Established in 1963,
Sacred Heart University is a private institution, the second-largest Catholic
university in New England. It is the first university in England to be staffed
by laity. It was founded by the most reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the
Diocese of Bridgeport.
- More than 5,348 full-time
undergraduates, 810 part-time undergraduates, 2,998 full- and part-time
graduate students are enrolled in the university.
- With a student-faculty ratio of
13:1, the university provides personalized attention to its students.
- With more than 80 programs offered by Sacred Heart
University, the
most popular programs include Science, Nursing, Management, Marketing, and
Psychology.
- SHU also offers 60+ study abroad programs in 30 countries of the world. It offers the only
American-accredited MBA program in Luxembourg.
Sacred Heart
University is one of the top 10 fastest growing Catholic Colleges as per the
Chronicle of Higher Education. SHU has been recognized with numerous accolades
in the past, with the Princeton Review, crediting them as being one of the best
385 colleges and among the best 248 business schools
in the UK and #10 happiest students.
Sacred Heart University Rankings
A snapshot of the
Sacred Heart University ranking by various reputed ranking agencies is given below:
US News and World
Report 2021 Rankings:
- #217 in National
Universities
- #340 in Top Performers on
Social Mobility
Niche 2021 Rankings:
- #95 of 164: Best Catholic
Colleges in America
- #475 of 943: Top Private
Universities in America
- #599 of 1,336: Safest College
Campuses in America
- #118 of 564: Best Colleges for
Kinesiology and Physical Therapy in America
- #151 of 789: Best Colleges for
Accounting and Finance in America
- #163 of 630: Best Colleges for
Criminal Justice in America
- #213 of 1,401: Best College
Athletics in America
Forbes Rankings:
- #370: Top Colleges 2019
- #241: Private Colleges
Highlights
University Type |
Private |
Establishment Year |
1963 |
Location |
Fairfield, Connecticut |
Campus Setting |
Sub-urban |
Mode of Program |
Full-time, part-time, online |
Total enrollment |
9,100 |
Mode of Application |
Online |
Average GPA |
3.55 |
Student-faculty ratio |
13:1 |
Work-study |
Available |
Sacred Heart University Campus
- The main campus of Sacred Heart
University is located in the suburban setting of
Fairfield, Connecticut spreading over 100 acres.
- The University owns additional
200 acres of land close to the campus a part of which has been turned into
a golf course and the other part is the West campus.
- The University has satellite
campuses in Stamford teaching Physician Assistant Program and Griswold
teaching graduate education programs.
- SHU students get the opportunity to be a part of over 100 social, academic, leadership, media,
multicultural, and performing arts clubs and organizations.
- The university also has a Greek
Life program with fifteen sororities and fraternities and over 1,800
active participants.
- Sacred Heart University
Pioneers participate with 32 NCAA Division I athletic teams and over 30
intercollegiate sports teams.
- The campus is in the proximity
of Manhattan and Boston being located within 60 and 150 miles from both,
respectively.
Sacred Heart University Residence
- Sacred Heart University offers students the option of on-campus living.
- 92% of entering freshmen live on-campus provided accommodation.
- The halls are divided on the basis of the student's year of study i.e. freshmen residences, sophomore, and then junior and senior residence halls.
- The freshmen students are
assigned one of the residence halls from:
- Elizabeth Ann Seton hall
- Thomas Merton hall
- Angelo Roncalli hall
- Jorge Bergoglio hall
- Toussaint hall
- There are 5 sophomore residence
halls namely:
- Scholars commons
- Christian Witness Commons
- Pioneer garden apartments
- Oakwood garden apartments
- Elie Wiesel hall & Pier
Giorgio Frassati hall.
- The juniors and the seniors
have their own apartment options they can choose from to reside in.
- Basic amenities provided in the
residences include beds, dresser, cables, AC/heating, Wi-Fi, desks and
chairs, and additional supplements as per the residence.
- The laundry is all billed on
the students’ card and does not require the student to pay additionally.
Sacred Heart University Courses
- Sacred Heart University
offers over 80 programs, in bachelor’s, master’s, and
doctorate, and more, offered through their nine colleges and schools.
