Selma University

Private · AL

Photo: Unknown author (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationAL · South

SettingRural

Undergrads32

Student:faculty3:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate0%

6-yr grad rate6%

Drop-out rate33.3%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$5k

Out-of-state tuition$5k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity100%

Gender diversity50%

International0%

IdentityHBCU · Baptist

Overview

Selma University is a small, historically Black Baptist institution in Selma, Alabama, founded in 1878 to train Black ministers and educators in the aftermath of Reconstruction. It has operated for well over a century in a city that later became central to the civil rights movement, and its mission has remained centered on Christian higher education and ministry preparation for the Black Belt region. The university has faced significant financial and enrollment pressures over the years, a challenge shared by many small historically Black religious colleges.

Worth knowing

Selma University's identity is inseparable from its setting: a small, historic Baptist college in a city whose name is now shorthand for the voting-rights movement of the 1960s. Prospective students should understand it as a very small, ministry-focused institution rather than a comprehensive four-year college, and should verify current program offerings and accreditation status directly with the school.

selmauniversity.org ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate—

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot reported

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying