Founded in 1859, Valpo offers a thorough grounding in the liberal arts as well as professional training and graduate study, helping students find their own paths to lifelong personal, spiritual, and professional growth.
In its 150-year history, Valparaiso University has passed through three distinct phases. Founded by Methodists in 1859 as an institution pioneering coeducation, the Valparaiso Male and Female College was forced by the reverses of the Civil War to close its doors in 1871.
Education
The freedom to pursue truth wherever it leads is at the heart of Valpo’s sense of community, uniting its academic and spiritual missions.
The university aims to foster in its students a lifelong commitment to this search for truth, encouraging the development of a sense of personal vocation as well as the intellectual and professional skills needed to pursue it.
Valparaiso UniversityKey Statistics & Highlights
#1401Ranking
3 Courses
899Academic Staff
17,089Students
513Students (int'l)
9,741Students (female)
Private Institution Type
Student services
Student Financial Services is the central hub for all financial information related to Valparaiso University. The Offices of Financial Aid and Student Accounts, as well as other offices, can help you find answers whether you are an incoming, current student or parent/guardian.
Housing services
Your college experience should be more than a classroom education. For three years, you're guaranteed housing on campus. Create your home at Valpo in one of our eight residence halls. Live down the hall from the friends you'll have for the rest of your life. Build a community of people as unique as you.
Library services
The Christopher Center Library is where people and information meet to bring about discovery and build knowledge with integrity. In an effort to enhance student learning and information literacy, we aim to create an inclusive environment where the campus community can ask hard questions, engage in scholarly conversations, and contribute to society with critical thought and compassion.
Medical services
Valparaiso University is interested in promoting good health practices as well as preventing sickness and accidents among students. The University does not assume financial responsibility for a student in case of illness or accident. The University maintains the Student Health Center for the treatment of illnesses and minor accidents.
Campus life
202,000-square-foot Harre Student Union is the hub of student life and offers space for recreation and meetings as well as a computer lab, bookstore, career center, and two dining options at Founders Table and the Campus Cafe.
Sports facilities
The Fitness Center, located next to the Athletics-Recreation Center, has a vast array of cardio equipment and strength machines to keep Valpo students strong and fit. You can find the Recreational Sports offices on the north side of the building.
The Fitness Center has 25 new cardio stations for students to use. Most are equipped with Cardio Theater, which allows for patrons to plug in their headphones and listen to the TVs located throughout the cardio area.
Student clubs
Valparaiso University is committed in offering a multitude of various student activities and recognized organizations on campus. The Student Activities Office is located in the Student Organizational Suite (SOS) on the second floor of the Harre Union and is a welcoming place for students to gather and collaborate with their organizations.
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
National Association of Schools of Music
The Council on Social Work Education
AACSB International (College of Business)
ABET (College of Engineering)
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
The American Bar Association
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (Provisional)
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs
Valparaiso UniversityOverview
Valparaiso UniversityRankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top %United States
Top %Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
1401
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
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1401
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
My experience with this university (studying to be a EFL teacher) is generally a good one. Most of the teachers are excellent communicators who have years of experience on their topic of research. You will have plenty of opportunities to improve your curriculum through minors, workshops, voluntary work, and many other opportunities. Additionally, the Campus Sausalito is beautiful, full of nature.
However, you may need to know that most of the time, you are on your own. If you have any situation regarding your mental health, or you experience a situation of harrasment/abuse, the university is not going to do almost anything regarding the topic. Teachers are not at fault here, but the administration.
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
4/5
Connectivity between carrers
I liked that it was diverse for being a public university. They invest in investigation. They have high standards for teachers and students. It is a great school to develop a career that focus on issues related to the region.
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
4/5
Connection with the environment
I like that the school had in it is best interest the problems of the region. I do not like the catholic ideal that is enforced with mandatory courses of catholic moral and ethic.
It is a strict school, that is good.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!