Santa Clara University

Admission to Santa Clara is highly competitive as it has an acceptance rate of 54%. This means out of 100 applicants only 54 applicants have the chance of getting admission. The admissions committee reviews your application and considers several elements of your profile before arriving at a decision. From academic performance to reference letters, test scores, activities done outside of the classroom, life experiences, and so on. The university aims to seek individuals who are a holistic person and a scholar. This is one of the reasons why the university recommends international UG applicants to sit for an interview. It is a chance to showcase your language skills, interests, professionalism, and interest in the course and university.Read: Santa Clara Ranking

SCU students often live on-campus during their first and second years. The housing options differ for first-year and graduate students. All first-year students live in Residential Learning Communities (RLCs) housed in SCU’s campus residence halls, such as:Alpha - Graham HallCommunitas - Campisi HallCyphi - Swig HallCura - Finn Hallda Vinci - Casa ItalianaModern Perspectives - Dunne HallLoyola - Sobrato HallUnity - McLaughlin-Walsh HallXavier - Sanfilippo HallLiving on-campus can also be expensive, as all students who live in the RLCs must purchase a meal plan. In addition to the RLCs, SCU also offers housing in university villas, the Nobili Hall, and other neighborhood units.Double and Triple AccommodationsAccommodationRoom + Dining Plan (in USD)Standard Residence Hall Double14,649-17,430Nobili Double14,781-17,562Suite Double, Nobili Extended Double and Mini-Suite Double14,904-17,685Finn and Graham Mini-Suite Extended Double15,825-18,606University villas four-bedroom townhouse doubleCASA Apartment four-bedroom apartment double and one bedroom triple12,576-17,748Standard residence hall double as triple12,549-15,330Finn & Graham Mini-Suite double as triple12,756-15,537Extended Triple (Finn, Graham, McLaughlin-Walsh & Dunne)13,503-16,284Swig Suite Triples & McLaughlin-Walsh Suite Triples13,869-16,650Nobili Triple13,869-16,650Single AccommodationsCasa & Swig Designed Single16,749-19,530Standard Double as Single (CFs only)17,574-20,355Suite Single, Nobili Single & Finn &Graham Mini-Suite Single (Finn/Graham is CF only)17,835-20,616Casa & Sobrato Apartment Single15,546-21,615University Villas 2 Bedroom & 4 Bedroom Townhouse Regular Single16,983-23,052University Villas 4 Bedroom Townhouse Premium Single17,253-23,322University Villas 1 Bedroom Townhouse Single19,455-25,524Source: SCUAlso Read : Cost of Living in USA for International Students

Each year, the university welcomes over 1,500 international students from all over the world. For UG programs, it usually receives up to 16,000 applications, out of which 7,900 are admitted. In Fall 2019, SCU enrolled 5,571 undergraduate students across its schools. As per the university’s expansion plan, the UG enrollment numbers are expected to go in the coming years. In Spring 2020, SCU enrolled 1,950 graduate and 5,369 undergraduate students. For Spring 2022, students enrollment included 8,201 applicants, of which 548 were international students. The top five countries represented at SCU are:CountriesNo. of Students Enrolled in Spring 2022India212China147Taiwan22Canada16Philippines13Source: SCUNote* The latest data is not available on the official site. you can further wait for more information. 

You can follow these steps to start your application at Santa Clara UniversityUG coursesAll undergraduate students are advised to apply to through the Common Application portal. Although interview is not mandatory, yet the university recommends international students to sit for an interview. It is an excellent opportunity to showcase language skills, interests, and professionalism to the admissions team.PG coursesEach graduate school of SCU has its separate application form and portal. Thus, applicants need to choose a school first, then select their course and click on the apply button on the course page. Step 1: Log in to the respective school’s application portal. Create a new account as new user and set a password.Step 2: Click on Start New Application button.It will direct you to the next window, where you have to select the application type and start filling the form.Step 3: Once you select the programme type, you have to fill in details like background, educational history, employment history, and so on. Then upload your transcripts and supporting documents.Step 4: After uploading all the documents, you have to sign the form and submit the application.

SCU requires international students to get their transcripts evaluated by any one of the approved NACES agencies. Transcript evaluations must include degree equivalency, US GPA equivalency, and a course-by-course evaluation report. Students should also note that all documents should be in English and if not, then these documents should be translated by a certified personnel or agency. At the time of application process, students should submit both the documents – original and the translated copies. Apart from this, other application documents required are:UG AdmissionsPG AdmissionsLetters of Recommendation (LORs): At least one from subject teacher and one from the school counsellorProof of English proficiencySAT/ACT score reportApplication essayOptional essay or other supplementary documentsStudent resumeFinancial documentsCopy of passportLetters of Recommendation (LORs)Proof of English proficiencyGMAT/GRE score reportEssay/Statement of Purpose (SOP)/Personal StatementOther supplementary documentsStudent resumeFinancial documentsCopy of passport

International students must meet any of the IELTS requirements. However, a general overview of Santa Clara University's IELTS score and other English language proficiency requirements is given below:English Proficiency Requirement for UG AdmissionsAny one of the following English test scores is accepted as proof of proficiency: ExamMinimum Score RequiredIELTS6.5TOEFL iBT90Duolingo (DET)115SAT ERW630ACTReading: 27English: 27English Proficiency Requirements for PG AdmissionsAny one of these test score need to be submitted as per the school requirements:SchoolsExams Accepted/Score RequiredSchool of Education & Counseling PsychologyTOEFL: 90IELTS: 6.5School of EngineeringTOEFL iBT: 79-80 or CBT: 213IELTS: 6.5School of LawTOEFL or IELTS scores are to be included with the LSAC’s CAS reportJesuit School of TheologyTOEFL or Duolingo (DET)College of Arts & SciencesTOEFL: 90 or aboveIELTS: 6.5Leavey School of BusinessTOEFL: 100IELTS: 7.0Duolingo: 120Note: English requirements may be waived off is the applicant receives 50th percentile or higher on the verbal portion of GMAT/GRE.

Eligibility requirements for international applicants vary based on their educational level and citizenship status. In general, the following qualifications are accepted:Undergraduate AdmissionsApplicants should meet the US equivalent of these high school course requirements:History and Social Science: 3 yearsEnglish: 4 yearsMathematics: 3 years required; 4 years recommendedLaboratory Science: 2 years required; 3 years recommendedLanguage Other Than English: 2 years required; 3 years recommended; 4 years preferredVisual and Performing Arts: 1 year recommendedGraduate AdmissionsAs the application process differs for each school and program, the eligibility requirements are also course-specific. Most courses required a three or four-year Bachelor degree in any discipline and English proficiency scores. Other standardized exam scores such as GRE and GMAT may be required as per course. University Update: SCU has adopted a two-year Test Optional policy beginning with Fall 2021 first-year applicants. SAT or ACT scores are not mandatory for admission consideration nor the students who do not submit will be disadvantaged. However, for those who wish to submit scores for consideration, self-reported test scores can be submitted through the student's SCU application status portal.