Villanova University is a private Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Since 2016, it has been classified among “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity.” As a university that is both Catholic and Augustinian, Villanova has as its charge to foster an educational environment guided by the values of truth, unity, and love (Veritas, Unitas, Caritas), inspired by the teachings of Saint Augustine of Hippo.
For more on the university’s Augustinian mission and tradition, click here.
Villanova is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university traces its roots to the old Saint Augustine’s Church, Philadelphia, which the Augustinian friars of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova founded in 1796. The Augustinian Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova still sponsors and ministers at Villanova University to this day.
Students & Alumni
Villanova University values a personalized experience where teachers and students are partners in learning and scholarly inquiry. From undergraduate to doctoral students, Villanovans are intellectually inspired, morally grounded, and globally minded.
Villanova University attracts and forges world changers—people who ignite positive change everywhere life takes them. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in history and the first Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff, happens to be a Villanova alumnus.
Born Robert Francis Prevost, he received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova in 1977, followed by a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982. He was ordained a priest the same year, and he was elected as the 267th Pope on May 8, 2025, succeeding Pope Francis (2013-25).
Other famous alumni include: First Lady Jill Biden, and White House Correspondent Peter Doocy.
Academics
Villanova is a closely connected academic community with renowned faculty, rich resources and a personalized, supportive learning environment. The university provides exceptional opportunities for a wide range of academic experiences, including hands-on research, interdisciplinary collaboration and experiential learning.
Explore 100+ majors and minors in the liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, and nursing, all academically rigorous and committed to a deeply engaging approach to learning and discovery.
Campus
Villanova University is located on a 260-acre campus, 12 miles west of Philadelphia. Three campus rail stops provide quick access to Philadelphia. Villanova also is conveniently close to New York and Washington, D.C.
The Villanova campus is always beautiful, especially in the spring. It contains roughly 1,500 trees with over 250 different species including sequoia, sycamore, pine, pear, crabapple, cherry, and horse chestnut, along with many other varieties.
The most prominent feature on campus is St. Thomas of Villanova Church, whose dual spires are the university’s tallest structure. It was built between 1883 and 1887. The church’s dual Gothic revival spires have long been symbolic of the university.
Homeschool Applicants
Admission to Villanova has been deemed “most selective” by U.S. News & World Report. Still, Villanova University does accept homeschool applicants and takes a holistic approach to reviewing applications.
This means they consider the complete picture – including your academic performance, extracurricular activities, recommendations, writing supplements, life experiences, and standardized test scores (if reported).
Applicants who have been homeschooled for more than one full academic year in high school (this does not include virtual or online learning programs) are required to submit SAT and/or ACT scores.
To apply as a transfer student, you must have completed one year of college courses as a degree-seeking student or a full-time student after completing high school.
Homeschool applicants should follow the same application process as other first-year students, which includes submitting the Common Application, an essay, transcripts, and other required materials.
A complete application for admission will include:
- $80 application fee (or application fee waiver).
- Common Application with essay (original work, unaided by artificial intelligence).
- Secondary School Report with an overview of your high school, including coursework and rigor, to be completed by a school counselor, teacher, or administrator.
- Official transcript detailing your coursework and grades starting in grade nine through your most recently completed term. If you have previously attended a different high school or taken courses at a local college, please be sure to submit those grades as well. They may be reported on your current high school transcript or sent on a separate transcript from that other institution.
- One recommendation from a high school teacher who knows you well and can speak, in detail, about your contributions and interactions.
- Villanova writing supplement. The supplemental response must be different from the response shared in the Common Application essay section. Share what makes you unique and express yourself authentically, showing your personality and character.
Villanova Writing Supplement (2024-25)
- For the Villanova-specific essay, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, experiences, and opinions. Choose one of the five topics below and submit a written response in about 250 words.
- Prompt One:
Augustine states that well-being is “not concerned with myself alone, but with my neighbor’s good as well.” How have you advocated for equity and justice in your communities? - Prompt Two:
What is a lesson in life that you have learned that you would want to share with others at Villanova? - Prompt Three:
“Villanova” means “new home.” Why do you want to call Villanova your new home? - Prompt Four:
As an Augustinian community, we value recognizing individuals for their true selves. Please share with us a time when you were misjudged based on your identity, background, experiences or interests. - Prompt Five:
At Villanova, we often say “each of us strengthens all of us.” Please detail a time when someone has borrowed some of your strength in their time of need.
