Enrollment FAQ

With so many great majors to choose from, it can be hard to pick right now. Come anyway! Many of our students come undeclared. You’ll have time to take our liberal arts core curriculum, see how the classes fit together, and see what resonates with you. And you won’t be alone, you’ll also have guidance from our experienced faculty, spiritual directors, and supportive staff. It’s a big decision, and we’ll work with you to find your perfect fit so you can build upon the core curriculum and succeed in your career.

False! We have an exceptional theology program for both undergrad and graduate studies and a dynamic NAIA athletic program, yet AMU’s student experience is broader than both. We’ve got popular courses like business, pre-nursing, biology, and psychology, as well as intramural sports, musical theater, Shakespeare, art, clubs, households (faith-based, all-male or all-female groups), and more—all within an authentically Catholic community.

Our faculty and Office of Career Services are committed to helping you get the internships that will give you the skills and experience you’ll need to excel in your chosen field. Additionally, AMU is launching the Institute, an accelerated program of personal and professional formation and real-world networking. At AMU, you’ll be able to jump-start your career before you even graduate.

Yes! AMU has exceptional faculty—92% of which have their doctorates—and offers rigorous academics, internships with sought-after companies, a wide array of majors and minors, and professional and pre-professional programs. A degree from AMU can give you the foundation you’ll need to excel in your chosen field.

Homeschoolers can thrive and grow at AMU—but AMU is not just a university for homeschoolers. In fact, AMU provides an excellent education, with personal and professional formation, suited to every student—regardless of their high school journey. With students from around the country and the world, you’ll have many opportunities to meet people from various backgrounds in an authentically Catholic environment. Whether you rode a school bus or took a chair at the kitchen table, you have a place at AMU.

Yes! Our academic advisors and exceptional faculty are here to help guide you through your collegiate experience. They are well-seasoned and 92% have their terminal degrees. Additionally, internships, alumni, and business leaders have a role at AMU, providing practical experience, tips, skills, and advice for your professional growth. AMU also offers spiritual direction and counseling, so that you can navigate your journey well and supported by a team that wants you to succeed as a whole person.

Good question. Your college education is indeed an investment—first and foremost in your future. It makes sense to plan well and get the most out of your time, attention, effort, and finances. There are a couple of ways to do that: (1) you can choose a major flexible enough to add a minor or another major (your academic advisor will help you navigate your classes and options); (2) some majors can add on graduate work in less amount of time. For example, AMU offers a 3+3 option for those who want to become lawyers. If you major in X, you can go to AMU for three years, then Ave Maria School of Law for three years (versus four years of your undergrad and three more years of law school). AMU also offers 4+1 options for business and theology degrees: you can get your undergrad in four years and your master’s in one additional year, versus the usual two years for a master’s. Some of our science classes also offer pre-med options, such as biochemistry and health sciences. Your academic advisor can help you make the most of your collegiate investment, so every moment and every penny counts.

As one recent graduate, David Guiher (Class of ’24) put it: “I just started law school through the partnership AMU has with Ave Maria School of Law. It’s easy to see the difference a degree from Ave Maria has compared to other schools. You can see the areas that other students struggle in, and that AMU has specifically prepared me for. It is definitely giving me a leg up.” If you want a degree that means something, that gives you a “leg up” in your career, that prepares you for life, then welcome to AMU.

Yes and no. We’re out of the hustle and bustle of a city and offer a beautiful campus near great neighborhoods. We’re only 45 minutes from the nearest international airport, 1 ½ hours from the next international airport, 45 minutes from the beach and larger stores, and only 5 minutes from the local grocery store, doctors, and more. Come visit and see how our vibrant campus is well connected to our local community, Southwest Florida, and the world.

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That's totally up to you! Most of our first-year students don't bring a car because everything they need is within walking distance, or they find a ride. Looking to get to the beach or airport on a regular basis? Bring a car!

That’s a big question. Here’s the short answer: Yes! The long answer? Well, here are a few things that you can do right on campus or in town: academic clubs, basketball games, beach volleyball, campfires, confession, cookouts, country dances, dorm wars, Eucharistic Adoration, faith and service clubs, fishing, gaga ball, guest speakers, Happy Fri-yays, hiking, households, intramural sports, Marian Mondays, Mary’s Marines, Mass, movie nights, musicals, outdoor clubs, parish events, retreats, Shakespeare plays, special interest clubs, spiritual direction, sports clubs, St. Joseph Men’s group, swamping, swimming, swing dances, tailgate parties, talent shows, Theology on Tap, and more. Then there are all of the things we do off campus, like the March for Life, mission trips, pilgrimages, retreats, and a semester abroad, to name a few. The real question is: With so many options, what are you going to do in the time that you have?

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Well, would it be too much to say that we throw some really great parties? We have homecoming, All Saints Feast, Annunciation Feast, swing dances, country night, cook-outs, and more. Of course, if you mean “party school” as in that’s all we do—then come visit and experience how the joy that leads us to celebrate also leads us to participate whole-heartedly in beautiful liturgies, rigorous classes, and a vibrant Catholic campus life.

Yes! There are many opportunities to attend Mass at AMU. Between the local parish and AMU, there are six daily Masses, Monday through Friday; two daily Masses and a Sunday vigil Mass on Saturday; and eight Sunday Masses. Most Masses are the Norvus Ordo in English or Latin, and the local parish (a five-minute walk from the dorms) has three Masses in the Extraordinary Form, two weekday and one Sunday. AMU also offers praise and worship during Eucharistic Adoration—usually organized by one of our households and Campus Ministry. Want more? Work with Campus Ministry to bring it to life!

Well, as much as we’d like to say with complete certainty that you’ll meet your spouse here, we can’t. However, we can say that a rigorous education, personal and professional formation, internships, and solid and authentic Catholic community can help you become the man or woman God is calling you to be. Wherever you go after AMU, you’ll have the education, the skills, and the foundation you’ll need to succeed as a competent witness to Christ in your chosen field. Whether God calls you to marriage or religious life or the priesthood, you’ll able to bring to your vocation all that you learned and experienced at AMU. In other words: An education at AMU can enrich any vocation.

Please don’t pronounce it that way. The “Gy” of “Gyrene” is pronounced “ˈjī ” like “gyrate” (not the growling “g” sound of “great”). The “rene” rhymes with the “rine” of “Marine.” So, Gyrene sounds like “ ˈjī-rēn.” Gyrene was originally a nickname given to Marines by other branches of the military, but the Marines adopted it as a badge of honor. During World Wars I and II, a Gyrene was seen as a special kind of GI (government issue), one known for having an ethos that inspired courage amidst the toughest battles. AMU founder Tom Monaghan was a Marine, and so the school bears the name Gyrene in gratitude for his time of service and evocative of honor, hard work, and courage.

Yes. There are alligators in the canals and in some of the swampy areas on or around campus. However, they are not usually found in campus pathways, recreational areas, or parking lots. And there have been zero alligator sightings in the buildings, so you can sleep, attend classes, and eat in the cafeteria without any concerns for large reptiles playing loud music, throwing spitballs, or eating your food off your plate. If you do find an alligator indoors and playing loud music, please report it immediately. We do not tolerate loud music.