Southern Virginia University

Southern Virginia is a gathering place for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With a Code of Honor based on the values of the Church, we welcome students from all over the country to live and learn on our faith-aligned campus. More than 9-in-10 of our students are Latter-day Saints and 1-in-3 are Returned Missionaries.

At Southern Virginia, we help students maximize their potential. Through personalized education from caring professors and 95% participation in extracurriculars, we lift students to heights they never imagined. That’s why we rank in the top 7% nationally for freshmen-to-senior improvement.

Our educational model is designed to launch students into meaningful lives and careers. In fact, Southern Virginia’s 93% job and graduate-school placement rate within one month of graduation is the highest of any school in Virginia and more than twice the national average.

We are a private, self-reliant, residential university aligned with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its principles and values.

Our mission is to gather faithful Latter-day Saints and like-minded students, lift them in intellect, character, and spirituality, and launch them into successful lives and careers.

Southern Virginia University is a gathering place for Latter-day Saints and like-minded students. Our admissions directors are here to make your application and admission process as personalized and seamless as possible.

Your application is a chance to tell us why you would be a good fit at Southern Virginia University. In addition to your academic record, we care about your character, motivation, and work-ethic — so please make sure to provide evidence of these traits in your application. Your admissions director will evaluate your application and make an admissions decision based on the information you provide.

For students who do not meet the minimum requirements for full acceptance, we may offer provisional acceptance to individuals who demonstrate the commitment to live our standards and the determination to improve academically. Returning students who have discontinued or deferred enrollment for one or more semesters should contact an admissions director for specific instructions on how to re-apply.

We are here to help make your education as affordable as possible. More than 95 percent of Southern Virginia University students qualify for merit-, need-, or talent-based institutional scholarships and aid. Your admissions director and financial aid specialist can also help you find additional government or private financial aid opportunities that fit your needs.

With personalized mentoring from outstanding professors, we combine an excellent liberal arts core education with your choice of major, minor, concentration, or advisement track. A liberal arts education is a transformative, multidisciplinary experience that draws from the best sources. Our Academic Core teaches every student essential skills: to think analytically, communicate effectively, and write persuasively. With an average class size of 15 students, our unique and engaging educational model encourages active learning directly from accomplished professors.

As a result, 98 percent of seniors rated their relationships with professors above average. Our seniors rank in the top seven percent nationally for freshman-to-senior improvement. That’s why we boast a 93-percent job and graduate school placement rate — the highest reported placement rate in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Concentrations are central to Southern Virginia’s efforts to launch our students into careers or graduate school. These programs are designed to connect the training students get in their majors and core courses to specific skills and experiences that they will use after college.

Concentrations contain a small number of required and suggested courses, as well as a required internship or practical experience. Moreover, advisors for each concentration work closely with individual students to guide and personalize the experience according to their specific interests, needs, and goals.

Every student receives one-on-one career counseling to help create a resume and a job search strategy. Career counselors build relationships with potential employers to give students a leg up on the job market. At Southern Virginia, career counselors get to know students. Students and counselors work together to develop a plan to strengthen their resumes and find success after graduation. Students should meet with the career center at least once a year and even more frequently as they approach graduation. Schedule meetings on the Knight App.

Our liberal arts plus education combines the critical thinking and communications skills of the liberal arts with specialized career training to make you uniquely valuable to potential employers and investors. Experience provides powerful career preparation. Career counselors network with organizations and employers to provide students and graduates meaningful internship opportunities that will prepare them with experience and connections. We strive to provide an inclusive, fun, and faith-supportive campus environment for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and like-minded students.

The defining feature of our educational model is a commitment to the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Classroom discussions are informed not only by textbooks and the best of secular thinking but also by scripture and the teachings of Church leaders. Gospel principles are at the center of everything we do.

Southern Virginia University’s mission is to prepare leader-servants in the workplace and the world, in the community and the church, and in the home. To this end, we encourage our students to get involved in organized service both on and off campus. In the classroom, on stage or on the practice field, our students exemplify what it means to lose themselves in something greater than themselves.