Admitted Student Family Resources

• As our region makes steady progress in suppressing the virus, we are pleased to announce our intent to fully return to campus with on-campus residential housing, campus activities and in-person classes for our undergraduate students.
• The university has created Prepared SCU specifically for COVID-19 resources and updates. We encourage you to refer to this information as it is the most up-to-date statement of our campus plans and policies. While there is much work to be done in the coming months, we turn to our core guiding principles that have consistently anchored our decision-making since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) protect the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff, and (2) offer a rigorous, transformational education in the long tradition of Jesuit education. In addition, we will work to accommodate any students whose health or immigration status does not allow them to return to our campuses in the fall.
• Professor Kat Saxton, Associate Professor (Biology Department and Public Health Program), epidemiologist and public health expert at Santa Clara University, answers COVID-19 related questions every Friday. Watch all the episodes here.
• We are grateful and appreciative of all students who are taking a proactive approach to keeping our campus safe, including by spreading the word through a #StaySafeSCU Instagram campaign.

• Admitted first-year and transfer students can connect to the SCU community through Bronco Exchange! In this easy-to-use platform, students can chat, call, or video with more than 150 current students, alumni, staff, and faculty. Students should check their email for an invitation or sign up online. 
• Admitted student events will be hosted on Bronco Exchange through Zoom. There will be several events per week offered, and the calendar of events will be continuously updated.
• Other Admitted student events and opportunites to engage with current students, staff, and faculty can be found on our admitted website page. 

• At SCU, we have multiple levels of athletics for our students to take part in and cheer for. We have 20 Division I sports, 17 club sports, and intramurals every quarter. 
• Students can pay $100 (one time fee) to join the Ruff Riders, the largest student organization on campus and our student booster club. Ruff Riders get a t-shirt every year, access to the student cheering section, and are eligible for other prizes and unique opportunities. 
• The Stephen C. and Patricia A. Schott Athletic Excellence Center, opened in fall 2020, is a new, 50,000 square foot, two-story center for SCU’s Division I student-athletes to work out, train, practice, eat, and study together. It also provides additional facility options for events and for all students participating in club and intramural sports.

• The Bursar’s Office is responsible for managing the billing process and providing payment options for all student charges and fees. More information about tuition, room, and board costs and payment options can be found on the Bursar’s Office website: scu.edu/bursar. 
• Billing statements will be available to view on the student’s eCampus portal beginning August 1, for fall term. Due dates are as follows: August 21 (fall); December 21 (winter); March 21 (spring).
• For Bursar-related questions, please contact the One Stop Office by phone M-F 9:00am - 4:00pm at 408-551-1000 or via email at onestop@scu.edu. 

• Please check out our Career Center page to see the multitude of resources available to students (and alumni) as they navigate career prep and enter the job market. We offer a variety of ways for students to explore and connect, including (but not limited to) LinkedIn Live, industry meet & greets, career & graduate school fairs, and workshops.
• 86% of Broncos looking for full-time work were employed within 6 months of graduating!
• Students are encouraged to seek internship opportunities during their undergraduate careers; in fact, more than 80% of Broncos will have had at least 1 paid internship before graduating! Check out the Jobs & Internships page to see examples of internships (on-campus, off-campus, and even outside the Bay Area) and learn more about our online tool Handshake that allows students to apply for these opportunities. 

• Credit evaluation is done by the Office of the Registrar for enrolled SCU students. If you are an entering first-year or transfer student, the Office of the Registrar will review your official transcripts submitted during your application process over the summer and will reach out to you before the beginning of your first quarter. 
• Please check out the Undergraduate Bulletin, specifically the Chapter 8 section “Academic Credit Evaluation”, to see our policy on evaluating and offering credit for AP, IB, and University of Cambridge International Advanced (A) Level exams. For more information on courses taken at another institution, please see the Chapter 7 section “Admission of Transfer Students” and see the subsection “Transfer Credit.” 
• To see community college classes that are typically accepted for credit, check out Assist.org and look at UC-transferable courses. If your courses were taken at a community college outside of California, please search a similar course at a CA community college to see if it is likely to be accepted for credit.
• Where do I send my transcript to receive course credit?
  • For First Year Students: Please email an official transcript to Registrar@scu.edu or mail an official transcript from the institution to our office at
    Santa Clara University
    Office of the Registrar
    Attn: Transcript Analyst
    500 El Camino Real
    Santa Clara, CA 95053
  • We will send you an email confirmation once we receive and post the credit to your eCampus account. You will receive transfer credit as long as you passed the courses with a grade of C or better. Units only transfer, grades do not.
  • For Transfer Students: Please send your final official transcript to appstatus@scu.edu. You can send a follow up email to Registrar@scu.edu to notify the transcript analyst that Undergraduate Admission has your transcript.

