The Catholic University of America was established in 1887 and holds the unique distinction of being national university of the Catholic Church. It is also the only institution of higher education to be founded by the U.S. bishops. The university is committed to being a comprehensive Catholic institution of higher education, dedicated to furthering the dialogue between faith and reason, in service to the Church, the country, and the world.
The Catholic University of America offers international undergraduate and graduate scholars a stimulating and challenging academic experience along with opportunities to undertake cutting-edge research in collaboration with world-class academics. The university has a wide range of programs on offer in various subject areas, including the arts and sciences, architecture, social work, business, theology, education, engineering, and health care.
The university is part of the Colleges of Distinction, a group of less than 400 institutions from across the USA assessed for strengths in four key areas of student and family interest. The university is also ranked within the top 100 for best value by U.S. News and World Report.
Campus life at the university is rich with events revolving around the performing arts, service, in addition to game nights, concerts, and other activities. As the largest and greenest campus in Washington, D.C., The Catholic University of America houses wide open lawns, energy efficient buildings, and a variety of residence halls. The surrounding Brookland neighborhood is home to charming restaurants, studios, and even a farmers market right nearby, giving students plenty to see and do during their downtime.
Catholic University provides a learning environment which is integrated with extensive career support throughout students’ academic experience. Expert guidance is offered from orientation through to graduation, in order to ensure students get the optimal outcome from their studies.
A dedicated center for academic and career success provides individualized guidance, resources and support which is designed to ensure both long-term academic and career success for all students throughout their post-graduate endeavors.
At Catholic University, 91 percent of graduates progressed to employment, graduate school or an internship, long term-service or religious life following graduating from the university. 64 percent have reported the completion an internship, while 61 percent reported having completed two or more internships. 60 percent of graduates also reported earning USD 50,000 or more a year as they begun careers following the competition of their studies.
Construction of a new state-of-the-art facility, that will be the home of the Conway School of Nursing and double the size of the university's current nursing facility, will feature multi-functional clinical learning and instructional support areas, including simulation labs for acute care and clinical examination training.
The building will feature anatomy, physiology, and microbiology labs, specialized classrooms, a large auditorium, study areas, administrative offices, and common areas.
The building’s exterior architecture will match the collegiate, gothic style of the other structures on the university’s campus. The project is due to be complete by the start of 2024.
Dr. Peter Kilpatrick Installed as Sixteenth University President
Dr. Peter K. Kilpatrick was appointed president of The Catholic University of America in March 2022 and took office on July 1, 2022.
Dr. Kilpatrick‘s vision is to grow the number of students to 10,000—undergraduate and graduate—within the next ten years by building on efforts to make a Catholic University education more accessible, noting that there are more scholarship students than at any point in the institution’s history and the campus is “more diverse than ever.”
“Our nation and the world needs the students that we deliver: bright, enthusiastic, committed and who know themselves and how to love others,” said Dr. Kilpatrick.
This nearly 35,000 square foot building provides expanded dining space, brand new cooking equipment, and food made to order. The Garvey Dining Hall offers a wide variety of dining selections, from salad bar, rotisserie chicken, pizza, classic and veggie burgers to Indian cuisines and special recipes. Pure Eat, a special food counter caters for guests with food allergies and sensitivities. And the facility accommodates a customizable menu utilizing new equipment - such as the hard stone pizza oven and Mongolian grill.
48,08,960 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
37,24,199 Postgraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
17,29,666 Living costs
9,62,707 To live on campus
International students studying at the Catholic University of America are eligible for Catholic University merit scholarships.
Further information on scholarship opportunities can be found via the university admissions page.
International students may also be able to explore and apply for a range of scholarships, grants or other funding from external organisations, ranging from private companies and charities to the government of their home country.
While international students are not eligible for federal financial aid, it’s possible for international students to apply for educational loans from private lenders. Students should note that many commercial education loans for international education require a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to co-sign.
For international students’ admission, the university values no factor more than a student's ability to read, write, speak, and understand the English language. As such, the university requires all prospective students whose first language is not English to undertake either: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, a Duolingo English test, or a Pearson PTE test.
Acceptable test scores for entry routes to the university are as follows:
Undergraduate Score: 80 Internet (with at least 20 out of 30 in each category).
Graduate Score: 80 Internet (with at least 20 out of 30 in each category).
Undergraduate Score: 6.5 (individual test module scores are also reviewed in addition to the culminative score to ensure student proficiency).
Graduate Score: Varies program to program, but in general a score of 6.5 is sufficient.
Score of 105 or above
Score of 58 or above
In addition to English proficiency tests, the university requires official records of previous educational study. Transcripts of previous academic awards should contain information regarding to courses taken, grades obtained, and proof of graduation. All transcripts should be translated to English and have an official stamp or seal from the issuing institution.
In addition to the requisite academic documents, once admitted, students should provide copies of their current passports, I-20 or DS-2019, as well as evidence of the financial means to cover the costs of studying at Catholic University.
Students who pursue a degree at the university will also need to apply for Student Visa F-1 following their acceptance. All information on the application for attaining visa documentation and the requisite funding evidence can be found via the university website admissions page.
The Catholic University of America models itself as a not just a college, but as a graduate institution. The university prides itself on not only delivering a standardized college experience, but a complete scholarly experience. Students are offered the unique opportunity to conduct scholarly and scientific research within their chosen fields of study while working closely with an expert faculty.
The Catholic University of America has an impressive teaching faculty, with 377 full-time staff and 416 part-time staff on hand to personally guide students throughout their academic and spiritual education. 83.8 percent of the full-time staff are in possession of doctoral or terminal degrees. The Princeton Review (TPR) reports a small average class size of 10-19 students, while awarding professors with an impressive 94/99 in their ‘accessibility rating’.
The university has been recognized as a prestigious College of Distinction, a group of under 400 US institutions noted for their academic strengths. These include the quality of teaching, student engagement, sense of community and successful postgraduate outcomes.
The Catholic University of America offers both graduate and professional degrees across its 12 schools.
The Catholic University of America’s schools include:
Washington, District Of Columbia, USA
