Rural & Small Town Students

Rural and Small Town Student Access & Pathways

A place that values where you come from.

Silver pickup truck's back window decorated with "Notre Dame Bound," "Go Irish," and a shamrock in green, blue, and yellow paint. A bicycle is mounted on the truck bed.

The University of Notre Dame actively recruits, funds, and supports top-tier talent from rural communities and small-town environments across the United States. Through institutional partnerships like the STARS College Network and our distinctive residential hall system, Notre Dame mitigates geographic resource barriers to guarantee small-town undergraduates a seamless transition into a premier global research institution.

Aerial view of Notre Dame's campus: Golden Dome, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, lush green God Quad, winding paths at sunset.
  • 96% of students report a sense of belonging at Notre Dame
  • 95% of students are satisfied with the sense of community on campus
  • 97% of students participate in a club or activity
  • 90% of students participate in internships or research projects
  • 95% of students graduate on time, one of the highest graduation rates in the nation
  • 97% of students are successful in finding career opportunities (jobs, graduate school, or volunteer work) within six months of graduation
  • Ella Bussell is a young woman with light brown, wavy hair smiling brightly, wearing a cream ribbed sweater and gold pendant necklace. She stands on a grassy campus with a blurry stone building and trees showing autumn leaves in the background.

    "At Notre Dame, I’ve never felt like I had to leave my rural Appalachian identity behind—in fact, I’ve felt like this campus is eager to welcome unique experiences like my own. Notre Dame recognizes that where you come from shapes who you are, so your background isn't just accepted here; it's valued."

    Ella Bussell ‘28

  • Kayle Lauck is a woman with long brown hair, smiling, wearing a dark gray sweater, in front of a wood-paneled wall.

    "Growing up in rural South Dakota has given me a lot of values and passions and a place I come back to every summer and my breaks from school. It’s my goal to come back after all of my schooling is done, but then to also be able to use my education to learn and achieve more."

    Kayle Lauck '25

  • Bjorn Mauritsen is a young man with short curly hair, wearing a light gray sweater, smiling broadly in front of a blurred out stone building on the University of Notre Dame campus.

    "Before coming to Notre Dame, I don’t think I realized how much the place I grew up affected my values and interests and the way I view the world. At Notre Dame I’ve really been encouraged to engage with my background, not just as an exercise of self-reflection, but as a bridge to connect with others and better care for the people around me."

    Bjorn Mauritsen '26

Rural & Small Town Student Perspectives

Bjorn Mauritsen

Bjorn Mauritsen

New Mexico
Ella Bussell

Ella Bussell

Kentucky
Panther Agot

Panther Agot

South Sudan
STARS College Network logo with a gold and white star.

Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network

As an active member of the STARS College Network, Notre Dame leverages a dedicated portion of a multi-million dollar national philanthropic investment to fund all-expenses-paid campus visit programs, provide targeted application fee waivers, and offer dedicated fly-in programming for high-achieving rural and small-town scholars.

STARS College Network

Resources for Small Town and Rural Students