• Check out the University Core Curriculum to see how SCU offers all students a liberal arts-based education. Students studying in the Leavey School of Business have additional core requirements. Students studying in the School of Engineering have a few adjustments to the core requirements, as well as some suggested classes to take that will “double dip,” or satisfy multiple requirements. 
• Check out a complete outline of the Academic Programs offered at SCU across all three schools. Please note it is possible for students to double major, but they cannot select two different majors within the School of Business or the School of Engineering. The second major needs to be in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students can minor in any of the three schools, no matter their primary major/school. 
• A full-time student must take at least 12 units per quarter (which is usually 3 classes), but students at Santa Clara tend to take 4 classes per quarter. 

• Our Dining Services ensures students at SCU eat well across our campus and especially at our main dining facility, Benson. Students are able to meet their dietary needs with a variety of daily options. They can even search the menus based on their dietary restrictions online!
• Dining plans at SCU operate on a points system (as opposed to a swipe system common at many universities). Students have a few options to choose from, as well as the opportunity to add more points if they run out. We have two options: Basic and Preferred. We suggest all incoming first year students start with the Basic meal plan; if a student runs out of the basic plan they can always add more points but if a student has remaining points, only 100 rollover to the next quarter and do not rollover from year to year.

• Check out the Office for Diversity and Inclusion for information about trainings and workshops offered for students, faculty, and staff on campus. You can also learn more about our hiring practices. 
• Check out the Office for Multicultural Learning for information about our many identity-based student groups on campus, as well as our Multicultural Center space where these student groups meet. 
• Every year, SCU hosts an event called Unity Night for invited admitted BIPOC students to celebrate the diverse cultures and backgrounds represented by our student body. More details will be released in mid-March.

• SCU’s Office of Financial Aid manages student financial aid packages. The Office of Financial Aid also offers resources and information about tuition and fees, expected family contributions, and loan counseling. 
• To qualify for need-based aid, all students should submit the FAFSA, and first-year students only should also submit the CSS Profile. 
• The total cost of attendance can be found online here.
• All first-year students that apply to SCU are automatically considered for our merit-based scholarships. Please be aware that these scholarships are typically awarded to the top 10-15% of the admitted class. 
• Families that need to submit an appeal for financial aid for the 2022-2023 school year must complete this form and email it to the financial aid email, onestop@scu.edu. 

• The SCU LEAD Scholars Program is for first-generation students. LEAD scholars, both first-year and transfer, complete LEAD Week before school begins in the Fall to learn the lay of the land at SCU and begin to build relationships before classes officially start. LEAD scholars have access to a multitude of resources and events, as well as some scholarship and funding opportunities. 

• SCU hosts a number of graduate programs both on-campus and online in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Leavey School of Business, the School of Engineering, the School of Education and Counseling Psychology, the School of Law, and the Jesuit School of Theology. 
• SCU offers some unique 4+1 Program (Leave School of Business) and BS/MS Program (School of Engineering) opportunities that allow students to graduate in 5 years with both their B.S. and their M.S. Please note, students apply for these programs in their third year and the admission process is handled by the department, not the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
• 92% of students who applied for full-time graduate study were admitted to at least one graduate program.

• Our Health and Counseling Services are housed by the Cowell Center where students can seek a full range of medical and psychological services. Undergraduate students are required to have health insurance. They will be automatically enrolled in the SCU health insurance program unless a waiver is submitted. 
• All students receive ten free sessions with CAPS, the Counseling and Psychology Services.
• SCU has a hard-working Campus Safety team that operates 24 hours a day and are the first responders to medical, fire, and other emergencies. Our campus also has emergency call boxes that link directly to the Campus Safety dispatch.
• SCU has a Campus Safety team that operates 24 hours a day and are the first responders to medical, fire, and other emergencies. SCU will be transitioning the Department of Campus Safety Services to the Division of Student Life to shift to a model that prioritizes trust, student development, and care for the entire community. 
• The Santa Clara City Police Department and Fire Department are located directly across the street from the campus entrance. Our campus also has emergency call boxes that link directly to the Campus Safety dispatch.

