Frequently Asked Questions During the Admission Process

College of Saint Benedict? Saint John’s University? All female? All male? How does that work?

Life at CSB+SJU is unlike that at any other school in the nation. Although CSB enrolls all women and SJU enrolls all men, the academic and social aspects are completely co-ed. Classes are offered on both campuses for all students, men and women. Students have access to facilities on both campuses. The separation between the two is found in the residence halls. The men live at SJU and the women live at CSB. Students get two schools with one, exceptional education. Ask students to pick any two schools and imagine they could use all the facilities and resources of both at the same time!

Where is Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s? How do I get there?

The College of Saint Benedict is located in St. Joseph, Minn., approximately 5 miles west of St. Cloud. Saint John’s University is located in Collegeville, Minn., approximately 5 miles west of St. Joseph, Minn. The campuses are located in central Minnesota lake country with over 3,400 acres of rolling hills and woods with 7 lakes on the two campuses. We can send specific directions to visiting students. The schools are located 70 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

Travel Assistance Program

If a student applies for admission and is deemed acceptable, we will help him/her arrange a visit to campus, including offering financial assistance for travel costs (we will pay for at least half of a student’s airfare)! While here, we will provide transportation to and from the airport, cover his/her meals on campus, and provide a current student to host him/her in the residence halls. We normally offer five National Fly-in Weekends. This is the best time for accepted seniors to visit CSB+SJU. Note to alumni: this program has been very successful for us with about 45% of the students visiting enrolling at CSB+SJU!

How many students attend CSB+SJU?

CSB+SJU has approximately 3,200 students (combined enrollment). There are 1748 women at CSB and 1,727 men at SJU (as of Fall '19).

What are your admission requirements?

CSB+SJU are selective, liberal arts colleges. Students who take college preparatory work and reach a high level of achievement as indicated by grade point average are most likely to be admitted.

Our middle 50% range on the ACT is 22 – 28. (The equivalent SAT range is 1110-1330)
Our middle 50% range for GPA is 3.34 – 3.9 (on a 4.0 scale)
CSB+SJU are now test optional and students do not have to submit a test score (more information).
Of the students that attend schools that still rank, most students rank in the top 30% of their graduating class.

APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS – NEVER MAKE ANY ADMISSION GUARANTEES.

How much does it cost?

APPROXIMATE COMPREHENSIVE Costs for 2020-2021:

Tuition CSB: $48,444 SJU: $48, 166
Room and Board CSB: $11,546 SJU: $11,362
Total CSB: $59,990 SJU: $59,528

Estimated cost for books for the year is $1,000. Personal expenses estimated at $1,500 per year.

Is there financial aid available? How do I qualify?

95% of families qualify for some form of financial assistance. CSB+SJU requires that you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your financial need. Students can submit this form after October 1 of their senior year. This form helps determine Expected Family Contribution (EFC); CSB+SJU subtract the EFC from our costs to determine the amount of your financial need. Financial assistance comes in a variety of forms – scholarships, grants, on-campus employment, and student loans. For specific questions please refer the student to the Admission Office.

Each year, CSB+SJU distributes scholarship aid in the form of merit scholarships for exceptional academic ability and achievement. We also offer scholarships in the Fine Arts (music, art, and theater). ( NO ATHLETIC Scholarships). Academic Achievement scholarships range from $12,000 to $32,o00. Fine arts scholarships range from $1,000 to $4,000. Out-of-state scholarships are awarded up to $4,000 if a FAFSA is submitted. Both schools offer a competitive scholarship program called Intercultural LEAD Fellowship aimed at first-generation students committed to intercultural issues and action through leadership, education, and development. The Fellowship includes a $10,000 per year scholarship.

When should I apply for admission?

