Located 40 miles south of San Francisco, California, in the heart of high-tech Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University offers a rigorous undergraduate curriculum in the arts and sciences, business, and engineering. Santa Clara’s nationally recognized graduate and professional schools include programs in business, engineering, law, education, counseling psychology, pastoral ministries, and theology.
Based upon more than 450 years of educational tradition, the Jesuits founded Santa Clara University in 1851. It is California’s oldest institution of higher education. Santa Clara’s small class sizes encourage the exchange of ideas between students and teacher, and the nearly 900 faculty members include award-winning scientists, economists, artists, and writers. Students gain valuable hands-on research experience in state-of-the-art facilities.
On-campus support includes an international student center, internship and career advising, computer labs, recreation, wellness, and health services. The campus is in a safe, beautifully maintained, and well-established Santa Clara neighborhood, with numerous housing and dining options available to students.
Student Demographics
| Undergraduates, Fall 2011 | |
| Total undergraduate enrollment | 5,229 |
| Freshmen to sophomore retention rate | 94% |
| Undergraduate graduation rate | 85% |
| Average class size | 23 |
| Student to faculty ratio | 13:1 |
| Live in residence halls | |
| Freshmen | 94% |
| All undergraduates | 50% |
| Freshman, Fall 2011 Application Summary | |
| Applied | 13,342 |
| Accepted | 7,263 |
| Enrolled | 1.283 |
| Enrolled Profile | |
| Middle 50% scores | |
| GPA (4.0 unweighted scale) | 3.4-3.8 |
| ACT Composite | 17-31 |
| SAT Critical Reading | 570-680 |
| SAT Math | 600-690 |
| Men/Women | 50%/50% |
| Ethnicity | |
| African-American/Black | 3% |
| Asian | 11% |
| Caucasian | 53% |
| Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | <1% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 9% |
| Multiethnic | 15% |
| Native American/Alaska Native | <1% |
| Not Reported | 9% |
| From California | 60% |
| From other states and countries | 40% |
| Number of states | 38 |
| Number of foreign countries | 15 |
| Transfers, Fall 2011 | |
| Applied | 889 |
| Accepted | 443 |
| Enrolled | 207 |
| Mean academic GPA (admitted) | 3.61 |
| English Proficiency Tests and Minimum Scores | One of the following |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 90 |
| TOEFL (CBT) | 230 |
| TOEFL (PBT) | 575 |
| IELTS | 6.5 |
| iTEP | 4.5 |
| Pearson | 61 |
| SAT Critical Reading | 630 |
Admission Requirements
Click here to learn about Freshman Admission Requirements.
Click here to learn about Transfer Admission Requirements.
International Student Visas Issued
F1 and J1
Cost of Attendance 2012-13 Undergraduate
| On Campus | Off Campus | Commuter | |
| Tuition | 40,572 | 40,572 | 40,572 |
| Room/Board | 12,276 | 10,962 | 4,401 |
| Books/Supplies | 1,665 | 1,665 | 1,665 |
| Transportation | 891 | 1,314 | 1,170 |
| Personal | 2,277 | 2,844 | 3,105 |
| Loan Fees | 312 | 312 | 312 |
| Total | 57,993 | 57,669 | 51,225 |
Financial Assistance
An international applicant is eligible for academic merit award consideration. Awards range from $6,000-$18,000.
ESL Program and/or Support Services
Prospective students have conditional admission opportunities through EC English program (external services). For more information, please click here (http://www.scu.edu/ugrad/international/ec/).
Student Housing Options
To learn about the school’s student housing options, residence halls, and costs, please click here.