Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University grew up around the eighth of California's Spanish missions. Its campus still centers on the mission church. Founded in 1851, it describes itself as California's oldest operating university. It is a private Jesuit Catholic school with about 6,700 undergraduates and 3,100 graduate students. For Palo Alto families it is the closest university after Stanford. For residents it offers a free museum, performances and a lifelong learning program.

This guide covers location, history, programs, costs, visits and public events. Figures come from the university's pages and its 2026 to 2027 tuition schedule as read in early November 2026. Check the Santa Clara University website before you visit.

Location and getting there

The main entrance is at 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053. From downtown Palo Alto the campus is about 17 miles by road, or 14 miles in a straight line. Outside rush hour the drive takes 25 to 35 minutes. From US 101, the university's directions say to take the De La Cruz Boulevard exit, follow it toward El Camino Real, turn right on Lafayette Street and right again on El Camino Real. The entrance is on the right.

Caltrain is the easiest car-free option. The Santa Clara station sits beside the east side of campus, a few stops south of Palo Alto. Our Caltrain guide explains zones and fares. If you are flying in, San Jose Mineta International Airport is about 5 miles away. Our SJC guide covers the trip to Palo Alto.

History

The campus sits on the site of Mission Santa Clara de Asís, founded in 1777. The Jesuits opened Santa Clara College there in 1851, the year after California became a state. The mission settled on its current site in 1822. The church that stands today was rebuilt after a 1926 fire and consecrated in 1929. It is still an active Catholic church and welcomes visitors outside services. Our Mission Santa Clara guide covers its history and the gardens around it.

Today the university has undergraduate colleges and schools plus graduate schools of law, business, engineering, education and counseling psychology, pastoral ministries and the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. The campus covers 106 acres. Its athletic teams, the Broncos, play in the West Coast Conference at the NCAA Division I level. The school colors are red and white.

Programs

Undergraduates earn the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Science in Commerce, across more than 50 majors, minors and programs. The academic year runs on quarters, while the law school uses semesters.

Graduate degrees, as the university lists them:

• Law: J.D. and LL.M.
• Business: MBA, executive MBA, M.S. and MSIS
• Engineering: M.S. and Ph.D.
• Counseling psychology and education: M.A.
• Pastoral ministries: M.A.
• Jesuit School of Theology: M.A., M.Div. and Ph.D.

The university also runs online programs and centers that hold public events, such as the Ethics at Noon series and the Bannan Institute. Faculty in fall 2025 numbered 700 full time and 380 part time.

Living alumni number more than 113,000, according to the university, many of them working in Silicon Valley companies within a few miles of campus. The university describes its mission as blending Silicon Valley innovation with a social conscience grounded in the Jesuit tradition. For Palo Alto readers interested in that history, our Silicon Valley history page traces how the region's tech industry grew.

Admission and tuition for 2026 to 2027

Undergraduate admission is selective and handled through the admission office, with applications for first-year, transfer and international students. Graduate schools admit separately. Santa Clara's 2026 to 2027 tuition schedule lists these undergraduate rates:

Dining plans are charged separately. For comparison, the university's At a Glance page put 2025 to 2026 tuition and fees at $62,760. Financial aid changes the real price for most families, so use the university's net price tools before you compare schools.

Classes and programs open to residents

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at SCU, known as OLLI, offers noncredit courses, talks, trips and shared interest groups for adults. You must be a current member to register for any class or event. Membership is nonrefundable. The membership year runs from August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027. Fall 2026 courses run from September 21 to December 15. The institute posts parking instructions for members along with its catalog.

For comparable programs closer to home, see our guides to Stanford Continuing Studies and the Palo Alto Adult School.

Mass and lectures

Daily Mass is celebrated at the mission church on a published schedule. Lectures from the Ethics at Noon series and the Bannan Institute are often open to the public. Check the university's events calendar for dates and registration.

The de Saisset Museum and performances

The de Saisset Museum sits next to the mission church. The university calls it the only free museum of art and history in the South Bay. Its collections cover California art and history, including material from the mission era. Exhibitions rotate and often involve students.

• Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.; closed Monday.
• Admission: free.
• Tours: docent tours can be arranged through the museum.

SCU Presents runs the university's dance, music and theater season. Many performances are open to the public with tickets. Our art museums guide places the de Saisset alongside Stanford's museums and the San José Museum of Art.

Campus tours

Campus visits are booked through the admission office's online portal. A visit opens with a presentation from an admission counselor, followed by a campus walk led by a student ambassador. The Leavey School of Business offers tours of Lucas Hall and the School of Engineering runs tours led by engineering students. Group tours and a virtual tour are also available. When our college visit plan was written, the admission page noted a December pause with tours resuming in early January, so check dates for winter trips. Our college visit plan pairs SCU with Stanford and Foothill in two days.

Parking

The university's visitor parking rules are simple and free:

1. Permits are required on campus Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2. Visitors get a free two-hour permit, valid from the time it is issued.
3. Only one visitor permit is allowed per 24 hours.
4. Park only in designated visitor and F spaces. Options include the Guadalupe and Leavey F lots, the Main Parking Structure visitor spaces, the Performing Arts Annex F lot and the University Villas visitor spaces.

Current students and employees cannot use visitor permits. For longer visits or events, check the event parking page.

Frequently asked questions