Gallaudet University

Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet crossed the Atlantic from Paris, France, in 1816 to open the country’s first school for the deaf. In 1864, with the support of Congress and President Abraham Lincoln, they extended their vision with Gallaudet University.

Gallaudet became a beacon for visual learning, visual language, social justice, and full rights for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Since then, we have proceeded to become the Gallaudet University that even President Abraham Lincoln could not have imagined.

Gallaudet’s vision statement expresses what the University aspires to become and achieve as the world’s premier academic institution for deaf and hard of hearing people. Implicit in our vision are core values that serve as guiding principles for the way members of the campus community teach, study, work, and live. The Gallaudet credo identifies and realizes these core values. Classes are available on campus and online. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.