Financial Aid

Overview
Scholarships & Financial Assistance
Loans
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Overview

Financial Aid Overview

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:

Direct Loans are low interest, need, and non-need-based in nature. These loans must be repaid once a student leaves the University and are processed every eight months (every two trimesters). SCU FAFSA school code: 001229.
Federal Work-Study is realized through on-campus employment. These need-based funds must be earned through authorized work experience.
Scholarships exist for those who demonstrate academic merit and financial need.

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

Employment

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.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program

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.

Impact of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008

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

Scholarships & Financial Assistance

Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) seeks to support our students in any way within our reach. To demonstrate this commitment, SCU offers scholarships and assistance to students with high academic standards and/or financial needs. Please review the scholarships and assistance opportunities below. To apply for one or multiple scholarships, please fill out our Student Scholarship Application. For our financial assistance opportunities, please contact your Admissions Advisor to inquire and apply.

Please note: Several scholarships require a unique essay pertaining to the criteria of the scholarships that you will be applying for. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that for these unique scholarship opportunities that you submit a supplemental essay statement. In this case, you can email this statement directly to financialaid@scuhs.edu.

Financial Assistance for New Students

Financial Assistance for Canadian Students

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.

Relocation Assistance Program

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.

Alumni Referral Assistance Program

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.

The Legacy Scholarship

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.

Available Scholarships

Dana Goodrich Deane Scholarship

The Goodrich Deane family has created a scholarship to honor SCU alum, the late Dana Goodrich Deane (DC, 1992). The Dana Goodrich Deane Memorial scholarship provides an opportunity to financially assist Chiropractic students with demonstrated financial need, in their 4th trimester or beyond, maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, with demonstrated community service, and who have expressed an interest in lifestyle medicine (mind-body medicine, food as medicine, yoga,) in achieving their education goals. This scholarship is typically awarded every 2 years to 2 chiropractic students each scholarship year. Each student can receive up to $15,000.00 per year eligible for 2 years, or $5,000 per trimester if fewer than 2 years remain in the program. This scholarship is funded in partnership with the Nutri-West company in memoriam of Dr. Paul White.

Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Alice Kwan Care and Love Scholarship

The 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 Medicine (DACM) graduate program at SCU. The scholarship award amount covers 50% of the DACM program tuition each term the student remains eligible. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to integrative healthcare, must have demonstrated financial need, and must have an entering grade point average (GPA) of 3.4 or higher. In addition to the SCU Scholarship application, 3 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.*

Presidential Scholarship

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.

Standard Process Scholarship

This application allows you to apply for the Standard Scholarship. The whole food philosophy of Standard Process was developed in 1929 by the company’s founder, Dr. Royal Lee, who believed “the best sources of vitamins and minerals are found in whole foods.” This scholarship was created by Standard Process to assist 2 Chiropractic Students and 1 Acupuncture student per year with educational expenses, such as tuition and fees. The deadline to submit all application materials is May 22, 2020.**NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE**

The Health Equity Scholarship

SCU’s Health Equity Scholarship was created to encourage and support students in their pursuit of professional graduate programs in Integrative Health with a commitment to promoting health equity. SCU recognizes the historic underrepresentation of communities in the fields of physician assistant, acupuncture, and chiropractic and is committed to supporting students from all backgrounds. This competitive scholarship will benefit students entering SCU’s professional graduate programs and promote a new generation of Integrative Health leaders. The number of scholarships and award amounts vary year to year but may cover up to 50 percent of tuition. The scholarship application period for Academic Year 2021–2022 opens in May 2021. Students admitted to the Doctor of Chiropractic, Master of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, or Master of Science: Physician Assistant programs in Summer 2021 or Fall 2021 are eligible for consideration at this time. For additional details view the Health Equity Scholarship PDF. **NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE**

Apply for Scholarships

Loans

Southern California University of Health Sciences participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

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:

There Are Four Types of Direct Loans for Students

Direct Subsidized Loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of higher education at a college or career school.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but in this case, the student does not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the loan.
Direct PLUS Loans are loans made to graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid.
Direct Consolidation Loans allow you to combine all of your eligible federal student loans into a single loan with a single loan servicer.

Application Procedures

To apply for a Federal Student Loan you will need to complete the four steps below:

Step 1: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using SCU’s federal code 001229.
The FAFSA is available on October 1 at no cost to students. You will be considered for Pell Grant, and Federal Direct Loans and Work-Study awards.
Web Address: FAFSA Government Website
Step 2: Complete the online loan entrance counseling (required for first-time borrowers)
Web Address: Government Student Loans My Direct Loan
1. If you are completing entrance counseling to borrow a loan as an undergraduate student, then the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans.
2. If you are completing entrance counseling to borrow a loan as a graduate or professional student, the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans.
3. Entrance counseling is required to be completed before you receive your first federal student loan. Entrance Counseling explains your responsibilities and rights as a student borrower.
Step 3: Complete and sign the electronic Master Promissory Note (if not already signed)
Web Address: Government Student Loans My Direct Loan
1. The Master Promissory Note is a binding legal document that you must sign when you get a federal student loan. The MPN can be used to make one or more loans for one or more academic years (up to 10 years). It lists the terms and conditions under which you agree to repay the loan and explains your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. It’s important to read and save your MPN because you’ll need to refer to it later when you begin repaying your loan or at other times when you need information about provisions of the loan, such as deferments or forbearances.
Step 4: Create an FSA ID using the following web address Student Government ID Creation
Students, parents, and borrowers are required to use an FSA ID, made up of a username and password, to access certain U.S. Department of Education websites. Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents. If you are a parent of a dependent student, you will need your own FSA ID if you want to sign your child’s FAFSA electronically. If you have more than one child attending college, you can use the same FSA ID to sign all applications. Please note: Each FSA ID user must have a unique e-mail address. Your FSA ID is used to sign legally binding documents electronically. It has the same legal status as a written signature.

