University of Bridgeport

The University of Bridgeport (UB) is a private nonprofit university on the Long Island Sound waterfront in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It combines undergraduate, graduate and doctoral study with career-focused professional programs, online options and hands-on clinical training. UB may be especially relevant to students weighing practical healthcare credentials alongside engineering, business, education or the liberal arts. Its Fones School of Dental Hygiene and School of Nursing are distinct academic units within a much broader university, so applicants should compare the admission steps, clinical requirements and additional program fees for their intended field.

Programs worth comparing

UB lists more than 80 programs and majors across the College of Health Sciences; the College of Engineering, Business, and Education; and the College of Science and Society. Health pathways include nursing, dental hygiene, chiropractic, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, physician assistant studies, nutrition and health sciences. The Fones School of Dental Hygiene, founded in 1949, identifies itself as the world’s first dental hygiene school. It offers associate and bachelor’s degrees and an online master’s; its supervised clinic lets students train while serving the community. Nursing pathways include pre-nursing, an associate degree, traditional and accelerated BSN routes, an online RN-to-BSN completion program and an online MSN focused on leadership and education. UB also offers computer science and engineering, electrical and mechanical engineering, business, finance, education, psychology, music and other liberal arts programs. Check prerequisites and clinical placements directly with the department, particularly for nursing, dental hygiene and other regulated professions. The official program directory has the full, current list.

Where classes and clinical experiences take place

• Main campus: 126 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604. The waterfront campus is UB’s primary location and houses its central student and academic services.
• Waterbury Center: 84 Progress Lane, Waterbury, CT 06705. NECHE lists this as an instructional location for University of Bridgeport.
• Goodwin University instructional location: One Riverside Drive, East Hartford, CT 06118. This site appears on NECHE’s current University of Bridgeport location listing; confirm with your program whether any courses or services for your degree are scheduled there.
• Fones School of Dental Hygiene Clinic: 60 Lafayette Street, Bridgeport, CT. The clinic provides supervised dental hygiene services to the public as well as to the university community. Its appointment availability follows the academic term; check the clinic schedule and services before traveling.

The Waterbury and East Hartford entries are instructional sites, not replacements for the Bridgeport campus. Ask where your required lectures, labs, clinical rotations and student services will be based before choosing a program or housing.

2026–27 costs and ways to reduce the bill

For 2026–27, UB estimates total annual attendance costs of $61,302 for a resident student. The billed portion is $53,930, including $37,090 in tuition and fees and $16,840 for food and housing. The published estimated total also includes books and personal, transportation and loan-related expenses. A commuter living with a parent has a $51,252 estimated total, while the general commuter estimate is $56,368; those include estimated non-billed living and travel costs. Health insurance, lab fees, course loads above 18 credits and nursing or dental hygiene tuition differentials are excluded, so those programs can cost more. Use UB’s 2026–27 cost table and net price calculator to estimate your own charges.

Incoming domestic first-year undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships; UB lists awards up to $25,000 per year, with renewal subject to its academic and good-standing rules. Need-based options require the FAFSA (UB school code 001416), and the university lists federal, state, institutional and other aid programs. Bridgeport’s Brightest supports eligible graduates of Bridgeport public high schools, with published annual costs as low as $7,000 for commuters or $12,500 for students living on campus, including tuition, housing and meals. The program is renewable and limited to 50 qualified applicants; GPA, enrollment, FAFSA and advising requirements apply and can depend on the entering class. Check the Brightest program page for current eligibility and ask for a written financial aid estimate. Compare the final grant and scholarship amounts with program-specific costs. UB’s undergraduate application is free and admissions are rolling.

What students mention in public reviews

Student comments reflect a varied experience. Reviewers often value approachable professors, small classes, a diverse student community and opportunities to join campus clubs. Others describe uneven communication with admissions or financial aid, dining and facility concerns, and questions about safety or the area around campus. Comments also differ between programs and student groups; a commuter, a residential undergraduate and a graduate student may experience UB quite differently. Ask current students in your intended major about class access, advising, clinical placements and how the university handles practical questions. The student review page is one place to read individual accounts.

Contact, hours and applying

Main campus: 126 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604. NECHE confirms this as the main address and lists the university as an accredited member that awards associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Its accreditation record also lists an instructional site in Waterbury and one at Goodwin University in East Hartford. UB’s Google Maps listing shows weekday hours of 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and closure on weekends; call before visiting because office and program hours can differ. The main university number is 203-576-4000; undergraduate admissions can be reached at 1-800-392-3582. Student Financial Services is at 203-576-4568 or sfs@bridgeport.edu.

Use UB’s online application to begin, the campus visit page to arrange a tour, or the request-information page to connect with admissions and review scholarship options. The university’s legal nonprofit operator, The University of Bridgeport Inc. (EIN 86-1274088), is listed as a 501(c)(3) that operates a school.