Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA · “Soka, SUA”
- Liberal Arts College
- Private
- Suburban campus
- Temperate climate
Known for: Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
A private liberal arts college in Aliso Viejo, CA. About 43 of every 100 applicants get in. It gives need-based aid and merit scholarships to international students.
If you apply from Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar → Aliso Viejo
- English: TOEFL 80 · Duolingo 115
- Regular Decision deadline: Jan 15
- US News Liberal Arts
- #37
- Forbes
- #367
- After the average intl award
- Full price before aid: ≈$63k/yr
- Admit rate
- 43%
- of applicants get in
- Undergrads
- 484
- 55% international
- Next deadline
- Jan 15
- Regular Decision
Plus shows 6 more facts about this school ↓
Getting in
About 43% of applicants are admitted. It is test-optional, so you do not have to send SAT or ACT scores, though strong ones still help.
- Test policy
- Test-optional, for international students too
- Admit rate for internationals
- Not published by the school
- SAT, middle 50%
- 1333–1510
- Regular Decision
- Jan 15
- TOEFL iBT minimum
- 80
- minimum score of 80 'preferred'
- Duolingo (DET) minimum
- 115
- DET 115 (160 scale) 'preferred'. IELTS and Cambridge English NOT accepted.
- SAT or ACT can replace the English test
- No
Cost & aid
Full price is about $63k a year before aid. Internationals who get aid here pay less. Plus shows how much less.
- Tuition & fees $39k
- Room & board $14k
- Other fees $8k
- Health insurance $3k
- Cost after the average intl award
- Aid for internationals
- Need-based and merit
Asking for aid
They decide whether to admit you without looking at your ability to pay, so asking for financial aid does not lower your chances.- Part of the admission decision (need-aware)
Covers all proven need
If they admit you, they cover the full gap between what your family can pay and the total cost, usually with grants you do not repay.- Yes
- Internationals who get aid
- Biggest merit scholarship for internationals
- Average award for internationals
- Yearly aid budget for internationals
- Application fee
- Waiver available
- International applicants can get the fee waived. Ask admissions before paying anything.
- Local living costs
- 102.7 (New York = 100)
- Expect big-city daily costs.
6more facts about this school in Plus
Cost after the average intl award
What an international student who gets aid pays here in a year, on average.
Biggest merit scholarship for internationals. Its name, top amount, what it covers and whether it renews.
Average award for internationals. How much aid an international student gets, and what share of the full price it covers.
Internationals who get aid · Yearly aid budget for internationals · Majors with the STEM work extension
And 4 more: Average award for internationals · Internationals who get aid · Yearly aid budget for internationals · Majors with the STEM work extension
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Work & visa
OPT lets graduates work in the US for a year after graduation, and STEM majors can add two more years.
- Study
- OPT 1 year
- STEM OPT +2 years
- Majors with the STEM work extension
- CPT internships
- Yes
- Work off campus in your field while you study
- On-campus jobs
- Yes
- Earn while enrolled, no extra visa needed
- Adviser for international students
- Yes
- Immigration and visa support on campus
- Undergraduate research
- Yes
- Co-op built into the curriculum
- No
- IB or A-level credit recognised
- Yes
- Your diploma can earn course credit
- Visa compliance record
- No known SEVIS issues on record
Life & outcomes
90% of first-year students return for a second year. 92% graduate within six years. Graduates start around $43k a year. About 55% of undergraduates are international.
- Median starting salary
- $42,696
- All graduates, all majors. Your field will vary.
- Undergraduates
- 484
- International undergraduates
- 268
- Share that is international
- 55%
- Countries represented
- 40
Similar universities
- Austin CollegeSherman, TX · #84 US News · Merit aid
- St. John's College-Santa Fe, NMSanta Fe, NM · #96 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- Hendrix CollegeConway, AR · #96 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- Wheaton CollegeWheaton, IL · #50 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- St. John's College-Annapolis, MDAnnapolis, MD · #84 US News · Need-based and merit aid
- College of the AtlanticBar Harbor, ME · #126 US News · Need-based and merit aid
Where this comes from
30% of this school's fields are individually verified. Last checked Jul 2, 2026. Figures are for guidance, so always confirm on the school's official pages before you rely on them.
Data sources
- Main source
- College Scorecard (06/2026 release); Intl-aid/CoL batch (2026-06): Numbeo CoL Index; need-blind list per Wikipedia+aggregators; B5/D3 batch (2026-07): co-op per institutional programs; I-20 industry-norm default; SEVIS none-known default; English-req/test-policy: official intl-admissions pages (2026-07); IntlMisc (countries/SHIP/funnel/outcomes): official intl/ISSS/career pages (2026-07); Programs: NCES College Navigator; FeeWaiver: official admissions (2026-07); STEM-OPT %: DHS STEM List 2024 (6-digit) × Scorecard programs (4-digit CIP, split families adj.) [Jul 1, 2026]
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