“Virginia's LDS-values private liberal arts university — Knights community in the Blue Ridge Mountains with Honor Code grounded in Latter-day Saints teachings.”
Southern Virginia University (SVU) is a private liberal arts university founded in 1867, located on a 70-acre campus in Buena Vista, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. While not officially affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon), SVU integrates LDS values throughout its curriculum and requires all students to live by a Code of Honor based on the teachings of the Church — making SVU one of very few US colleges serving the LDS community outside of BYU system institutions. SVU offers undergraduate degrees in 19 majors including strong programs in business, biology, education, history, and the liberal arts. The university's exceptional affordability ($21,030 tuition) combined with its values-aligned community has made SVU a destination for LDS students (and students of other faiths comfortable with the Honor Code) seeking small Christian liberal arts education in a distinctive rural Blue Ridge setting. Campus life at SVU centers on the Knights community in NCAA Division III athletics through the USA South Athletic Conference. The Knights mascot was adopted in 1997 in honor of Glade Knight, the founder of the modern-day SVU. In 2017, SVU returned to its historic school colors of crimson and white (replacing a temporary green and white scheme). Students live on campus with a distinctive values-based campus culture reflecting LDS integration. With its unique LDS-values community, affordable tuition, and Blue Ridge Mountain setting, SVU offers a highly distinctive small-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
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding
Regular Decision
Rolling
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$22,069
/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.
Business education grounded in LDS values.
Biology, chemistry, pre-health pathways.
Comprehensive teacher preparation.
Programs in English, history, philosophy grounded in Christian intellectual tradition.
Music and studio art programs.
4 years
Distinctive curriculum integrating Latter-day Saints values across all academic disciplines with required Honor Code.
4 years
Business education grounded in Christian ethics.
4 years
Pre-health program with Virginia medical school placement.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $21,280
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.
