Speak with an admissions advisor. 562-475-4604
Students at SCU have many financial assistance opportunities available to them in order to cover their educational expenses. It is the policy of the Financial Aid Office to assist our students as much as possible to afford their education. Basically, there are three different types of aid available:
Financial Services staff is here to assist you with all of your education-related financial needs. We are happy to help identify financial resources to achieve your educational goals!
Let us help you calculate the cost and explore your financial options.
Talk with a financial counselor by calling (562) 947-8755 ext 766
All on-campus student employment is coordinated by the University’s Financial Aid Office. Students with a GPA of 2.0 or higher are eligible to apply for positions.
The FWS Program is federally and institutionally funded and is designed to provide SCU students with additional support to meet the costs associated with their education. Students are compensated with regularly scheduled paychecks.
The Financial Aid Office has a list of current Federal Work-Study openings around campus.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) mandated a number of significant changes to provide a significant amount of additional information to families who choose to utilize private educational loans. Title X of the HEOA, which originally began as the Private Student Loan Transparency and Improvement Act of 2007 change the disclosure requirements for the Truth In Lending Act (“TILA”) for private education loans made expressly for post-secondary education expenses.
These regulations went into effect on February 14, 2010.
Application and Solicitation Disclosure – the lender must provide a general range of rates and fees so that borrowers can make informed decisions when choosing a private loan lender.
Loan Approval Disclosure – When an applicant is conditionally approved for a loan, the lender must send this disclosure with borrower-specific rates and fees.
Final Disclosure – This is sent to the borrower after the loan terms are accepted and the school has certified the student’s eligibility for the loan. The Final Disclosure gives the borrower a three-business-day right to cancel period.
In addition to these disclosures, a lender must obtain a signed and completed Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form from the borrower.
Click here to download the Institutional Student Loan Code of Conduct (pdf)
Private Education Loan Applicant Self Certification Form, You can download the form for either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF
Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) offers a variety of institutional scholarships. The eligibility requirements of each scholarship are listed below. Scholarships are available to incoming undergraduate and graduate students as well as continuing and returning undergraduate and graduate students to SCU.
Complete and submit this application by no later than the published deadline of August 1, 2023. Only those applications received by the published deadline will be considered. Applications received after the published deadline will not be considered. To be eligible for any SCU Scholarship, candidates must be matriculated in a minimum of half-time enrollment status per term for each of the three terms of the academic year (fall, spring, and summer).
Applicants are responsible for verifying that all required documentation is complete and submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
SCU’s Canadian Scholarship is for F-1 Visa Canadian students who are enrolled in the Doctor of Chiropractic program and provides a maximum of a 20% discount on tuition. Students must be continuously enrolled full-time, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, remain in good academic and conduct standing, and adhere to all student rights and responsibilities as outlined in the University Catalog. This scholarship is automatically provided to those who qualify with no application required and is subject to modification based on quarterly reviews by the university.
The Relocation Assistance Program was developed to help students who are relocating to SCU from areas within the U.S. more than 250 miles away from the SCU campus. A student applying for this program must demonstrate financial need. Funding is limited and will be awarded until exhausted.
An eligible student pursuing a degree or certificate can receive a scholarship in the name of the SCU alumni who referred the student. Applicants for the Alumni Relations Referral Assistance Program at the entrance with SCU must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in all their undergraduate coursework and demonstrate participation in community service or outreach at their prior institution. Interested applicants must notify the Office of Admissions of the referring alumni’s contact information (full name, email, and phone number) for verification by emailing admissions@scuhs.edu and notifying their Admissions Advisor.
Legacy Scholarship has been designed to acknowledge and recognize the children and grandchildren of SCU alumni who have also chosen to pursue a career in complementary and alternative health care. Students who are awarded the Legacy Scholarship will receive a 5% discount on tuition for each of their 10 terms at SCU provided they maintain a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative GPA. The applicant for this scholarship must provide appropriate documentation of their relationship with the alumnus.
