Lori Meadows
The University of Notre Dame is a private Catholic research university in Indiana, USA. It was founded in 1842 and is known for its strong academic programs, particularly in business, engineering, science, and the humanities. The university has a rigorous academic environment, with students reporting that their peers are \very smart\ and \competitive\. Notre Dame also has a strong focus on athletics and residential life, with most students living on campus and participating in intramural sports. The campus is well-maintained and features iconic landmarks such as the Golden Dome, Touchdown Jesus, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding | 1842 |
| Type | Private Catholic research university |
| Location | Notre Dame, Indiana, United States |
| Campus size | 1,261 acres |
| Setting | Suburban |
| Student accommodation | Over four-fifths of students live in the same residence hall for three consecutive years |
| Student population | 8,968 (fall 2023) |
| Alumni network | 151,000 members |
| Student life | Athletics, clubs, extracurricular activities, Greek life, faith-based activities |
| Social life | Drinking and partying are permitted within residence halls |
| Academics | Business, engineering, science, humanities |
| Faculty | Passionate, knowledgeable, and highly involved |
| Reputation | Ranked #18 in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges |
| Tuition fees | $65,025 |
| Notable programs | Glynn Family Honors Program, Leadership Seminars, Study Abroad, Global Scholars, Architecture Career Discovery Program |
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What You'll Learn
Social life and athletics
The University of Notre Dame offers a vibrant social life and a strong athletics programme. Athletics play a significant role in the social scene at Notre Dame, and the university has a proud tradition of sporting excellence. Football is a major event on campus, with game days drawing large crowds of students, alumni, and fans. The university's football team, the Fighting Irish, has won 36 national championships since 1924. The university also boasts a highly successful women's basketball team, which has won two NCAA National Championships, and a dominant fencing programme with 14 national titles.
Beyond varsity sports, Notre Dame provides extensive opportunities for students to participate in athletics and stay active. The university offers a wide range of club sports, including ultimate, cycling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, and archery, which cater to various skill levels and promote a social and inclusive environment. Students can also take advantage of the university's recreational facilities, such as the Smith Center for Recreational Sports and the Rockne Memorial.
The residential hall system is central to the social and athletic life on campus. Each residence hall has its own unique culture, with a chapel, signature events, intramural athletic teams, and service initiatives. Students can easily get involved in interhall sporting events, with residence halls fielding their own teams in football, basketball, soccer, and other sports.
Students at Notre Dame enjoy a diverse range of social activities beyond athletics. The university is home to over 500 clubs and organisations, catering to various interests, including academic, cultural, and recreational pursuits. Students can also explore the fine and performing arts through hundreds of annual events, exhibits, and programmes on campus and in the surrounding community.
Located in South Bend, Indiana, the university is interwoven with the local community, offering a variety of cultural attractions, great restaurants, and access to the outdoors. The campus itself is well-known for its iconic landmarks, such as the Golden Dome, Touchdown Jesus, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, contributing to a strong sense of tradition and community. While some students note that the social scene can be slightly insular, there is a strong sense of campus pride, and students can find a home away from home at Notre Dame.
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Campus and community
The University of Notre Dame is a private Catholic research university with a strong sense of community, both on campus and within the surrounding area of South Bend, Indiana. The campus is known for its beauty and well-maintained grounds, featuring iconic landmarks such as the Golden Dome, Touchdown Jesus, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. With a campus size of 1,265 acres, the university has a suburban setting and an undergraduate focus, with most students living on campus.
The residential hall system is a key aspect of campus life and culture at Notre Dame. The university has 33 single-sex residential communities, with over 93% of students identifying as Christian and over 80% of those being Catholic. Each residence hall has its own traditions, such as homemade regattas, pep rallies, and dances, and students develop tight-knit connections with their peers within their respective halls. The halls also promote an active social schedule of events, including football games, which are a major part of social life at the university.
Athletics and extracurricular activities play a significant role in the lives of Notre Dame students. The university's intramural sports program was ranked number one in the country in 2021, with over 700 teams participating each year in the annual Bookstore Basketball tournament. The university also hosts the annual Bengal Bouts boxing tournament for charity, as well as a women's boxing tournament, Baraka Bouts, which raises money for missions in Uganda. Beyond sports, students have the opportunity to engage in clubs, Greek life, and other extracurricular activities.
The university's strong sense of community extends beyond the campus. The alumni network is considered one of the strongest in the nation, and the university is interwoven with the surrounding community of South Bend. The city offers great restaurants, cultural attractions, and access to the outdoors. Notre Dame students also have the opportunity to explore their interests through various clubs and organizations, including the Entrepreneurship Society, College Mentors for Kids, and the acappella group at Duncan Student Center.
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Academics and professors
Academics at the University of Notre Dame are rigorous and challenging, with a focus on fostering intellectual curiosity, encouraging critical thinking, and stimulating personal growth. The university is ranked among the top universities in the country for overall academic quality, and its programs in Business, Finance, Accounting, Political Science, Theology, and Engineering are highly respected. The coursework is intellectually stimulating, pushing students to think critically and engage deeply with the material. While classes are challenging, students report that the environment is collaborative rather than competitive, and they are able to find time for extracurricular activities and relaxing with friends.
