


Stanbridge University is a private, career-focused institution in Irvine, California, with roots dating to 1996. It previously operated as Stanbridge College before adopting the university name as its health-care education offerings expanded.
That history helps explain its present academic focus: programs are concentrated in nursing, rehabilitation, and other health-related fields rather than spread across a broad range of liberal arts majors. Applicants should evaluate the particular campus and program they are considering, since an institution's expansion does not mean every program is offered at every location.
Stanbridge University organizes its academics around health-care and related professional education. Its offerings include nursing and rehabilitation programs, with credentials that vary by field and campus.
Representative areas include vocational and registered nursing, occupational therapy and occupational therapy assisting, physical therapy, and veterinary technology. Some pathways lead to associate or bachelor's degrees, while others are graduate-level professional programs. These are not interchangeable routes into a profession: an occupational therapy assistant, for example, has different educational and licensing requirements from an occupational therapist. Applicants should use the current academic catalog to match a program's credential, campus, clinical requirements, and licensing pathway to their intended occupation.
Stanbridge University's Irvine location is in Orange County, California, in a suburban employment area rather than a traditional residential college setting. The location may be practical for students seeking access to Southern California health-care employers and clinical sites, but travel is an important part of planning.
Students should consider both the trip to campus and potential travel to assigned clinical or fieldwork sites. Irvine is served by regional roads, transit connections, and nearby John Wayne Airport; none of those options eliminates the need to check a program's attendance schedule and placement locations. Stanbridge also operates at other Southern California locations, so applicants should confirm where their specific program's classes, labs, and placements take place.
Stanbridge University presents its educational mission as preparation for service-oriented careers through professional instruction and practical learning. Its emphasis on health-care training is reflected in programs that combine academic coursework with skills development and, where required, supervised practice.
A stated mission describes an institution's priorities, not a measured result for every student. Prospective students can test how that mission applies to their chosen program by reviewing its curriculum, clinical-placement rules, student support policies, and published licensing-exam or employment disclosures where applicable.
Name of the institution
Stanbridge UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, not primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
QuartersFoundation year
1996Stanbridge University is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degreeData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.