·Private·Est. 1897
“A mid-size private Illinois university with strong engineering, nursing, business, and entrepreneurship programs and a fully test-free admissions policy.”
Bradley University is a private, mid-size institution in Peoria, Illinois — the third-largest metropolitan area in the state and a longtime industrial hub anchored by Caterpillar Inc. and OSF HealthCare. Founded in 1897 by Lydia Moss Bradley, the university enrolls about 5,200 students across five colleges: the Foster College of Business, the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology, the College of Education and Health Sciences, the Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Bradley offers more than 185 academic programs, and the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation was one of the first freestanding entrepreneurship schools in the United States. Life at Bradley centers on a compact, walkable 85-acre campus in Peoria's West Bluff neighborhood. The Markin Family Student Recreation Center anchors student life with a 46-foot rock climbing wall, indoor pool, and four full-size basketball courts, and Bradley fields NCAA Division I athletics in the Missouri Valley Conference (basketball is particularly prominent). On-campus housing isn't required after the first year, but most freshmen live in residence halls and many upperclassmen move to Greek houses, the Student Apartment Complex, or St. James Apartments adjacent to campus. Bradley's smaller scale produces a tight-knit residential community with strong faculty-student access. For international applicants, Bradley is attractive as a moderately selective private with a fully test-free admissions policy, generous merit aid (the International Student Merit Scholarship is $12,000-$15,000/year and renewable for four years, and the Foster Family Scholarship for Global Scholars provides additional support), and STEM-designated programs in engineering and computer science that qualify graduates for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourceThis university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$43,850 – $44,795
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$36,360 – $44,795
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
AACSB-accredited business college home to the Turner School of Entrepreneurship — among the first freestanding U.S. entrepreneurship schools. Strong placement into Caterpillar, RLI Insurance, and Big Four firms.
Named after Caterpillar Inc., headquartered in nearby Deerfield, IL but with deep historical Peoria roots; ABET-accredited engineering programs with active industry capstones.
Houses the Department of Nursing — a top draw for prospective students — and undergraduate programs in physical therapy (DPT), occupational therapy, and education.
Programs in communication, sports communication, multimedia, music, theatre, and visual arts; the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center hosts performances and exhibitions.
Bradley's largest college, spanning biology, chemistry, psychology, history, English, mathematics, and the social sciences; pre-health track is popular.
4 years
Highly competitive BSN program with strong NCLEX pass rates and clinical rotations through OSF HealthCare and UnityPoint Health, both major Peoria health systems.
4 years
ABET-accredited program with capstones often sponsored by Caterpillar; STEM-designated for OPT purposes.
4 years
Offered through the Turner School — one of the earliest freestanding U.S. entrepreneurship programs — with hands-on venture creation, the Springboard pitch competition, and access to the Hilltop Venture Studio.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $42,160
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
