Stella Maris College, a Catholic minority institution of higher education for women was founded on August 15, 1947. Beginning in a small one-storey building in Santhome, Mylapore with 32 students, the College moved to its present campus “The Cloisters” on Cathedral Road in 1960. Today the college has an enrollment of 3,800 students from diverse backgrounds, communities and nations.

The College is an autonomous institution and is affiliated to the University of Madras. It is run by the Society of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, a religious congregation founded by Blessed Mary of the Passion (Helene de Chappotin) in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu in 1877. Guided by her charism, the initiatives of the college arise from a sound philosophy of life based on faith in God and the contemporary reality of a pluralistic Indian society that is challenged by global ideologies and cultures.

The college is committed to serving the economically and socially marginalized sections of society and provides university education in a Christian atmosphere for students, especially those belonging to the Catholic community. Admission is open to all, irrespective of caste and creed, and their rights of conscience are respected. The College motto, “Truth and Charity”, has been the foundational philosophy of the quest for a value-based education. In keeping with its mission, the College promotes inclusive practices in the implementation of its academic programmes, taking into account learning differences and the special needs of the differently-abled. 

VISION:

The VISION of the college is to build a vibrant and inclusive learning community in a culture of excellence sustained by a sound value system that promotes responsible citizenship and effects social change.

MISSION:

The MISSION of the college is to empower young women to face the challenges of life with courage and commitment, to be builders of a humane and a just society, and to promote a learning community in which all, especially those from less-privileged backgrounds, feel part of the collaborative high quality educational process which is value based and leads to holistic growth.