Saint Louis University (SLU) Summary
Saint Louis University is a private nonprofit research university in St. Louis, Missouri, with institutional roots dating to 1818. Saint Louis University was founded in 1818 and came under Jesuit leadership in 1829. It is one of the oldest universities west of the Mississippi River and combines a Catholic Jesuit mission with research, health-professional education, business, engineering, humanities, sciences, public health, and service. Academically, the institution is shaped by arts and sciences, business, engineering, aviation, education, health sciences, nursing, medicine, public health, social work, law, theology, philosophy, and interdisciplinary research. Undergraduate students encounter Jesuit core education combined with major requirements, research, internships, laboratories, clinical preparation, service learning, study abroad, and professional pathways. Graduate and professional education extends into master’s, doctoral, medical, law, business, engineering, public-health, health-science, nursing, and research programs. Teaching commonly combines lectures, seminars, laboratories, clinical education, research, service learning, internships, simulation, and project-based courses, allowing students to move from foundational coursework into increasingly specialized academic, professional, creative, or research work. Research at SLU is particularly visible in medicine, public health, biomedical science, geospatial science, aviation, engineering, business, social justice, theology, and health outcomes. The institution supports this activity through medical and health-science facilities, laboratories, libraries, engineering spaces, simulation centers, research institutes, and St. Louis clinical partnerships. Saint Louis University undergraduates in areas such as Accounting and Aerospace Engineering can pursue faculty-guided research, projects, fieldwork, studios, clinical experiences, or other experiential formats supported by their programs, while graduate students work within deeper disciplinary or interdisciplinary research settings. Student life includes residence halls, student organizations, athletics, faith and service programs, research, cultural organizations, leadership, and city-based internships. The setting matters because St. Louis provides access to health systems, biotechnology, aerospace, geospatial companies, finance, government, nonprofits, education, and major regional employers. At Saint Louis University, advising and student life in St. Louis complement academics through organizations, cultural programs, athletics, public service, entrepreneurship, and career preparation tied to the campus community. Admissions and affordability are institution-specific. SLU is test optional for undergraduate admission and scholarships. All applicants are automatically considered for several merit awards, while the Presidential Scholarship covers full tuition for selected high-achieving student leaders. Saint Louis University tuition can vary by residency, school, degree level, enrollment status, or cohort when the university publishes separate pricing structures. For Saint Louis University graduate students, funding varies by program; areas such as Business Administration and Computer Science may use assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, research support, or external awards under their published rules. Overall, Saint Louis University combines Jesuit education, health-professional strength, service, urban opportunity, and a broad private research-university environment. Saint Louis University's academic structure supports choices ranging from Accounting to Aerospace Engineering, while individual schools retain their own requirements and student communities. SLU’s Jesuit mission emphasizes intellectual rigor, service, ethical reflection, and education of the whole person. The university’s health-professional schools and medical center connections give clinical and biomedical education a major role. Beginning in fall 2026, the SLU Tuition Promise can cover full undergraduate tuition for qualifying first-time freshmen from lower-income families.




















