The University of Alabama is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Founded in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the public universities in Alabama as well as the University of Alabama system. It is classified under R1: Doctoral University - Very High Research Activity.

The University of Alabama is an autonomous institution within the University of Alabama System, which is governed by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees and headed by the Chancellor of the University of Alabama. The state legislature created the board to govern the university's operations.

Its responsibilities include setting policy for the university, determining the mission and scope of the university, and assuming the university's accountability to the public and the legislature.
In the 2014-2015 academic year, UA received $76 million in research contracts and grants.

The United States Department of Homeland Security has selected the University of Alabama as the National Center of Academic Excellence for Information Assurance Education and Research. The University of Alabama's intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Crimson Tide nickname originates from a 1907 football game against Auburn University in Birmingham where, after a closely fought game in torrential rain in which Auburn was heavily favored to win, Alabama forced a tie.

Writing on the game, one sportswriter described the offensive line as a Crimson Tide, a reference to their jerseys, stained red by the wet dirt.