“A pioneering Catholic women's liberal arts college sitting at the heart of Notre Dame's vibrant academic community.”
Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic liberal arts college for women located in Notre Dame, Indiana, directly across the street from the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross — just one year after Notre Dame itself — it is one of the oldest Catholic women's colleges in the United States. The 278-acre campus, characterized by graceful Gothic and neo-classical architecture, manicured quads, and tree-lined walks, creates an intimate and inspiring environment for roughly 1,495 undergraduates seeking a rigorous, mission-driven education. Academically, Saint Mary's is known for its close-knit intellectual community and commitment to developing women leaders. The college offers more than 30 majors and 60 academic programs through five bachelor's degrees, with particularly strong offerings in Nursing, Education, Biology, Business, and Communication Sciences and Disorders. A unique dual-degree engineering partnership with the University of Notre Dame allows Saint Mary's students to earn both a liberal arts degree from SMC and an engineering degree from Notre Dame in five years. Students also benefit from cross-registration privileges at Notre Dame, enriching their academic experience with access to one of the nation's premier research universities. Campus life at Saint Mary's centers on a strong sense of women's community, Catholic mission, and personal growth. With an acceptance rate around 80%, the college admits a broad range of students and provides all of them with automatic merit scholarship consideration — awards ranging from $25,000 to $36,000 per year — making a Saint Mary's education significantly more accessible than sticker price suggests. Students enjoy living steps away from Notre Dame football culture, the rich social life of the South Bend metro, and abundant internship and service-learning opportunities. Graduates pursue careers across healthcare, education, business, and nonprofit sectors, with strong placement supported by the combined alumni network of SMC and Notre Dame.
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
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision
Binding early decision; merit scholarship award included in decision
Regular Decision
All applicants receive full merit scholarship consideration; deadline for maximum aid consideration
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$55,093 – $75,494
/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.
Humanities, social sciences, communication, and fine arts programs
Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and pre-professional health sciences
Business education with an ethical, liberal-arts foundation
One of the most recognized nursing programs in the Indiana region
Teacher preparation programs at elementary and secondary levels
4 years
Regionally respected nursing program with clinical partnerships in the South Bend healthcare corridor and high NCLEX pass rates
5 years
Earn a liberal arts degree from Saint Mary's and an accredited engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame in just five years
4 years
Strong pathway to graduate speech-language pathology programs with dedicated on-campus clinic facilities
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $53,230
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.
