| Location: | Mid-Atlantic |
| Setting: | Large City Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | Roman Catholic |
| Size: | Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Cardinals |
The Catholic University of America (CUA), located in Northeast Washington, D.C., is the national university of the Roman Catholic Church and the only higher education institution founded by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops. Established in 1887 following approval by Pope Leo XIII as a graduate and research center, the university began offering undergraduate education in 1904.
CUA's programs emphasize the liberal arts, professional education, and personal development. Besides academics, the school always stays closely connected with the Catholic Church and Catholic organizations. The American Cardinals Dinner is put on by the residential U.S. Cardinals each year to raise scholarship funds for CUA. The university also has a long history of working with the Knights of Columbus, and the university's law school and the university's basilica have dedications to the involvement and support of the Knights of Columbus.
The university's campus lies within the Brookland neighborhood, known as "Little Rome", that contains 60 Catholic institutions, such as the academic institutions of Dominican House of Studies and Trinity Washington University.
The university has been visited twice by reigning Popes. Pope John Paul II visited on October 7, 1979. On November 12, 2007, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI would visit the campus on his visit to the United States in 2008. On April 17, 2008, the Pope came to campus after saying Mass in the Washington Nationals stadium and addressed representatives of Catholic education gathered in the Pryzbyla Center from throughout the country. The Pope used the opportunity to revisit the topic of Catholic education and academic freedom, which the university had been involved with years earlier.
The proposal to create a national Catholic university in America reflected the rising size and influence of the nation’s Catholic population and also an ambitious vision of the Church’s role in American life during the 19th century.
|
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
|
Men vs. Women
|
||||
|
Race/Ethnicity
|
|
In State vs. Out-of-State
|
Top States for Incoming Freshman
|
| Percent of Students International: | 5% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 42% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Old Dominion Athletic Conference) Basketball (Capital Athletic Conference) Baseball (Capital Athletic Conference) Track (Capital Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 24,800 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 1,200 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,368 | 11% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 993 | 2% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 9,594 | 95% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,873 | 65% | |
Any Aid: |
98% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 82% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 96% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 520, Math: 510 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 640, Math: 620 |
| Application Fee: | $ 55.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Recommended |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
