Daegu Catholic University (DCU) is a private research university known locally for its strength in engineering, medicine, pharmaceutical science, social sciences and education. The university claims descent from a French Catholic seminary established in 1914 and now boasts the largest student body of any Catholic university in Korea. Current and former students have rated (DCU) highly for its wide range of available merit-based scholarships, high levels of support from academic staff in extracurricular projects and its well-maintained campus and facilities.