Fayetteville State University (FSU) is a historically black, regional university in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. FSU is part of the University of North Carolina System and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

The primary mission of Fayetteville State University is to provide quality education to its students through a basic liberal-arts foundation, specialized professional training, and specific graduate programs. The university offers Bachelor’s degrees in 43 areas, Master's degrees in 22 areas, and one doctoral degree in educational leadership. The university is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Fayetteville State University students may participate in over 78 registered student organizations, including sororities and fraternities. An active intramural program offers students the opportunity to participate in flag football, basketball, track and field, soccer, and swimming. Many other organizations are continually added on a yearly basis at this school.

A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, or a similar entity such as the District of Columbia. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country. Each state supports at least one such system.

Federal funded colleges and universities are limited to military personnel and government employees. Members of foreign militaries and governments also attend some schools. These schools include the United States military academies, Naval Postgraduate School, and military staff colleges.

A state university system normally means a single legal entity and administration, but may consist of several institutions, each with its own identity as a university. Some states—such as California and Texas—support more than one such system.

State universities get subsidies from their states. The amount of the subsidy varies from university to university and state to state, but the effect is to lower tuition costs below that of private universities. As more and more Americans attend college, and private tuition rates increase well beyond the rate of inflation, admission to state universities is becoming more and more competitive.