American University is a fully accredited university located at Ward Circle, in the American University Park area of northwest Washington, DC. It currently has roughly 5,000 undergraduate students, and approximately the same number of graduates.

It is served by the Tenleytown-AU station on the Washington Metro, which is located roughly a mile from the main campus, and is located in and around the neighborhood of Tenleytown.

AU has recently entered the first tier of US News & World Report's college and university rankings guide.

A leader in global education, AU enrolls a diverse student body from throughout the U.S. and more than 160 countries and provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.

AU is a member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, allowing students to enroll in courses offered by other member institutions and students at other member institutions to enroll in courses at AU.