“A small Catholic liberal arts college on the Notre Dame tri-campus, where faith, learning, and purpose meet.”
Holy Cross College is a small private Catholic liberal arts college in Notre Dame, Indiana, founded in 1966 by the Brothers of Holy Cross (the same religious congregation that founded the neighboring University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College). With roughly 500-600 undergraduates on a wooded 70-acre campus, Holy Cross is best known for its tight-knit residential community and its tri-campus relationship: students share clubs, libraries, dining, athletic facilities, and a tradition of Catholic intellectual life with Notre Dame and Saint Mary's, and once they have completed 30 credit hours they may take courses at Notre Dame at no extra charge. Roughly 90% of students live on campus, and freshmen and sophomores are required to do so, which produces an unusually close-knit feel for an American college. The academic program is intentionally compact: ten Bachelor of Arts degrees plus B.S. degrees in Biology and Computer Science, organized around a Catholic liberal arts core that emphasizes theology, philosophy, history, and writing. Popular majors include Business, Psychology, Communications, Liberal Studies, and the distinctive Politics, Philosophy & Economics (PPE) track. The 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a class-size profile in which 93% of classes have fewer than 20 students mean students get a level of faculty attention closer to a New England LAC than a typical regional college. Holy Cross is also the home of the highly selective Notre Dame Gateway Program, in which roughly 75 students each year complete their freshman year at Holy Cross with a guaranteed transfer to Notre Dame as sophomores, provided they hit a 3.5 GPA — Gateway transfers make up about half of Notre Dame's incoming sophomore transfer class. For international students, the appeal is the rare combination of true small-college access (you will know your professors and your dorm community by name) with Notre Dame-level resources next door: Notre Dame's library system, gym, athletic events, and around 500 clubs across the tri-campus are all open to Holy Cross students. The college identifies as 'Open to all, true to our roots, and bold in our identity as followers of Christ,' and its student body of about 600 represents 36+ U.S. states and 16 countries. Holy Cross is NAIA Division (Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) and competes as the Saints in basketball, soccer, golf, and tennis. It is most appropriate for students who want a faith-shaped, intentionally Catholic education at a small school, who value hands-on faculty mentoring, or who see it as a stepping-stone to Notre Dame via the Gateway Program.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding; decisions released by end of November
Regular / Rolling
Priority deadline for FAFSA; applications after Nov 1 reviewed on rolling basis with decisions in 2-3 weeks
Enrollment Deposit
National Candidate Reply Date
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$36,200
/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.
Classic liberal arts disciplines anchored in the Catholic intellectual tradition. Strong emphasis on theology, philosophy, and the great books, with small seminar-style classes.
Pre-professional pathways including Business, Marketing, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship, often combined with Notre Dame Mendoza-adjacent networking opportunities.
Small but growing program offering Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Computer Science, with pre-health tracks (Pre-Med, Pre-Dental, Pre-PA, Pre-Vet, Pre-PT) and concentrations in Cyber Security, Cloud Technology, AI, and Data Science.
Includes Psychology (one of the most popular majors), Communications, and Politics and Public Service. Students benefit from a Catholic, person-centered approach to social inquiry.
Elementary Education program prepares licensed K-6 teachers; Visual Arts offers studio practice and graphic design tracks within a liberal arts framework.
1 years
A selective program (roughly 75 admits per year) in which students invited from the Notre Dame applicant pool spend their freshman year at Holy Cross, take one course per semester at Notre Dame, and are guaranteed transfer admission to Notre Dame as sophomores if they earn a 3.5 GPA with all B-or-higher grades. Gateway transfers represent about half of Notre Dame's incoming sophomore transfer class.
4 years
An interdisciplinary program modeled on the famous Oxford PPE, designed for students aiming at law school, public service, or graduate study. Combines analytical economics with the philosophical and political traditions central to a Catholic liberal arts education.
4 years
A small, hands-on CS program with optional concentrations in Cyber Security, Cloud Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Web Development. Tight class sizes mean students work directly with faculty on projects and internships, often through the tri-campus network.
4 years
Layered onto Biology, Psychology, or other majors, with shadowing, MCAT/PA-CAT prep, and access to Notre Dame's research labs and South Bend's medical community (including Memorial Hospital and Beacon Health).
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $36,600
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.
