About

About Santa Clara University

jesuit faith basedbusiness and engineering focussmall class sizesdoctoral professional programs

Santa Clara University is a private university in Santa Clara, CA, known for its jesuit faith based, business and engineering focus, and small class sizes. With an acceptance rate of 52%, SCU is moderately selective, typically enrolling around 1,641 students each year. SCU is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1330–1470, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. SCU offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $31,443 per year; the sticker price of $76,497 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Santa Clara University acceptance rate and admitted student profile

moderately selective

52%
Overall Accept Rate
3.75
Typical Admitted GPA
1400
Median Admitted SAT
SATSubmitted score range: 1330 – 1470 (test optional)

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ED advantage at Santa Clara University: ED acceptance rate is 76% vs 52% regular decision, more than double. If Santa Clara Universityis your first choice and you've confirmed the financial fit, Early Decision is one of the highest-leverage decisions you can make.

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Santa Clara University

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Santa Clara's Jesuit identity is central to how they evaluate applicants, so use your essays to show how you engage with questions of ethics, social justice, or service to others. Connect your experiences to their mission of educating the whole person, not just your academic record.
Test Score Strategy
Santa Clara is test optional and your score falls below their 75th percentile, so consider withholding it and letting your GPA, course rigor, and essays carry your academic story.

Get a tailored strategy for Santa Clara University. Build your free list to unlock personalized advice on submitting test scores and discover your actual admission odds based on your student profile.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Santa Clara University actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$76k/yr$23.0k
30k-48k~$76k/yr$19.2k
48k-75k~$76k/yr$26.5k
75k-110k~$76k/yr$37.2k
110k+~$76k/yr$60.7k

Not sure what Santa Clara University would cost your family? Build your free SpearMatch list. We show estimated net cost for every college on your list based on your income bracket.

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

89%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$91k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
11:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
6,564
Undergrad Enrollment
Santa Clara University Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch