University of San Francisco

Who We Are

The University of San Francisco embodies the spirit of the city that surrounds it: Sharp minds. Big hearts. Independent spirits. At USF we see you, hear you, help you — and challenge you to change the world for the better.

At USF, reason, religion, science, and spirituality are friends, not enemies. We see the world with a sense of awe and wonder, and with a thirst for answers to the world’s most complex questions.

Our Core Values

At USF, education is much more than job training. It’s about inspiring you to go forth and create a more humane, just, and sustainable world.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Whatever your creed, country, class, or color, you are welcome at USF. Our rich and vibrant campus community helps prepare you to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world.

President & Leadership

Leading a community of scholars toward a future of service and excellence

USF’s leadership team, led by Rev. Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J., is deeply committed to giving students and faculty the best tools available to realize USF’s mission to change the world.

As articulated in the 2028 plan, USF has identified five areas of focus—Jesuit Catholic tradition, academic excellence, our San Francisco location, diversity, and a global perspective. These five strengths, and their integration into the fabric of campus life, set USF apart.

SAN FRANCISCO ADVANTAGE

Business and Technology Center

From Fortune 500 companies to seven-person startups, San Francisco’s economy is booming. Employers see the value of opening an office in the city, amid a culture of entrepreneurialism and innovation that attracts the best and brightest. It’s a collaborative and challenging environment that provides our students with unique professional and personal opportunities.

Global Perspective

Hailing from more than 90 countries. Sharing perspectives from hundreds of cultures. Offering viewpoints from thousands of identities. Your fellow students will be some of your best teachers at USF, and so will the city itself.

Because you’re immersed in San Francisco, you’ll reap all the benefits of its multicultural population and diverse communities, neighborhoods, and organizations. And because you’re enrolled at USF — ranked fifth in student diversity by U.S. News & World Report — you’ll be enriched socially and intellectually by the many cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs of our students, plus our faculty and staff.

Embracing Undocumented Students

USF is committed to helping undocumented students bolster their futures as citizens of the world. We offer a range of resources to support prospective and current USF students who have not yet received citizenship or permanent residency in the U.S. Our application process is identical for everyone, so no one needs to hide his or her residency status.

San Francisco Arts & Culture

Street festivals, food from the four corners of the culinary universe, destination museums and cutting-edge art, musical events for every ear, world-class shopping, coastline hikes through the fog — it’s all here.

Street and Music Festivals

From Outside Lands to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the J-Pop Summit to the Asian Heritage Street Festival, San Francisco stays outside year-round. Music festivals, street fairs, and cultural celebrations are an easy way to experience the city and its diverse communities.

World-Class Museums

USF’s campus is within walking distance to the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, a short bus ride to SFMOMA, the Exploratorium, and the Asian Art Museum, or an easy drive to world-class institutions in Berkeley, Oakland, Palo Alto, and San Jose.

Professional Sports

When our students aren’t cheering for the Dons, they’re grabbing tickets to watch a variety of professional sports teams around the Bay Area, including: the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, San Jose Sharks, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.