Through the Maxwell Scholars Program, PUC proudly recognizes incoming freshmen who exhibit high standards of academic excellence and a mission and service focus. The select few students awarded this scholarship will receive up to four years of full tuition paid by PUC:

• Yearly: $36,150
• 4-Year Total: $144,600

The base qualifications for students to be eligible to apply for Maxwell Scholarship include:

• An unweighted GPA of at least 3.9

The Scholarship Committee will review all submitted applications and notify the selected recipients.

Maxwell Scholars must:

• Be an incoming freshman entering PUC during Fall 2025
• Not combine the Maxwell Scholarship with any other PUC scholarships, awards, or discounts
• Renew for three years with a 3.5 GPA, with a potential 4th year under qualifying conditions
• Live in the residence halls

Application

The Pacific Union and local conferences want to prepare students for ministry as pastors and educators in the Seventh-day Adventist system. This scholarship-to-employment program will help reduce the cost of education and provide a pathway to employment with mentorship, training, and job placement opportunities within the Pacific Union Conference.

Candidates are determined by the local conference, and the final selection is made at the Pacific Union.

Prospective candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Be baptized as a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church.
• Complete and submit an application form with necessary attachments.
• Obtain a recommendation from the local conference.
• Provide evidence of full-time enrollment at a Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher education.
• Declare an intended major leading to a career as a pastor or teacher.
• Commit to employment within the Pacific Union Conference for a period of at least 3-5 years following graduation.

Application

A Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) education is incredibly valuable, and the Pacific Union Conference wants this scholarship to be an encouragement for students to attend one of our colleges.

Scholarship Details

• A freshman would be a first-time, entering undergraduate student who has never attended any institution of higher education. A freshman may also be a student enrolled in the fall term who attended a postsecondary institution for the first time in the prior summer, and a student who entered with advanced standing (college credit earned while in high school).
• This is a one-time, nonrenewable, scholarship given to qualified candidates that meet the scholarship requirements, not based on need.
• Transfer students (classified by PUC or LSU as freshman level) who have never attended either PUC or LSU may be eligible for a prorated amount of $1,200 (winter) or $600 (spring), depending on the date of transfer.
• The scholarship will be paid directly to the institution (PUC or LSU) with instructions to credit the student’s account by the end of the term in which the scholarship was approved.
• This scholarship is independent of any other institutional scholarships, awards, assistance, or discounts. It is not limited or reduced by other academic awards, merit-based awards, or internal or external scholarships.

To reward students who choose to adventure outside of their home state, PUC presents the Out-of-State Scholarship. A student whose residential address is outside of California will receive an automatic award of $1,500. Requirements and qualifications:

• Have residency in a state outside of California
• For students who meet the qualifications for a Cal Grant and would receive one if they were a state resident, up to $4,000 may be awarded

Certain qualifications and restrictions may apply; contact the Student Financial Services office for more information. (800) 862-7080. Award is given freshman year only.

Recognizes incoming freshmen for selected leadership roles held during their junior and/or senior years. Limited to two awards of this type per student and up to $2,000. Award is given freshman year only.

Application

Available to students who graduate from a Napa, Sonoma, or Lake county high school or reside within Napa, Sonoma, or Lake counties. Certain qualifications and restrictions may apply; contact the Student Financial Services office for more information.

Athletic merit aid is available to selected students participating in PUC’s varsity sports. Visit pioneersathletics.com to learn how to apply; contact respective coach for details.

International students who meet the list of requirements and qualifications can receive 50% of tuition covered as a scholarship and can be renewed for four years.

Learn More

Given to academically talented, incoming freshmen who are designated as National Merit, National Achievement, or National Hispanic awardees. Scholars must be recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation or the College Board and declare PUC as their first-choice college by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation deadline. Awards apply to tuition only and are renewable with a 3.5 GPA.

Recipients are required to live in the residence halls.

PUC/NAD 100 Percent Free Tuition Partnership
PUC offers 100 percent free tuition for students with a parent serving the SDA church through denominational employment. Students must have at least one parent who receives NAD educational assistance (per NAD Working Policy, Y 24 05) at 70 percent of PUC’s tuition cost to be eligible. Participation in this plan may result in ineligibility for other PUC financial aid as well as state and federal grants. Student must reside in the residence hall to be eligible.

Summer Ministries Leadership Match
PUC matches 100 percent of certified earnings that are applied to tuition by students who work at a SDA youth camp or in a youth ministry program in the summer prior to Fall quarter enrollment, up to $5,000.

Summer Literature Evangelism Match
PUC matches 100 percent of certified earnings that are applied to tuition by students who work as SDA literature evangelists in the summer prior to Fall quarter enrollment, up to $5,000.

Student Missions/Task Force Scholarships
These awards are available to qualified students who attend PUC the year following their service and are based on length of service.

Pacific Union Conference Education Endowment and Minority Scholarships
These awards are available through local SDA churches and conferences. Contact your pastor or local conference Office of Education for an application.

FAFSA application required

Awarded to students who have institutional need-based financial aid eligibility as calculated by PUC’s Student Financial Services office. Funds limited and distributed on first come basis. Eligibility can change from year to year.

Advanced Payment Discount
A 4 percent discount is available to students who pay the year’s balance in advance at Fall quarter registration (discount is pro-rated over three terms of the regular school year).

Family Discount
An immediate family with two dependent students attending PUC at the same time will receive a tuition-only discount of $325 per student, per quarter; with three or more students, the discount is $375 per student, per quarter.

President's Transfer
(Renewable with a 3.0 GPA)
3.75-4.0 GPA
$13,000

Dean’s Transfer 
(Renewable with a 3.0 GPA)
3.40-3.74 GPA
$11,000

Trustee’s Transfer 
(Renewable with a 3.0 GPA)
3.10-3.39 GPA
$8,000

Founder’s Transfer 
(Renewable with a 2.7 GPA)
2.70-3.09 GPA
$6,000

Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) Scholarship ($1,500)

In recognition of community college students who wish to earn a baccalaureate degree from a four-year institution, PUC is proud to offer the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) Scholarship. It is awarded to transfer students who are graduating from a California community college with an Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or an Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T). Requirements:

• Obtain an ADT in an accepted program (see list)
• Meet PUC’s admissions requirements
• Submit official transcripts with the posted ADT degree from a California community college