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Soka University is a private, non-profit, four-year liberal arts college and graduate school located on 103-acres in south Orange County, California, in the City of Aliso Viejo. The USA is just three miles from the beach (if you are a bird – nine miles driving) and located in the heart of Southern California's abundance of cultural, educational, sporting and adventure opportunities. The USA offers an 8:1 student/faculty ratio (average class size 12), and study abroad is included in tuition so that every undergraduate spends a semester living and learning another culture. Proudly founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights, and the sanctity of life, SUA offers a non-sectarian curriculum that is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs. About 60% of our students come from the US, and 40% have come from more than 45 other countries. USA offers generous financial aid to both US and International students, with full-tuition scholarships available to eligible admitted students whose earned family income is $60,000 or less (room and board fees still apply.) Additional scholarship opportunities are available for higher income levels. The mission of Soka University is to "foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life." Soka University is founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights, and life's sanctity. The curriculum is non-sectarian. Educational objectives are fostered at the university by committing to rigorous academic endeavors, free and open dialogue, and an appreciation for human diversity. Education is an integrating process in which students understand the interdependence of themselves, others, and the environment. Wisdom, courage, and compassion - values treasured by the university -- do not exist in isolation. They emerge in individuals as they learn the importance of service to others, the natural world around them, and the great cause of peace and freedom. Soka University begins our quest for academic excellence by recruiting top students of all nationalities and highly self-motivated beliefs. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, various distinctive elements combine to create an educational experience of superior quality. Over 80% of our undergraduate students graduate in four years (compared to a national average of 61% at private colleges). Over 30% of our graduates have been accepted to graduate schools at many prestigious universities, including Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Stanford, USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UCI, Georgetown, Columbia Teacher's College, Hawaii Law, Cornell, Duke, Boston, NYU, Cambridge and London School of Economics. Soka University of America's administration is dedicated to supporting the university's mission to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life. Our employees work diligently to provide an outstanding student-centered education known for its academic excellence. "Creating Value" is the core of Soka University's academic philosophy. It begins with the unique, intimate, and dynamic nature of the Soka learning community. You will meet, live, and learn with people from all over America and from more than 40 nations, from Argentina to Zambia. You will get an education that prepares you for a career and offers experiences that employers nationwide and worldwide are seeking. You will discover many new worlds at Soka, from the newest technologies to the most ancient wisdom. You will accomplish things you never imagined. If you want to make a difference, start from a different place. The Soka University of America offers a rigorous, one-and-only academic curriculum, based on the go-anywhere-do-anything flexibility of a Liberal Arts education, powered by global focus and rich, real-world experiences. At Soka, we believe that education is the road not just to a career but to happiness, to fulfillment, and a better, more peaceful, more sustainable world. Your degree will prepare you for a contributive life of meaning and change. Soka University of America (SUA) 's mission is "to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life." In Student Affairs, we hope that all of our students will experience what it means to be a global citizen starting here in the USA. We also strive to model and reflect the mission of the university in how we support our students. With an understanding that their success depends on their entire campus experience, we offer a wide variety of programs, resources, and support outside their classes designed to meet our students' diverse needs and interests. Our aim is that each of our students will thrive at SUA and experience being a global citizen through these activities. Toward that end, we put the most significant emphasis on developing our students as whole individuals. Being a small university, we pride ourselves on being able to make personal connections with our students. Through these connections, not only in the classrooms, but in their residence halls, athletics fields, and in various student activities, we can provide the care, attention, and support they need for their personal growth. View full university