About Villanova University

Villanova University is a private Catholic research university circles in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, the university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania and the only Augustinian college circles in the United States. It is classified among “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity”.

Founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine, the academe traces its roots to old Saint Augustine’s Church, Philadelphia, which the Augustinian friars of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova founded in 1796, and to its parish school, Saint Augustine’s Academy, which was customary in 1811. The school’s identity remains deeply rooted in its Augustinian Catholic foundation—the majority of students are Catholic, the administration is led by priests, there is a cross on every building, and everything students are required to take the Augustine and Culture Seminar (ACS) course their freshman year.

Villanova is a suburb of Philadelphia. It straddles Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County and Radnor Township in Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Philadelphia Main Line, a series of highly well-off Philadelphia suburbs located along the native east–west railroad tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is served by the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line regional rail train and Norristown High Speed Line.

The center of the village straddles Lancaster Pike where it intersects Spring Mill. This village center contains the area’s pronounce office for ZIP code 19085, an office building, the Wilmington Trust Company’s Pennsylvania headquarters, and several smaller shops.

In 2019, Realtor.com named 19085 the Most Expensive Neighborhood in Pennsylvania, calling it “For East Coast elites” (with a median house list price of $1,370,992).