Founded in 1920, the University of St. Francis is a Catholic, Franciscan university offering more than 60 undergraduate academic areas of study, three bachelor's degree completion programs and 10 graduate programs to approximately 4,500 students each year at the Joliet campus and more than 85 locations nationwide. Many flexible scheduling and class delivery options are offered to students, including onsite and online classes and programs, and faculty-directed study.
USF offers a rich tradition, with an 80-year history of excellence in quality higher education.
The University of St. Francis is a Catholic, Franciscan institution, serving more than 4,300 students at locations throughout the nation. USF's main campus is located at 500 Wilcox Street in Joliet, Illinois. It is located about 35 miles southwest of Chicago in a residential neighborhood and serves 1,300 students.
USF is named for St. Francis of Assisi. The university was established in 1920 by the Congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate for the education of its own members. In 1925, under the title Assisi Junior College, its doors opened to women outside the congregation. With the beginning of the fall term of 1930, a senior college curriculum was established and a new name, the College of St. Francis was adopted. In 1971, during an aborted merger with nearby Lewis University, the college became co-educational, and the first off-campus degree programs were begun in the fall of 1972.
The University of St. Francis quickly became a leader in adult education. In 1972, the then college initiated a program for registered nurses to complete the bachelor's degree. Under the direction of Dr. Arnie Good, the program soon expanded to several Midwestern states. By 1985, the program enrolled almost 2,500 students at over 100 locations in 19 states. In 1997, the university launched its first online Internet course. Piloted by Dr. Michael LaRocco, this MBA course soon expanded to include all courses as the MBA program became completely available online.
In 1972, shortly after becoming coeducational, the college inaugurated collegiate sports. Coach Elmer Bell established a soon to be successful men's basketball program as well as a cross country team. In the fall 1976, the college landed a nationally recognized coach in the person of Gordon Gillespie. Gillespie brought with him an up and coming basketball coach named Patrick Sullivan. These two men expanded the number of collegiate sports and established the first women's programs in volleyball, basketball and softball, all under the auspices of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). USF soon became a national powerhouse eventually winning a national baseball title in 1993 under Gillespie, one of America's most successful coaches.
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| Percent of Students International: | 0% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 14% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NAIA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Other) Basketball (Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conf) Baseball (Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conf) Track (Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conf) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 18,530 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 18,170 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 360 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 4,136 | 18% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 4,227 | 42% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 8,233 | 100% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 3,349 | 68% | |
Any Aid: |
100% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 57% (Highly Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 100% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 18, Verbal: 19, Math: 18 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 24, Verbal: 24, Math: 25 |
| Application Fee: | $ 30.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Not Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
