Norfolk State University
85%
Acceptance rate
$21,682
Tuition/yr
6,500
Enrollment
15:1
Student:Faculty
About Norfolk State University
HBCU in Norfolk, Virginia. Strong engineering, business, and education programs.
Norfolk State University (NSU) is a public historically Black university (HBCU) established in 1935 and located in Norfolk, Virginia. It gained independence as a standalone institution in 1969 and today enrolls approximately 6,053 students across undergraduate and graduate programs. NSU is classified as a Master's university and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
NSU's academic strengths lie in cybersecurity, nursing, engineering, social work, and the liberal arts. Its MS in Cybersecurity has been ranked among the Top 20 Best Online Master's Cybersecurity Programs by Forbes, reflecting strong ties to the military and defense contracting sector concentrated in the Hampton Roads region. The university also offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), as well as programs through the Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work.
The campus sits in Norfolk, Virginia, a city in the Hampton Roads metro area with one of the largest naval installations in the world. This proximity creates significant internship and career pipeline opportunities in defense, cybersecurity, and government contracting. NSU is consistently ranked among the top 25 HBCUs nationally by U.S. News and World Report.
World University Rankings
Campus & Location
VA
Suburban
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.
For Nepali students
- NSU's cybersecurity and nursing programs align well with two of the most in-demand fields for F-1 OPT and STEM OPT extension holders in the United States, cybersecurity qualifies for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving Nepali graduates up to 3 years of authorized US work experience after graduation.
- Out-of-state (international) tuition for 2024-25 is approximately $21,682 per year, which is meaningfully lower than flagship US universities and many private colleges, making NSU a more affordable pathway to a US degree.
- As a public HBCU with an 88% acceptance rate, NSU is accessible to Nepali students with solid academic records who may not meet the cutoffs at more selective US institutions, and its strong university-wide support services help first-generation international students settle in.
- The university's location in Norfolk, a hub for US Navy and defense contractors, creates unique internship and co-op opportunities in cybersecurity and engineering for international students during their studies.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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