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University of San Francisco

About University of San Francisco

The Jesuit University of San Francisco (USF) is located in San Francisco, California. The university, founded by the Jesuits as St. Ignatius Academy in 1855, began as a single room classroom that later became downtown San Francisco. The institution's main campus is situated on a 55-acre plot of land between Golden Gate Park and the Golden Gate Bridge. It's known as "The Hilltop," and a portion of it is situated on Lone Mountain, one of San Francisco's most prominent topographical features. U.S. News & World Report ranked it 96th in the National University category in 2019.

On its Hilltop Campus, the University of San Francisco offers over 230 undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and professional programmes. MBA, dual degree programmes in MBA, Executive MBA, and postgraduate degree programmes in Global Entrepreneurial Management, Financial Analysis, Organization Development, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Nonprofit and Public Administration are all available at the USF Downtown San Francisco Campus. A bachelor's degree in Management, a master's degree in Nursing, and a teaching certificate are all available at the university's Orange County campus. At its other sites, it also offers a variety of additional programmes.

Asian Americans made up 19.9% of the student body in 2018, followed by Latinos (20.9%), Native Hawaiians (0.7%), African Americans (5.4%), Native Americans (0.2%), and internationals (14%). Around 27.9% of the university's overall student body was white, with the remaining 7.0 percent coming from other races. Between the fall of 2000 and the fall of 2017, overall student enrollment increased by 50.4 percent.

University of San Francisco Rankings

  • Washington Monthly: Ranked 138th out of 391 national universities in 2023 
  • College Factual: Ranked 164th out of all four-year colleges and universities in the nation in 2023 
  • U.S. News & World Report: Tied for 109th overall in 2025 
  • QS World University Rankings: Ranked 1201–1400 in 2025 
  • CWUR: Ranked 1429th out of 20,966 in 2024 

Why University of San Francisco?

  • For comparable state-supported universities, SF State's tuition fees are among the lowest in the country.
  • SFSU's diverse campus is frequently ranked in the top 20 in the nation for minorities receiving undergraduate degrees.
  • Alumni of SFSU are well-known around the world as changemakers, creative artists, activists, inventors, and business owners.
  • To make higher education widely available to citizens of the region and state, as well as the nation and the world.
  • SFSU boasts over 300 clubs and groups that allow students to pursue their passions while also connecting with others.
  • SF State alumni have won 15 Academy Awards, and Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter have called the university one of the best film schools in the country.

 

University of San Francisco Tuition Fees

Courses Duration Tuition Fees
MBA (2 Courses) 20 Month - 2 Year USD 44160 - USD 44750
Engineering (1 Courses) 2 year EUR 13062
Science (6 Courses) 1 Year - 4 Year USD 12864 - USD 46900
Arts (5 Courses) 21 Month - 4 Year USD 24971 - USD 45760
Information Technology (IT) (3 Courses) 27 Month - 4 Year USD 18400 - USD 44040
Management (2 Courses) 18 Month - 4 Year USD 31267 - USD 45760

University of San Francisco Entry Requirements

Courses Exam
Arts IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , GMAT , GRE , PTE
Engineering IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , GRE , GMAT , PTE
Information Technology (IT) SAT , IELTS , TOEFL , PTE , GRE
Management IELTS , TOEFL , GMAT , GRE , PTE
MBA None , GMAT , IELTS , TOEFL , PTE , GRE
Science GRE , IELTS , TOEFL , PTE , SAT , GMAT

Admission Standards - Very Easy

SAT 940/1150
ACT 17/23
GPA 3.2

Applications Accepted - 67.3% 

Applications Due May 1, 2021
Applicant Competition Low
Application Fee $70

San Francisco State University Scholarships/Financial Aid

  • San Francisco State University students receive financial aid in the amount of 66 percent.
  • Scholarships, grants, work study, loans, and other forms of public and private financial aid are available at the university.
  • San Francisco State University offers more than 700 funding possibilities to students.
  • International students have a limited number of scholarship options. It is encouraged that overseas students seek for scholarships that do not need applicants to be citizens of the United States.

San Francisco State University Cost of Attendance

  • Tuition, books and supplies, accommodation and board, transportation, and incidental fees are all included in the cost of studying in the United States.
  • The cost of attendance for a full-time undergraduate student living on campus is listed below:

The university has a set tuition charge, as well as other costs, and the undergraduate full-time tuition fee and cost of attendance are as follows:

Description On-campus expense Off-campus expense
Tuition fee 7,440 USD 7,440 USD
Books and supplies 1,038 USD 1,038 USD
Food and housing 15,950 USD 17,922 USD
Personal expenses 2,058 USD 2,770 USD
Transportation 1,094 USD 1,482 USD
Total 27,580 USD 30,652 USD

The graduate students cost of attendance will be:-

Type Fee
Credential 2,566 USD to 3,964 USD
Master’s degree, second baccalaureate 2,716 USD to 4,222 USD
Doctorate 6,553 USD
Non-resident tuition fee 396 USD per unit
MBA, MSA, MSBA 0 to 6.0 units- 700 USD 6.1 or more- 1,200 USD Professional program fee- 270 USD
Masters of public administration 0 to 6.0 units- 430 USD 6.1 or more- 850 USD per semester

Know more about Studying in USA

Tuition Fees in USA (1st Year Average) BE/Btech: USD 28300 | MS: USD 22693 | BBA: USD 26616 | MBA: USD 29558 | BSc: USD 29418 | MA: USD 20452 | MIS: USD 22133 | MFin: USD 37683 | MEng: USD 29558 | MIM: USD 35301 | MEM: USD 23254 | MArch: USD 34741 | MFA: USD 28857 | BHM: USD 27176
Average Accomodation & Food Costs in USA USD 700 to 1000 Per Month
Entrance Exams in USA TOEFL: 86 | IELTS: 6.5 | PTE: 60 | GRE: 309 | GMAT: 560 | SAT: 1177
Work and Study in USA Permitted for 20 hours/week with a valid study permit. Know More
Post Study Work Permit in USA One to Two Years after graduation depending on the course.
Cost of Student Visa in USA USD 160
Student Visa in USA F1 Visa for USA allows you study permit in USA in full time academic courses. Any accredited school, college, university, academic institute, seminary, or conservatory in USA must accept you beforehand to apply for F1 visa in USA. Know More
Intakes in USA There are Three Intakes in USA: Fall (August-September), Spring (January) Know More
Top Job Sectors in USA Health Care, Education, Construction, Hospitality & Tourism, Business Services, Finance.
Economy in USA GDP Growth of 2.1% (Q4 2019), The Larges Economy of the World by Nominal

University of San Francisco Average Tuition Fee Per Year

Undergraduate

$ 16,944

Postgraduate

$ 15,210

Costs per year

Overall cost of living

$ 23,994

Campus accommodation

$ 9,804

Please note that fees will vary. Always check the exact cost of the program and bear in mind likely additional expenses.