Santa Clara University

What are the popular events and traditions at Santa Clara University?

Santa Clara's recurring events reflect both its Jesuit history and its alumni and student communities. The annual Festival of Lights, held at Mission Santa Clara, is a choral holiday tradition that connects a campus performance with one of the university's most recognizable historic spaces.

Grand Reunion brings alumni back for class gatherings and campus events. Religious observances, including the Mass of the Holy Spirit, also mark the university calendar. Students need not participate in every tradition to be part of campus life; these events illustrate the range from performances to alumni gatherings and faith-based ceremonies.

What are the student housing and dining options at Santa Clara University?

Santa Clara University offers undergraduate campus housing, including residence halls and apartment-style options for eligible students. Availability and assignment rules differ by student category, so the existence of campus housing should not be read as a guarantee of a preferred building or room type.

First-year applicants should review the housing application and deposit deadlines alongside their admission decision. Continuing and transfer students may face different selection procedures. Students considering off-campus housing should budget for deposits, utilities and transportation as well as rent; a shared apartment is not necessarily cheaper once those costs are included.

Campus dining includes meal-plan options and dining locations used by residential and commuting students. Plan requirements and usable locations can depend on the housing assignment. Before choosing a plan, students should compare their expected on-campus meals with the plan's terms rather than relying solely on its advertised number of meals or spending balance.