Transform Your Life
Inspire. Engage. Transform.
We inspire minds—and create the space for students to thrive. From a stunning campus in the San Francisco Bay Area, we build connections and engage the world—with signature study programs and career opportunities that will carry you where you want to go. With knowledge and skills, confidence and support from the Gael community, you’ll find your life transformed.
We Are Gaels.
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Boundless Possibilities
“I never imagined my research turning into any kind of publication, but with encouragement from Professor of Biology Sonya Schuh, we came to the realization that our findings were actually very important and that other people needed to know about it.”
Kristin Harnett ’20 | Lead author on three scientific publications while at SMC
Indigenous heritage means knowing “that you’ve come from a line of people who have been able to overcome.”
BELLA HOFFMAN ’23 | Psychology Major
“For me, it’s about considering the fact that we all have a greater self, a higher self, great potential, and for us to right now—in this moment—begin to make the choices that we need to make in order to be our best self.”
MAHERSHALA ALI ’96 | OSCAR-WINNING ACTOR
A BAY AREA HOME FOR REACHING YOUR HIGHEST POTENTIAL
Our beautiful Bay Area campus is nestled in the rolling hills of Moraga, just 23 miles east of San Francisco. Saint Mary’s College of California is more than a place to get a stellar education in a stunning location (although that part goes without saying). We’re a diverse and inclusive community where faculty guide Gaels to learn and explore. We offer small class sizes, and professors know students by name. Those are a few reasons Saint Mary’s earns a spot in the U.S. News & World Reportlist of the top five regional universities in the West. You’ll have ample hands-on research programs, and internships and career opportunities in Silicon Valley and beyond. Gain real-world experience that prepares you for more, no matter your path in life. Take the opportunity to grow, lead, and serve—whoever you are and wherever you go.
Research Opportunities
Our Summer Research Program offers unparalleled opportunity to work with dedicated professors on groundbreaking topics such as NASA exoplanet discovery, rising ozone levels and environmental justice, and the behavior of breast cancer cells.
Transformative College
Saint Mary’s is the only college in California—and the only Catholic college—on the list of Colleges That Change Lives. Choosing the right college is important, and this is a list put together by a nonprofit organization committed to a student-centered, best-fit college search process.
Scholars Who Teach
Our faculty focus on teaching—and 100% of undergraduate classes are taught by experienced faculty. Every year at least a third of students conduct research with a professor—often in collaboration with world-renowned research facilities.