About the University of Arizona
History & Impact
Established in 1885, the University of Arizona is the Southwest’s most storied university. For nearly 150 years, Arizona has shaped culture, advanced discovery, and expanded opportunity through breakthroughs in space science, medicine, the arts, athletics, environmental research, and beyond. From helping NASA map the moon before the Apollo missions to pioneering lifesaving CPR techniques and building one of the world’s premier photography archives, Wildcats have never stopped pushing beyond the limits of what’s possible.
Who We Are
As Arizona’s land-grant university and one of the nation’s leading public research institutions, we are driven by a commitment to discovery, student success, and service to our communities. One of only eight universities in the nation to hold the combined distinction of Research 1, Association of American Universities membership, and Hispanic-Serving Institution status, Arizona advances more than $1 billion in annual research activity. We transform lives, strengthen communities, and contribute solutions to the most pressing challenges facing our state, nation, and world. Here, Wildcats learn alongside Nobel Prize winners, artists, entrepreneurs, and championship athletes in one of the most incredible places on Earth.
Our Students
54,384
Current Wildcats
Fall, 2025
13,217
Degrees Awarded
2025
83%
One-Year Retention Rate
2026
Strategic Imperatives
Arizona’s Strategic Imperatives define our institutional priorities – student success, research excellence, and community impact – guiding planning and decision-making across the university.
Success for Every Student
See how Arizona supports students through access, belonging, and academic achievement.
Research that Shapes the Future
Explore how the university drives discoveries that address global and regional challenges.
Engagement with Our Communities to Create Opportunity
Discover how Arizona partners with communities to support economic development and statewide engagement.
Top Rankings
Arizona is consistently recognized among the nation’s leading public universities for research, innovation, student success, and global impact. From space science and environmental research to entrepreneurship, medicine, the arts, and athletics, Wildcats continue to shape the future across disciplines.
Our Leadership
Our leadership guides the University with vision, integrity, and a focus on student and community success, ensuring that our mission and values are reflected in everything we do.
Our Impact
Arizona’s research enterprise translates discovery into meaningful outcomes. From space exploration and environmental resilience to health innovation and national security, our work informs policy, strengthens economies, and improves lives in Arizona and around the world.
The Arizona Experience
The Arizona experience blends world-class academics with creativity, collaboration, and Wildcat spirit. Students pursue ambitious goals while building lifelong friendships, cheering on championship athletics, exploring the Sonoran Desert, conducting groundbreaking research, and becoming part of a community that believes excellence should be inspiring, accessible, and joyful.
Built Around You
Student success is central to the University of Arizona’s mission. Faculty and staff provide mentorship, support, and opportunities that foster academic achievement, professional development, and personal growth. From small seminars to major research initiatives, students are active participants in the creation of knowledge.
Learning at the Highest Level
Excellence at Arizona is defined not only by achievement, but by collaboration, curiosity, and impact. Students learn alongside distinguished faculty whose work shapes industries, informs global conversations, and drives discovery across disciplines. Here, rigorous academics exist alongside creativity, innovation, and a spirit that encourages students to explore boldly and succeed together.
More Than a Rallying Cry
Being a Wildcat means becoming part of a tradition built on resilience, pride, and possibility. The phrase “Bear Down” – student body president and quarterback John “Button” Salmon’s final message to his teammates in 1926 – has united generations of Wildcats through moments of challenge, triumph, discovery, and celebration. It’s this energy, pride, and sense of connection that makes the University of Arizona truly unique.
Land Acknowledgement
We honor the ancestral lands of the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui peoples and acknowledge the ongoing contributions of Indigenous communities to Tucson and the University.
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