- The university offers programs
in nursing, arts, and sciences, business and technology, health
professions, education, communication, media & arts, computer science
and engineering, and more.
- Popular majors at SHU are
nursing, exercise science, psychology, marketing, and management.
- Master’s degrees are offered in
various subjects, like, MBA, Master’s in Accounting, Master’s in Broadcast
Journalism and Media Production, Master’s in Computer Science and
Information Technology, and more.
- SHU also offers 20
study abroad programs spanning over 17 countries.
- The University also offers
accelerated bachelor's and certification programs.
Top Programs in Sacred Heart University
Programs |
Fees Per Annum |
M.Sc Computer Science and
Information Technology |
$43,070 |
M.B.A |
$43,070 |
Master in Social Work |
$43,070 |
Master in Public Administration |
$43,070 |
M.A Criminal Justice |
$43,070 |
Sacred Heart University Application Process
Sacred Heart
University welcomes applications from international students for the fall and
spring semesters. International students have to fulfill additional
requirements for admission.
How to Apply?
The process for admission to the Sacred Heart
University can be completed online.
Application portal: UG: Common application/ Sacred Heart portal; PG: Sacred Heart Online Application
Application fee: UG: Common Application - 50 USD; Sacred
Heart portal – free; PG: 50 USD
Application deadline: International students must follow the
deadlines are given below:
Semester |
Application deadline |
Spring |
December 1 |
Fall |
December 1 (Early decision binding) |
Admission requirements: The following documents are required at the
time of admission:
- Official transcripts from all
educational institutions attended
- Letter of Recommendation from
individuals other than family members
- SAT or ACT scores (optional)
- GRE or GMAT scores (for master’s
programs)
- Resume
- Essay/Personal statement to study in the UK
- Educational agent release form
- English proficiency scores
- Passport copy
- Official bank letter showing at
least 60,800 USD
The international
students’ I-20 would be released when they are accepted, and the university has
received all the documents.
English language requirements
International students
must submit one of the following test scores to prove the proficiency of the
English language:
Test |
Minimum Requirements |
TOEFL (Internet-based) |
80 |
TOEFL (Paper-based) |
550 |
IELTS |
6.5 |
PTE |
62 |
Duolingo |
110 |
Sacred Heart University Cost of Attendance
- The cost of attendance for
Sacred Heart University includes tuition fees and cost of living.
- The tuition fee depends on the
choice of program and level of study. A summary of tuition fee for
undergraduate and graduate programs have been given below:
Programs |
Amount |
Full-time undergraduate tuition |
22,040 USD/semester |
Graduate Programs |
|
MBA |
985 USD/credit |
Master of Education |
785 USD/credit |
Master of Arts Broadcast Journalism and
Media Production |
1,000 USD/credit |
Master of Science in Computer Science &
Information Technology |
945 USD/credit |
Master of Science Digital Marketing |
985 USD/credit |
The cost of living in the U.S. mainly depends on
personal preferences and lifestyle. An estimate of such expenses have been
given below for reference:
Expenditure Item |
Cost |
Residence halls |
5,615 – 6,115 USD |
Meal plans |
280 – 3,136 USD |
Athletic and Recreation Fee |
135 USD |
Health Insurance |
2,464 USD |
Sacred Heart University Scholarships/Financial Aid
- All international students
receive financial aid through scholarships awarded for studying in the U.S.
- The international applicants
classify for merit scholarships exclusively.
- Few merit scholarship options
are:
- President’s excellence award
- Trustee scholarship
- College scholarship
- Conley award
- The amount for all these awards
ranges from 7,000 USD to 17,500 USD.
- Scholarships are offered at the
time of admissions on the basis of transcripts and class rank in high
school. These are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- The awards would be renewable
for eight semesters, provided the student maintains the required
cumulative GPA established for their specific scholarship.
- Students are offered part-time
employment in the form of a work-study program. According to the
university regulations students are allowed to work for 15 hours per week.
The hourly pay rate is 11 USD in Connecticut which is
planned to increase to 12 USD from September 2020.
