FAQs

Living learning communities foster community and belonging within the classroom and beyond. Students take classes together while living on the same floor and sharing curricular and extracurricular experiences. Unlike student clubs, LLCs are rooted in an academic curriculum with a particular focus. The St. Ignatius Institute is the only four year LLC at USF.  Focused on engaging big questions through the humanities, students fulfill their theology, ethics, and philosophy core requirements through the curriculum.

SII is compatible with all majors, including nursing. Students can complete 2 university core requirements through SII (2 out of 3 D cores – D1 philosophy, D2 theology and religious studies and D3 ethics).  The rest of our classes are 2-unit courses that meet once per week and can fit into your schedule over the course of 4 years. You will have an SII academic advisor in addition to your major advisor who will help you develop a plan to meet the requirements within the four year timeline.

The 16-unit SII curriculum will not slow down your path to graduation and will allow you to fulfill core requirements. Your SII advisor, along with your other academic advisors will help you stay on track.

There is no additional cost or tuition difference for SII students. There is no penalty for dropping SII at any point in your program. The credits you take in SII will count toward your 128 unit requirement for graduation.

There is no minimum GPA; however, there are expectations for SII students to remain in good standing. Students are expected to take at least one SII course (a D core or symposium) per year and participate in monthly community activities. Students are also expected to attend at least one immersion and/or retreat during their time in SII.

Many SII courses (including core courses and 2 unit symposia) engage Catholic theology and ethics explicitly (i.e. Catholic Thought, Catholic Social Thought, The Church of Pope Francis, Ignatian Spirituality) and others encourage thoughtful examination of big questions related to faith and identity. Additionally, we partner closely with University Ministry to provide SII retreats and other opportunities to develop one’s faith and spirituality. Being in classes and engaging in community nights with your SII peers also encourages deep discussions and builds community.

Yes! SII students are diverse in their religious identities and many SII students do not identify with a faith tradition. In SII, we celebrate diverse paths in the search for meaning, purpose, and truth.

We have around 60 enrolled students in SII. We aim to accept 20-25 students into each cohort.

The majority of first and second year SII students live on the floor which we encourage for a full Living Learning Community (LLC) experience. There are a handful of juniors and seniors who also live on the floor and take advantage of the four year housing guarantee.

It depends. You need to have 16 available credits, 8 of which are D cores to fulfill the SII curriculum.

All SII students can apply for a one-time scholarship to participate in an international immersion. All SII students can attend an annual SII retreat at no cost.

SII is open to all USF undergraduate students, including transfer students and international students. Ideally students enroll in SII during their first or second year at USF.

You can apply anytime; however, the preferred deadline for applications (end of May) to secure SII housing will be announced each year.