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Notre Dame de Namur University: Ralston Hall picture
Photo: Mariia Ierina, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Catholic college

Notre Dame de Namur University

  • LocationBelmont, CA
  • Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 237 students
Official website

Notre Dame de Namur University is a private Catholic university in Belmont, California, founded in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It describes itself as a master's and undergraduate degree completion university. Its undergraduate programs are bachelor's degree completion programs for students with transferable units, and it does not admit freshmen.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Notre Dame de Namur University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches1 mi2 mi3 miChurch of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: 0.7 mi1St. Mark's Catholic Church: 0.9 mi2Saint Charles Catholic Church: 1.8 mi3Saint Gregory Roman Catholic Church: 2.0 mi4Notre Dame de Namur University (campus)N1 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary — 0.7 mi
  2. St. Mark's Catholic Church — 0.9 mi · 325 Marine View Avenue, Belmont
  3. Saint Charles Catholic Church — 1.8 mi
  4. Saint Gregory Roman Catholic Church — 2.0 mi

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Faith scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

N/ASacramental life: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Sacramental life

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass on campus during the academic yearNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Sunday Mass on campus (including Saturday vigil)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Scheduled confession on campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Eucharistic adorationNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Priests serving studentsNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Chapel open for prayer on campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adorationNot enough information: no verified Mass times are recorded.
N/ATheology and core curriculum: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Theology and core curriculum

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Theology or religious studies courses required of all bachelor's studentsNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Required theology includes explicitly Catholic content (Scripture, Catholic tradition, sacraments)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Philosophy courses required of all bachelor's studentsNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Core curriculum explicitly draws on the Catholic intellectual traditionNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • No: the school does not offer this, so it earns no points.
    Theology or religious studies major offeredNo (The catalog states that at the undergraduate level NDNU offers only bachelor's degree completion programs: Business Administration, Psychology, and Professional Studies.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Undergraduate Catalog 2026-2027 | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/student-services/registrar/Undergradate%20Catalog%202026-2027%20final.pdf · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “At the undergraduate level, NDNU currently offers only bachelor’s degree completion programs designed for students with 45-or more transferable semester units of credit.”
      The university's only undergraduate programs are bachelor's degree completion programs.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Publicly affirms Ex Corde Ecclesiae in mission or governance documentsNot enough information: not found in official sources.
N/ACampus culture and residence life: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Campus culture and residence life

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Campus ministry staffing (chaplains, ministers, and professional staff)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Retreats offered to students each yearNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic student organizations and faith-formation groupsNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • No: the school does not offer this, so it earns no points.
    Single-sex residence optionsCoed housing only (The housing page states that on-campus housing is not available.)
    Sources (1)
    1. NDNU Housing | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/admissions/housing.html · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “While on-campus housing is not available, we have compiled a list of resources to assist students”
      On-campus housing is not available; the page lists off-campus housing resources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Overnight guest policy in residence hallsNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • No: the school does not offer this, so it earns no points.
    Faith life in residence halls (hall chaplains, hall Masses, or faith-based living communities)No (With no on-campus housing, no residence-hall faith program is offered.)
    Sources (1)
    1. NDNU Housing | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/admissions/housing.html · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “While on-campus housing is not available, we have compiled a list of resources to assist students”
      On-campus housing is not available; the page lists off-campus housing resources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Office or senior officer for mission and Catholic identityNot enough information: not found in official sources.
N/AService and Catholic social teaching: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Service and Catholic social teaching

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Service or volunteer centerNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Service-learning or community engagement in the curriculumNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic social teaching in the curriculum (course, minor, center, or core requirement)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Pro-life engagement (student pro-life group, support for pregnant and parenting students, or institutional initiatives)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Justice and solidarity programs (immersion trips, poverty, migration, or care-for-creation initiatives)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Service explicitly rooted in the Catholic mission (run with campus ministry or the mission office, or framed by Catholic social teaching)Not enough information: not found in official sources.

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • The Hallmarks commit the university to decisions informed by Gospel values and Catholic social teaching.
    Sources (1)
    1. The Hallmarks | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/about-ndnu/hallmarks.html · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “We make decisions respecting and informed by Gospel values and Catholic social teaching and tradition.”
      The Hallmarks commit the university to decisions informed by Gospel values and Catholic social teaching.
  • The university describes itself as Catholic and was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
    Sources (1)
    1. Undergraduate Catalog 2026-2027 | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/student-services/registrar/Undergradate%20Catalog%202026-2027%20final.pdf · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1851, NDNU is a private, independent, Catholic, coeducational institution.”
      The university was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and describes itself as Catholic.

Concerns

  • Undergraduate study is limited to bachelor's degree completion programs, and freshmen are not admitted.
    Sources (1)
    1. Undergraduate Catalog 2026-2027 | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/student-services/registrar/Undergradate%20Catalog%202026-2027%20final.pdf · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “At the undergraduate level, NDNU currently offers only bachelor’s degree completion programs designed for students with 45-or more transferable semester units of credit.”
      The university's only undergraduate programs are bachelor's degree completion programs.
      “NDNU does not admit students at the freshman level.”
      The university does not admit freshmen.
  • On-campus housing is not available.
    Sources (1)
    1. NDNU Housing | Notre Dame de Namur Universityndnu.edu/admissions/housing.html · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “While on-campus housing is not available, we have compiled a list of resources to assist students”
      On-campus housing is not available; the page lists off-campus housing resources.

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Academic Excellence

Academic Excellence is computed for four-year colleges with at least 100 undergraduates. Seminaries, graduate-only schools, and two-year colleges are not rated.

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
14
Total students237
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
—
Cost of attendance (per year)—
Median federal debt at graduation$25,000
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
7%
First-year retention—
Median earnings 10 years after entry$74,576
Admission rate—
Students receiving Pell grants29%

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Archdiocese of San Francisco

The Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption

Source: sfarch.org, sfarch.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

  • IPEDS unit ID 120184
  • Carnegie classification: Master's university (medium programs)
  • Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
  • Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
  • Report an error or a newer source
  • Respond as this school

Questions families ask

Is Notre Dame de Namur University a Catholic college?
Yes. Notre Dame de Namur University is a Catholic college in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

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