Sacred Heart University Alumni Network
Sacred Heart
University alumni network has more than 44,000 members across 58 countries.
Members are eligible to avail the following alumni benefits:
- Lifetime email account
- No application fee for graduate
programs
- Pioneer pride program
- On-campus resources (transcripts,
etc.)
Few notable alumni of
the University include:
- Pope Francis - Head of the
Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State
- Kevin Nealon - American
Comedian
- Lydia Hearst - Model
- Jeff LeBlanc - American
singer-songwriter
Sacred Heart University Placements
Center for Career
& Professional Development helps students with job search skills
development, networking events (job fairs), internships, graduate school
options, professional development coaching, finding part-time and summer jobs.
- Sacred Heart University hosts a
career fair named ‘Connect to Careers-The Advanced Technology Pipeline to
Employment’.
- Sacred Heart partnered with the
non-profit organization Connecticut Centre of Advanced Technology to help
foster connections with various businesses.
- The representatives of
companies present at the career fair were Inline Plastics, Exago, East
Rock Software, Tri-Star Industries, Bridgeport Worldwide, and MindTrust.
- Sacred Heart University posts
online job postings via Handshake, SHU online job bank, and job search
management for graduates and alumni.
- The average salary as per
Payscale for Sacred Heart graduates is USD 72,316
- The average salary by the job
designations is given below:
- Physical Therapist (PT): USD
71k
- Project Manager, (Unspecified
Type / General): USD 82k
- Information Technology (IT)
Manager: USD 101k
- Human Resources (HR) Manager:
USD 103k
- Graphic Designer: USD 42k
- Software Engineer: USD 77k
- Senior Accountant: USD 77k
A Financial graduate
from Sacred Heart University gets the highest salary worth USD 90,000 as per
Emolument. This is followed by Consulting, Accounting & Professional
Services professionals with USD 80,000 as per Emolument.
FAQs
Ques. How to
apply for Undergraduate International Admissions at Sacred Heart University?
Ans. Students can
apply through SHU International Application or
the Common
App. The application fee for the former is waived and the latter is
USD 50.
Ques. What are
the deadlines for Undergraduate International Admissions?
Ans. For Spring entry
(January) it is December 1. For Fall entry (late August) the Early Decision is
December 1, Early Action 1 is December 15 and Early Action 2 is February 1.
After February 1, rolling admissions take place.
Ques. What is the
undergraduate tuition fee at Sacred Heart University?
Ans. The full-time
undergraduate tuition is USD 22,040/semester.
Ques. How to
request accommodations?
Ans. Students can complete
an accommodation intake form via their secure portal with a SHU username and
password.
Ques. What are
the English language requirements for Graduate Admissions?
Ans. English Language
Proficiency exam scores are necessary for non-native English speakers. Students
can submit TOEFL 80+, IELTS 6.5, and Duolingo 110.
Ques. Are
scholarships available at Sacred Heart University?
Ans. Yes, merit
scholarships are available for all new undergraduate admissions.
Ques. What is the
application checklist for a full-time undergraduate transfer student?
Ans. The student must
submit the Sacred Heart University application or Common Application with
official transcripts, AP exam scores 4/5, one letter of recommendation directly
sent to SHU with a non-refundable fee of USD 50.
Ques. Are
GRE/GMAT scores required for Graduate programs at Sacred Heart University?
Ans. No, GRE/GMAT
scores are not required. However, a student can submit it to support the
application.
Ques. What are
the MBA requirements at Sacred Heart University?
Ans. A student must
submit an online application with a non-refundable fee and have a bachelor’s
degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, official transcripts, a written personal
statement, two LORs, and a professional resume.
Ques. What is the
area of concentration in an MBA at Sacred Heart University?
Ans. The area of
concentration available in MBA at Sacred Heart University is Accounting
(Fairfield), Business Analytics (Fairfield), Finance (Fairfield and
Luxembourg), Management (Fairfield and Luxembourg), and Marketing (Fairfield)
Ques. What
graduate programs are offered in Computer Science Engineering?
Ans. The Graduate Programs are in the disciplines of Cybersecurity, Computer Science Information & Technology, and Education Endorsement.