Affordable Education for California Students

Welcome to Grand Canyon University (GCU)! We are an institutionally accredited, private Christian university in the heart of Phoenix where students can find their purpose. As of March 2023, GCU offers 321 programs, including over 126 degree programs, over 162 emphases and 33 certificate programs.

In Fall 2022, GCU had over 25,300 ground students.1 Our vibrant campus features:

  • Academic buildings
  • Suite-style residence halls and apartments
  • Popular eateries
  • Athletic facilities
  • Over 50 Lopes Live Labs in Fall 2022
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Stay on Track or Graduate Early

Concerned about graduating on time from a California university? The majority of freshmen entering the California State University (CSU) system do graduate, but most do not do so within four years.2 General education classes in particular fill up quickly, which can delay or add to the time it takes for you to graduate. GCU is not impacted by class or program availability, so your courses are open and ready for you when you need them, making it possible to graduate sooner, which saves you money in the long run.

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Institutional Scholarships

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Committed to affordability, GCU offers generous scholarship opportunities to qualified students, and as a private university, GCU students pay the same affordable tuition rates no matter which state you live in. On average, a traditional campus student qualifies for approximately $7,300 in GCU-funded scholarships for the academic year, which reduces tuition by almost half.3 Average tuition after scholarships is approximately $9,200.3 In 2022, GCU’s traditional campus students received nearly $180 million in scholarships – and many students attend GCU for less than the cost of a state university.4

Barnabas Pastoral Program Scholarship

The Barnabas Pastoral Program offers a fifth-year scholarship for all participants5 and specializes in preparing students called to pastoral ministry in the local church. To learn more about the Barnabas program visit gcu.edu/barnabas.

California Transfer Students

Auto Acceptance

If you meet one of the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) requirements, you are automatically accepted into GCU and may enter into an undergraduate program.

California Community College Transfers

California community college students can easily transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree. GCU accepts courses that are part of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) to fulfill GCU general education requirements per transfer policies.

GCU offers several helpful and complimentary services to our transfer students, including:

For more info, visit our College Transfer Center.

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Campus Visitation Opportunities

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There are many unknowns for students who are looking for the right university. It's important to GCU that students feel confident in their decision and happy about their choice. That's why we offer Discover GCU where future Lopes can get the REAL college experience.

During this visit, you will meet future and current Lopes, dine at popular campus eateries, take a campus tour led by a GCU student, learn about our various degree programs and attend an informational presentation. This experience is for accepted high school seniors and transfer students age 24 and younger.

Contact your admissions counselor for more information about Discover GCU.

Cal Grant Match Program

To help you fund your education, GCU is pleased to offer the Cal Grant Match Program, which is available to students who qualify for California Grant A funds and choose to attend GCU’s campus in Phoenix. Your university counselor can help you learn more about this opportunity.

Please note, recipients must not already qualify for a larger amount of GCU-funded scholarships, as the Cal Grant A match cannot be combined with any other GCU scholarship offer. 


Why California Students Choose GCU

There’s plenty to do here in sunny Phoenix — a city loved for its beautiful weather, delicious dining, hiking and outdoor activities, world-class shopping, exciting events and adventure off campus. We’re only a road trip away from destinations like beautiful Sedona, the Grand Canyon and more.

For inspiring testimonials from California students like you who have chosen to make GCU their home, check out Elena’s and Colby’s stories on Instagram!

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Admissions Steps: We're Here for You

At GCU, the admissions process is simple, straightforward and our counselors provide step-by-step personalized support. Our admissions counselors are located in California and available to meet at your convenience.

GCU values transparency and trains our counselors to offer financial details and benefits, while directly answering questions about how you can pay for college and incur minimal debt.

Next Steps

  1. Apply at gcu.edu/ApplyNow and upload your unofficial transcripts with no application fee.
  2. Make an appointment with your counselor to review scholarships and programs.
  3. Upon acceptance, visit the GCU campus (all-expenses-paid programs available).6
  4. Register early to secure courses and on-campus housing.
  5. Pack your sunglasses and move to Lope Country!

1 Includes all students who attend ground campus classes (traditional and cohort) who have a last date of attendance of three weeks after the start of the Fall 2022 semester for traditional students, or in the last two months of Q1 for cohort students.

2 Jackson, Jacob. (2020, Nov.). Getting to Graduation on Time at California State University. Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved April 18, 2023.

3 Scholarships may be awarded based on sixth semester transcripts (high school transcripts submitted after Junior year of high school). When final official transcripts are received, GCU reserves the right to rescind or modify the scholarship if it is determined that eligibility was not achieved. GCU reserves the right to change or decline scholarship awards for any reason. If a student does not meet the minimum renewal criteria, their scholarship will be forfeited. Prices are based on the 2022-2023 rate and are subject to change.

4 Online scholarships awarded from November 2021 to October 2022. Traditional campus scholarships awarded during the 2022 calendar year.

5 The Barnabas Pastoral Scholarship is used to cover GCU tuition expenses in the fifth year of enrollment. The scholarship has no cash value and cannot be used for room and board.

6 Travel reimbursement is only available to accepted prospective traditional campus students, plus one legal guardian, from a student’s home city/state to Phoenix, AZ. School/district/organizations staff, faculty and/or personnel are also eligible. To participate, the program requires a signed MOU by both the student and parent/guardian or personnel, approval of travel dates by GCU and receipts submitted per GCU requirements. Travel reimbursement thresholds vary based on location and education sector. Only one form of travel will be reimbursed, air or ground. GCU does not reimburse hotel expenses, baggage costs, early check-in or travel insurance fees. Travel reimbursement usually occurs within 45 days.


By clicking next I agree to receive phone calls, emails and text messages from GCU at the information provided above. Third parties may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect or receive information and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads. To opt-out of data collection please click here. Grand Canyon University © 2023 - All Rights Reserved. For the most up-to-date information about admission requirements, tuition, scholarships and more, visit gcu.edu. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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