The University of Oklahoma is a well-established public research university that is the flagship of the Oklahoma State System in the United States and has an "R1: Very High Research Activity" status. Founded in 1890, when Oklahoma was not yet a state, OU admitted its first students in 1892 and became an official state university in 1907 when Oklahoma gained statehood. Today, it educates more than 34,500 students (Fall 2024 data) on three different campuses.

Academically, OU offers a wide range of 174 undergraduate, 199 master's, 101 doctoral programs and 88 certificate options. It has 15 faculties. These include the Michael F. Price College of Business, ranked 64th nationally, the prestigious College of Engineering (known for its distinctive "Loyal Knights" tradition), the College of Law, and the Health Sciences Center, with campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The university also boasts strong programs in meteorology, fine arts and Native American Studies. Courses are offered in indigenous languages - Cherokee, Choctaw, Mvskoke and Kiowa.

Research is a fundamental building block of the university. OU spends more than $416 million a year on R&D, ranking in the top 250 in the world in areas such as petroleum engineering (12th worldwide), environmental sciences (209th), engineering (333rd), computer science (345th) and business (242nd).

The main campus in Norman covers 3,000 acres and is known for its iconic Cherokee Gothic architecture. These include the Bizzell Library (a National Historic Landmark), the Parrington Oval, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. Students can also participate in OU's Arezzo Study Center in Italy and study programs in Mexico and Brazil.

Student life, more than 300 student clubs, famous Pride of Oklahoma marching band, award-winning student newspaper The Oklahoma Daily and a deep-rooted sports culture. The university's sports team, the Sooners, competes in the NCAA Division I FBS (SEC) league and has been among the most successful athletics programs in the USA, winning 45 NCAA team championships to date, including seven in football and eight in softball.

Featured Departments: Petroleum Engineering, Business and Economics, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Law, Health Sciences, Meteorology, Native American Studies, Fine Arts
Ranking:
- EduRank 2025: 231st worldwide, 96th in the US, 1st in the state of Oklahoma.
- QS World University Rankings 2025: 701-710
Location: Norman, Oklahoma (main campus); Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and Tulsa; Tulsa Schusterman Center, Oklahoma, USA
Year of Establishment: December 19, 1890 (first class opened in the fall of 1892)