,·Private (Baptist, non-denominational evangelical)·Est. 1887
“A residential, doctrinally conservative Baptist-heritage university in rural Ohio with a confessional community and pre-professional strength in engineering, nursing, and pharmacy.”
Cedarville University is a private, doctrinally conservative evangelical university in rural southwestern Ohio (about 30 minutes from Dayton and an hour from Columbus). Founded in 1887 and reorganized as a Baptist institution in 1953, it operates today as a non-denominational evangelical school with strong Baptist roots, defined by a published Doctrinal Statement that every full- and part-time faculty and staff member must sign on hire and re-sign annually as a condition of employment. That confessional identity shapes nearly every aspect of campus life: classes are taught from an explicitly biblical worldview, Bible minor coursework is required of every undergraduate, and undergraduates taking more than six credit hours must attend chapel daily during the 10 a.m. hour. Students sign and live by the Cedarville Covenant — a community lifestyle agreement that addresses worship, conduct, dress, and behavior expectations. Academically, Cedarville is best known for its accredited pre-professional and STEM programs. The School of Engineering and Computer Science offers ABET-accredited B.S. degrees in mechanical, electrical, civil, and computer engineering plus computer science; the School of Nursing's BSN, MSN, and DNP programs are CCNE-accredited; and the School of Pharmacy delivers a six-year, ACPE-accredited Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). The university also has well-developed schools of biblical and theological studies, business, education, and the arts. With roughly 5,790 undergraduates and around 1,500 graduate and online students, Cedarville is a residential undergraduate-first institution — first-year students and most unmarried under-23 students are required to live on campus, and a meal plan is mandatory for residence hall students. Athletically, Cedarville competes as the Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division II as a charter member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), fielding 14 varsity teams. The international student population is small but steady — about 144 students from roughly 73 countries — and the university provides dedicated International Student Services with full F-1/SEVIS support. Prospective international students should weigh both the strong pre-professional outcomes and the doctrinal community standards (chapel, covenant, sexuality and gender statements) before applying, as fit with the evangelical campus culture is central to the experience.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Universities Midwest
US News Best Colleges 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceInternational — Fall
International applicants applying for fall semester.
International — Spring
International applicants applying for spring semester.
Regular Decision (Domestic, Rolling)
Cedarville uses rolling admissions for domestic applicants; August 1 is the published cutoff for fall enrollment.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$37,150 – $38,254
/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.
ABET-accredited engineering and computing programs taught from a Christian worldview, with strong hands-on lab and senior-design culture. Graduates are routinely placed in regional aerospace, defense, and manufacturing employers around Dayton.
CCNE-accredited BSN, MSN, and DNP programs with high NCLEX pass rates and clinical placements across Ohio's major hospital systems. Curriculum integrates Christian ethics into care.
ACPE-accredited six-year direct-entry Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). Students enter as freshmen, complete a pre-professional sequence, and progress directly into the professional program. One of the few faith-based PharmD programs in the Midwest.
Every Cedarville undergraduate completes a Bible minor through this school, anchoring the university's doctrinal identity. Offers majors in biblical studies, theology, and pre-seminary tracks.
ACBSP-accredited business programs emphasizing ethics-informed leadership across accounting, finance, marketing, and management.
Teacher-preparation programs with Ohio licensure, from early childhood through adolescence-to-young-adult.
6 years
Direct-entry six-year PharmD with ACPE accreditation. Students begin as freshmen, complete pre-professional coursework, then progress into the professional pharmacy curriculum without a separate application. Distinctive for being one of the few openly evangelical pharmacy programs in the U.S.
4 years
CCNE-accredited four-year traditional BSN with strong NCLEX outcomes and placements across Ohio's hospital networks. Faith-integrated curriculum emphasizes ethical patient care.
4 years
ABET-accredited program with dedicated lab and prototyping facilities and a capstone industry-sponsored senior design project. Graduates feed into Wright-Patterson AFB-adjacent aerospace and defense employers.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $37,150
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.
