The University

Founded in 1842 by the friars of the Order of St. Augustine, Villanova is a comprehensive Roman Catholic institution that welcomes students of all faiths. The University offers a wide variety of degree programs through four colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, and the College of Nursing, as well as the Villanova School of Law.

A Solid Academic Reputation

The oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Villanova is one of 262 institutions and one of 18 Catholic colleges or universities in the nation to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the prestigious liberal arts honor society. For more than a decade, Villanova University has been ranked #1 by US News and World Report in the Best Universities-Master's category in the northern region.

The Students

Villanova's more than 6,300 undergraduates come from 47 states plus Puerto Rico and 29 foreign countries. More than ninety percent of our first-year students ranked in the top 30 percent of their high school classes.

The Faculty

Villanova's 571 full-time faculty members, 90 percent of whom hold the highest degree in their field, teach classes that average 22 students. The student to faculty ratio is 13:1.

The Campus

Located in a suburban community 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of Philadelphia, the picturesque 254-acre campus features more than 60 buildings, including a library with over 800,000 volumes, an 11,800 seat stadium, state of the art academic facilities, and 26 residence halls.

The Experience

Villanova students may choose to study abroad for a summer, semester, or year; compete on one of 11 men's or 13 women's NCAA Division I level (football is Division IAA) sports teams, immerse themselves in Campus Ministry, and take part in any of more than 130 campus organizations.

Financial Assistance

For the academic year 2006-2007, Villanova offered more than $55 million in assistance full-time undergraduate students.

Accreditation 

Villanova and its programs have received accreditation through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the AACSB International, the American Chemical Society, the American Bar Association, the Association of American Law Schools, the Pennsylvania State Board of Nurse Examiners,  the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the National Catholic Education Association, and the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board. Villanova is a member in good standing of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.