Sacred Heart University is an independent school in Fairfield, Connecticut which was founded in 1963. The university campus spans across six colleges and three schools, catering to 9,785 students belonging to 40+ diverse nationalities. This includes 6,071 undergraduates and 3,024 graduate students, all enrolled in 80+ full-time Sacred Heart University programs. Popular areas of study at SHU are Finance, Marketing, Psychology, and Nursing. The student to faculty ratio of SHU is 14:1 with an average class size of 21. 

Sacred Heart University admissions are selective with an acceptance rate of 66%. The minimum admission requirements for incoming students is 2.75 GPA. However, the average GPA of entering class is recorded to 3.58 on 4.0 scale. Admission documents like recommendation letters and personal essays are equally significant for SHU’s holistic selection process. 

The tuition fees charged by Sacred Heard University is moderately high for international students. The average tuition fees for SHU degree courses is 25,500 USD/year. The fees for MBA program is quite high, around 40,000 USD/year. For financial assistance, the university awarded merit scholarships. The award value ranges from 6,000 USD to 18,000 USD.

Sacred Heart University Rankings

Rankings of Sacred Heart University according to top educational agencies are as follows - 

  • #202 in National Universities (tie) by US News and World Report 2022
  • #297 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (tie) by US News and World Report 2022
  • #401-500th in US College Rankings Times Higher Education 2022

Sacred Heart University Courses

Sacred Heart University offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs in 80+ study areas. The Sacred Heart University programs are administered through six colleges and three schools. Along with the degree courses, the university also offers ccelerated bachelor's - master’s degree programs in several disciplines.

Popular majors at SHU are Nursing, Exercise Science, Psychology, Marketing, and Management. Some of the top programs at Sacred Heart University are as follows:

Programs at Sacred Heart University includes around 60 study abroad programs, in over 30 countries around the world. These courses includes clinical services hours, service learning hours and capstone projects in locations like Guatemala and India. Students also get the opportunity to study abroad at SHU International campus in Dingle, Ireland. 

Sacred Heart University Campus

The main campus of Sacred Heart University is located in the suburban setting of Fairfield, Connecticut and 55 miles northeast of New York City. In addition to this, the university has 5 satellite campuses in Connecticut- Frank & Marisa Martire Center for the Liberal Arts, West Campus, Center for Healthcare Education, Griswold, and Tandet Center. There is an international campus aswell in Dingle, Ireland.

  • There are also more than 60 student-run clubs and societies on campus which are open to all undergraduate students at sacred heart university. This includes Honor Societies, Academic clubs, Student clubs and governments. Explore: Sacred Heart campus gallery!!!
  • The William H. Pitt Health and Recreation Center is a 141,000-square-foot complex with four basketball courts that can seat 2,100 people. Apart from that, the center has an enclosed aerobics studio and state-of-the-art fitness equipment.

Sacred Heart University Accommodation

All undergraduate students at Sacred Heart University are required to live on-campus during the first and second academic year. While there are no accommodation options for PG students, UG students have wide range of housing facilities available. The university offers six resident halls for undergraduate freshmen students. These are as follows - 

  • Elizabeth Ann Seton Hall
  • Thomas Merton Hall
  • Angelo Roncalli Hall
  • Jorge Bergoglio Hall
  • Toussaint Hall
  • Mother Teresa Hall

On-campus housing at Sacred Heart University cost around 11,730 USD and meal plans cost 5,790 USD. Double and triple-occupancy rooms are available for undergraduate freshmen students whereas sophomore students live in apartments or suite-style rooms. Students in their junior and senior year can opt for university provided housing located away from campus.Check: Student housing in USA

Sacred Heart University Admission Process

Sacred Heart University welcomes applications from international students for the fall and spring semesters. The admission process for graduate and undergraduate programs at Sacred Heart University has been explained in detail below:

Application Portal: Common application/ SHU International portal (UG) | Sacred Heart Online Application (PG)
Application Fee: 50 USD (Common App) | 75 USD (PG)
Undergraduate Admission requirements:

  • Completed online application form
  • High School transcripts
  • Course by Course evaluation
  • 1 Letter of Recommendation
  • SAT or ACT scores (optional)
  • Personal Statement
  • TOEFL-iBT score of 80+
  • Passport photo page copy
  • Official bank statement with a minimum balance of 60,800 USD

Graduate Admission Requirements:

  • Completed online application form
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college
  • Minimum Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or more (on a scale of 4.0)
  • English language proficiency score report 
    • TOEFL iBT score 80+
    • IELTS 6.5
  • Course-by-course academic credential report (WES, ECE, FIS)
  • GRE or GMAT score report
  • 1 letter of recommendation
  • Copy of passport photo page
  • Statement of purpose for USA

