Apply 2026
Deep ocean wave from above
🌊 Est. 1998 β€’ Coral Bay β€’ Ranked #1 in Marine Science

DIVE INTO THE BLUE FUTURE OF KNOWLEDGE

Deep Blue Ocean University is where oceanographers, engineers, biologists and dreamers launch submersibles, decode coral DNA and build the sustainable blue economy. 12,400 students. 4 research vessels. One endless ocean.

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Apply for 2026 β†’ Explore University

● Live: R/V Abyss Explorer at Mariana Trench β€” depth 10,902m β€” streaming data

Scuba divers over coral reef
Next expedition β€’ Aug 2026● OPEN

Twilight Zone Census: 30 days, 1200m depth, 40 students aboard

Join Dr. Mara Voss to map mesopelagic life with AI sonar and eDNA. Scholarships for first-year divers.

Join CrewVirtual Tour
OCEANOGRAPHY β€’ MARINE BIOLOGY β€’ DEEP-SEA ROBOTICS β€’ CORAL RESTORATION β€’ BLUE ECONOMY β€’ NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY β€’ CLIMATE & OCEAN β€’ OCEANOGRAPHY β€’ MARINE BIOLOGY β€’ DEEP-SEA ROBOTICS β€’ CORAL RESTORATION β€’ BLUE ECONOMY β€’ 

01 β€” About the University

A UNIVERSITY BUILT BY THE OCEAN, FOR THE OCEAN

Perched on Coral Bay cliffs with its own harbor, aquarium and deep-water pier, Deep Blue Ocean University fuses rigorous science with salt-water soul. We don’t just study the ocean in classrooms β€” we live aboard it.

βœ“ Own Fleet
4 vessels + 2 manned submersibles Nereus & Thalassa
βœ“ Reef Lab
12,000 mΒ² aquarium + coral spawning farm
βœ“ Global Reefs
Stations in Maldives, Azores, Galapagos & Palau
βœ“ Blue Incubator
87 startups in algae, wave energy, sustainable fish

Our mission: train Ocean Guardians β€” scientists who can pilot an ROV in the morning, publish in Nature at noon, and brief the UN on sea-level rise by evening. From plankton genomics to maritime law, every path leads back to the water.

1998 β€” Foundation
Marine biologist Elena Maris founds floating school with 120 students.
2012 β€” Abyss Campus
Deep-sea pressure labs + harbor open. First 6000m dive.
2024 β€” Blue Nobel
Prof. Kenji Sato wins for coral heat-resistance breakthrough.
Our SchoolsTalk to Us
University campus building Coral reef
βš“
Coral Bay Ocean Campus β€” 84 hectares
Harbor β€’ Aquarium β€’ Pressure Labs β€’ Dive Center β€’ 1200m private reef

02 β€” Schools & Programs

CHOOSE YOUR CURRENT

All 48 programs β†’
Oceanography lab
BSc β€’ MSc β€’ PhD

Oceanography & Climate

Currents, El NiΓ±o, sea-level modeling, Argo floats and satellite oceanography. Fieldwork from Arctic to Antarctic.

β˜… 4 years β€’ 210 ECTS β€’ R/V time included

Marine biology diving
Most popular

Marine Biology & Genomics

From whales to microbes. Coral spawning, eDNA, CRISPR for reef resilience, tagging + drone tracking.

β˜… Dive certificate + Galapagos semester

Underwater robotics
Engineering

Deep-Sea Robotics & AI

Build AUVs, ROVs and soft robots for 6000m. Sonar AI, pressure engineering, swarm exploration.

β˜… Makerspace + Mariana test dive

Tropical beach conservation
Sustainability

Blue Economy & Conservation

Sustainable fisheries, marine protected areas, wave energy, blue finance and ocean policy.

β˜… Internship with UN Ocean Desk

Whale in ocean
Field science

Marine Megafauna & Acoustics

Whales, sharks, turtles. Bioacoustics, migration corridors, anti-collision tech for shipping.

β˜… Azores whale station

Research vessel at sea
Navigation

Nautical Science & Archaeology

Captain’s license, underwater archaeology, sunken cities mapping, maritime heritage law.

