“Private Catholic Marianist R1 research university and the second-largest private university in Ohio.”
The University of Dayton is a top-tier Catholic, Marianist research university founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary in Dayton, Ohio. With roughly 11,300 students (about 8,500 undergraduates), UD is the largest private university in Ohio and one of the ten largest Catholic universities in the United States. The Marianist educational tradition shapes a distinctive community-first culture on the 388-acre campus, where students, faculty and staff are explicitly called to learn, lead and serve together in pursuit of the common good. Academically, Dayton is best known for its School of Engineering (one of only a handful of Catholic universities classified as R1/R2 with a high research activity engineering program) and for its powerhouse business programs in finance, marketing and entrepreneurship. The university is the home of the University of Dayton Research Institute, a federally contracted research center that consistently ranks among the nation's largest non-profit research labs in materials, sensors and aerospace, giving undergraduates uncommon access to sponsored research projects. STEM-designated degrees across computer science, engineering management, business analytics and the engineering disciplines make Dayton an attractive destination for international students seeking strong post-graduation work options. Student life revolves around the iconic Student Neighborhood — a residential cluster of university-owned houses where juniors and seniors live and where the famous Dayton front-porch culture takes hold every weekend. Flyer Basketball at UD Arena is a cultural centerpiece (Dayton annually hosts the NCAA men's tournament First Four), and the city of Dayton itself — the historical birthplace of aviation — offers a low-cost, mid-sized Midwestern base with strong Aerospace, Defense and advanced-manufacturing employers, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base just minutes away.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
International Student Enrollment (F-1)
DHS SEVIS by the Numbers (2024)
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Research classification
Carnegie
Career success within six months of graduation
UD homepage
Research classification
Carnegie Classification
Catholic university for engineering research and development
University of Dayton
Engineering research and development
UD
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action
Non-binding
Regular Decision
Extended deadline for 2026 cycle; decisions released on rolling basis
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$49,140
/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.
4 years
UD's flagship engineering major and the most-awarded bachelor's degree on campus. Integrated with UDRI research labs and a strong co-op/internship pipeline into Wright-Patterson AFB, GE Aerospace and defense primes. STEM-designated for 3-year OPT.
4 years
STEM-designated CS program with concentrations in cybersecurity, data science and high-performance computing. Strong research links with the Air Force Research Lab ecosystem in Dayton.
4 years
Home of the Flyer Investments student-managed fund, one of the largest university-student-managed equity portfolios in the country (>$40M). Davis Center for Portfolio Management is an AACSB-accredited flagship program.
4 years
STEM-designated program blending engineering fundamentals with operations, logistics and leadership coursework. Highly attractive for international students seeking extended OPT.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $49,140
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.
