program/studies
    • Biological sciences
    • Pre-nursing qualifications
    • Mechanical engineering
    • Business Administration
    • Psychology
  • Bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered include BA, BS, MFA, MA, MS, M.Ed. and more.
  • UAF eCampus offers more than 350 courses in 60 disciplines and offers degrees and certificates completely online.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Application Process

Application portal: Online application

Application fee: bachelor- 50 USD/ master’s- 75 USD

Application deadline:

Term Undergraduate Graduate International
Spring November 1 October 15 September 1
Summer May 1 May 1 N/A
Fall June 15 June 1 March 1

Basic Admission Requirements for Undergraduates:

The University of Alaska at Fairbanks has been ranked by some of the reputed agencies. A snapshot of the same is given below:

  • Completed Application
  • High School Diploma
  • Official High School Transcripts
  • CGPA of 3.0 with SAT/ACT scores
  • CGPA of 2.5 with 18 in ACT or 970 in SAT

SAT/ACT scores are optional for 2023-2024, 2024-2025. Transcripts must be sent by mail or international transcripts must be sent to world education services(WES), sealed in an envelope by a registration office of the school. International students additionally have to submit proof of English proficiency. Transcripts must be sent with English translations. A financial statement form with proof of funds and a copy of the passport must be sent to the university to get the I-20 form.

Basic Admission Requirements for Graduates:

  • Completed Application
  • Official certified university transcripts(translations are required for international students)
  • GMAT/GRE scores or a 3.0 or above GPA
  • Resume/CV with research and work experience details, etc
  • Statement of Academic Goals
  • 3 Recommendation Letters
  • TOEFL/IELTS scores, financial statements form with proof of funds, copy of passport identification page is required for international applicants

Minimum Required English Proficiency

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 79.
  • A minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS.
  • Completion of secondary education in Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia or Canada (excluding Quebec).

University of Alaska Fairbanks Cost of Attendance

The table below represents the cost of attending university. The costs are estimated and may vary.

Expenses UG (First-year/Juniors & Seniors) Graduate students
Alaskan Residents Non-Alaskan Residents (First-year/Juniors & Seniors) Alaskan Residents Non-Alaskan Residents
Tuition and fees 4,485 USD/5,235 USD 13,320 USD/14,070 USD 5,310 USD 10,611 USD
Room and Board 5,270 USD 5,270 USD 4,951 USD 4,951 USD
Total (Semester) 9,755 USD/10,505 USD 18,590 USD/19,340 USD 10,261 USD 15,562 USD
Other Expenses
Books and supplies 2000 USD
Miscellaneous and personal expenses 2,500 USD
Transportation 400 USD (on-campus)/ 4,000 USD (off-campus)

Financial Aid for International Students

  • As financial aid, international students are eligible to avail privately funded or UAF foundation scholarships. The deadline to apply for most scholarships is February 15 for the following academic year.
  • UAF’s Scholarship Application System is an online database of more than 400 scholarships.
  • The international cannot avail any student loans from the financial aid office.
  • Here are a few foundation scholarships, the international applicant may avail.
Name Amount Eligibility
UAF CTC Diesel Program Scholarship 1,000 USD Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Community and Technical College Diesel Program.
Calvin J. Lensink Endowment Varies support for graduate students and for research focusing on wildlife management and ecology

University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumni Network

  • The institute has an alumni network comprising of 35,000 members.
  • As an alumni, the students are eligible to avail the following benefits:
    • Career services
    • Discounted ticked to Nanook sports events
    • Wood centre facilities
    • Student recreation centre
    • UAF tuition discount and scholarships
    • UA library system
  • Few notable UAF alumni include Margaret Murie (Naturalist, author, adventurer), Bob Bartlett (Politician), Jay Hammond (Former Alaska Governor), Mark Myers (American Geologist), and many more.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Placements

  • The university’s career services for students include
    • Guidance on Career Exploration
    • Career Coaching
    • Resume Coaching And Review
    • Interview Preparation and Practice
    • Cover Letter Review
    • Linkedin Review
  • It provides on-campus paid jobs as well as some internship courses
  • Handshake platform is also available to UAF students where they can find over 4,500 jobs and internships provided by more than 7,000 companies
  • The average salary for the University of Alaska - Fairbanks Graduates is USD 71,903 as per PayScale.

According to Payscale following is the average salary of UAF graduates by job designation:

Job Role Average Salary (USD)
Project Manager 69,000
Electrical Engineer 101,000
Mechanical Engineer 56,000
Accountant 53,000
Environmental Engineer 64,000

FAQs

Ques. Is the University of Alaska at Fairbanks a renowned institution?

Ans. It is renowned for its research specialties, mostly Arctic Engineering, Arctic Biology, and Geophysics

Ques. What programs are offered by the University of Alaska?

Ans. UAF offers bachelor’s degrees, certificates, master’s programs, associate degrees, doctorate degrees, post-baccalaureate certificates, and occupational endorsements. It has 9 colleges and schools that offer 139 degrees and 37 certificates in 113 disciplines. 

Ques. What is the average salary of University of Alaska graduates?

Ans. The average salary for the University of Alaska - Fairbanks Graduates is USD 71,903 as per PayScale.

Ques. Does the University of Alaska provide placement services to its students?

Ans. The university’s career services for students include Guidance on Career Exploration, Career Coaching, Resume Coaching And Review, Interview Preparation and Practice, Cover Letter Review, and Linkedin Review.

Ques. Does UAF provide financial aids?

Ans. Yes, it provides many financial aids to domestic students but international students are not eligible for many of them. However, they can apply for privately funded scholarships by the university.

Ques. Is it hard to get admission to the University of Alaska?

Ans. It is not very hard as it’s lightly selective. The acceptance rate in 2022 was 77%. If you meet the requirements then you’ll have a high chance of getting admitted.

Ques. What is the average GPA of admitted students at UAF?

Ans. The average GPA at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is 3.28 on a 4.0 scale. It accepts below-average applicants. But to compensate for that, a higher ACT/SAT is required.

Ques. What are the most popular undergraduate and graduate programs at UAF?

Ans. General program/studies, Biological Sciences, Pre-Nursing qualifications, Business administration, Mechanical engineering, and Psychology are the most popular undergraduate majors at UAF. Business Administration, Counseling, Fisheries, Biological Sciences, Interdisciplinary, and Education are the most popular graduate programs.