β˜… STCW + 60 sea days

03 β€” Research Fleet

LABS THAT GO DEEPER

12 institutes, 342 expeditions, 1,840 papers in 2025. Our pressure chambers simulate 11,000m. Our robots have touched 4 trenches.

Sea turtle
Breakthrough 2025

Coral Phoenix: heat-proof reefs +4Β°C

Prof. Sato’s team edited symbiont algae to survive marine heatwaves. 2M fragments planted in Maldives & Great Barrier Reef. Survival 89% after bleaching event.

πŸ€– Nereus II

6000m HOV + AI pilot. 112 dives. Discovered 14 new species in 2025.

🧬 eDNA Atlas

1 drop = 300 species. Global ocean DNA map with 40 ports.

🌊 Wave Power

Campus runs 78% on wave + tidal. Student-built converters.

πŸ‹ Whale Internet

Acoustic buoys translate songs, reroute ships, save 300 whales/yr.

04 β€” Life on the Blue Campus

SLEEP TO THE SOUND OF WAVES

Ocean dormitory

Reef Dorms

Glass-floor rooms over lagoon. Wake up with rays.

Surfing student

Surf & Sail Club

42 teams: surfing, rowing, free-diving, yachting.

Ocean sunset

Night Aquarium

Study under sharks. 24/7 library in the abyss tunnel.

Graduation

Sea Graduation

Diplomas handed on deck, tossed caps into trade wind.

Professor Elena Maris
Rector

Dr. Elena Maris

Founder, coral biologist, 320 dives. β€œThe ocean is the last library.”

Professor Kenji Sato
Genomics

Prof. Kenji Sato

Coral CRISPR pioneer. Led Phoenix Reef restoration.

Dr Mara Voss
Deep Sea

Dr. Mara Voss

Submersible pilot, discovered Twilight Reef sharks.

05 β€” Admissions 2026

YOUR VOYAGE STARTS HERE

No SAT walls. We look for salt in your blood: swim test, ocean essay, and curiosity. 34% receive Blue Grants. Deadline: March 15, 2026.

πŸ“ Step 1 β€” Apply online β€” essay β€œMy Ocean” + grades + 50m swim video
🀿 Step 2 β€” Sea Trial β€” 3-day camp: dive, lab, team mission aboard harbor ship
πŸ’™ Step 3 β€” Blue Grant β€” automatic scholarship check, up to 100% tuition
Start ApplicationTuition from $9,800/yr β€’ Dorm $3,200/yr

Tuition Calculator 2026

Drag your GPA + pick program to see grant.

Estimated: $4,200/yr with 57% Blue Grant 🌊

06 β€” Deep Blue Dispatch

LATEST FROM THE ABYSS

Expeditions, discoveries, student stories β€” fresh off the research vessels.

Archive β†’

Expeditions are being logged. Check back at high tide.

πŸ’¬ β€œI tagged my first whale in week two. At my old university I’d still be in a lecture.”

β€” Lena K., Marine Megafauna, Class of 2025

πŸ’¬ β€œWe built an AUV that reached 2000m before graduation. Employers fought for us.”

β€” Diego R., Robotics, now at Abyss Robotics Lab

07 β€” FAQ

QUESTIONS FROM SHORE

Ocean lagoon
Do I need to know how to dive to apply? +
No. 60% arrive never having dived. PADI Open Water is included in year one, with pool + reef training and marine safety.
Where do students live? +
Reef Dorms over the lagoon, Harbor Houses and research ship cabins during expeditions. All with sea view, of course.
What jobs after graduation? +
96% employed in 6 months: marine labs, offshore wind, aquaculture, conservation NGOs, navies, robotics startups and PhDs at MIT, Scripps, Tokyo.
Are there scholarships? +
Yes β€” Blue Grants cover 20-100% based on GPA + Sea Trial. Island nations and children of fishers get priority Coral Scholarships.
Can I visit campus? +
Every full moon we run Open Harbor Day: submersible simulator, aquarium night, boat tour. Book via contact form below.

08 β€” Contact Harbor

SEND A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

Coral Bay Harbor, Pier 7
Pacific Coast

[email protected]
+1 (555) 010-BLUE β€’ Mon–Fri 9-18 PT

● Next Open Harbor: Oct 12, 2026 β€” free boat + dive try

Ocean waves at sunset