Ave Maria University

Private · Selective · FL

Photo: Steve Knight (CC BY 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationFL · South

SettingRural

Undergrads1,298

Student:faculty17:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate39.4%

6-yr grad rate53.9%

Drop-out rate21.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$30k

Out-of-state tuition$30k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity30.5%

Gender diversity53%

International2.3%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

Ave Maria University is a Catholic university in southwest Florida, founded in 2003 by Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan and built alongside its own planned town of Ave Maria. The university is faithfully and explicitly Catholic in both curriculum and daily campus life, making it one of the more distinctly mission-driven Catholic colleges founded in recent decades rather than an older Catholic institution that has secularized over time.

Academics

Core theology and philosophy requirements run through every student's coursework regardless of major, reflecting the university's mission to integrate Catholic teaching with the liberal arts rather than treating religion as an elective add-on. Class sizes are small, consistent with the school's overall scale, and students across majors take a shared sequence of foundational courses alongside their specific field of study.

Campus & student life

The campus sits at the center of its own purpose-built town, anchored by a large oratory that serves as both a spiritual and physical focal point for the whole community, town residents included, not just students. Daily and weekly Mass, eucharistic adoration, and a visibly practicing Catholic student culture are woven into the rhythm of campus life rather than optional add-ons, and the relative isolation of the town itself reinforces a close, insular community feel.

Getting in

Ave Maria evaluates applicants holistically but pays particular attention to fit with its explicitly Catholic mission and community expectations — a student's comfort with daily religious practice and a values-based campus culture matters alongside academic record. Essays and any indication of engagement with faith life are read closely, consistent with a school that states its Catholic identity as central rather than incidental.

After graduation

Graduates go on into Catholic education, ministry, law, medicine, and business, often staying connected to Catholic institutions and networks well beyond graduation. The university's small size and close community mean its alumni network functions less like a large professional pipeline and more like an extension of the campus's tight-knit religious community.

Worth knowing

Students should expect campus life to be organized substantially around Catholic religious practice — daily Mass access, a strong culture of shared faith, and mandatory theology and philosophy coursework — which suits students seeking that environment specifically and may feel like a significant adjustment for students not already comfortable with it.

avemaria.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate41.4%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Own application.

Ave Maria admits on a rolling basis; applying and being accepted by November 1 additionally qualifies students for an Early Admission decision and an extra $3,000 scholarship. No further fixed deadline is published for domestic first-year applicants.

Interviews: An admissions interview with an admissions counselor, in person or by video call, is one of the required steps of the application process, alongside the online application, transcripts, test scores, the financial aid process, and the enrollment deposit.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