The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) is the world's first and largest technological college for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is one of eight colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), a privately endowed, coeducational university that is student centered and career focused. RIT was founded in 1829, and NTID was formally established by Congress in 1965. It became one of RIT's colleges in 1968. One of the unique features of RIT/NTID is that more than 1,100 deaf and hard of hearing students study, share residence halls and enjoy social life together with more than 14,000 hearing students.

Mission
To provide deaf and hard-of-hearing students with outstanding state-of-the-art technical and professional programs, complemented by a strong liberal arts and sciences curriculum, that prepare them to live and work in the mainstream of a rapidly changing global community and enhances their lifelong learning.

Location
The RIT campus comprises 200 buildings on 1,300 acres in suburban Rochester, located in Western New York, just a few hours from Niagara Falls and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Enrollment
Undergraduate: 1,075 deaf and hard-of-hearing students, 92 hearing students (enrolled in educational interpreting program)

Graduate: 70 deaf and hard-of-hearing students, 33 hearing students (enrolled in Master of Science program in Secondary Education of Students who are Deaf)

Degree programs
Qualified deaf and hard-of-hearing students can earn associate degrees in more than 30 accredited NTID programs. They also can earn bachelor's or master's degrees in more that 200 programs offered by RIT's seven other colleges-Applied Science and Technology, Business, Computing and Information Sciences, Engineering, Imaging Arts and Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Science.

Cooperative education programs
As part of a focus on career education, RIT/NTID degree programs require at least one co-op work assignment to allow students to experience their chosen profession in the real world of work.

Placement after graduation
Over the past five years, 94 percent of deaf graduates who chose to enter the labor market have obtained jobs in business, industry, government, education and other fields.

Academic year
The quarter system divides the calendar year into four 11-week terms, beginning with fall quarter in September. Traditional academic year runs September through May.

Alumni Population
5000+ alumni, 1200+ live in New York State

Diversity
57% males, 43% females, 26% minority students, 7% international students from 18 different countries.

Annual expenses
Total: $15,393 (includes tuition: $6,981, room: $4,452, board: $3,381, fees: $579)
(Expenses listed here are for deaf and hard-of-hearing U.S. students only for the 2003-2004 academic year, September to May.)

Financial aid
Financial aid may include student loans, student employment, combinations of grant-in-aid, and federal and state grants that are available for students in need. Fifty-six endowed funds totaling more than $22 million create scholarships based on financial need and academic merit.

Communication/access
Support and access services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students include notetakers, tutors, and the largest interpreting staff for a college program in the U.S. Instructors use a variety of communication strategies including sign language, speech, fingerspelling, writing, and visual aids. On-site audiologists provide services related to hearing and hearing aids, assistive devices and cochlear implants, and speech-language pathologists offer a broad range of speech and language services.

Research
NTID/RIT views research as a critical component in enhancing the institute's academic programs. The RIT/NTID community enjoys the opportunity to participate in research and, in doing so, serves the wider community. NTID is home to the International Center for Hearing and Speech Research, a research program of national and international prominence.

Athletics
RIT is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III university where young and talented deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes participate with their hearing peers in a tradition of athletic excellence. More than 450 athletes participate in 23 different men's and women's varsity sports.

Campus life
Housing: 75% of undergraduates live on campus. Housing options include residence halls; apartments and townhouses; and fraternity, sorority and special interest houses.

Social life
Students enjoy more than 150 clubs, creative arts programs, student government and religious activities.

Technology
Students benefit from a high-tech learning center, smart classrooms with state-of-the-art computers and multimedia technologies, computer engineering facilities, digital printing presses, laser optics lab, robotics program and fully-networked residence halls equipped with strobe light fire alarms and telephone amplifiers.