WhatsApp
Catholic University of America logo

Catholic University of America

40.9(0)
VerifiedPrivate (Not for Profit)0
Type
Private (Not for Profit)
University Guide

About Catholic University of America

Explore overview, courses, fees, admissions, campus life, scholarships and student accommodation guidance in one premium Admistay guide.

Founded by the US bishops, Catholic University of America was established in 1887 as a papally chartered graduate and research center. It started offering undergraduate programs in 1904. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. 

Admissions at Catholic University of America are offered in Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral levels of study. The acceptance rate of the university is 84%. The Catholic University of America has a total enrollment of 2,311 students, out of which 3,055 are undergraduate students and 2,311 are graduate students. It attracts a lot of international students to study in the USA. CUA has a total of 8.5% international students.

The university offers 150 undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. programs through 12 schools of Architecture and Planning, Arts and Sciences, Business, Canon Law, Engineering, Law, Music, Drama, and Art, Nursing, Philosophy, Professional Studies, Social Work, and Theology and Religious Studies.

The university offers scholarships for international students to study in the USA. 91% of full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. The US News and World Report listed CUA among the list of Best Value Colleges, Best Colleges for Veterans, and Top Performers on Social Mobility.

It assists its students with placement services to avail job opportunities in the USA. According to payscale, salaries for Catholic University of America graduates stood at USD 74,728.

The Catholic University of America Rankings

The university is one of the most renowned universities in the USA. A snapshot of 2021 rankings of the university is given below:

Rankings Agency
#333 World University Ranking QS Top Universities
#191-200 US University Ranking QS Top Universities
#143 National Universities Ranking US News and World Report
#68 in Best Value School US News and World Report
#373 in Top Performers on Social Mobility  US News and World Report
#142 US College Rank Times Higher Education
#153 Rank among Top Private Universities in the USA Niche
#236 Rank among Best Colleges in the USA Niche
#260 National Rank CWUR
#1213 World Rank CWUR
#251 Country Rank UNI Rank
#680 World Rank UNI Rank

Highlights

University Type Private
Campus Setting Urban
Intake Seasons Spring, Summer and Fall
Retention Rate 88%
Campus Housing Available
Financial Aid Available for international students
Work-Study Programme Available
Mode of Programme Full-time, Part-time and Online
English Proficiency tests accepted IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo
International Admission Helpdesk 202-319-5618
[email protected]
Official Website cua.edu

Catholic University of America Campus

Catholic university campus
  • Catholic University is located in the heart of Washington, D.C., a city of politics, theater, concerts, monuments, and trendy neighborhoods.
  • The university campus is the biggest and most beautiful campus in D.C., the best city for research and internships.
  • Students can choose from 100+ clubs/organizations that fit their interests or can create their own.
  • A number of student activities take place on campus round the year such as Big Win Bingo, Cardinal Trivia, etc.
  • The campus of Catholic University of America offers club sports, intramural sports, and Esports.
  • Cardinal Adventures are group indoor/outdoor excursions such as kayaking, skiing, etc.
  • The fitness, wellness and recreation programme is designed to help develop healthy lifestyles.
  • Students services on campus include health and counseling, cultural engagement center, academic and career center and disability-support.

Catholic University of America Residence

  • On-campus housing offers 16 residence halls and suites/apartments.
  • Freshmen live in single-sex residence halls which have programmes directed toward students’ growth.
  • Graduate, law, and non-traditional students are assigned to single or double rooms with their peers.
  • Amenities include communal kitchens, common lounge spaces with cable television, and laundry rooms.
  • Students can opt for the spring or summer-only and transition housing.
  • Upperclass housing is for students other than freshmen.
  • Housing Services guide students in finding decent off-campus housing.
  • The Off-campus Housing Fair held by the university aids in finding off-campus housing like temporary and religiously affiliated housing options.

