The vision of the U3A is that older people should have access to education in all its forms by providing it for themselves. Membership of the U3A is open to all people who are no longer in full-time employment, irrespective of race, religion or politics.

St Albans U3A was formed in 1987 and is an independent self-financing charity. Its Trustees are elected annually by St Albans U3A members and form the Executive Committee which is responsible for managing its affairs in accordance with a Constitution approved by the Charity Commission.

U3A stands for the University of the Third Age. It began in France in 1972, with the core of U3A starting in Britain in 1982. There is a national organisation, the Third Age Trust, which is the national representative body for U3As in the UK. It underpins the work of local U3As by providing support to their management committees and to individual members and assists in the development of new U3As across the UK. It provides summer schools, conferences and a magazine to all members 5 times a year.

St Albans U3A is also a member of the Herts Network of U3As which provides a forum for discussing subjects of mutual interest with other local U3As.