Tuition & Aid
Your Partner in Education
For over 130 years, PUC has prepared students to lead lives of significance and service. As a fully accredited Seventh-day Adventist Christian liberal arts college, PUC will provide you with all the advantages of a larger university—a strong academic reputation; over 70 degrees and programs; cutting edge research; classes taught by Fulbright scholars; and a diverse student body—but with the benefits of a small college focused on the undergraduate experience and in an atmosphere of Christian community.
We are committed to working together with you and your family to make PUC possible.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
To receive the maximum amount of aid, follow these important steps.
1. Get your FSA ID for the FAFSA at fafsa.gov. This is required to “sign” the FAFSA.
2. Fill out and submit the FAFSA Starting October 1, go to fafsa.gov; include PUC’s school code (001258) to have your financial data sent to PUC.
3. Use PUC’s net price calculator This will provide you with a preliminary estimate of how much financial aid you may qualify for, including scholarships, grants, and loans. It takes less than 10 minutes—visit puc.edu/npc to get started!
4. Submit GPA verification forms to the California Student Aid Commission Both this form (csac.ca.gov) and your FAFSA are required by March 2 to apply for Cal Grant. (California residents only)
5. Talk with your PUC financial counselor Together we will find the best financial aid package for your family. Call (800) 862-7080, option 1 or email studentfinance@puc.edu to get connected with a counselor now.
A Conversation with Freddy Whiteside, Director of Student Financial Services
Freddy Whiteside has been serving Pacific Union College students in the office of student financial services for eight years, and in February of this year, he stepped into his new role as director. “The best part of what I do,” he says, “is interacting with the students and finding additional financial aid options for them whenever I can.”
Financial FAQs
What’s something about financial aid at PUC people might be surprised to learn?
Every single student who attends PUC qualifies for financial aid—this means 100 percent of the student body qualifies for financial aid!
How can I get an estimate of what PUC might cost me?
Once we have your FAFSA data on file, our team of financial aid counselors can determine how much financial aid you are eligible for and create a personalized estimate where you can see how much per month it would cost to attend PUC. It’s incredibly helpful and absolutely an essential thing for you to have when making a decision about where to attend college.
While you wait for your estimate, you can also use PUC’s net price calculator to receive a free preliminary estimate of your aid eligibility, including grants, loans, and PUC scholarships.
Why should I bother to apply for FAFSA?
One of the most important things you can do to prepare for college is to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is an online form you will submit each year that determines your eligibility for student financial aid.
Starting October 1, you can file your FAFSA and have your information sent to up to 10 colleges you’re considering. Make sure to file FAFSA as soon as possible since some aid is awarded on a first-come, first served basis. To have your FAFSA information sent to PUC, include PUC’s school code—it’s 001258.
Filing the FAFSA also potentially qualifies you for a Pell Grant, which is a subsidy from the U.S. federal government, and is something you don’t have to pay back. Amounts can change each year, but for the 2018-2019 award year, the maximum Pell Grant award is $6,095.
What is Cal Grant? Why should I apply for it?
Cal Grant is a financial aid program administered by the California Student Aid Commission that provides aid to California undergraduates, vocational training students, and those in teacher certification programs. The short version: A Cal Grant is money for college you don’t have to pay back!
Cal Grants can be used at most colleges in California. If you’re planning on attending a private non-profit California college like PUC, Cal Grant is worth up to $9,084 per year. That’s over $36,000 to help pay for four years of college—and it’s free!
Are there jobs at PUC to help pay off my tuition bill?
Having a job while in college can help defray the costs of obtaining a degree, and equip you with some of the necessary skills needed to enter the workforce post-graduation. In 2017-18 approximately 500 students were working on-campus at PUC, some with multiple jobs. Learn more by reading our “How to Get a Student Job at PUC” blog post!
Where can I look for outside scholarships?
These sites are a great starting point for your college scholarship search:
- Fastweb: Fastweb is considered to be the premier scholarship website with over 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3 billion.
- Niche: This website lists over 3.2 million scholarships and also allows you to create a profile to be personally matched to scholarships you may be eligible for.
- Unigo: This website lists over 3.6 million scholarships.
Also, check out our extensive list of scholarship sites at puc.edu/outsidescholarships.
Why should I take the SAT or ACT and should I retake them?
PUC uses test scores for several scholarships for incoming freshmen, including the Maxwell scholarship, the college’s most prestigious scholarship; and the President’s, Dean’s, Trustee’s, and Founder’s scholarships. Each of these scholarships requires a certain GPA and a certain test score range and is potentially worth a great deal of money, from $36,000 all the way up to $112,000. It’s definitely a wise decision to make sure you take time to adequately prepare for the ACT or SAT since the better you score, the higher the scholarship you’re eligible for.
What are some of the most important deadlines when it comes to applying for student scholarships or financial aid?
March 2 is the Cal Grant deadline. You must have your FAFSA and the GPA verification form done by this date.
Tuition: 2018-2019
| Quarter | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $9,805 | $29,415 |
| Housing (Residence Halls) | $1,620 | $4,860 |
| Meals | $1,150 | $3,450 |
| General Fee | $215 | $645 |
| Total | $12,790 | $38,370 |
Tuition: 2019-2020
| Quarter | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $9,966 | $29,898 |
| Housing (Residence Halls) | $1,620 | $4,860 |
| Meals | $1,150 | $3,450 |
| General Fee | $305 | $915 |
| Total | $13,041 | $39,123 |
Books budget $1,985
Cost per unit – under 11.5 credits $865
Cost per unit – over 17.5 credits $668