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UAB School of Optometry (2026): OAT Requirements, Admissions, and Tuition | OAT Destroyer | DAT Destroyer | Dr. Jim Romano

Entrance to UAB Eye Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Updated: October 15, 2026

OAT Study Guide – Start Here

The UAB School of Optometry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is one of the leading optometry programs in the southeastern United States. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, UAB offers a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree with a strong emphasis on primary eye care, ocular disease, and low vision rehabilitation. The school is known for its research programs, diverse patient population, and strong clinical training through UAB Eye Care.

UAB optometry requirements, OAT scores, and admissions details are outlined below for students applying to the program.

About UAB School of Optometry

The UAB School of Optometry is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). Students gain extensive clinical experience through UAB Eye Care, serving a broad range of patients across multiple specialties.

  • Location: Birmingham, Alabama
  • Degree Offered: Doctor of Optometry (OD)
  • Accreditation: Accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE)
  • Clinical Facility: UAB Eye Care, Birmingham, Alabama

OAT Requirements

UAB considers entrance-exam results alongside academic performance, recommendations, optometry-related experience, extracurricular activities, and the admissions interview. Applicants should consult UAB’s current admissions information rather than treat a particular OAT score or GPA as a guarantee of admission.

Admissions Requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree is preferred. Before matriculation, applicants must complete at least 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours. No more than 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours from a two-year institution may count toward this requirement.
  • Complete the following prerequisites with grades of C or better before the summer term of the matriculation year: one year each of general biology with labs, general chemistry with labs, and general physics with labs; one course each of microbiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry with lab, calculus, statistics, and general psychology; and one year each of English and social science. Consult UAB’s prerequisite list for accepted substitutions and course-counting rules.
  • OAT results, or another entrance exam considered by UAB on a case-by-case basis. UAB lists the MCAT, DAT, and GRE as possible alternatives. Applicants should confirm current score-age requirements directly with UAB.
  • A pre-health professions advisory committee composite evaluation is preferred, including a letter from an optometrist. If a composite evaluation is unavailable, UAB requires three individual letters: two from faculty members familiar with the applicant’s scholastic abilities and personal character, and one from an optometrist with whom the applicant has shadowed or worked.
  • Personal statement
  • At least 40 hours of optometry-related experience through employment, volunteering, or job shadowing.
  • Submit an OptomCAS application and the required UAB supplemental application.
  • Applicants must complete an interview, either virtually or in person, with the UAB School of Optometry Admissions Committee before they can be admitted.

UAB uses rolling admissions and strongly encourages early applications. The application deadline for the class entering Fall 2027 is April 1, 2027.

Tuition and Costs (2026–2027)

Annual tuition:

  • Resident students: $33,930.
  • Nonresident students: $55,335.
  • Nonresident students receiving the School of Optometry Merit Scholarship: $43,335.

Mandatory fees are additional: $1,323 in the first year, $1,548 in the second and third years, and $1,386 in the fourth year. UAB also lists health insurance and dental health charges, which may be waived with proof of current coverage. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; applicants should also budget for living expenses, books, and other costs and verify current figures directly with UAB.

Start Your OAT Preparation

OAT results are considered as part of UAB’s admissions review. Dr. Jim Romano’s OAT Destroyer series is trusted by thousands of optometry students nationwide:

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  5. Dr. Jim Romano Biology Review Book
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