Notre Dame has a favourable student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1 or 10:1, which provides opportunities for personalized attention and mentorship. The professors are described as top quality, accessible, and eager to get to know their students. They are also highly accomplished in their respective fields, conducting world-changing research. Students have the opportunity to work closely with professors in small classes, connect with them during office hours, and collaborate on meaningful research projects.
The class formats vary, with a mix of larger lecture-based classes, particularly for freshman-level courses, and smaller, more intimate seminar-style settings for upper-level courses. In the larger lectures, professors may not know every student's name, but they are still accessible. In the smaller classes, professors are described as very friendly, and students have the opportunity to get to know them well.
The university offers a wide range of majors, minors, and programs across disciplines such as Arts and Letters, Business, Science, Engineering, Architecture, and Global Affairs. There is a strong focus on undergraduate research, with many opportunities for students to get involved in research projects and internships. The university also offers nearly 50 international study programs and a network of Global Gateways, providing a global perspective to the academic experience.
Overall, students report that the academics and professors at the University of Notre Dame are excellent, with challenging coursework, supportive and accessible faculty, and a collaborative learning environment.
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Faith and service
The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic academic community of higher learning, dedicated to the pursuit and sharing of truth for its own sake. The University's Catholic nature is visibly evident in a variety of ways on campus. There are 43 Holy Cross priests in residence, over 50 on-campus chapels, and more than 100 Masses celebrated each week.
Notre Dame has one of the largest campus ministry organizations in the country, serving all faiths through Masses, faith-sharing groups, and retreats. The University welcomes all faiths and non-faith traditions, with clubs dedicated to diverse faith practices, and non-Catholic religious organizations on campus, including the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Jewish Club of Notre Dame, Muslim Student Association, and Orthodox Christian Fellowship, to name a few.
The University's Institute for Social Concerns is consistently ranked as one of the national leaders in community-based learning and service. Its Summer Service Learning Program places students within more than 300 community organizations in the U.S. and abroad. The Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) places graduates in parochial schools and provides valuable resources for students and teachers.
Through service-learning programs, partnerships with major nonprofit organizations, and by championing causes they believe in, Notre Dame students are encouraged to give back to the wider community and turn their faith into action.
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Diversity
The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic research university that is committed to defending the dignity of every human person and promoting a just society in which every person can flourish. The university has a total enrollment of approximately 12,809 students, with 8,833 undergraduates and 3,700 graduate students. The undergraduate population is made up of 48% women and 52% men, while the graduate student population is 43% women and 57% men. The university ranks 18 out of 2,183 when it comes to geographic diversity, with 94.03% of students coming from out of state and 6.89% from outside the country. Students come from 44 states and 112 countries, with the majority of international students from China, India, and South Korea.
In terms of racial and ethnic diversity, the University of Notre Dame has been described by some as lacking. One source indicates that the official stats list "600 international students or students of color," but it is unclear how many are people of color. Black students at the university have reported getting shirts that say "not a student-athlete" because people assume all Black students are on a sports team. Additionally, one student shared that as a white-passing Latino, they felt that the university needed to improve its diversity and include more diverse perspectives. They also noted that there is less diversity of class than of race/ethnicity, with most students coming from upper-middle-income or higher backgrounds. However, the university has been praised for its resources for low-income students and students of color, with some stating that they were able to afford internships and other opportunities thanks to funding from the university.
The University of Notre Dame has a Gender Relations Center (GRC) that promotes moral formation consistent with Catholic identity, mission, and values. The GRC designs and implements programs about healthy relationships, sexuality, and gender, and seeks to build a community that honors the human dignity of each person. The university also has a Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS) department that nurtures a sense of belonging, student success, and servant leadership for historically underrepresented students. International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) is another resource that supports and advises international students and scholars, providing a wide array of support services and educational and cultural programs.
While some students have noted a lack of diversity at the University of Notre Dame, particularly in terms of race and class, the university has a variety of initiatives and resources in place to promote inclusion and support a diverse range of students. The university's commitment to diversity is reflected in its mission statement and the work of various departments and student groups. However, there is still room for improvement, and some students have expressed a desire for more diverse perspectives and a more welcoming environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Students say that professors at the University of Notre Dame are passionate, knowledgeable, and highly involved in their courses. The university is known for its strong programs in business, engineering, science, and the humanities. The academic environment is rigorous, with a focus on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The University of Notre Dame's campus is described as beautiful and well-maintained, featuring iconic landmarks such as the Golden Dome, Sacred Heart Basilica, Touchdown Jesus, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The campus has a suburban setting and covers 1,261 or 1,265 acres. Students appreciate the sense of tradition and history on campus, which they feel creates a special atmosphere.
Athletics, especially football, play a major part in the social life at the University of Notre Dame. Game days are a huge event on campus, with tailgates and other festivities. Students also have opportunities to engage in clubs, extracurricular activities, and Greek life. However, some students note that the social scene can be slightly insular due to the residential hall system.
As a Catholic university, faith plays an important role in the Notre Dame community. The school offers numerous opportunities for students to engage in faith-based activities, regardless of their religious background, including service-oriented clubs, retreats, and volunteer work. The university's president is always a priest, and both current and former presidents interact with students in various ways, such as teaching classes and saying mass in the dorms.
Some students have noted a lack of diversity at the University of Notre Dame in comparison to other top-tier schools. While the university has been making efforts to increase diversity, some students still feel that the campus environment could be more inclusive.
