University of San Francisco

Change the World from Here

The University of San Francisco — a private, Jesuit university — reflects the energy, diversity, and opportunities of the city that surrounds it. Founded in 1855 as the first college in San Francisco, USF has long been a part of the city’s colorful history. Today, USF is ranked #3 in student diversity among national universities by U.S. News and World Report (2019). The university enrolls 6,577 undergraduate and 4,059 graduate students, offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and boasts a network of over 110,000 alumni who live in all 50 states, six US territories, and 139 countries. 

USF gives students from all backgrounds an education that is intensely personal, intellectually demanding, and designed expressly to help them change the world for the better. True to its Jesuit values, USF encourages students to turn learning into positive action, with a strong commitment to social justice and to making a difference in communities near and far. The campus serves as a space for complex conversations and a meeting place for perspectives from all walks of life.

The school's hilltop campus, in the geographic center of the city, puts students in the middle of everything San Francisco has to offer. Students enjoy the city’s natural beauty, 36 unique neighborhoods, cultural attractions, sporting events from the Bay Area’s seven professional teams, and unlimited access to research, internship, and employment opportunities at the Bay Area and Silicon Valley’s most successful companies. At USF, everything in San Francisco is only a walk, bike, bus, or BART ride away.

Academics

Whatever your interests, you’ll find programs that will encourage you to step up, speak up, and challenge your assumptions.

-More than 100 undergraduate majors, minors, and interdisciplinary concentrations

-A Core Curriculum that will push you to explore new passions and communicate your beliefs on complex questions in the humanities, science, ethics, and the arts

-A tight-knit and supportive learning community with an average class size of 23

-The Honors College, which includes accelerated classes and special lectures from scholars and artists in different fields

-Dual-degree and credential programs for business, nursing, psychology, economics, teaching, and more

-A new engineering program that develops engineers who are humane, responsive, and diverse.

Our Living-Learning Communities offer an opportunity for deeper connected learning. Together with your peers, you’ll be enrolled in a common set of courses and live together in shared housing:

-Marshall-Riley Living-Learning Community: Explore the intellectual and political history of Black Americans and engage with the local Black community in the Bay Area.

-Erasmus Community: Explore ethics, service, and justice at local and global levels.

-Martín-Baró Scholars: Examine social justice issues in San Francisco through classroom assignments and a service-learning project.

-St. Ignatius Institute: A blend of rigorous academics and spiritual expression and growth, open for students of any (or no) religious affiliation.

While our professors are accomplished scholars and researchers—96% hold the highest degree in their academic disciplines—they’re at USF because they put teaching first. You’ll find them next to your desk, not behind a microphone. They’re mentors as well as teachers, and they’ll look for opportunities to put you to work helping them with research and point you toward internships.

Student Organizations and Activities

At USF, you’ll always have things to do and communities to join:

-More than 100 clubs spanning academic honor clubs, student government, media, business, performance, politics, recreational, spiritual, service, and Greek organizations

-The Culturally Focused Clubs Council encourages collaboration among the 20+ cultural organizations

-26 intramural and club sport teams and 17 Division I sports teams

-Muscat Scholars Program: An intensive academic program to support incoming, first-year, first-generation students in their transition to college life

-Magis Emerging Leaders Program: A year-long fellowship for first-year students to become socially responsible leaders

-Black Achievement Success and Engagement (BASE) initiative: Creating an academically challenging and personally supportive educational experience for Black-identified students, including a four-year Black Scholars Program, a Black Living-Learning Community, and a Black Resource Center

-The University Ministry supports the spiritual, religious, and pastoral needs of students from all religious backgrounds with retreats, immersion trips, mass, meditation, and more.

Our Career Services Center will help you shoot for at least three internships before graduation. We take students on exclusive treks to local companies and bring top employers on campus to meet you. Best of all, our alumni working at those companies regularly come back to campus to tell you how to ace the interview, what to wear, and how to write the perfect follow-up email.

Here’s a partial list of where our students intern, and get hired: Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Cisco, Deloitte, DWA Media, Gap Inc., Golden State Warriors, Google, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Federal Reserve Bank, Kiva, Marriott, Nike, Peace Corps, Pixar, San Francisco Mayor’s Office, San Francisco Unified School District, Silicon Valley Bank, Stanford Hospital, Square, Teach for America, Tesla, Uber, University of California - San Francisco. 

Financial Aid

Estimated cost of attendance for 2019-2020:

Undergraduate tuition: $51,930

Mandatory Fees: $552

Housing: $10,930

Standard Meal Plan: $5,060

Total estimated cost of attendance: $68,472

This estimate does not include books, supplies, transportation, or personal items.

90% of the fall 2019 class received some form of financial aid, with an average aid package of $26,651. The FAFSA is required to receive a financial aid package. We encourage all students and families to estimate their net price - the amount students will pay after scholarships and grants – using our Net Price Calculator.