Make the transfer to SCU an easy one by participating in the BSHS Transfer Scholarship saving $100 on every credit hour taken. Students participating in the BSHS Transfer Scholarship are afforded the following services/benefits. A reduction of $100/credit hour for all courses taken as part of the BSHS degree and guaranteed admission to the SCU BSHS program provided the student meets all requirements. BSHS transfer students are eligible to transfer to SCU once they complete 57 credit hours of approved coursework with some transferable coursework from a Partner College. Partner Colleges currently include Rio Hondo College and Santa Monica College. SCU is continuing to grow the number of Partner Colleges, if your school is not on the list, please contact admissions for assistance.
The Standard Process Scholarship was established to recognize academic excellence and the integration of chiropractic, acupuncture study and nutrition. It was made possible by a generous donation from Standard Process. Applications are not accepted at this time. Please continue to check this page for future updates.
Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Alice Kwan Care and Love Scholarship is a merit and need-based academic scholarship available to candidates for admission to our Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine (DAcCHM) graduate program at SCU. The scholarship award covers 50% of the DAcCHM program tuition each term the student remains eligible. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to integrative healthcare, demonstrate financial need, and have an entering grade point average (GPA) of 3.4 or higher. In addition to the SCU Scholarship application, three letters of recommendation from supervisors and/or previous or current faculty of courses taken must be submitted as well. These letters can be emailed directly to financialaid@scuhs.edu. Upon notification of scholarship selection, scholarship recipients must also agree to other terms as indicated by the donors.*
The Presidential Scholarship was established by Dr. John Scaringe at the time of his inauguration as President of the Southern California University of Health Sciences to recognize and acknowledge outstanding students at SCU who exhibit leadership in evidence-based, integrative healthcare. The Presidential Scholarship will be awarded once a year. The recipient must be an SCU student in the 6th term or above enrolled in SCU College of Eastern Medicine or Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. Applicants for the Presidential Scholarship must: have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better, demonstrate a history of leadership in evidence-based, integrative health care during their time at SCU, and submit a 500-600 word defining evidence-based practice and integrative medicine. If selected, the award is a one-time $2500 upon notification of selection.
The SCU Alumni Association Scholarship Program was initiated in 1984 to provide financial assistance to outstanding students who exhibit great potential for service and leadership to the University. In line with The Alumni Association’s purpose to foster connection and communication between alumni, the University, and current students, this scholarship is intended to support the recipients’ academic journeys. Scholarships are awarded to up to five (5) individuals attending any of the university’s degree and certificate programs. Consideration will be given to all colleges and programs, but the strength of the application will determine the recipients. The scholarship award amount is $1000, to be awarded over two terms (Fall and Spring).
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program
A federal student loan, made through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, for which eligible students and parents borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education at participating schools. Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans are types of Direct Loans. Additional information on Federal Direct Loans is available from the following Department of Education resources:
To apply for a Federal Student Loan you will need to complete the four steps below:
When discussing a student’s eligibility for financial aid, we refer to requirements a student must meet and to the amount of aid the student is eligible to receive. This page explains the requirements for receiving federal need-based financial aid and how we determine the amount of aid. Eligible students receive financial aid at the beginning of each term.
Federal Eligibility Requirements
The federal government is the primary source of financial aid for college students. Students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for federal aid:
How much aid are you eligible to receive?
Financial aid programs were created with the idea that the primary responsibility for paying college costs rests with the student and family. Your aid eligibility depends on your family’s financial circumstances and resources.
When you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the federal government uses the information you supply to assess your family’s financial situation and calculate an expected family contribution, or EFC, for you. Your EFC is an estimate of how much a student and parents might be expected to contribute toward the education costs. It is not the amount you owe to a college or university.
More about Your Expected Family Contribution
Your estimated/expected family contribution (EFC) is made up of two parts:
Once your EFC has been determined, the amount of federal, state, and institutional need-based aid you are eligible to receive is calculated using this equation:
Cost of Attendance
– Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
– Other Financial Resources (private scholarships, etc.)
