Bellarmine University

Private · Moderately Selective · KY

Photo: Murph5253 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationKY · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads2,161

Student:faculty12:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate56.7%

6-yr grad rate64.4%

Drop-out rate24.9%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$49k

Out-of-state tuition$49k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity32.6%

Gender diversity61%

International2.2%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

Bellarmine is a Catholic university on a hilltop in Louisville's Highlands neighborhood, known for keeping a mid-sized-city university experience personal, with small classes and accessible faculty, while giving students real access to a metro area's hospital systems and business community.

Academics

Nursing and health sciences are Bellarmine's clearest strengths, built on close clinical partnerships with Louisville's hospital networks, alongside a solid business program. Its Catholic identity shows up in a values-oriented core curriculum rather than a heavily doctrinal one.

Campus & student life

The wooded, arboretum-like campus overlooks the Louisville skyline, giving it a quieter, more residential feel than its urban setting might suggest, while still keeping downtown Louisville and the Highlands' restaurants and shops within easy reach.

Getting in

Applications are reviewed holistically, with attention to fit and community-mindedness consistent with the university's Catholic mission, rather than a narrow numbers-first formula.

After graduation

Health sciences graduates move directly into Louisville's hospital and clinical systems in large numbers, giving the university a strong regional job pipeline, while business graduates likewise tend to stay in the Louisville corporate community after graduation.

bellarmine.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate86.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1030–1250 · ACT 23–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying