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College of Holy Cross

40.3(0)
VerifiedPrivate (Not for Profit)Estd. 1843
Founded
1843
Type
Private (Not for Profit)

About College of Holy Cross

The College of Holy Cross founded in 1843, is a four-year, liberal arts institution in Worcester, Massachusetts. It ranks among the top 50 most beautiful college campuses in America, as per Architectural Digest. College of Holy Cross is home to 3,000 students. International students applying for admission at College of Holy Cross comprise only 3% of the total student body. Admission at College of Holy Cross is competitive. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2025 was 43%. 

College of Holy Cross is best known for 4-year liberal arts-based undergraduate courses in over 35 disciplines. International students need to submit high school transcripts, two letters of recommendation and a TOEFL score of 100+. Tuition fee for bachelor courses at College of Holy Cross is around 60 lakhs INR. There are scholarships and need-based award available for incoming students. Award value for scholarships range from 500 USD to full tuition fee. Holy Cross is also among the select group of colleges that meets 100% of the demonstrated need.

College of Holy Cross Rankings

According to Times Higher Education US college ranking 2022, College of Holy Cross ranks in #117th position. Some other rankings of College of Holy Cross are listed below:

  • #35 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie) by US News 2022
  • #55 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie) by US News 2022
  • #95 in Best Value Schools by US News 2022
  • #135 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (tie) by US News 2022

College of Holy Cross Programs

The College of the Holy Cross provides four-year undergraduate courses in 35 disciplines in various majors such as Economics, Psychology, Political Science, English, and others. All the College of the Holy Cross courses are taught by faculty members and not teaching assistants. Almost all of the 328 full- and part-time faculty members hold doctoral degrees.

Many faculty members have received research grants from renowned foundations like National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

College of Holy Cross Campus

Built into the side of Mount St. James, the College of Holy Cross campus is commonly known as “The Hill”. The campus offers view of City of Worchester. The college educational complex consists of nine chaplains, lacrosse stadium, hockey rink, and campus activity center. For bookheads, the college has a library with approximately 640,000 volumes. Students have access to 147,000 eBooks and nearly 7,400 electronic serial subscriptions.

The College of Holy Cross campus offers 100+ clubs and organizations. These include , Club Sports, Performing Arts, Peer Education Organizations for students to learn new skills, build confidence, and discover new friends. SPUD (Student Programs for Urban Development) is Holy Cross's largest student organization, with over 700 members, and is affiliated with more than 46 schools and community organizations.

College of Holy Cross Accommodation

The college is a residential college, wherein 87% students stay on-campus. Holy Cross students live in the institution’s 11 co-ed residence halls, offering a range of living options ranging from singles to suites. Each residence halls also have study areas, community living rooms, and shared kitchens.

The rates of different types of rooms at College of Holy Cross residence halls for the academic year 2022-23 are as follows: 

Room Type Rates 
Standard Room 9,100 - 10,000
Modified Suite 10,000
Full Suite 10,500
Single Room 10,500 - 10,900
Apartment 11,400

There are two meal plan options at College Of Holy Cross:

  • Resident Meal Plan - 7,520 USD
  • Apartment Meal Plan - 3,100 USD

Check: Off-campus Student housing in the US 

College of Holy Cross Admissions Process

College of Holy Cross offers two application deadlines for international students - Early decision and Regular Deposit Deadline for Early Decision I is on November 15. Application deadline for Regular Decision is on January 15. The application guide for international students is as follows:

Application Portal: Common Application or Coalition Application
Application Fee - 60 USD

Admission Requirements:

  • High School transcripts
  • 2 Academic letters of recommendation (1 LOR from teacher and 1 LOR from school counselor)
  • English Proficiency test scores
  • SAT/ACT scores (Optional)
  • Completed international interview request form
  • Supplementary materials that demonstrate candidate’s special talents or achievements (artwork, recorded performances, original writing, research, and additional recommendations
  • Holy Cross Certification of Finances form
  • Bank letter or financial affidavit

Note: At College of Holy Cross, personal interview is not required but highly encouraged

College of Holy Cross Cost of Attendance

The table below provides an approximate cost of attending the College of Holy Cross:

Item Fall 2022 costs Spring 2023 Cost
Tuition 22.94 lakhs 22.94 lakhs
Room 3.62 lakhs 3.62 lakhs
Board 2.99 lakhs 2.99 lakhs
Health Services fee 15,131 INR 15,131 INR
Activity fee 30,263 INR

-

Total 30.00 lakhs 29.76 lakhs

Also check: Cost of living in USA for international students

College of Holy Cross Scholarships 

College of Holy Cross both merit-based and need-based financial aid. Financial assistance is offered through scholarships and grants, work-study and student loan programs. The college aims to meet 100% of the demonstrated needs of all admitted students.