– Eligibility for Need-Based Aid
Your cost of attendance includes estimated amounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, and room and board, plus a modest allowance for personal/miscellaneous expenses. From this, we subtract your EFC and other resources such as private scholarships or gifts that are not part of your family’s income and assets.
The result is your eligibility for need-based aid or demonstrated financial need. While this number represents the amount of aid you are eligible to receive based on costs and your resources, the amount of aid that you will receive depends on aid funds available in any given year.
The Financial Aid Office distributes need-based grant, scholarship, loan, and Work-Study funds equitably among all eligible applicants who apply for financial aid by established deadline dates. Award amounts are determined by a combination of demonstrated financial need, federal award maximums, available funding, and other factors.
How we Award Need-Based Aid
Here’s how we determine your demonstrated need: Your Cost of attendance at SCU for one academic year minus your expected family contribution (EFC) and other financial resources equals your demonstrated need (eligibility) for need-based financial aid. SCU awards financial aid funds in the following order to eligible students:
Students who need additional funds to cover expenses and those who are not eligible for need-based aid may consider supplemental loans such as the Federal Direct PLUS Loan and/or private education loans. These require separate applications.
Is a mandatory information session that explains your loan repayment responsibilities and when the repayment of your loan begins. Federal regulations require that all student loan borrowers must have an exit interview/exit counseling after students graduate or their attendance at SCU is less than half-time. Students may access and complete the exit counseling at Student Government Loan Counseling. This will satisfy all requirements for exit counseling and give the borrower up-to-date information on their student loan balances. This is the fastest and easiest way to satisfy this requirement.
Students taking classes at SCU are eligible to apply for private student loans. Private student loans are available to both students and parents who need assistance with education costs.
A private loan is not a federal student loan, but one through a private bank or other lending institution. Private student loans are credit-based funding provided by outside, nonfederal lenders to help cover educational costs.
To review and compare some private loan products and begin the application process, you will be directed to the Great Lakes FAST Choice webpage.
Fast Choice is a private loan application system. At Fast Choice, students and parents are able to search, compare, and apply for private loans. The lenders listed at Fast Choice have offered quality customer service to our students in the past and we expect the same service in the future. They also offer competitive interest rates and lower fees.
We strongly encourage you to review each of the lender’s information to determine which benefits and terms are best for you.
Take into consideration repayment terms, interest rates, and deferment options before choosing a private loan. Some lenders may require a co-signer for credit reasons. For students who apply through a lender on the Fast Choice website, the loan funds will be disbursed electronically, allowing for an efficient process for the borrower and the school.
First Step
See instructions and table below to calculate the Cost of Education (COA)
To apply for a loan go to Fast Choice Loan Application
You may be asked to provide your college/university school name and 8-digit school code. School Name: Southern California University of Health Sciences School code: 0012290
After completing the loan application, please contact or send an e-mail to our financial aid department to confirm that your application has been approved or denied. Email: FinancialAid@scuhs.edu or Call 562-947-8755 ext 766.
In order for the Student Loan office to certify the loan:
We advise you to apply for your private loan 4 weeks before your first course starts. This time frame allows for the lenders’ 10 day right to cancel period, class schedules to be created, and lenders to pay the tuition and preparation of any expected living expense reimbursement from the loan.
Introduction
The Higher Education Act requires Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) to develop, administer, and enforce a code of conduct with respect to private education loans. This addresses standards of business for the working relationships between college officials and private loan lenders.
A private education loan is any loan that is not made under Title IV of the HEA and is issued to a borrower expressly for postsecondary education expenses, regardless of whether the loan is provided through the institution that the student attends or directly to the borrower from the lender.