Catholic University of America Programs

  • CUA’s 12 schools offer more than 100 disciplines.
  • Various programs offered at the Catholic University of America include undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, pre-college, adult and online degrees.
  • The university offers 70 undergraduate programmes. All undergraduates participate in the First-Year Experience program.
  • Undergraduate students can also choose from 60+ minors/certificate courses.
  • Bachelor’s degrees pursuant can opt for study abroad/honours/research programs.
  • Catholic University of America offers 150+ graduate programs and 29 research facilities.
  • The adult professional programmes include a combination of on-campus 14-week semester and 7-week accelerated classes.
  • The Catholic University has launched the Tucson (B.A.-Management) program.
  • The institute also offers online, pre-college and summer programs.

Catholic University of America Application Process

8.5% students at the university are global citizens representing 70+ countries. Admissions at Catholic University of America require the following:

  • Application Portal: Common App/Cardinal Admission
  • Deadlines:
  • Undergraduate Applications: Early Action- November 1; Regular Decision- January 15
  • Graduate Applications: Summer- May 8; Fall- July 15
  • Supporting Documents
    • Completed application
    • Additional documents for specific programmes
    • Confirmation of financial support
    • English language proficiency test scores
      • IELTS, TOEFL, etc
    • ZeeMee Profile (Optional)
    • SAT/ACT test scores (Optional)
    • Teacher Recommendation
    • Certified English translations
    • Counselor letter
    • Official highschool/college/university transcripts/reports
    • Essay
  • The acceptance rate of CUA is 85%.
  • The retention rate is 88%, while the overall graduation rate at CUA is 72%.

Catholic University of America Cost of Attendance

  • It is necessary to have an estimate of expenses while studying in the US if you are an international student.
  • The basic Costs of Attendance for students are:
Types of Cost UG Cost (in USD) PG Cost (in USD)
Tuition 48,600 49,680
Activity fee 816 660
Room and board 15,820 13,950
Direct costs 65,236 64,290
Off-campus room 15,820 N/A
Books 1,000 700
Personal allowance 2,250 4,572
Transportation 900 2,296
Estimated loan fees 1,206 1,116
Indirect costs 5,356 8,684
Total 70,592 72,974
  • Tuition for engineering and architecture students is 49,220 USD for undergraduate and 50,260 USD for graduate students.
  • Indirect costs for students living off-campus is 21,176 USD.
  • New Students are charged a one-time fee of 440 USD.
  • Students also need to purchase Health Insurance.

Catholic University of America Financial Aid

  • Catholic University of America students are offered financial aid through scholarships, grants, federal/commercial loans and work-study programmes.
  • International undergraduate students are not eligible for federal financial aid/loans.
  • International graduate students are eligible for institutional scholarships to fund studying in the US.
  • The Catholic University offers over 10 individual and 60+ donor scholarships.
  • Only undergraduate students are eligible for Admission scholarships.
  • University scholarships require students to maintain full-time enrollment and registration within the add/drop period each semester.
  • Archdiocesan Scholarships are the university’s most prestigious awards.
    • They are full-time, four-year scholarships.
    • Eligibility criteria for the same includes top-of-class highschool students with a minimum 3.8 unweighted GPA.
    • Finalists participate in an interview with university faculty.
  • Other scholarships include The Catholic University Scholarship, Parish Scholarship, Legacy Grant and School and Departmental Scholarships.
  • International citizens can avail private commercial educational loans from private lenders.

Catholic University of America Alumni Network

Notable alumni of the institution include:

  • Tom Harkin- Former United States Senator
  • Susan Sarandon- Actress
  • Julie Nixon Eisenhower- Author
  • Kathy Hochul- Lieutenant Governor of New York

Catholic University of America Placements

  • The Handshake programme brings promising job/internship opportunities.
  • The Center for Academic and Career Success helps students succeed in their studies and careers.
  • It helps students in making resumes, employer letters, networking and interviews. It hosts career fairs, events and workshops as well.
  • Tools like the MBTI and O*NET Online is used to aid students in major/career exploration and analysis.
  • Information based on 559 graduates show 92% are employed/attend graduate school/are committed to internships, lifelong service or religious life.
  • Precisely, 66% are employed and 16% attend graduate school.
  • 67% of 133 respondents earn 50,000 USD or more, while 2.3% earn 90,000 USD and more.
  • Catholic University students are employed by industry giants such as KPMG, The Walt Disney Company, IBM, Federal Bureau of Investigation, etc.

