Ball State University (BSU), is a research university based in Indiana with two satellite facilities in Fishers and Indianapolis. 

The university is composed of seven academic colleges, including: architecture and planning, communication, information, and media, business, and education. 

Affiliated institutions include: Burris Laboratory School, the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, and the Centre for Business and Economic Research.

BSU teaches with sustainability in mind, making it a primary component to the university's strategic plan and vision. Since the mid-2000s, all building additions and renovations were designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. The university, for instance, diverts 20 per cent of its waste from landfills through recycling efforts.

Bracken Library is the university's main library which was built in 1975. The building consists of five floors of classrooms, computer labs, private study suites, and video viewing suites. The library also provides access to about 2.3 million books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, software, government publication maps, musical scores, archival records, and other information sources.

There are more than 400 student organizations at BSU, which include: 38 athletic and recreational clubs, 26 religious groups, and 14 performing arts organisations including the University Singers glee club.

Ball State athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are known as the Ball State Cardinals. Moreover the university is a member of the Mid-American Conference and the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.

The university has its own student-run newspaper called the Ball State Daily News which publishes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the summer semester, while Ball Bearings, the student magazine is published four times throughout the school year.

Notable alumni include David Letterman, an American television talk show host, comedian, and producer, Cynda Williams, an American television and film actress, and John H. Schnatter, the founder, current CEO, and spokesman for Papa John's International.