Estrela Consulting Blog

Exploring Faith-Based Colleges

Written by Laura Cobb | Mar 18, 2020 9:44:43 PM

Thinking about attending college at a faith-based institution? It might surprise you to learn that there are nearly 600 faith-based colleges and universities throughout the United States. With so many options, it’s helpful to have resources to turn to for guidance. Here are some we’ve found to be useful:

Considering Attending a Faith-Based College or University

This article in the U.S. News & World Report does a good job of explaining the different types of religiously affiliated colleges in the U.S.

This Ultimate Guide to Faith-Based Colleges: Christian Schools was put together by Universities.com to help students understand the different types of Christian faith-based colleges, things to consider when choosing a Christian college, and pros and cons of attending a Christian faith-based institution.

Learning About Specific Faith-Based Colleges and Universities

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) provides a list of its 180+ member institutions that can be filtered by location and denomination. 

The Guide is a 200+ page publication put out each year by the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) that includes profiles of over 100 Christian faith-based colleges and universities along with alumni spotlights and articles to help students navigate the college application process.

My Blueprintstory.com is a student and family-focused website that provides comprehensive support in the Christian college search and application process featuring a college search function that includes search criteria such as college location, size, academic major, and athletics. The website is run by NACCAP in collaboration with CCCU, the Association for Biblical Higher Education, and Christian Higher Education Canada.

Over 140 Christian college fairs are held by NACCAP throughout the U.S. and Canada each year. The majority take place in the fall, but there are at least two dozen that are held during the winter and spring.

Hillel’s Guide to Jewish Life at Colleges and Universities provides a list of top Jewish schools and allows students to search and compare colleges based on the following search criteria:

  • Has a Hillel
  • Top 60 by Jewish Population
  • Kosher Dining Available 
  • Jewish Studies Major/Minor

Support for Muslim College Students is a comprehensive guide provided by Affordable Colleges Online that offers a variety of resources for college students who are of the Muslim faith. It includes many suggestions for finding support on and off campus, with a strong encouragement to get connected with the college’s Muslim Students’ Association.  

Sources for Finding Faith-Based Scholarships