Notre Dame, IN 46556

Phone: (574) 631-5000

University of Notre Dame is a private institution that was founded in 1842. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,448, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,250 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Notre Dame’s ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 18. Its tuition and fees are $47,929 (2015-16).

Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Ind., just 100 miles outside of Chicago. Only freshmen are required to live on campus, but most students choose to remain on campus in one of the 29 single-sex residence halls. The halls serve as the centers of social life at Notre Dame, as there is no Greek life on campus. Legends, an on-campus restaurant and pub, is a popular spot for watching sporting events. The Notre Dame “Fighting Irish” boast more than 25 varsity NCAA Division I athletic teams and are well known for their consistently strong football program. Over half of students study abroad for at least one semester.

Notre Dame is divided into eight schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts and Letters. Notre Dame’s graduate and professional programs include the highly ranked Mendoza College of Business and Law School in addition to a well-regarded School of Architecture, which offers undergraduate and graduate programs. Notable alumni include former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, talk-show host Regis Philbin and Hall of Fame football player Joe Montana. The 1993 film “Rudy,” ranked one of the top 25 sports movies of the past 25 years by ESPN, was filmed on Notre Dame’s campus and depicts the true story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who overcame many obstacles to play football at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame offers undergraduate students an educational experience that is second to none in quality and, at the same time, distinctly Catholic. Faith informs learning at Notre Dame, and the University’s students are urged to turn their learning to the service of others. The community life of the highly residential campus is distinctive, but Notre Dame also ranks in the top 10 in the percentage of its students who study abroad. Its graduation rate is among the top 5 in the country and its alumni are celebrated for their loyalty.

Rankings, Scores & Key Indicators

Score – 82
High school counselor score (out of 5) – 4.7
Average freshman retention rate – 98%
Classes with fewer than 20 students – 57.6%
Classes with 50 or more students – 10%
Student-faculty ratio – 10:1
Fall 2014 acceptance rate – 21.1%
6-year graduation rate – 96%