Santa Clara University

Private · Selective · CA

Photo: Cristiano Tomas (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationCA · West

SettingUrban

Undergrads6,552

Student:faculty11:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate81.2%

6-yr grad rate87.9%

Drop-out rate6.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$61k

Out-of-state tuition$61k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity63.5%

Gender diversity49.5%

International7.4%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

Santa Clara University is a Jesuit university in the heart of Silicon Valley, built around Mission Santa Clara de Asís, an 18th-century Spanish mission whose church still stands at the center of campus. Santa Clara traces its roots to 1851, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher education in California, and the combination of Jesuit tradition and Silicon Valley setting together define much of what makes it distinctive.

Academics

The Leavey School of Business and the School of Engineering are the standout programs, with engineering strengths in bioengineering, computer science and engineering, and robotics benefiting directly from proximity to Silicon Valley's internship, mentorship, and recruiting pipelines. The Jesuit emphasis on ethics and social justice — the Ignatian tradition of educating the whole person — is built into coursework across majors rather than confined to a religious studies requirement, and undergraduate research opportunities are common given the relatively small student body.

Campus & student life

The campus is compact and largely residential, and its location in the middle of Silicon Valley gives students easy access to tech-industry events, company visits, and internships during the school year rather than only over the summer. Catholic and Jesuit traditions — retreats, service trips, campus ministry — inform campus culture without dominating it, and Bronco athletics, especially a women's soccer program with real national pedigree, give the West Coast Conference school genuine athletic identity.

Getting in

Santa Clara's admissions process is holistic, and applicants interested in business or engineering often highlight the Silicon Valley connection specifically in their essays. The Jesuit mission and its emphasis on service are visible, recurring themes in supplemental essays and interviews, and the college looks for students who will engage seriously with both halves of the university's identity.

After graduation

Graduates move heavily into Silicon Valley tech and business roles, helped substantially by the university's location and its deep employer relationships with nearby companies, and the alumni network is especially strong within Bay Area industry. Some graduates also go on to Jesuit volunteer service programs or public-interest work, consistent with the university's service ethic.

Worth knowing

The combination of Jesuit values-based education and direct access to Silicon Valley recruiting is unusual among Catholic universities, and it's the central reason many students choose Santa Clara over other California options. The mission church at the center of campus is a working parish, not just a historic landmark, and several Santa Clara alumnae have gone on to notable careers in women's soccer, including Olympic and World Cup competition.

scu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate48%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1350–1490 · ACT 31–33

Test policyoptional

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Early decisionNov 1

Regular decisionJan 7

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App.

Early decision IIJan 7

Financial aid formsFeb 1

Early Decision I and Early Decision II are binding commitments to enroll if admitted. Early Action shares Early Decision I's November 1 deadline but carries no obligation to attend; Early Decision II shares its January 7 deadline with Regular Decision instead.

Supplemental essays (1)

At Santa Clara University, we encourage our students to be creative, embrace challenges, and become changemakers. Think about an issue you care about and believe is important to address. This can be something happening in your local community or more globally. How can an SCU education help you prepare for and address this challenge?
300 words · Optional · 150-300 words; submitted through the SCU application portal, separately from the Common App

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