Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit research university that has campuses in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States of America, as well as in Madrid, Spain. It was established in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg and is now the second-oldest Jesuit institution in the United States. This makes it the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. One of the 27 colleges and universities that make up the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, it is a member of that organisation. The North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools has granted the university's application for accreditation.
During the academic year 2021-2022, the total number of students enrolled at SLU was 12,883. There were 8,138 students enrolled in the undergraduate programme and 4,745 students enrolled in the graduate programme. These students came from 82 countries and all 50 states. According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the Institution has been given the status of a Research II university.
Over the course of more than half a century, the educational institution has maintained a campus in Madrid, which is located in Spain. The Madrid campus was the first freestanding campus to be administered by an American university in Europe. It was also the first American school to be recognised as an official foreign university by Spain's higher education authorities. The campus has a total enrollment of 850 students, 110 teaching staff members, an average class size of 17 students, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1. 788 students out of a total of 12,883 attend classes at the Madrid Campus. These students come from 45 different countries, making up the total number of nations represented by students.
The sports programmes of Saint Louis University are members of the Atlantic 10 Conference and participate at the highest level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I competition.