Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Clara University is a private religious university in CA, founded in 1851 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 5,608, and the graduate enrollment is 3,008. Santa Clara University is a highly selective school, receiving 16,488 applications and accepting 50.7% of applicants. Santa Clara University’s athletics teams compete at the intramural and varsity levels. Additionally, Santa Clara University employs 585 full-time instructional staff (94% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 10:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
73
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Santa Clara University will apply through the Common Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also respond to additional university-specific supplemental questions.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision I Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Action Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Decision II Application Deadline
January 7th
Regular Application Deadline
January 7th
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Extracurricular Activities - Important
- Application Essay - Very Important
- Academic GPA - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
- Standardized Test Scores - Important
Average Acceptance Rate
50.70%
Empowerly Acceptance Rate
70.00%
STUDENT LIFE
Santa Clara University’s campus is located in a suburban area of Santa Clara, California, with a landmass that spans over 106 acres. However, part of the school’s campus also lies in San Jose, California. The school contains several buildings, residence halls, recreational centers, and religious centers, with the Mission piece being the centerpiece of the school (and the oldest structure on the campus). SCU’s campus architecture mirrors the Mission’s architectural style and is considered today one of the most exemplary categories of Mission Revival Architecture and Spanish Colonial Revival Styles.
Some of the beautiful and popular sites on campus include the Mallet Fitness Center, Saint Clare School, and Saint Clare Parish, among others. The school aims to provide students with a sustainable and eco-friendly environment, earning the school a STAR Gold rating in 2015 by the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
SCU is categorized as more selective, with over 9,000 students—5,438 undergraduates and 3,296 graduate students. The school ranks 53rd amongst national universities and 25th among the Best Undergraduate teaching universities in the nation.
Housing
- 58% of students live on campus
- Freshmen and sophomores required to live on campus
Santa Clara University provides students with a comfortable, secure, and beautiful living environment. The school mandates that both first-year and sophomores reside in Residential Learning Communities, while graduate students are provided with furnished and unfurnished on-campus housing depending on the student’s tastes. SCU also permits senior and junior students the choice of living in University Villas. The school has ten residential halls, with eight built around a theme.
Life as a Student
Santa Clara University has a student distribution ratio of 50/50 between men and women, and a total of six colleges and schools offer bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees. The school has 45 majors in its three undergraduate schools and boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1. The school has various religious organizations, sports, media, and research clubs to provide students with a living-learning environment. SCU’s athletic team is called the Broncos and competes in the NCAA Division 1 as members of the West Coast Conference with the colors red and white. The team has won NCAA championships for both male and female teams.
TOP MAJORS
Finance
Communications
Economics
Marketing
Psychology
Political Science and Government
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Archery
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Riflery
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Squash
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Weight Lifting
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Skiing (cross-country)
Archery
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Racquetball
Riflery
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Weight Lifting
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Skiing (cross-country)
Club
Club
Bowling
Lacrosse
Rock Climbing
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Bowling
Rock Climbing
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Intramural
Intramural
Basketball
Ice Hockey
Racquetball
Skiing (downhill)
Soccer
Softball
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Wrestling
Basketball
Cheerleading
Ice Hockey
Racquetball
Skiing (downhill)
Soccer
Softball
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Santa Clara University provides students with the opportunity to earn university merit scholarships and grants based on certain criteria.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition - $56,880
- University Enhancement Fee - $654
- Room and Board - $17,112
- Books and Supplies - $1,152
- Transportation - $351
- Personal Expenses - $2,700
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance - $78,849
HISTORY
Santa Clara University, popularly called SCU for short, is a private university in Santa Clara, California, United States. The idea of a school in Santa Clara was born when the Bishop of Monterey, Dominican Joseph Sadoc Alemany, offered lands from the Mission Santa Clara de Asis to two Italian Jesuits in 1851. The Bishop gave the condition that a college be founded for the growing population of Catholics. When California became part of the United States following the Mexican-American Civil War, this decision was made to overcome the setbacks experienced by the Mission.
In 1851, after California was granted statehood, two campuses were built and organized in the small agricultural town of Santa Clara. The college was named Santa Clara College and first opened its doors to students in the same year, making it the oldest operating institution of higher education in the state. After opening, however, the school lacked the endowment required for a charter—and, therefore, was not the first institution to be granted a charter in the state. But not much later, on 28th April 1855, the school was eventually granted a charter by California’s Superior Court. Santa Clara College was the first school to award a bachelor’s degree in California in 1857; then, two years later, it was the first to grant the state’s first graduate degree. During the Civil War—in 1861, to be precise—the school established a military battalion: the US Army ROTC battalion, popularly known as the second company of cadets to support the US Army.
After the Civil War, the university started to experience massive growth, leading to the founding the School of Engineering and School of Law in 1912 and 1911. The school was renamed the University of Santa Clara in 1912. Other additions to the university were the Leavey School of Business in 1925, the School of Education, Counseling, Psychology, and Pastoral Ministries in 2001, and the merger that formed the Jesuit School of Theology. Another sign of growth was the transition from an all-male institution to a coeducational institution for men and women in 1961. The school later changed its name to Santa Clara University in 1985 to avoid confusion with the University of Southern California. The school has graduated several reputable names, ranging from governors to ministers.