In the long term AUST is expected to develop into a 5000-strong university with both Undergraduate and Post-graduate programs. AUST's initial choice is to develop first strong graduate program offering at the moment a Masters program and in the following years a PhD program. The students are chosen on a competitive basis.

No student who meets the university admissions criteria is denied entry. And the university tries to find way with the students to provide support.

Students at AUST are encouraged to participate in the campus's sports and intellectual extracurricular activities. The university is a non-denominational entity. The city of Abuja has a wealth of places of worship where students can attend and participate as long as it does not conflict with the university's academic activities.