News

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 22, 2025—A joyful Welcome Weekend marked the arrival to Santa Clara University of its largest number of first-year students and largest cohort of transfer students joining the private, Jesuit, Catholic university. 

The Class of 2029 comprises 1,644 Broncos from 40 states and 32 countries or regions across the world. Also, reflecting an emphasis by the University to attract students from community colleges and other institutions, an additional  253 students are joining SCU as transfers from over 185 institutions including 61 California community colleges.

“Santa Clara University and the values it represents continue to be a strong draw for students of all backgrounds who want to use their gifts and talents to make a difference in the world,” said Eva Blanco Masias, vice president for enrollment management. “We are so proud of the students we welcomed this past weekend,  who bring stellar academic accomplishments, and a collaborative and purpose-driven spirit that is the hallmark of our Bronco community. ”

From Strong Interest to Strong Representation

The strength of the new students emerged from the largest application pool in the University’s history.  For the first time, the university exceeded 20,000 first-year applications—a 6% increase over last year.  The University also received a record-breaking 1,200 applications from transfer students. 

Santa Clara’s incoming first-year students boast an average unweighted GPA of 3.72 along with a rigorous high school curriculum. These students are also accomplished members of their high schools and local communities—with many holding leadership positions, conducting research, completing internships, excelling in sports, and more. 

Other facets of the incoming first-year students: 

• First-generation college students: a record 20% of the class, up from 18% last year
• International students: 7%, no change from last year
• Graduates of Jesuit high schools: 9%, up from 8% last year
• Incoming Posse scholars: 10 
• Cal-Grant-eligible, 16%, up 10% from last year
• Cristo Rey graduates: 33 students, up 9% from last year

Transfers by the Numbers

Santa Clara’s growing number of incoming transfer students continue to bring diverse perspectives that add richness to the Santa Clara community. 

• Thirty-five percent of incoming transfer students are the first in their families to attend college—up from 18% last year. 
• Seventeen percent are Cal Grant-eligible 
• Thirty-one percent are Pell Grant-eligible

Santa Clara continues to support pathways from California community colleges with transfer admission agreements (TAAs) and the pilot of a first-ever direct admission program. 

A growing effort to meet full demonstrated financial need

Ensuring that a Santa Clara education is within reach to as many students as possible remains a central pillar of Santa Clara’s mission. To accomplish this goal, Santa Clara launched two new financial commitments this year: the California Promise and the Cristo Rey Promise. 

These initiatives ensure that the University is able to meet full demonstrated financial need for incoming Cal Grant-eligible first-year students as well as incoming graduates of Cristo Rey Network high schools—both of which increased in representation at Santa Clara this year. Thirty-three students are attending from Cristo Rey Network Schools across the country—a 10% increase from last year. And 16% of all incoming first-year students are Cal Grant-eligible, up from 15% last year.  

Such initiatives are consistent with a priority goal in Santa Clara’s strategic plan, Impact 2030, to ensure that a Santa Clara education is within reach of all students, and to proactively and creatively reach prospective students from demographically shifting student populations. 

About Santa Clara University
Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valley—the world’s most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The University’s stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News & World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education.  For more information, see www.scu.edu.

Media Contact
Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Communications | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121