Azusa Pacific University proudly offers 100% of undergraduate students financial aid through scholarships and grants. Whether students are still in high school, getting ready to start their freshman year, transferring in, or at any other point in their educational journey at APU, there are many ways to make a top-tier Christian education more affordable.
Lauryn Goldston ’18, MA ’21, associate director of Undergraduate Admissions and Lexie Bryant ’19, MS ’20, director of Student Financial Services, work with the teams that serve students one-on-one to guide them through cost-cutting options. Here are some of the most common resources and pathways for students to consider:
Earn College Credit in High School through Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement (AP) Classes
Dual enrollment allows students to take college-level courses for credit while they are still in high school. When students enroll at APU, those credits transfer with them, helping them to fulfill some of their general education (GE) requirements. APU offers dual enrollment to students at local Christian high schools, including Ontario, Hillcrest, Whittier, and Western Christian High School. Teachers at these high schools receive a curriculum from APU that they can teach to students on their own campuses. APU faculty liaisons work with the teachers on assignments and grading. By completing GE courses before starting at APU, students can graduate sooner than the traditional four-year path for most degree programs. APU also accepts dual enrollment credit from other community colleges and accredited universities.
For students who are not enrolled at one of the local Christian schools and do not have credits from another accredited institution, AP classes can also transfer credits to fulfill GE requirements as long as students earn a grade of three or higher on the AP exam. Some students enter APU with dozens of credits already under their belt from AP classes and are able to graduate a semester or more early, saving thousands of dollars. Jonathan Offhaus ’26 started at APU his freshman year with 30 credits from AP testing in high school. Offhaus’ credits transferred in to fulfill some GE course requirements. “Not having to take those classes helped me save money because I didn’t have to spend that money on tuition for classes, and it allowed me to graduate early,” he said.
Save Money through Summer Classes
APU students have the opportunity to register for summer courses that fulfill GE requirements at a significantly discounted rate, up to 74% off the normal rate per unit. Goldston shared that many students get a head start on fulfilling GE requirements or stay on track with their college plan by taking summer courses online or in-person at other four-year or community colleges. Those classes can then be transferred for credit towards students’ degrees.
Transfer Community College Credit to APU
Some of APU’s programs, such as nursing or acting for the stage and screen, are full four-year programs that require a traditional undergraduate plan, but many degree programs can be transferred into. Students can work towards fulfilling their GE requirements at community or junior colleges before attending APU to enroll in degree-specific courses. Students can schedule a meeting with their transfer admissions counselor to review their transfer credit evaluation. “Both transfer students and freshmen can meet with us to do a free transfer credit evaluation. We’ll look at what courses they’ve taken previously aligned with APU courses, so they know from the beginning what they can get credit from and how that works with the amount of credits they need in their degree programs to graduate,” Goldston said. “Once students are getting ready to enroll in classes at a class registration event, they will be able to work with an academic advisor.”
Find Additional Financial Aid Opportunities on Scholarship Universe
Every APU undergraduate student receives a merit scholarship based on their high school or community college GPA. After hearing from high school and APU students alike that the most difficult part of applying for scholarships was finding which ones were legitimate, APU launched Scholarship Universe. The platform uses a third-party to vet scholarships for legitimacy and information privacy. Admitted students can access the platform using their APU login. The platform makes it easier for students to find scholarships they qualify for by offering a variety of search filters, including awards geared toward their major and awards with a specific dollar amount. “We pushed to launch this resource so students have an external scholarship searching tool that is an APU resource,” Bryant said. “It takes the time-consuming research part out of the equation so that students can focus on actually applying for the scholarships.” Students can also find a number of internal APU scholarships on the platform.
Take Advantage of On-campus Jobs through federal work study
When the semester starts, many departments across campus will open applications for student jobs. Students are encouraged to apply for jobs and take advantage of the federal work-study program. Students will be able to accept or reject federal work-study as part of their financial aid package. While that amount will show on their federal aid package, their earnings don’t automatically go towards their tuition. Students will work on campus throughout the semester and get paid like any other job. The amount shown on their financial aid package is the maximum they can earn through federal work-study, and it’s the students’ job to use their paychecks toward their tuition payments or school-related expenses, if they choose to do so. Students may be able to increase their federal work-study amount in their financial aid package by contacting the SSC. Being part of federal work-study can also allow students to earn other government benefits, such as CalFresh and CalWorks, depending on government resource availability. On-campus jobs are also hugely beneficial to students because APU allows students to tailor their work schedule around their class schedule, so their job never interferes with their academic success.
Having a college degree is essential in the modern workplace. While it may seem challenging for students to understand or plan how to make the most of their education affordably, APU’s Student Services Center (SSC) and Admissions department are happy to work with students to guide them on the right path toward their goals. “Whether students are nervous, confused, or just want to better understand the financial aspect of their education, we encourage them to reach out to us,” Bryant said. “Starting those conversations can be challenging, and sometimes students aren’t sure exactly what questions to ask, but that’s what our team is here for.” Bryant and Goldston encourage students to reach out to their offices to learn how to be proactive in identifying cost-cutting opportunities at any point in their APU journey.