Sacred Heart University Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance for Sacred Heart University includes tuition fees and cost of living in the USA. The tuition fee depends on the choice of program and level of study. The table below provides cost of attendance for undergraduate programs for 2022-23 academic year at Sacred Heart University - 

Expense  Costs (in USD)
Tuition & Mandatory Fees (Full-Time Undergraduate) 46,580
On-Campus Housing 11,730
Big Red Meal Plan (required for all first-year residential students) 5,790
Health Insurance  2,599
Books and supplies 1,200 to 1,400
Transportation and Miscellaneous 1,400 to 2,000

The table below provides a list of 2022-23 tuition fees for graduate programs offered by different colleges at Sacred Heart University -

College Name Tuition Fees
Jack Welch College of Business and Technology 22,230 USD/semester (MBA)
960 USD - 1,250 USD/ per credit (Master of Science programs)
11,300 USD/trimester (Doctor of Business Administration)
College of Arts and Sciences 700 USD - 1,050 USD/ per credit
Isabelle Farrington College of Education and Human Development 650 USD - 900 USD/ per credit
David & Henley College of Nursing 950 USD - 1,015 USD/ per credit 

College of Health Professions
4,000 USD - 19,750 USD/per semester (flat-rate semester programs)
670 USD - 1,050 USD/per credit (per-credit programs)

Sacred Heart University Scholarships

All new students are considered for merit-based academic scholarships at Sacred Heart University. The merit-based aid is awarded by the Scholarship Review Committee based on high school transcripts and class rank. 

The award value of merit scholarships ranges from 6,000 USD to 18,000 USD. The scholarships are renewable for 4 years of undergraduate program if students maintain the required GPA. It should also be noted that scholarships are limited and offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. The merit-based aid offered by Sacred Heart University are as follows:

  • President’s Excellence Award
  • Trustee scholarship
  • College scholarship
  • Conley award

Explore: Education loans in USA

Work-Study Opportunities

Students are offered part-time employment in the form of a work-study program. According to the university regulations students are allowed to work for 15 hours per week. The hourly pay rate is 11 USD in Connecticut. Explore: Part-time Jobs in the USA!

Sacred Heart University Alumni

Sacred Heart University alumni network has more than 44,000 members across 58 countries. Members are eligible to avail of the following alumni benefits:

  • Lifetime email account
  • No application fee for graduate programs
  • Pioneer pride program
  • On-campus resources (transcripts, etc.)

A Few notable alumni of the University include

  • Pope Francis - Head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State
  • Kevin Nealon - American Comedian
  • Lydia Hearst - Model
  • Jeff LeBlanc - American singer-songwriter

Sacred Heart University Placements

Over the past 3 years, Sacred Heart University has maintained an average overall graduate career outcome rate of 99%. Around 60.7% of students from the class of 2020 were employed full-time and 37% of students continued with their education. The average starting salary offered to Sacred Heart University graduates is 55,194 USD.

Top employers that hired graduates of Sacred Heart University include Amazon, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Habitat for Humanity, HubSpot, IBM and KPMG. Check: Jobs in USA for International Students

The Center for Career & Professional Development at Sacred Heart University assists students with career planning through an array of services and resources. This includes workshops on job search skills development, career panel discussions and networking events (job fairs), internship search, resume and cover letter writing, and planning for and research graduate school options.

Sacred Heart University hosts a career fair named ‘Connect to Careers-The Advanced Technology Pipeline to Employment. The School has also partnered with the non-profit organization Connecticut Center of Advanced Technology to help foster connections with various businesses. In addition to this, the University posts online job postings via Handshake, SHU online job bank, and job search management for graduates and alumni.

At Sacred Heart University, students get the opportunity to study undergraduate and graduate courses that are nationally accredited and ranked. With a 14:1 student-teacher ratio, students are able to receive personal attention in classrooms and gain a better understanding. The university also offers hands-on learning through state-of-the-art technology on-campus, and internship opportunities. In addition, the beautiful campus and engaging activities like intramurals, and performing arts programs make its an exciting place for study.

FAQs

Ques. How to apply for Undergraduate International Admissions at Sacred Heart University?

Ans. Students can apply through SHU International Application or the Common App. The application fee for the former is waived and the latter is USD 50.

Ques. How to request accommodations?

Ans. Students can complete an accommodation intake form via their secure portal with a SHU username and password.

Ques. What are the English language requirements for Graduate Admissions?

Ans. English Language Proficiency exam scores are necessary for non-native English speakers. Students can submit TOEFL 80+, IELTS 6.5, and Duolingo 110.

Ques. Are scholarships available at Sacred Heart University?

Ans. Yes, merit scholarships are available for all new undergraduate admissions.

Ques. What is the application checklist for a full-time undergraduate transfer student?

Ans. The student must submit the Sacred Heart University application or Common Application with official transcripts, AP exam scores 4/5, one letter of recommendation directly sent to SHU with a non-refundable fee of USD 50.