Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University is very difficult to get into. The acceptance rate at Santa Clara University is 52%. Last year, 16,650 students applied to Santa Clara University and 8,677 were admitted.

If you are thinking about applying to Santa Clara University, the regular decision application deadline is January 7 and the application fee is $70.

Students who submit their applications to Santa Clara University for fall semester should hear back from Santa Clara University by March 31.

Santa Clara University Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of Santa Clara University's admissions stats.

Santa Clara University 2023	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.7
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	39%
Mean SAT Score	1364
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	34%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	17%
Waitlist	Yes

Santa Clara University Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Santa Clara University.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 1	December 31
Early Decision II	Yes	January 7	February 15
Early Action	Yes	November 1	December 23
Regular Decision	Yes	1 7	March 31

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Want to Apply Early to Santa Clara University?

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Santa Clara University offers early decision and also offers early action. Early decision is binding, which means you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 1 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 31.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 7. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1. Santa Clara University will release EA admissions decisions no later than December 23.

The early decision acceptance rate at Santa Clara University is 83%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 52%.

Santa Clara University accepts approximately 81% of early action applicants and 52% all applicants for all deadlines. Last year, Santa Clara University admitted 377 of the 456 students who applied early decision. In 2022, Santa Clara University admitted 5,25 of the 6,48 who applied early action.

Some students apply early to college because they hope it will increase their chances of acceptance. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of acceptance, since it is a way to show that you are very interested in a school.

➡️ Explore a list of some competetive colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Santa Clara University Admissions

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Transferring to Santa Clara University

Transfer student admissions is very difficult.

For Students Waitlisted to Santa Clara University

In 2022, Santa Clara University waitlisted 4,009 students and 2,467 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 8 eventually were offered a spot.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Santa Clara University?

Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college has a different way of determining which factors are given the most weight in the admissions process. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that put the most emphasis on the admissions factors where you stand out.

Admissions Factors at Santa Clara University

Wondering what factors are considered by Santa Clara University during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Application Essay	Very Important
Academic GPA	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Class Rank	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
Racial/Ethnic Status	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Volunteer Work	Important
First Generation	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Religious Affiliation/Commitment	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered

Make sure to check with Santa Clara University for more information on admission factors.

Santa Clara University 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Santa Clara University, all applicants must submit the following items. Make sure to check in with Santa Clara University's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
Letter(s) of Recommendation	1	–	–	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–
Transcript of High School Record	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Santa Clara University?

Students admitted to Santa Clara University have an average unweighted GPA of 3.7.

Out of all students that were admitted, 16% submitted a class rank. At Santa Clara University 39% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 74% were in the top 25% and 96% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Santa Clara University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	9%
3.75 and 3.99	47%
3.50 and 3.74	29%
3.25 and 3.49	11%
3.00 and 3.24	3%
2.50 and 2.9	1%
2.00 and 2.49	–

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Santa Clara University directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Santa Clara University is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 34% of Santa Clara University's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 17% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Santa Clara University?

To be competitive with other Santa Clara University applicants, you should aim to earn between 1300 and 1470 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Santa Clara University 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1470 and 25% of scored lower than 1300, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Santa Clara University student is 1364.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Santa Clara University students scored 760 or higher and 75% of students scored 640 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Santa Clara University students scored 720 or higher, and 75% scored a 640 or higher.

To be most competitive at Santa Clara University, you should strive to earn between 29 and 33 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 33 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Santa Clara University's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 33, and three out of four students scored lower than 33 on the ACT.

A 29 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Santa Clara University students. Only one out of every four students scored below 29.

More Information on Transferring to Santa Clara University

For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to Santa Clara University.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is April 15. Transfer applications are processed on a on a rolling basis as they are received.

Transfer students can enroll in Santa Clara University during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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Santa Clara University Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Santa Clara University?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Santa Clara University.

Does Santa Clara University accept transfer credits?

✅ Santa Clara University accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Santa Clara University accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Santa Clara University accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Santa Clara University?

❌ No, Santa Clara University is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you may want to send them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Santa Clara University's acceptance rate?

✅ Santa Clara University's acceptance rate is 52%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Santa Clara University?

✅ Santa Clara University's early decision acceptance rate was 83% in 2021.

What is the early action acceptance rate at Santa Clara University?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at Santa Clara University was 81% in 2021.

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