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University has many ways for you to apply. We have our own easy to complete application – all online. We are also members of the Common Application. Full consideration will be given to those students whose complete applications are submitted by the following dates. Students applying after January 15 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

	Early Action I	Early Action II	Regular Decision
Priority Deadline	11/15	12/15	1/15
Admission Response by	12/15	1/15	4/1
Scholarship Response by	12/20	2/1	4/15
Candidate Response Due	5/1	5/1	5/1

There is no application fee – it is FREE to apply ! Students must complete the Application for Admission and submit that with the results from the ACT or SAT test, and an official high school transcript including the most recently completed semester. Students can apply online through the CSB+SJU website: www.csbsju.edu. Once a student has been admitted and decides to attend CSB+SJU a $300 non-refundable tuition deposit (credited towards overall fees) should be sent to us. Housing and course registration information is made available to the student once the deposit is received.

Do students graduate in four years?

90% of our graduates completed their education in four years.

Do students get jobs upon graduation?

97% of our students are employed, volunteering or in graduate/professional school within one year of graduation. We have an amazing database where students and families can see for themselves what every graduate had done over the past six years. That web site is: csbsjuresults.com

What is the average class size?

The average class size is 19 students. The smallest classes may have three to five students. Most classes are capped at 36 students, including intro-level courses.

What is the student/faculty ratio?

12:1 – you will get to know and interact with faculty members at CSB+SJU.

Do you have teaching assistants?

Professors will teach all of your classes at CSB+SJU. There are some teaching assistants in the classrooms and labs, but they are there with the professor to assist as needed.

Do you have a major in . . . . ?

Check the following website for any major, minor or preprofessional program a student may be exploring:

https://www.csbsju.edu/majors

How is your major in . . . .?

Every major listed has a description on our web site. Have them list the major on the inquiry card. Through a major, students prepare for professional careers and/or further study. We offer majors only in areas in which we can support strong faculty and facilities.

Do I have to live in the residence halls?

Over 90% of our students remain on campus their entire college careers. 35% of campus housing is apartment-style. We have a four year residency program. Students are expected and encouraged to live on campus for their college career. Many campuses these days only allow students to live on campus for one year or maybe two years. Why worry about rent, gas bills, electric bills, cable bills, internet bills, etc. when you should focus on being a student and enjoying the only undergraduate experience you will get?!

Can I have a car on campus?

Yes, you may have a car on campus. Cars, however, are not needed to get around either campus, or back and forth between the campuses. The Link shuttle bus runs between the campuses extensively throughout during the day, and every half hour in the evenings. There is also a bus into St. Cloud on Saturday and Sunday that stops at the movie theater, the mall, and a grocery store.

What is there to do on campus?

CSB+SJU are NOT suitcase colleges…people stick around on the weekend and do things ON the campuses. Tons of activities are offered – including music, art, theater, literary and journalistic publications, student government, campus ministry, academic clubs, special interest clubs, athletics (varsity, club, and intramural), etc. There is a nightclub on each campus for evening activities, movies, and many other activities centered on the two campuses. There are so many events going on that most students choose to stay on campus for the weekends. The Joint Events Council, which plans many of the campus social events, is the school’s largest club.

Do you accept Advanced Placement (AP), Post-Secondary Education Options (PSEO), or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit?

Generally if a student scores a 4 or 5 on an AP or a 6-7 on an IB test he or she will earn some form of exemption and, possibly, college credits. For PSEO or CIScourses, students who earn a grade of a “C” or higher in the course and we offer an equivalent course on campus, more than likely their credits will transfer over. For a more specific answer, the student should contact the admission office and we can mail/direct them to our AP/IB/PSEO Credit Sheet. The Registrar makes all determinations of credit from CIS, PSEO, AP or IB courses.

What is available for computers on campus?

CSB+SJU is a wireless campus. There are several computer labs around campus, as well as a computer area in each residence hall. All residence hall rooms are set up for data connection to a student’s personal computer, providing them with access to all network software, email, and the Internet. 92% of the campus is PC-based, with Macintosh and Linux workstations available as well.

Please send students to our website!

The CSB+SJU homepage is csbsju.edu Please encourage students to check out the website.