The table below provides a list of institutional scholarships at College of Holy Cross - 

Name of Scholarship Award Value
Tuition Scholarships Full tuition 
Holy Cross Merit Scholarship Varies
Faber Scholarship Varies
Magis Scholarship Varies
Holy Cross Grant $500 - $60,000

College of Holy Cross aims to fulfill 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted international students. To be considered for financial aid, overseas students must create a CSS profile. Apart from this, overseas students can also consider external scholarships in the USA.

College of Holy Cross Placements

The College of Holly Cross has an employment rate of 82%. The mean starting salary of Holly cross graduates is $56,663 and the median salary was $57,000. The starting salary range was $30,000-$100,000.

Top companies who recruited students of College of Holy Cross include Barclays, BlackRock, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, Deloitte and PwC. The employment report for the college is showcased below:

Health Care was the most popular industry of choice with approximately 15% students accepting jobs within the sector. The table below shows the average salary by industry offered to students: 

Industry Number of Students Salary offered
Financial Services 14% $71,756
Health Care 15% $46,578
Education 9% $40,656
Government, Politics & Law 10% $49,382
Technology 11% $60,923
Accounting 7% $63,722
Consulting 3% $67,140

Check: MBA jobs in USA

College of Holy Cross Alumni

The alumni of the college take extensive roles in engagement with the current students and sharing career advice. The alumni community of Holly Cross College comprises 38,925 people which have collected $11.6 million. Some of the college's notable alumni include:

  • Aimee Bell - Vice president, editorial director, Gallery Books Group.
  • Mary G. Berner - President and CEO, Cumulus Media Inc.
  • Col. Tyree Blocker - 22nd Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.
  • Hon. Peter Brown - Superior Court Judge, State of Connecticut, USA.
  • Joseph A. Califano Jr. - Founder & chairman emeritus, Center on Addiction; former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.

The College of Holy Cross focuses on pursuing excellence in teaching, learning, and research. Through its liberal arts programs, the College of Holy Cross aims to lay a well-rounded knowledge base. Research work is also a big part of undergraduate study at the College of Holy Cross. Students get to participate in research as early as sophomore year. They can either opt for independent research under the guidance of a faculty member or take part in the Weiss Summer Research Program.

FAQs

Ques. Can working students enroll in the College of the Holy Cross?

Ans. Yes, indeed! Full-time employees may enroll in one Holy Cross course, subject to space availability. If the course is scheduled during working hours, the supervisor must agree with how you can make up the time. For non-Holy Cross courses, the College will reimburse up to 75% of the tuition cost, up to a maximum of $1,800 each fiscal year.

Ques. Is there an Orientation program for incoming students?

Ans. Yes, all incoming students have the opportunity to attend a two-day summer orientation program called "Gateways" in June. A fall "Gateways" event is also held in late August, prior to the start of classes.

Ques. What are the student visa requirements for the College of Holy Cross, USA?

Ans. To study in the United States, a student visa (typically an F-1 student visa) is required. An F-1 visa can be obtained by contacting the US Embassy or Consulate in your home country and presenting a valid I-20, a passport, and proof of financial support.

Ques. What is the application deadline for international students in Holy Cross College?

Ans. Binding Early Decision I is scheduled for November 15. The deadline for Early Decision II is January 15, 2021. The deadline for a non-binding "Regular Decision" is January 15, 2021. There are no non-binding "Early Action" opportunities at Holy Cross.

Ques. What are the English language requirements for international students?

Ans. International students who are non-native English speakers must submit a set of TOEFL or IELTS exam scores.

Ques. When will I learn of my application decision?

Ans. Throughout the months of December and January, Early Decision notifications are sent out on a regular basis with a few exceptions. All Regular Decision application decisions are mailed in late March or early April.

Courses & Fees

Compare courses in a cleaner, easier way

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

Courses

17

Fee from

₹58,88,765.22

Exams

TOEFL · IELTS

Showing 5 of 17 bachelors

Overview
Degree TypeBachelor
Duration4 years
Study ModeFull Time
LanguageEnglish
Fees
Tuition FeeINR 57.8 L/Yr
Native FeeUSD 61,740 /Yr
Living Expense₹1628226
Estimated Total₹2002185
Fee trendTuition progression
Official Program Page

Admission Process

College of Holy Cross offers admission only for the Fall intake. Applications open in November of each year. Candidates have the option to apply by either the early decision deadline or the regular decision deadline. The College of Holy Cross operates a moderately selective admissions process. For the recent academic year, only 2,786 students were admitted out of 6,498 applicants. The acceptance rate is around 43%. 

  • Programs: The College of the Holy Cross offers four-year, liberal arts-based undergraduate programs in 40+ programs. The programs at the College of Holy Cross are offered in five broad areas of study. These include science, arts, humanities, social and interdisciplinary studies.
  • Deadlines: The deadline for early decision I and early decision II application plan is on November 15 and January 15, respectively. 
  • Admission Process: Candidates can apply though either the Common App or the Coalition App portal at the College of Holy Cross. An application fee of 60 USD (~INR 4,761) is required.
  • Admission Requirements: International students interested in studying at the College of Holy Cross must submit a TOEFL score of 100 and two letters of recommendation. One of the LORs should be by a teacher.

