Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University (SHU) is a private nonprofit Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut, rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts. It was founded to be led by lay people and has grown into a broad university with undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. Its character combines a residential campus, a large menu of career pathways and a mission that emphasizes service, social justice and educating the whole person. Applicants should look beyond the attractive main campus and compare where their chosen courses are actually taught: health programs, business, engineering and other schools are spread across several locations.

What you can study

SHU has more than 100 fields of study across areas that include nursing, health professions, business and technology, computing and engineering, education, social work, communication and the liberal arts. Popular entry points include nursing (including associate, bachelor’s and graduate pathways), exercise science, health science, diagnostic medical sonography, radiography, occupational and physical therapy, physician assistant studies, psychology, business, cybersecurity, computer science, engineering, media and performing arts. The university also offers accelerated and combined undergraduate-to-graduate tracks in some areas. These programs can have separate prerequisites, clinical schedules, program fees and admission decisions, so ask about the exact pathway rather than assuming that admission to the university means admission to every professional major. The program finder is the best place to check the current degree and certificate list.

Campus locations and getting between them

Park Avenue Campus — 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825-1000. This is the main address and the location of undergraduate admissions. It has a guided-tour option and serves as the central reference point for campus visits.

West Campus — 3135 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield, CT 06825. This Fairfield site houses the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, School of Computing & Engineering, Farrington College of Education & Human Development and School of Social Work. The Frank and Marisa Martire Center for the Liberal Arts is at the corner of Park Avenue and Jefferson Street, Fairfield, CT 06825.

Center for Healthcare Education — 4000 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604. This site serves the College of Health Professions and Davis & Henley College of Nursing. The university also lists its Tandet Center location at 4 Hospital Plaza, Stamford, CT 06902, and Sacred Heart University at Griswold, at Griswold High School, 267 Slater Avenue, Griswold, CT 06351 (860-376-8408). For study abroad, the university lists its Dingle campus on John Street in Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland. Confirm with your program which site is used for classes, labs, clinical work or advising; these are not all interchangeable residential campuses. The 2026–27 catalog locations page provides the official location list.

Tuition, housing and financial aid

For 2026–27, SHU estimates $54,520 in full-time undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees. For a first-year student living on campus, its published direct-charge estimate adds median housing of $13,730 and the required first-year Big Red meal plan at $6,970, for $75,220 in estimated direct charges. That figure does not include every personal expense or a health-insurance charge: the university lists annual health insurance at $3,252 unless a student has qualifying coverage and completes the waiver process. Program fees can also add to the bill, including separate charges in nursing, exercise science, health science, business and engineering. A first-year residential student pays a $1,500 admission deposit, of which $1,350 is applied to tuition and $150 held as a housing-damage deposit. Commuter, transfer, second-degree, graduate and professional-program budgets differ. Use the cost-of-education worksheet and request an estimate for your degree and housing plan.

The university says 99% of enrolled full-time undergraduates receive financial assistance. Every applicant is automatically considered for merit scholarships, which SHU lists at up to $37,000 a year; the amount and renewal conditions depend on the award letter and are not guaranteed. New incoming students seeking federal or state aid complete the FAFSA; a CSS Profile is also required for consideration for institutional grants and scholarships. Possible aid includes university grants, Pell and SEOG grants, state assistance, work-study and activity-based awards. SHU offers payment plans, and Connecticut residents may be eligible for the Roberta B. Willis grant. Compare grants and scholarships with loans in your award, and ask whether your academic program carries added fees. For questions, Student Financial Assistance can be reached at 203-371-7980 or sfa@sacredheart.edu.

What students say

Public student comments often praise a close-knit community, approachable professors, small classes, campus facilities and the range of clubs and activities. Some reviewers say it takes personal effort to find one’s group; others raise concerns about the cost, the amount of aid, housing conditions or uneven dining and administrative experiences. The mix matters: SHU’s residential setting and engaged student culture may fit someone who wants campus involvement, while the bill can be a serious constraint even after a scholarship. Ask current students in your major about academic advising, class access and the day-to-day experience at their campus, then compare your written aid offer with the full cost. You can read the underlying student comments for additional perspectives.

Contact, office hours and applying

The main university number is 203-371-7999. Undergraduate Admissions is located at Curtis Hall on the Park Avenue Campus; its published hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Hours may vary on holidays. For application questions, call 203-371-7883 or email joinshu@sacredheart.edu. For a tour, information session or counselor appointment, contact the Campus Visit Team at 203-371-7881 or visit@sacredheart.edu. Use the university’s visit page to register, or its application page to begin. Sacred Heart is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education; its accreditation roster records continued accreditation in November 2023 and the next comprehensive evaluation in Spring 2033. The university is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.