“A Catholic women's college delivering a transformative liberal arts education in partnership with Saint John's University.”
College of Saint Benedict (CSB) is a Catholic liberal arts college for women, founded in 1913 by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Joseph, Minnesota. Located in the small city of Saint Joseph — just minutes from Saint Cloud — CSB operates in a unique coordinate partnership with Saint John's University (SJU), a men's Benedictine college. Together, CSB+SJU form a vibrant academic community of approximately 3,000 students who share classes, faculty, facilities, and extracurricular life, while each institution maintains its own distinct residential and co-curricular identity. This partnership gives CSB students the intimacy of a women's college alongside the scale and diversity of a co-educational university setting. Academically, CSB and SJU together offer over 70 areas of study spanning the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional programs. The colleges are especially well known for programs in Nursing, Biology, Psychology, Business Administration, and Political Science. The Benedictine tradition places particular emphasis on community, hospitality, and seeking wisdom through a balanced life — values woven throughout academic and campus culture. The CSB Nobel Conference, held annually since 1965, is one of the oldest and most respected science and humanities symposia in the country, bringing Nobel laureates and leading thinkers to campus each year. The campuses feature over 100 student organizations, NCAA Division III athletics ('The Bennies' for CSB), active spiritual and service communities, and a rich calendar of performing arts. Saint Joseph and neighboring Saint Cloud offer access to local employment and internship opportunities, and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are just 70 miles away. With a 99% financial aid rate, an 88% first-year retention rate, and consistently strong career and graduate school placement, CSB provides an accessible and deeply purposeful college experience.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
US News 2026
National Liberal Arts Colleges
US News 2026
Best Value Schools (LAC)
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action I
Decision notification within ~3 weeks; scholarship award also communicated
Regular Decision
Rolling admission thereafter
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$52,700
/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.
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Nutrition, and Mathematics
Nursing, Public Health, Exercise Science/Kinesiology, and pre-professional health tracks
Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Education, and Social Work
Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, and Management
English, History, Philosophy, Theology, Art, Music, Theatre, and World Languages
4 years
A highly regarded nursing program consistently among the most popular majors at CSB, combining clinical training with a strong liberal arts foundation and leading to RN licensure.
4 years
A rigorous pre-health and research-oriented program with strong faculty mentorship, undergraduate research opportunities, and outstanding medical school placement rates.
4 years
A well-regarded program offering courses in law, international relations, and public policy — enriched by the annual Nobel Conference that brings leading global figures to campus.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $55,756
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.
