,·Private Catholic Research (Jesuit)·Est. 1870
“Chicago's Jesuit university — a private Catholic research school with a lakefront campus and a service-oriented liberal arts core.”
Loyola University Chicago is a private Catholic Jesuit research university founded in 1870 and one of the largest of the 27 Jesuit universities in the United States. Its main Lake Shore Campus sits directly on the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, with a second downtown Water Tower Campus in the Magnificent Mile that houses the Quinlan School of Business and the law school. The university enrolls roughly 17,000 students, including about 12,500 undergraduates, drawn from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. Academically, Loyola is best known for nursing (Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing), business (Quinlan School of Business — Chicago's only Jesuit business school), pre-medicine and the health sciences (Stritch School of Medicine and the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health), and law. The Jesuit tradition shapes the curriculum: every undergraduate completes a robust core in philosophy, theology, ethics, and the humanities, and service learning is woven into many programs. Loyola is also a leader in sustainability — the university operates its own urban biodiesel lab and was the first US institution to offer a bachelor's degree in environmental sustainability. For international students, Loyola offers an attractive combination: a Catholic Jesuit setting that values global engagement, location in one of the world's most diverse cities, generous merit scholarships ($14,000-$34,000/year) for which international students are automatically considered, and an International Conditional Admission Program (ICAP) for students who need extra English-language preparation. Lake Shore Campus is a residential, walkable, lakefront environment, while a 25-minute Red Line ride drops students into downtown Chicago for internships and weekend life.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Best Undergraduate Teaching
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceThe deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$56,930 – $58,180
/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.
Chicago's only Jesuit business school; AACSB-accredited with 13 undergraduate majors and downtown placement on the Magnificent Mile.
One of Chicago's most respected nursing schools, with clinical placements across the city's major hospital systems.
Loyola's largest college; houses biology, psychology, political science, and the humanities — and the bulk of pre-med students.
Modern downtown facilities; strong in journalism, advertising, public relations, and film & digital media.
First US program to offer a dedicated bachelor's degree in environmental sustainability; runs an urban farm and a biodiesel lab on campus.
4 years
Direct admission to one of Chicago's top nursing programs, with clinical rotations at Loyola University Medical Center, Northwestern, and other major Chicago hospitals.
4 years
Quinlan School of Business undergraduates split classes between the lakefront campus and the downtown Water Tower Campus, with proximity to internships across Chicago's finance and consulting industries.
4 years
Hands-on program at the Institute of Environmental Sustainability, including work at the campus urban farm, greenhouse, and biodiesel facility.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $53,710
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.