College Of Holy Cross Admission Deadlines

International students seeking admission at College of Holy Cross have the option to apply by either early decision or regular decision deadlines. The deadlines are tabulated below:

Application Type Deadlines Notification Date
Early Decision I November 15 December 15
Early Decision II January 15 February 15
Regular Decision  January 15 Mid-March

College of the Holy Cross Undergraduate Admissions

Admission process at College of Holy Cross is slightly competitive with an acceptance rate of 43%. Hence meeting only the minimum requirements will not guarantee admission. The admission process has been discussed in detail below: 

Application Portal: Common application/Coalition application
Application Fee: 60 USD (~INR 4,761)

Basic Admission Requirements:

  • High school transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation (One academic LOR by a teacher and one by school counselor)
  • Holy Cross Certification of Finances Form
  • Financial Affidavit or bank letter
  • English language proficiency scores (TOEFL-iBT 100+)

Optional Requirements:

  • A personal interview (not compulsory but highly recommended)
  • SAT/ACT scores (optional)
  • Supplementary materials that showcase the applicant's special talents or achievements, such as artwork, recorded performances, original writing, and additional recommendations.

Note: An interview is strongly recommended for candidates who apply by early decision I and II. In case of early decision I candidates, the interview should be completed by November 15. Early decision II candidates should complete their interview by December 11. All interviews will be conducted via Skype.

English Proficiency Requirements

All international candidates who are not native english speakers are required to provide proof of proficiency during admission. Applicants can do so by submitting any one of the following tests -

Tests Minimum Scores
TOEFL-iBT 100+
IELTS 7.0+
Duolingo 120
>

US Visa Application Process

International applicants should apply for a form I-20 as soon as they receive an offer of admission from College of Holy Cross. After getting the form I-20, candidates should - 

  • Register for SEVIS and pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.
  • Complete online US student visa application form DS-160
  • Pay 160 USD as visa application fee 
  • Schedule and attend the visa interview

Candidate need to provide the following documents during visa interview - 

  • Copy of Passport
  • I-20 Form
  • Online visa application form confirmation page
  • Visa application fee payment receipt
  • Transcripts
  • Standardised tests (TOEFL/SAT)
  • Financial statements
  • Intention to leave US after completion of course of study

Check: US F-1 Visa Interview questions 

College of Holy Cross Admission Decision

College of Holy Cross offers two admission decision plans for prospective candidates. They can apply by either the early decision I & II or the regular decision deadline. For candidates applying by the early decision, I will receive the admission notification by December 15. Early decision II candidates will be notified by February 15. On the other hand, notification for regular decision admission will be released by mid-march. 

Candidates applying through early decision deadline should note that it indicates a binding commitment to attend College of Holy Cross if selected. While applying, they are required to select an early decision as their admission plan on the Common or Coalition Application portal. In addition, a guardian, parent or a school counselor is required to agree and sign the early decision commitment agreement.

FAQs

Ques. Does College of the Holy Cross offer gradaute and Phd programs?

Ans. No, the university offre snly four-year undergrdaute programs to both national and international students.

Ques. Is there an Orientation program for incoming students?

Ans. Yes, all incoming students have the opportunity to attend a two-day summer orientation program called "Gateways" in June. A fall "Gateways" event is also held in late August, prior to the start of classes.

Ques. What are the student visa requirements for the College of Holy Cross, USA?

Ans. To study in the United States, a student visa (typically an F-1 student visa) is required. An F-1 visa can be obtained by contacting the US Embassy or Consulate in your home country and presenting a valid I-20, a passport, and proof of financial support.

Ques. What are the English language requirements for international students?

Ans. International students who are non-native English speakers must submit a set of TOEFL or IELTS exam scores.

Ques. When will I learn of my application decision?

Ans. Throughout the months of December and January, Early Decision notifications are sent out on a regular basis with a few exceptions. All Regular Decision application decisions are mailed in late March or early April.

Placements & Recruiters

College of Holy Cross Placement Details

College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, 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 Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

Recruiters
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Salary Metrics
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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.

2019

Highlights
2019
  • Best overall country rank: #70
  • Overall: #70 in country
  • Top source: FORBES
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 2 ranking records in 2019

2020

Highlights
2020
  • Best overall country rank: #198
  • Overall: #198 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2020

2021

Highlights
2021
  • Best overall country rank: #198
  • Overall: #198 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2021

2022

Highlights
2022
  • Best overall country rank: #216
  • Overall: #216 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2022

2025

Highlights
2025
  • Best overall country rank: #247
  • Overall: #247 in country
  • Top source: CWUR
  • 1 ranked streams
  • Focus areas: Overall
  • 1 ranking record in 2025

Contact Information

1 College Street

+1-508-793-2011

Student Reviews & Ratings

Overall sentiment and category-wise rating summary

Overall score

40.3/10
Top Rated

Based on 0 ratings