• The Honors Program at SCU is open to students of all undergraduate fields. While some students are invited to join the program (top merit scholarship awardees), all students can apply for the Honors Program either before their first year or during their first year. The application opened on February 10 and can be found here.

• Students are required to live on campus their first two years. Santa Clara Housing offers nine RLCs, or Residential Learning Communities, that are themed. Once students deposit at SCU, they will also make a housing deposit and apply for housing by ranking residence halls on campus. All students, even those who commute from home, are assigned to an RLC and will take their Critical Thinking and Writing and Cultures & Ideas courses with students in their community during their first year at Santa Clara. 
• For local students interested in living at home and commuting to campus, there is a residency requirement exemption policy. Please read the policy to see if you qualify for an exemption and complete the application, if interested. 
• The Housing application opened on January 6 via eCampus. There is no advantage to submitting early as it is a lottery system. All students who submit by May 1 will receive priority consideration. See here for the Housing application process.
• About 50% of our students choose to request a roommate and about 50% choose to be given a random roommate. Students wanting to room together must list each other on their housing application by May 1. Students may choose to live with someone they know from home who is also attending SCU or meet someone new. Students wanting to pursue the random roommate assigned will fill out a survey and be matched with a compatible student.
• You'll learn your RLC placement, specific room assignment, and move-in information in mid-August.
• You can contact Housing directly at housing@scu.edu. 

• SCU Presents offers many fine arts performances on campus. Students can purchase a 4-year SCU Student Membership Bronco Arts Card for access to performances throughout their four years. 
• SCU offers majors and minors in Music and Theatre and Dance. Students do not have to be majors in these departments to audition for on-campus performances. 
• If you have been accepted to Santa Clara University and plan to major in Music, you may audition (remotely) for a scholarship. Interested applicants should contact the music department at (408) 554-4428 or fill out this form. You will then be asked to submit a short video of yourself playing for two to three different pieces.

• The Office of Accessible Education (OAE) ensures access for all students with disabilities to all academic programs and University resources. A student should reach out to this office with documentation if any classroom accommodations are needed. 
• You can contact them directly at oae@scu.edu.

• The One Stop Enrollment Services Center can assist families with any Bursar (billing), Financial Aid and Registration-related questions.
• Please contact the One Stop by phone M-F 9:00am - 4:00pm at 408-551-1000 or via email at onestop@scu.edu. Answers to many of your questions can be found on our website scu.edu/onestop.

• Orientation offers newly committed Broncos the opportunity to engage with each other virtually over the summer and learn more about the community they will enter in the fall.
• Virtual engagement for Orientation will use a mix of platforms including Bronco Exchange, Camino, Comevo, and Zoom.
• If you have orientation-specific questions, please reach out to orientation@scu.edu. 

• Daily guest parking is available in multiple places on campus for $8. Students seeking a parking permit should check out SCU’s Parking & Transportation Services for application process and fees. Please note, unless otherwise approved first-year students cannot have a car on campus. 
• SCU links students to a number of transportation opportunities which can be found here. We have a CalTrain/VTA station across the street which includes access to the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (only 15 minutes away). 
• SCU offers Zipcar participation for students, staff, and faculty as a way to sustainably offer more access to getting around. 

• The Pre-Health Program offers advising for students interested in pursuing an advanced degree in a medical field. While most students who seek pre-health advising plan to apply for MD degrees, Dr. Fedder helps students looking to pursue a variety of graduate degrees upon graduation from SCU.
• The Pre-Law Program is for students interested in applying to law school. Consultation with a pre-law advisor familiarizes the student with the rigors of law school, the practice of law, the burden of law school debt, and the means to best secure employment as an attorney.
• The Pre-Teaching Program offers advising for students interested in careers in teaching. Students who would like to teach TK-8 are strongly encouraged to select from majors such as Psychology, Child Studies, or Sociology within the College of Arts and Sciences, though any undergraduate major is acceptable. Students interested in a career in middle school or high school teaching should fulfill the requirements of the academic major of their intended teaching specialization (e.g., mathematics, English, Spanish studies, science, history, art, etc.). 