FAQs

Ques. What are the most popular majors of the Catholic University of America?

Ans. The most popular majors at The Catholic University of America include Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Political Science and Government, General; Marketing/Marketing Management, General; Psychology, General; and Architecture.

Ques. What is the average salary of the Catholic University of America graduates?

Ans. According to payscale, salaries for Catholic University of America graduates stood at USD 74,728.

Ques. What are the fields of study at the Catholic University of America?

Ans. It offers programs in the fields of Architecture and Planning, Arts and Sciences, Business, Canon Law, Engineering, Law, Music, Drama, and Art, Nursing, Philosophy, Professional Studies, Social Work, and Theology and Religious Studies

Ques. Does the Catholic University of America offer financial aid?

Ans. Yes. 91% of full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates receive some form of financial aid

Ques. Is it worth taking admission to the Catholic University of America?

Ans. The Catholic University of America is a well-renowned university in the USA and one of the best value colleges. The university of number innovative and high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs. It also offers career services for both undergraduate and graduate students with an employment rate of 100% in most of the graduate programs.

Ques. What is the acceptance rate at the Catholic University of America?

Ans. The University has an acceptance rate of 80 to 90% making it less selective in accepting applications. 

Ques. What is the Tuition fee at the Catholic University of America?

Ans. The Graduate Engineering program has a tuition of 25,130 USD and the Business and Management program has a tuition fee ranging from 48,000 to 50,000.

Ques. Does the Catholic University of America offer placement services?

Ans. The university offers placement or career services through its Center for Academic and Career Success. The CACS offers various career advising services and also organizes career events like jobs and internship fairs etc. Various well-known companies attend these fairs to hire their suitable employee as required by the job.

Courses & Fees

Compare courses in a cleaner, easier way

Explore tuition, duration, language, eligibility, and exam requirements without the clutter.

Courses

4

Fee from

₹43

Exams

IELTS · TOEFL

Showing 1 bachelors

Overview
Degree TypeBachelor
Duration4 years
Study ModeFull Time
LanguageEnglish
Fees
Tuition FeeINR 43 L/Yr
Native FeeUSD 45,878 /Yr
Official Program Page
Admission Guide

Admission Process

Catholic University of America demonstrates a lightly selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of 82%. The national research university invites applications in fall, spring, and summer sessions. Prospective students can choose from over 250 programs at Catholic University of America in undergraduate and graduate level. Catholic University does not charge application fees for undergraduate admission. However, they charge application fees for graduate admission.

At Catholic University of America, freshman applications are evaluated based on the candidate’s academic performance and classroom performance. The university follows a test-blind policy, by not considering ACT or SAT scores as part of the application. However, admission to the graduate programs in the university requires a competitive GRE score. It accepts undergraduate applications online through the Common Application portal and graduate applications through the online application portal of the university.

Highlights

Application Portal Online Portal and the Common Application Portal
Application Fee Undergraduate Applicants: No Fees
Graduate Applicants: 60 USD
Acceptance Rate 82%
Average SAT score 1230
Average ACT score 27
Average GPA score 3.46
Mode of Payment Online
Academic Calendar Semester-based
Intake Season Fall/Spring/Summer
Financial Aid Scholarships, Grants, Loans

Catholic University of America Admission Deadlines

Candidates are requested to submit their applications before the deadlines for them to be considered for admission. The University does not entertain late applications. Here are the deadlines for undergraduate students that must be kept in mind before making an application.

Application Type Deadlines
Early Action November 1
Early Decision I November 11
Early Decision II January 15
Regular Decision January 15

For graduate students, the deadlines vary by course. Students are recommended to check the respective program pages for better idea of deadlines.

Catholic University of America International Admissions

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and decision is confirmed within 4-5 weeks of application submission. Catholic University admission process is the same for domestic and international applicants except for some additional requirements that the international applicants have to fulfil.

