Soka University of America

Soka University is a private, non-profit, four-year liberal arts college and graduate school located on 103-acres in south Orange County, California in the City of Aliso Viejo. SUA is just three miles from the beach (if you are a bird – nine miles driving) and located in the heart of Southern California’sabundance of cultural, educational, sporting and adventure opportunities.

SUA offers an 8:1 student/faculty ratio (average class size 12) and study abroad is included in tuition so that every undergraduate spends a semester living and learning another culture. Proudly founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life, SUA offers a non-sectarian curriculum that is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs. About 60% of our students come from the US and 40% have come from more than 45 other countries.

SUA offers generous financial aid to both US and International students, with full tuition scholarships available to eligible admitted students whose earned family income is $60,000 or less (room and board fees still apply.) Additional scholarship opportunities are available for higher income levels.

The mission of Soka University is to “foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life.”

Soka University is founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life. The curriculum is non-sectarian. Educational objectives are fostered at the university through the commitment to rigorous academic endeavors, free and open dialogue, and an appreciation for human diversity. Education is an integrating process in which students gain an awareness of the interdependence of themselves, others and the environment. Wisdom, courage and compassion - values treasured by the university -- do not exist in isolation. They emerge in individuals as they learn the importance of service to others, to the natural world around them, and to the great cause of peace and freedom.

Soka University begins our quest for academic excellence by recruiting top students of all nationalities and beliefs who are highly self-motivated. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, a variety of distinctive elements combine to create an educational experience of superior quality.

Over 80% of our undergraduate students graduate in four years (compared to a national average of 61% at private colleges), and over 30% of our graduates have been accepted to graduate schools at many prestigious universities, including Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Stanford, USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UCI, Georgetown, Columbia Teacher's College, Hawaii Law, Cornell, Duke, Boston, NYU, Cambridge and London School of Economics.

Soka University of America's administration is dedicated to supporting the university's mission to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life. Our employees work diligently to provide an outstanding student-centered education known for its academic excellence.

"Creating Value" is the core of Soka University's academic philosophy. It begins with the unique, intimate and dynamic nature of the Soka learning community. You will meet, live, and learn with people from all over America and from more than 40 nations, Argentina to Zambia. You will get an education that prepares you for a career and offers experiences that employers nationwide and worldwide are seeking. You will discover a lot of new worlds at Soka, from the newest technologies to the most ancient wisdom. You will accomplish things you never imagined.

If you want to make a difference, start from a totally different place. Soka University of America offers a rigorous, one-and-only academic curriculum, based on the go-anywhere-do-anything flexibility of a Liberal Arts education, powered by global focus and rich, real-world experiences.

At Soka we believe that education is the road not just to a career but to happiness, to fulfillment and to a better more peaceful, more sustainable world. Your degree will prepare you for a contributive life of meaning and change.

The mission of Soka University of America (SUA) is “to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life.” In Student Affairs, our hope is that all of our students will experience what it means to be a global citizen starting here at SUA. We also strive to model and reflect the mission of the university in the ways in which we support our students. With an understanding that their success depends on their entire campus experience, we offer a wide variety of programs, resources, and support outside their classes designed to meet the diverse needs and interests of our students. Our aim is that each of our students will thrive at SUA and experience being a global citizen through these activities.

Toward that end, we put the greatest emphasis on the development of our students as whole individuals. Being a small university, we pride ourselves on being able to make personal connections with our students. It is through these connections, not only in the classrooms, but in their residence halls, athletics fields, and in various student activities, that we are able to provide the care, attention, and support they need for their personal growth.