University of St. Thomas

Key Highlights

• Private Catholic university founded in St. Paul in 1885
• Institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
• Operates locations in St. Paul, downtown Minneapolis, and Rome
• First bachelor's degrees were conferred in 1910

Student Life & Environment

Undergraduate residential life is concentrated on the St. Paul campus. Full-time first- and second-year bachelor's students are generally required to live in university housing and purchase a meal plan, regardless of accumulated academic credits. Students considering St. Thomas should treat this as a significant academic and financial commitment and review the published exception process before assuming they can commute or rent privately. Residence options include traditional halls, suites, and apartments, with study, lounge, kitchen, and recreation spaces varying by building. Incoming students select either a Living Learning Community organized around an academic interest or a Common Good Learning Community connected to the university's mission. Housing for later undergraduates is more limited and depends on availability, while the university guarantees housing for students covered by the first-two-years requirement. Outside housing, students can participate in clubs, student government, ensembles, service, recreational activities, and university events. Fitness and student support services are primarily based in St. Paul. Because graduate and professional students may study in Minneapolis, online, or on hybrid schedules, their day-to-day experience can differ substantially from that of residential undergraduates. Prospective students should compare campus location, commuting expectations, and program schedules when assessing community life.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus occupies a residential part of St. Paul near Summit Avenue and roughly midway between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis. It combines residence halls, undergraduate academic buildings, libraries, recreation facilities, and green space. The Mississippi River and nearby walking and cycling routes provide outdoor options beyond the campus grounds. St. Thomas also operates a downtown Minneapolis campus approximately five miles from St. Paul. It houses several professional and graduate units, including business, law, education, and professional psychology. A university shuttle connects the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses, but students should confirm its current schedule before relying on it for a particular class timetable. The Twin Cities location can support internships, employment, arts, and cultural activities across two urban centers. The Rome location is different in purpose: the Bernardi residence supports participants in designated academic and summer programs rather than functioning as a parallel full-service undergraduate campus. Applicants should identify the primary location of their program and include local transportation, winter conditions, and any cross-campus travel in their planning.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–27, the university estimates a nine-month undergraduate cost of attendance of $77,772. This budget includes $56,856 in full-time tuition, $1,742 in required fees, and allowances for housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal or loan-related expenses. It is an aid-planning estimate rather than a promise of each student's bill; actual housing, meal-plan, travel, and personal costs can differ. J-Term and summer study are additional. Undergraduate tuition is billed at $28,428 per fall or spring term for enrollment of 12–18 credits. Certain programs and enrollment patterns carry different charges. Graduate and professional tuition varies substantially by school and program, so the undergraduate figure should not be applied to master's, doctoral, or law students. St. Thomas offers institutional scholarships and directs applicants to its net-price calculator and financial-aid process. Students should compare grants and scholarships, required borrowing, housing obligations, and the conditions for renewing aid rather than judging affordability from the sticker price alone. The Career Development Center provides advising and reports first-destination status within six months of graduation. Its latest displayed survey is for 2025 and has a 71.3% knowledge rate, meaning the reported outcomes do not describe every graduate. Applicants should examine results by degree and field where available and avoid treating a university-wide outcome percentage as a guaranteed personal result.