Where to apply: Common Application or Catholic University's portal

Application Fee:

  • Undergraduate: No fees
  • Graduate: 60 USD

Documents Required:

  • Original transcripts
  • Statement of financial support
  • Personal essay in English
  • LOR
  • English proficiency test score

English Proficiency Test Requirements

The university requires international students to show satisfactory proficiency in English language as an eligibility criterion for admission. Following are the tests accepted and minimum scores required: 

Test Required Score
TOEFL PBT 550
TOEFL CBT 213
TOEFL iBT 80
IELTS 6.5

VISA Process for International Students

International applicants require an F1-J1 visa to study in the USA for taking admission to the Catholic University of America. Here are the visa application requirements and process applicants must follow.

  • Submit your application for admission at the Catholic University of America
  • On acceptance, you will receive a call letter of admission from Catholic University of America
  • Then the university will issue the I-20 form
  • Now fill-up the form and submit the following documents:
    • Original passport.
    • Passport size photographs.
    • Pay the SEVIS fee through online mode
  • Now schedule your visa interview at the local US Embassy.

Catholic University of America Undergraduate Admission

International students are offered admission in more than 60 undergraduate programs at Catholic University of America to the aspirants. The university does not charge application fees for undergraduate admission. The university follows test-blind policy and does not consider standardized test scores viz. SAT or ACT scores as part of the application review process.

Where to apply: Common Application portal

Application Fee: No Fees

Academic Requirements:

  • A completed Common Application
  • Essay
  • Official high school transcripts
  • Secondary school report with counselor letter
  • LOR
  • ZeeMee profile (optional)

Catholic University of America Graduate Admissions

The Catholic University of America offers admission in 150 graduate programs to students. Applicants can apply through the Catholic University online application portal. The applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The application process and requirements are the same for both international and domestic applicants. However, the application process and requirements vary by program. The general admission requirements are mentioned below:

Requirements Master Of Science In Business Master of Science in Biotechnology Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science Master's in Civil Engineering Master Of Science In Management
Transcript Required Required Required Required Required
Letter of Recommendation 2-letters of recommendation 3-letters of recommendation 2 or more letter of recommendation 2-letters of recommendation 2-letters of recommendation
Current Resume Required Required Not Required Required Required
GRE Required Required Required Required Not Required
GPA 3.0 (83-86%) 3.0 3.0 3.0  3.0
Work Experience 0-4 yr. Required Not Required Not required Not Required

Catholic University of America accepts applications on a rolling basis. The applications are reviewed solely based on the candidates’ academic excellence. The admission decision is declared within 4-5 weeks of application submission, hence students are encouraged to apply to their favorite programs at the earliest. 

Placements & Recruiters

Catholic University of America Placement Details

Catholic University of America in Washington, District of Columbia, United States placement details include salary insights, top recruiters, and hiring trends to help students understand career outcomes and campus opportunities.

Students usually compare highest package, average package, and recruiter profile before applying. This section gives a compact overview of career outcomes and placement visibility in Washington, District of Columbia, United States.

Recruiters
N/A
Salary Metrics
0/2
Placement Metric

Highest Package

N/A

Represents the top salary package reported in the available placement information.

Placement Metric

Average Package

N/A

Shows the typical package range students may expect based on the available average salary data.

Placement information is currently limited.

More salary or recruiter data may be updated later for this college.

Rankings over the years

Year-wise highlights from global and country rankings available for this university.

2022

Highlights
2022
  • Best overall country rank: #162
  • Overall: #162 in country
  • Top source: US News
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 2 ranking records in 2022

2023

Highlights
2023
  • Best overall country rank: #162
  • Overall: #162 in country
  • Top source: US News
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2023

2024

Highlights
2024
  • Best overall country rank: #50
  • Arts: #35 in country
  • Top source: THE
  • 4 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Arts, Social Studies
  • 2 ranking records in 2024

2025

Highlights
2025
  • Best overall country rank: #56
  • Arts: #36 in country
  • Top source: THE
  • 3 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Arts
  • 2 ranking records in 2025

2026

Highlights
2026
  • Best overall country rank: #59
  • Overall: #59 in country
  • Top source: THE
  • 3 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall, Arts
  • 2 ranking records in 2026

Contact Information

620 Michigan Avenue, NE

202-319-5300

800-787-0242

Student Reviews & Ratings

Overall sentiment and category-wise rating summary

Overall score

40.9/10
Top Rated

Based on 0 ratings