Santa Clara residents take great pride in the focus on the Bay Area as a leader in schools and higher education. Consequently, there are many viable options when it comes to higher education in the area, ranging from community colleges and vocational training schools to world-renowned universities. With so many colleges and universities in such close proximity, it is hardly any wonder why the San Francisco Bay Area population has such an extremely high number of college graduates.

Located approximately 50 miles of one another are four of the most highly respected universities in the United States. Most of these institutions have faculty and staff that are recipients of the highest international awards in science, medicine, and other areas, and are all among the most competitive and sought-after schools for incoming freshmen each year.  

Santa Clara University – The iconic Spanish Mission that marks Santa Clara University’s Jesuit origins stands proudly on this campus and welcomes new students and visitors every year. Santa Clara University (SCU) is the oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning in California, having opened in 1851. Home to approximately 8,000-9,000 students (both undergraduate and post-graduate) each school year, Santa Clara University is known for its exacting and demanding curriculum and the high caliber of its student body. Offering a full roster of class choices, SCU also offers studies in Theology and Pastoral Ministries.

500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053        www.scu.edu

Stanford University – Technically named the Leland Stanford Junior University, Stanford University is a world-renowned research university located in Palo Alto, California. Stanford is known as one of the more difficult universities in the United States for students to be admitted into, both because of the high-standards of admissions and the large volume of applications the university receives each year for its freshman class. More than 50 members of Stanford’s faculty, staff, and alumni have won the Nobel Prize. For many students, learning in the company of these scholars is a dream they aspire to.

450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305        www.stanford.edu

University of California at Berkeley – The University of California at Berkeley also referred to as Cal by most of its alumni and supporters was founded in 1868 and is perhaps the most well-known and respected of the UC schools. As a teaching and research university with a long list of distinguished faculty and staff, and an almost endless list of awards and honors bestowed upon this same group, a degree from UC Berkeley carries weight in the professional and academic worlds. With several government laboratories and research projects, and a legendary athletics program, UC Berkeley is also amongst the most sought after universities in the U.S.

University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720        www.berkeley.edu

University of California at San Francisco – California’s premiere medical university, the University of California at San Francisco is one of the world’s leading training grounds for health sciences, and is also a leading research and teaching facility for the medical arts. Founded in 1873 as a university “dedicated to saving lives and improving health”, UCSF is a world leader in HIV/AIDS treatment and research, and has some of the most advanced training and research programs in a wide variety of medical fields. A world-renowned faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a reputation more than two centuries in the making make this school another of the United States’ most respected and sought after universities.

University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143        www.ucsf.edu

Other Colleges and Universities in the Santa Clara Area:

Universities of California:

University of California at Santa Cruz

California State Universities:

San Jose State University

San Francisco State University

California State University East Bay

Private Colleges and Universities:

Notre Dame de Namur University

University of San Francisco

University of the Pacific

Community Colleges:

De Anza College

Foothill College

San Jose City College

West Valley College

College of San Mateo

City College of San Francisco

Ohlone College

Diablo Valley College

Canada College

Skyline College