The College of St. Scholastica

About The College of St. Scholastica

The College of St. Scholastica is an independent private college with a Catholic Benedictine identity. Founded in 1912, it organizes its educational approach around the Benedictine values of community, hospitality, respect, stewardship, and love of learning. Students do not need to share the institution’s religious affiliation, but the identity is visible in its mission, general education, service opportunities, and campus ministry. The College reported 2,822 students in fall 2025: 1,744 undergraduates and 1,078 graduate students. Of these, 1,348 were full-time undergraduates on the main campus. This mix matters when evaluating the institution: the traditional residential experience is centered in Duluth, while the overall student body also includes graduate, part-time, professional, and online learners. The College identifies Duluth, its separate Health Science Center, St. Cloud, and online study as its current locations or formats. St. Scholastica is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and Minnesota’s higher-education regulator lists approved awards through the doctoral level. It remains active, with current enrollment reporting and 2026 admissions and tuition information. Its scale and professional orientation may appeal to students who want a smaller undergraduate setting alongside graduate health and professional programs. Applicants should confirm the location, modality, clinical requirements, and professional accreditation of their intended program rather than assuming every offering is based at the main campus.

For on-campus undergraduate admission, applicants may use the St. Scholastica application or Common Application without an application fee. The College requires an official high-school transcript or accepts a GED and states a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for admission to the College. ACT or SAT scores and an essay are optional. The general undergraduate page says fall applications are accepted through the end of August and that enrollment deposits are refundable until May 1. Program-specific requirements can differ, particularly in nursing, education, graduate, doctoral, and online study, so applicants should check their intended program before relying on the general criteria. International undergraduate applicants have a separate process. They must provide secondary-school credentials and English translations, any postsecondary records, and proof of English proficiency unless an applicable exception is confirmed. The current official thresholds are TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 105, or PTE 53. International materials are generally due July 15 for fall and November 15 for spring; Canadian applicants and current F-1 students have later dates of August 15 and December 15. Late files may receive case-by-case review. International transfer applicants need at least a 2.0-equivalent postsecondary average and may need a course-by-course evaluation from an accepted credential-evaluation organization. Graduate and doctoral applicants should use their program’s own admissions page because prerequisites, deadlines, and professional requirements vary.

St. Scholastica offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral study, along with certificates, licensure pathways, and non-degree options. Its academic website groups offerings across arts and sciences; leadership, business, and professional studies; and health professions. Subjects available in the current program directory include biology, chemistry, computer science, nursing, accounting, business management, education, health informatics, and several advanced health-profession fields. Availability differs by location and format, with some programs taught in Duluth, at the Health Science Center, near St. Cloud, online, or through a combination of formats. Undergraduates complete a liberal-education foundation that includes the College’s Veritas program and Benedictine values. Academic support includes advising, registrar services, mentoring, writing assistance, and career planning. The College also promotes applied learning through research, clinical work, internships, service, study abroad, and faculty-supported projects. These experiences are especially relevant to students considering health, education, or other professionally oriented fields, although the exact placement and clinical arrangements depend on the individual program. A four-year pledge is available to qualifying new first-year undergraduates who follow the College’s specified academic-planning requirements. This is conditional rather than an unconditional guarantee, so students should review the catalog terms and build a degree plan with an adviser. Prospective students should also consult the live program directory for current prerequisites and delivery locations, particularly for nursing, doctoral, licensure, and online programs.

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1912 with a Catholic Benedictine affiliation
• Reported 2,822 total students in fall 2025, including 1,744 undergraduates
• Institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
• Operates in Duluth, at a St. Cloud-area location, and online

Student Life & Environment

Residential student life is concentrated on the Duluth main campus. The College reports more than 60 student clubs and organizations and over 400 campus events annually, covering student government, service, social justice, recreation, faith and ministry, and other interests. Varsity athletics, club sports, and intramurals provide additional ways to participate. Because online, graduate, and location-specific students experience the institution differently, applicants outside Duluth should ask what activities and services are available to their particular cohort. Housing includes traditional rooms, suites, and apartments. First-year residents are placed in Somers Hall, where configurations include single and double rooms and four-person suites. Upper-division, graduate, and doctoral students have apartment and single-room choices. The College maintains a two-year residency requirement based on high-school graduation date, with approved exemptions that include living with a parent or guardian within 25 miles, documented medical circumstances, certain internships or student-teaching placements, marriage, fully online study, and transfer status. Student support extends beyond residence life. Advising, counseling, accessibility services, academic assistance, wellness programming, dining, campus ministry, and career planning are available. Students comparing housing should review the current contract, meal-plan rules, exemption process, and room-specific pricing before committing.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus is at 1200 Kenwood Avenue in Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth sits on Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota and combines an urban regional center with immediate access to trails, parks, skiing, climbing, and waterfront recreation. The College describes the main campus as minutes from downtown and the waterfront. Duluth’s arts venues, restaurants, healthcare organizations, and outdoor environment broaden options for internships, clinical learning, entertainment, and recreation. The setting also requires practical planning. Winters are long, cold, and snowy, so students should budget for suitable clothing and allow for seasonal travel conditions. The Duluth Transit Authority operates routes serving the main campus and Health Science Center, while students bringing cars need to review campus parking and permit rules. Not all study occurs on the main campus. The Health Science Center is at 940 Woodland Avenue in Duluth, and the St. Cloud-area instructional location is in Sartell. Students should verify where required classes, laboratories, clinical placements, and student services are delivered for their program.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–27, the published full-time price for traditional undergraduates and transfer students is $44,040 in tuition for 12–18 credits, $12,968 for the standard housing and meal-plan allowance, and $1,172 in fees based on 16 credits, totaling $58,180 before books, transportation, personal expenses, and any course-specific charges. This supersedes the older tuition and room-and-board figures stored in the database record. Actual housing charges vary by room type, and graduate, doctoral, online, international, and part-time programs use different cost structures. Financial aid can materially change the net price. For 2026–27, first-year Benedictine Scholarships are awarded from the admission application using high-school GPA, with published awards ranging from $24,000 to $30,000. Eligibility, renewal rules, and the interaction with other aid should be confirmed in the final award letter. Eligible new U.S. first-year and transfer students entering the Duluth campus in fall 2026 or spring 2027 may also qualify for the Saints Promise, which can cover up to full tuition after other gift aid when FAFSA-reported family adjusted gross income is below $80,000. For career context, the College’s 2023–24 First Destination Survey reported that 94.9% of bachelor-level respondents were employed, continuing education, serving in the military, or volunteering within six months. The result covers 345 respondents or verified records from 573 graduates and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed individual outcome or as a program-specific employment rate.