• Santa Clara students have the opportunity to pursue graduate-level research right away, gaining valuable experience and deeper understanding within their field of interest. Professors in each department across campus conduct their own professional research and are always looking for help from students. Some research opportunities may be posted as job opportunities on campus, but students are welcome to reach out to their professors to ask about opportunities as well. 
• The De Novo Fellowship helps students from underrepresented groups to attend industry conferences and conduct research in STEM. 
• The ALZA Corporation Scholarship provides support to students in the sciences who are interested in broadening their research experience with faculty mentors.
• The Beckman Scholars Program helps stimulate, encourage and support research activities by exceptionally talented, full-time undergraduate students who have the potential to be outstanding leaders of the next generation of researchers. The research activities are centered at the interface of chemistry, biology, and the medical sciences with an application to a global and/or medical health need. 
• The Gerald and Sally DeNardo Science Scholars program supports the undergraduate research experience of outstanding science students with Santa Clara University faculty mentors.
• The REAL Program awards up to $5,000 to College of Arts & Sciences students participating in meaningful summer internships, creative projects, or conducting research under the mentorship of a CAS professor or external supervisor.
• The School of Engineering houses many state-of-the-art interdisciplinary laboratories for hands-on research opportunities, including the BioInnovation and Design Lab, Center for Nanostructures, Engineering Computing Center, Frugal Innovation Hub, Latimer Energy Lab, Maker Lab, Robotics Systems Lab, and TENT Laboratory.

• The Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation is the new 270,000 square foot STEM complex at SCU, scheduled that opened in Fall 2021. It includes classrooms, labs, research, study and office space for the School of Engineering and the College of Arts and Science, bringing together multiple departments to create a collaborative learning environment where students and faculty alike can benefit from the expertise of their peers. 
•  Check out the livestream views of construction and learn more on the SCU STEM website.

• All students who have applied to SCU have an admission portal that should be accessed to view decision updates, checklists, upcoming admitted student events and make the enrollment deposit. If you have trouble accessing this portal, please email admission@scu.edu. 

Admitted students also have access to an eCampus portal where they can view their financial aid information and apply for housing. If you have trouble accessing this portal, please contact admission@scu.edu.

• The Drahmann Center offers academic advising, free tutoring, and workshops for all students. They will lead all new students through Advising and Registration sessions during the summer.
• All students will receive a faculty member for advising that is in their declared major. Undeclared students will also receive a faculty member and be encouraged to meet with them and the Drahmann Center advisors to ultimately find the major that suits them best. As Theatre Arts professor Aldo Billingslea says, “In advising an undeclared major, I always ask students to check in with the classes that they find most engaging and ask them to try to distinguish the difference between an engaging professor and a subject that they would find engaging even if they didn’t have a great professor. The Jesuits say that everyone has a calling and that your calling is when your greatest gifts meet the world’s greatest needs. So I ask them to listen to their heart and to listen to the world to find that point of intersection.”
• The Office of Student Life responds to welfare needs and conduct issues of students on campus. 
• The Center for Student Involvement offers students opportunities to get involved on campus and gain valuable leadership experience. Learn more about all the student organizations available at Santa Clara here!

• Check out the study abroad website to learn more about the programs offered at SCU. About 25% of students at SCU study abroad. Most students who choose to study abroad will do so in the fall of their junior year. Students of all majors are able to study abroad. Financial aid will also apply to study abroad programs during the academic year.
• Immersion trips, offered through the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, are another great opportunity for students to gain global experience during winter, spring, and summer breaks.

• Please note that you may not change your academic division until after your first year, and each school/college has its own internal transfer process. Internal Business Transfer Process and Internal Engineering Process.
• Santa Clara University accepts Gap Year applications from deposited incoming students. Students interested in taking a gap year should first reach out to their admission counselor. A $500 non-refundable enrollment deposit is required along with the Gap Year application. In regards to financial aid, only the Dean’s Scholarship will remain; students will need to resubmit the FAFSA and CSS the following year. You can find our Gap Year policy, application, and deadlines here.