,·Private (nonprofit)·Est. 1881
“The largest Catholic university in Texas, founded in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.”
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is a private Catholic university in San Antonio, Texas, founded in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and today one of the largest Catholic universities in the American Southwest. The main campus occupies 154 acres along the upper reaches of the San Antonio River in the Alamo Heights area, and the institution enrolls roughly 7,000 students across six undergraduate colleges and schools — the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering; the H-E-B School of Business and Administration; the Dreeben School of Education; the School of Media and Design; the School of Professional Studies; and the School of Nursing and Health Professions — plus five health-professions graduate schools that make UIW one of the most significant producers of Texas healthcare professionals outside the UT system. UIW is nationally distinctive for its constellation of faith-based health-sciences schools: the Feik School of Pharmacy (founded 2004) is the only faith-based pharmacy school in Texas; the Rosenberg School of Optometry (2009) is the only optometry school associated with a faith-based institution in the United States; and UIW also operates the School of Osteopathic Medicine (opened in San Antonio's South Side in 2017), the School of Physical Therapy, and a robust nursing program. These five health professions schools collectively prepare future pharmacists, optometrists, DO physicians, physical therapists, and nurses — a pipeline that underpins UIW's mission to educate healthcare leaders who serve the predominantly Hispanic and medically underserved populations of South Texas. UIW is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution and enrolls one of the most diverse student bodies among US Catholic universities: roughly 25% of students are international, representing more than 65 countries, and UIW maintains a regional presence with branch campuses and a longstanding partnership with UNAM-San Antonio. The university is a member of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference (Football Bowl Subdivision I-FCS through 2025, now transitioning) and is known for its Catholic identity, small average class sizes, and a holistic admission philosophy that does not require SAT or ACT scores. For international students, UIW's combination of guaranteed merit aid, a 20% tuition discount for Latin American applicants, and access to Texas's only faith-based pharmacy and optometry programs make it a distinctive Southwest option.
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
Largest Catholic university in Texas
UIW
Military Veterans
UIW
Catholic universities graduating Hispanic bachelor's
UIW
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourcePriority (First-Year)
Encouraged date for best financial aid and course-registration timing
Rolling Admission
UIW reviews applications on a continuous rolling basis for summer, fall, and spring semesters
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$37,090
/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
Four-year professional OD program with early clinical exposure, community-outreach training across San Antonio, and the distinction of being the only optometry program at a faith-based university in the United States.
4 years
Texas's only faith-based PharmD program, integrating basic pharmaceutical, administrative, and clinical sciences with interprofessional training alongside UIW's osteopathic medicine, optometry, and nursing schools.
4 years
Pre-licensure BSN preparing bilingual (English/Spanish) nurses for San Antonio's hospital systems; consistently strong NCLEX-RN pass rates and a direct pipeline into UIW's MSN and DNP programs.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $37,090
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.
