The University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac (also known as The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, or ND) is a leading private research university in the US. It was founded in 1842 by Rev. Edward Sorin and is located in Notre Dame, Indiana. ND was initially established as a primary and secondary school and received its official college charter in 1844.  Under Rev. William Corby, Notre Dame’s two-time president, the enrollment increased. He was also instrumental in the inception of the law school in 1869. 

During a fire on campus, also known as ‘The Great Fire of 1879’, the library and the main building were destroyed and students had to be sent home.  Rev. Corby and Rev. Sorin oversaw the rebuilding of the structure that housed the entire university, and the third and current main building was completed by the fall semester of 1879. 

Under the supervision of Rev. John Augustine Zahm, who served at Notre Dame from 1875 to 1892 in various capacities, the university witnessed aggressive modernisation and a push toward becoming a research university. Under his stewardship, several buildings were erected, and a campus art gallery and library were added. Another influential force in ND’s growth was Rev. James A Burns (president from 1919 to 1922), who raised it to national standards by adopting an elective system. 

Subsequent presidents–particularly Rev. Theodore Hesburgh (from 1952 to 1987)–furthered the visions of their predecessors, thereby, making Notre Dame the leading institution that it is today. ND’s 1,261-acre campus is considered one of the most beautiful campuses in the US. The university is home to landmarks such as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Word of Life mural (commonly known as Touchdown Jesus), the Golden Dome, and the Notre Dame Stadium, among others.

The University of Notre Dame is consistently ranked among the top universities in the US.  It was ranked 19th among ‘Best National Universities’ by US News & World Report 2022.  The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022  placed the university 28th among colleges/universities in the US.  Let us learn more about the university in this article. 

Courses Offered at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame offers around 75 undergraduate and over 90 graduate programmes. These courses span several disciplines such as humanities, arts, social sciences, business, engineering, law, and international relations, among others. The university imparts these degrees through its eight constituent schools and colleges (employing 1,424 faculty members). They are: 

College of Arts and Letters  College of Engineering  College of Science  Keough School of Global Affairs

Mendoza College of Business  School of Architecture  The Graduate School The Law School

The university also provides over 15 summer and 50 year-long study abroad programmes.  ND has over 70 institutes and centers that serve as sites for cooperative research and provide assistance to students and faculty engaged in them. From religion to arts to policy to pure sciences, these units conduct research across diverse fields. 

Aptly, Notre Dame is categorized among ‘R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity’ by the  Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, a classification granted only to academic institutions engaging in extensive research across multiple disciplines and allocating a significant budget for it. In 2020, ND’s total R&D expenditures were over $227 million. 

Admissions at University of Notre Dame

As of 2022, 8,874 undergraduate students and 3,935 graduate/professional students are enrolled at The University of Notre Dame; the current acceptance rate is 12.9 percent. 

Undergraduate Admissions
Aspirants to undergraduate courses must register to the Common Application through the Common App and apply to Notre Dame. The Common Application is an online undergraduate application accepted by over 1000 participating colleges and universities in the US (all 50 states), Canada, Japan, and a few European countries. Once the students register on the app, they must submit a Notre Dame-specific writing assignment. 

Below are the admission pre-requisites for undergraduate courses: 

• Academic Transcripts (high school transcripts, records of academic achievements, and others)
• Scores secured on standardized tests (SAT and ACT)
• Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS scores) 
• Extracurricular activities
• Counselor evaluation from the high school counselor
• A letter of evaluation from a high school teacher in a core academic subject among others. 

Graduate Admissions

The admission requirements for graduate programmes are dependent on the courses chosen and the school/college offering them. Applications to ND’s graduate schools are reviewed by individual admission committees within each of them. Aspirants can visit the pages of the specific graduate schools on Notre Dame’s official website to learn more about their respective admission requirements and processes. 

Tuition Fee and Funding 

The average cost of attendance for an Undergraduate degree is US$ 80,211 (inclusive of tuition and fees, books and supplies, and personal expenses, among others). On the other hand, the average cost for a graduate degree is US$ 60,116, and US$ 86,100 for a business degree. A detailed list of fees for different graduate programmes can be found on the university’s official website. 

There are numerous options available to students who wish to avail of financial assistance for the payment of their tuition fees. Some of them are scholarships, student employment, and subsidized loans, among others.  Graduate student aid is available through tuition scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships. The university’s official website provides additional information

about financial aid applications and policies. 

So, if you wish to study at a premier institution in the US that boasts of rich history and prestigious research status, then the University of Notre Dame is the place to be. We hope that this article has provided you with all the information you require to consider applying to this institution. Good Luck!