Fixed Rate Tuition is the tuition program for students entering Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU). The tuition rate a student pays will stay the same as long as a student maintains continuous full-time enrollment in a degree program. Continuous full-time enrollment means that the student stays enrolled and graduates either on time or with one additional term, and the student does not take a leave of absence of more than one term. Fixed Rate Tuition rates are higher than traditional rates because they are based on the projected average of flat rate tuition over the duration of the academic program. As with traditional tuition, the Fixed Rate Tuition amount will vary depending on the program the student is enrolled.
How does Fixed Rate Tuition work?
The Fixed Rate Tuition program works by locking in the tuition rate at enrollment for the duration of your enrollment in your academic program1.
How does this benefit me?
It means that you don’t have to worry about any unexpected increases in your tuition costs. From day one you will know exactly how much your tuition is going to cost for the duration of your academic program1 so you can plan your finances with confidence.
I am transferring to SCU from another institution. Will I qualify for Fixed Rate Tuition?
Yes! The tuition rate you start with when you enroll at SCU will be fixed for the duration of your academic program1.
What happens if I take longer to graduate than the planned duration of my program?
If you take one additional term more than the planned duration of your program, your tuition rate for that additional term will be the same as the rate that you paid for all other terms. If you take more than one additional term than the planned duration of your program, the rate for extra terms will be based on the then-current rate for new full-time students.
Tuition Rate Coverage
The Fixed Rate Tuition rate defined above includes tuition only. Fees and other charges are not fixed and are subject to change. Fees and other charges associated with attendance at the University include (but are not limited to): student fees, lab fees, room and board, textbooks, supplies, fines, transcript fees, late registration fees, drop/add fees, examination/testing fees, and other voluntary fees.
The Fine Print
The Fixed Rate Tuition Program covers only tuition charges as defined, from time to time, by the University and in no way limits the University’s rights in respect of matters, including University charges, not covered hereby. The benefits of this Agreement are not assignable to any other student. The student will make payments in accordance with the University payment policy.
If the enrollment of the student is canceled for any reason (including withdrawal, suspension, or expulsion), the amount of the refund shall be in accordance with the general refund policy of the University. The University reserves the right to offset any amounts refundable hereunder against any amounts owed by the student.
1 Rate is fixed as long as you graduate on time, or on time plus one additional term.
The Net Price Calculator is an easy-to-use tool that gives an undergraduate student a sense of how much federal, state, and institutional financial aid they may qualify for — based on your unique background and academic history. In less than 5 minutes, you can get a personalized estimate of your actual cost of attending SCU.
This calculator provides Ayurvedic Wellness Educator Certificate students with early financial planning. This calculator will provide an estimate of your cost to attend SCU as well as the federal, state, and institutional financial aid you may qualify for. In just a few minutes you can estimate your potential costs and awards.
Has Your Financial Circumstance Changed?
At SCU, we understand that there may be circumstances that affect your ability to pay for college. These changes may not be included in your initial financial aid information. The Financial Aid team is authorized to use professional judgment (PJ) to adjust, on a case-by-case basis, the cost of attendance or the values of the items used in determining the Expected Family Contribution to reflect a student’s special circumstance.
Examples of Supporting Documentation that must accompany the PJ Application
Undergraduate students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and do not meet the federal definition of an independent student may request a dependency override if the student can document other unusual circumstances that might warrant the treatment of the student as independent for purposes of establishing eligibility for federal and state need-based financial aid. Please note that the following circumstances will not be considered unusual:
Examples of Supporting Documentation that must accompany the PJ Application
Qualifying out-of-pocket costs that may result in an increased Cost of Attendance (COA)/budget can provide eligibility for the student to borrow additional aid. These can include the following:
Examples of Supporting Documentation that must accompany the PJ Application
To apply for a professional judgement, please fill out the digital form to the best of your ability and include supporting documentation. If you have any questions, please contact the financial aid office at financialaid@suchs.edu.
You wouldn’t be looking at SCU if you weren’t interested in helping people find their healthiest life. Your dedication and enthusiasm for the growing movement toward whole-person wellness is what makes you the perfect fit for SCU. Now, begin to discover why we’re the perfect fit for you.