Eligibility Criteria

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:

Have a financial need and demonstrate it through their financial aid application. (Some loans and scholarships are available to students without need.)
Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled at least half-time and working toward a degree or certificate. Students may apply for aid before being accepted or enrolled.
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-U.S. citizen with a valid Social Security number.
Be registered with the U.S. Selective Service, if required. To check your registration status go to: U.S. Selective Services
Make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a degree or certificate program. Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, is a federal regulation requiring the Financial Aid Office to monitor the progress of each student who is receiving financial aid as they move toward completing their degree or certificate.
Students, who fall behind in their coursework, fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average, or fail to complete classes in a maximum time frame, may lose eligibility for all types of federal, and university aid.
Use aid only for educational purposes.
Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on any federal educational loan.
Enroll for coursework that is accepted for credit by your degree-granting program.
Attend all classes for which you enroll. If you fail a class and do not attend or participate, your financial aid could be adjusted. (Note that instructors report non-participation if a student receives a failing grade.)
Students who are enrolled at more than one college or university at the same time may receive aid from only one institution. For more information, contact us.
A student who has a drug conviction felony record may not be eligible to receive federal student aid.
Non-citizens and or International students may qualify for private, University, and or merit-based 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:

Parent Contribution: an estimate of what your parents might be able to pay toward your college costs for the year. Allowances for living expenses (based on family size), taxes paid, and the number of siblings in college, and asset protection for retirement are built into the formula. It is based on both parents’ income and assets (cash, checking, savings, money market accounts, investments, real estate holdings, and business equity).
Student Contribution: an estimate of what you might be able to contribute toward college costs for the year. It is based on your income and a percentage of your savings and other assets.

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:

Federal and state need-based grants and scholarships
Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized (Stafford) Loans
Work-Study funds (Federal regulations require these funds to be awarded to students with the greatest need)

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.

Exit Counseling

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.

Private Student Loans

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:

The loan application must be approved
The ISCU application has been submitted
Your class schedule has been created

Helpful Things to Remember About Requesting a Private Education 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.

Code of Conduct For Private Education Loans

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.

Revenue-sharing Arrangements with any Lender: SCU will not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender. Specifically, the institution will not recommend a lender or loan products of a lender in exchange for a fee or other material benefit, including revenue or profit-sharing.
Gifts: No agent for SCU who is employed in the Financial Aid Office or who has responsibilities with private education loans may solicit or accept any prohibited gift from a lending institution. Prohibited gifts include any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment (including expenses for shows, sporting events, or alcoholic beverages), hospitality (including private parties of select training or conference attendees), loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimus amount. A gift includes services, transportation, lodging, or meals whether provided in kind, by the purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred. An agent of the institution may accept items of a de minimus amount from a private education lender that are offered as general marketing or advertising or to create goodwill. Examples of de minimus gifts include, but are not limited to: pens or pencils, notepads, sticky notes, rulers, calculators, small tote bags, calendars, and other office supply items.
Philanthropic Gifts and Contributions to the Institution: SCU will not accept any philanthropic contributions from a lending institution that are related to the loans that are provided to our students, or that are provided to gain an advantage related to private education loans. In addition, we will not accept scholarships or grants from a private lending institution in exchange for loan applications or referrals for applications, or for a specific volume or dollar amount of private loans received.SCU may accept philanthropic contributions from a lender that are not related to the loans provided to our students, or that are not provided in exchange to receive an advantage related to private education loans.
Consulting or Other Contractual Arrangements: An agent of the institution who is employed at SCU and/or has direct responsibilities with the private education loan programs may not accept from any lending institution any compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contracts to provide services to or on behalf of the lender. An agent of the institution can be permitted to engage in these consulting activities as long as they are not employed in the Financial Aid Office or as long as they do not have direct responsibilities related to private education loans.
Choice of Lender: Agents of the institution will not
1. Assign the student’s loan to a particular lender
2. Encourage or influence the student to choose a specific lender
3. Show preference for one lender over another
4. Refuse to certify, or cause delays in loan processing for a borrower based on their choice of lender
Opportunity Pools: For purposes of this document, an opportunity pool is defined as a private education loan made by a lender to a student attending this institution or the student’s family member that involves the SCU paying points, premiums, additional interest, or financial support to the lender for the purpose of that lender extending credit to the borrower. The institution will not request or accept an offer of funds from an opportunity to be used for private education loans.
Staffing Assistance: The institution will not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
Advisory Board Compensation: An agent for the institution with direct private education loan responsibilities may not accept anything of value in exchange for service on an advisory board established by a lending institution. If an agent of the institution without private education loan responsibilities does serve on an advisory board established by a lending institution, the agent may accept compensation for reasonable expenses incurred by that service.

Fixed Rate Tuition Guarantee

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.

Net Price Calculator

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.

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Employee Directory

Start Making a Difference in Healthcare Today

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.