Santa Clara University

If you are planning on applying to Santa Clara University, the regular decision application deadline is January 7 and the fee for the application costs $70.

Students who apply to Santa Clara University for the fall semester should anticipate a decision 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 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.7
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	35%
Mean SAT Score	1400
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	23%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	16%
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	January 15	March 31

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Considering Applying Early to Santa Clara University?

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Santa Clara University offers early decision and also offers early action. Early decision is binding, meaning 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 84%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 54%.

Santa Clara University accepts about 83% of early action applicants and 54% all applicants for all deadlines. In 2022, Santa Clara University admitted 402 of the 480 students who applied early decision. In 2021, Santa Clara University admitted 5,598 of the 6,784 who applied early action.

Some students apply to college early because they hope it will boost their chances of being offering admission. 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 demonstrates your interest in a school.

➡️ Discover a list of some selective colleges that accept 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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How Hard Is It To Get Admitted to Santa Clara University?

It is very difficult to get into Santa Clara University. Santa Clara University evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2021, Santa Clara University accepted 54% of students, about 9,095 from 16,848 applicants.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like Santa Clara University, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.

Transferring to Santa Clara University

It is very difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.

For Students Waitlisted to Santa Clara University

In 2022, Santa Clara University waitlisted 4,849 students and 2,951 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 138 eventually received an admissions offer.

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

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are are most important in the admissions process. When assembling 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 prioritize the admissions factors where you shine.

Admissions Factors at Santa Clara University

What does Santa Clara University consider 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
Academic GPA	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Important
Class Rank	Important
Extracurricular Activities	Important
First Generation	Important
Racial/Ethnic Status	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
Talent/Ability	Important
Volunteer Work	Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
Religious Affiliation/Commitment	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	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)
Interview
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)
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, 15% submitted a class rank. At Santa Clara University 35% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 72% were in the top 25% and 93% 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	5%
3.75 and 3.99	9%
3.50 and 3.74	13%
3.25 and 3.49	13%
3.00 and 3.24	17%
2.50 and 2.9	26%
2.00 and 2.49	12%

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 highlights 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 considers standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

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

In 2022, 23% of Santa Clara University's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 16% 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 1340 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 1340, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Santa Clara University student is 1400.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Santa Clara University students scored 770 or higher and 75% of students scored 650 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 650 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for Santa Clara University?

To be most competitive at Santa Clara University, you should strive to earn between 30 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 30 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Santa Clara University students. Only one out of every four students scored below 30.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

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

• Winter 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 and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

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

❌ No, Santa Clara University is test optional, so you can decide whether or not to include your test scores. If you have higher than average scores, you should strongly consider submitting them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you may want not want to include them in your application.

What is Santa Clara University's acceptance rate?

✅ Santa Clara University has an acceptance rate of 54%.

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

✅ Santa Clara University's early decision acceptance rate was 84% in 2021.

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

✅ The early action acceptance rate at Santa Clara University was 83% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Santa Clara University?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

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