On completing High School at Acutis Academy, the student receives the American K-12 diploma issued by Kolbe Academy. That diploma opens doors — and most of the families who come to us want to know, by name, which doors, exactly.

This article lists Acutis's main partner universities and explains, briefly, what each offers. If your family is considering this international route as a possibility, this is the first recommended reading.

What "partner university" means

Partner university, in the Acutis context, means an institution that receives Kolbe Academy students with their record already recognized. The admissions process is the same as for any American student — no additional equivalency step, no complex sworn translation, no extra placement exam.

For the Brazilian student, this means that college in the U.S. ceases to be a vague possibility and becomes a concrete path, planned from High School onward.

The four most-chosen

Thomas Aquinas College

Perhaps the best-known reference in the classical Catholic world in the U.S. A curriculum entirely based on the Great Books of the Western tradition — direct reading of Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Newton, Einstein. Small, intense, strongly communal. For the student who wants an intellectually demanding formation in a traditional Catholic setting.

Christendom College

Located in Virginia, Christendom is a reference in Catholic humanities — philosophy, theology, literature, history. A curriculum with a strong classical and Christian component, of medium size. For the student who wants to deepen their knowledge of the Catholic tradition with solid humanistic formation.

Ave Maria University

In Florida, Ave Maria offers a wider range of programs — not only humanities, but also sciences, business, biology, and engineering, always within Catholic identity. For the student who wants a technical-professional career without giving up Christian formation.

Franciscan University of Steubenville

In Ohio, Franciscan is one of the most renowned Catholic universities in the U.S., with a strong tradition in theology, communications, sciences, and charismatic formation. A vibrant university community.

Before Acutis, attending a Catholic university in the United States was a dream that involved three years of equivalency, exams, anxiety. Today it is a predictable path.

The other ten partner universities

Beyond the four most-chosen, Acutis (via Kolbe) has direct recognition at ten other American institutions:

  • Benedictine College (Kansas) — Benedictine, humanistic and scientific formation
  • Wyoming Catholic College (Wyoming) — Classical curriculum with strong outdoor component
  • University of Dallas (Texas) — Catholic, humanities and sciences
  • University of Mary (North Dakota) — Benedictine, broad program offering
  • Walsh University (Ohio) — Catholic, professional programs
  • John Paul the Great Catholic University (California) — Focus on media, business, and Catholic art
  • Catholic International University — Catholic online platform
  • Holy Apostles College and Seminary (Connecticut) — Philosophy, theology, priestly formation
  • College of Saint Joseph the Worker — Technical and Catholic formation

Plus the Universidad de Navarra, in Spain — one of the most respected Catholic universities in Europe, with a strong presence in humanities, communications, medicine, and law.

Plan your child's university starting today.

In a free educational consultation, we talk through the path to these universities — from enrollment in Kindergarten to the American admissions process.

Book a Free Consultation

And if the family does not want to go to the U.S.?

Important: having an American K-12 diploma does not force the family to choose the American path. The same record, with sworn translation, is accepted by:

  • Brazilian private universities (with their own admissions process)
  • Brazilian federal and state universities (via vestibular or ENEM, with revalidation of High School by the State Education Council)
  • Universities in Portugal, especially Catholic ones
  • Other European universities with international agreements

The difference is that, with the K-12 diploma, the family has all of these options open. Without it, the family is restricted to the Brazilian path.

The path begins earlier than you imagine

For college in the U.S. to be viable, the student needs to begin building the American record early — ideally from Elementary School, no later than Middle School. That is because the K-12 diploma is a cumulative document: every year counts.

Families who come to Acutis when the child is already in High School can still make the transition, but with greater curricular adaptation. Families who arrive earlier enjoy the complete path, without adjustments.