The University of San Francisco (USF) is a Jesuit Catholic university located in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California, the tenth-oldest university of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, and the eighth largest Jesuit university in the United States.

The school's main campus is located on a 55-acre (22 ha) setting between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. Its nickname is "The Hilltop" as the campus is located at Lone Mountain, the peak of one of San Francisco's major hills. Its close historical ties with the City and County of San Francisco are reflected in the University's motto, Pro Urbe et Universitate (For the City and University). USF's Jesuit-Roman Catholic identity is rooted in the symbolic vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. (more...)