Silicon Valley University 2026: Status, Fees and Admissions

Searches for Silicon Valley University usually mean one of three different places in San Jose, California. One of them closed after state disciplinary action, one is an operating undergraduate school with a similar name, and one is a satellite graduate campus of a large East Coast research university. This guide separates them, using the accreditor, state regulator and university documents as the source for every figure.

What Happened to Silicon Valley University?

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools wrote to Silicon Valley University on 13 December 2017 to confirm that the Council had voted to revoke the institution's accreditation, effective 7 December 2017, because the school had repeatedly missed the deadline for its Annual Financial Report and audited financial statements. The letter states plainly that the action was not appealable, and it was copied to the US Department of Education and to the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.

California's Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education then pursued disciplinary action. Under a stipulated surrender in case number 1000650, the university admitted the charges in the amended accusation and surrendered Accredited Institution Approval to Operate number 4306571.

• The surrender required a formal School Closure Plan under California Code of Regulations title 5, section 76240.
• The university had to hand the Bureau electronic transcripts and full records for every student enrolled in its final two years.
• It had to show proof of refunds to students who could not finish their studies because of the closure.
• It was ordered to pay 31,132.19 dollars in investigation and enforcement costs.

Anyone still holding an offer letter, transcript request or fee receipt from Silicon Valley University should treat the Bureau, not the school, as the custodian of those records.

Which University Is Called Silicon Valley University Today?

The University of Silicon Valley began life in 1887 as Cogswell Polytechnical College, founded by Dr Henry Daniel Cogswell, and took its present name in April 2021. Its own site describes more than 138 years of creative technology education and a portfolio-first, project-based teaching model in which students work in team environments modelled on industry studios and production pipelines.

It is a deliberately small school rather than a large research university, and its published Fall 2025 figures make that clear.

• 444 undergraduates, of whom 369 study full time and 75 part time.
• 168 first-time freshmen and 276 transfer students.
• Acceptance rate of 57 per cent, with 76 per cent of accepted students enrolling.
• Nine full-time and 36 part-time faculty, giving a student to faculty ratio of 12 to 1.

What Does the University of Silicon Valley Cost in 2026?

The figures below come from the university's own tuition and fees page. The university notes that tuition and fees are subject to change upon Board approval, and it offers a tuition lock that holds a student's rate through graduation.

Indian applicants should budget separately for the F-1 visa, health cover and living costs in San Jose, which is one of the most expensive metropolitan areas in the United States.

What Are the Admission Requirements for International Students?

The university publishes a single international admissions checklist for undergraduate and graduate applicants. English test scores are required unless English is the applicant's native language, and a waiver is possible for anyone who completed at least four years of education in English, subject to passing the university's own placement exam.

• Official transcripts from every secondary and college level institution attended, translated and evaluated by a NACES or AICE member.
• Proof of secondary school completion, or a bachelor degree for graduate applicants.
• A valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond the intended stay in the United States.
• Financial documentation covering tuition and living expenses.
• An Intent to Transfer Form if moving from another United States institution while holding F-1 status.

Once admitted, students receive a Form I-20 to support the F-1 visa application. Students may enter the United States up to 30 days before the programme starts and must then keep full-time enrolment and a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

Which Courses Does the University of Silicon Valley Offer?

The catalogue is narrow and vocational by design, built around digital media, software and entrepreneurship rather than a broad liberal arts spread.

• Bachelor of Arts: Digital Art and Animation, Game Art, Game Design.
• Bachelor of Science: Game Engineering, Digital Audio Technology, Software Development, Business Administration.
• Master's: Master of Business Innovation.
• Diplomas: Audio and Music Production, Concept Art, Cybersecurity, Applied AI and Entrepreneurship, Data Science, Game Audio.
• Certificate: Project Management.

Applicants hunting specifically for a Master of Science in Computer Science, the degree the closed Silicon Valley University was best known for, will not find one here. That programme profile is closer to what Northeastern University offers in the same city.

How Does Northeastern University's Silicon Valley Campus Compare?

Northeastern's Silicon Valley campus sits at 4 North Second Street and 75 East Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose, in a renovated facility with multimedia classrooms, breakout spaces for group work, a recreation centre and a game room. Teaching is delivered by faculty drawn from industry, and the portfolio is aimed at working professionals who want flexibility and experiential learning.

The graduate programmes run through three Northeastern colleges.

• Khoury College of Computer Sciences: MS in Computer Science, MS in Artificial Intelligence, MS in Data Science, plus Align versions of each for career changers from any undergraduate major.
• College of Engineering: MS in Information Systems, and an Information Systems Bridge pathway with several concentrations.
• College of Professional Studies: Master of Professional Studies in Analytics and MS in Project Management.

Is the University of Silicon Valley Accredited?

Accreditation is the single check that separates the operating school from the closed one. The WASC Senior College and University Commission, a regional accreditor recognised by the US Department of Education, records the University of Silicon Valley as accredited and in compliance with its standards after its most recent commission action on 27 June 2025.

• Regional accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, based in Alameda, California.
• Compliance with the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009, overseen by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
• Participation in US Department of Education federal student aid and the California Student Aid Commission Cal-Grant programme.
• SEVP certification, which is what allows the school to issue Form I-20 for F-1 visas.
• A Department of Defense Voluntary Education Partnership memorandum and California State Approving Agency for Veteran's Education approval.

How Can Indian Students Verify a US University Before Applying?

The Silicon Valley University case is a useful template for due diligence, because every warning sign was on a public record before the school shut.

• Look the institution up on its accreditor's own website, not on the accreditation page the college publishes about itself.
• For a Californian school, search the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education enforcement actions page for accusations, suspensions and surrenders.
• Confirm that the school can currently issue a Form I-20 before sending any deposit.
• Treat an unusually high proportion of international enrolment combined with very low published outcomes as a reason to ask more questions.
• Keep copies of every fee receipt and transcript, because a closed school's records pass to the state regulator.