🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Pepperdine (Read This First)
Test-optional for admission is not test-optional for the biggest money. Regents Scholars awards ($40,000 to $45,000 a year) require SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. The upside: Pepperdine superscores all three, so send every sitting.
The 3.60 line is real money. Admitted students with an unweighted, recalculated GPA of 3.60 or higher automatically get at least $16,000 a year. “Recalculated” means academic classes only, with no extra points for AP or honors.
Your award doesn’t grow when tuition does. Merit scholarships and the Pepperdine Grant stay the same dollar amount all four years. Tuition went up almost 5% last year, so the gap you pay out of pocket widens every year.
Early Decision comes with a merit guarantee, but get it in writing. Pepperdine’s admission pages say ED admits receive at least $25,000 a year in merit, while one older FAQ still mentions a $2,000 ED scholarship. ED is binding, and Fine Arts applicants can’t use it.
The FAFSA deadline follows your application plan. Early applicants should file by Nov 1. The need-based Pepperdine Grant (up to $10,000 a year) is offered once, at admission, and a FAFSA that misses the Feb 15 priority date may not be considered at all.
Spring starts get less merit. Pepperdine says most merit money is used up by the fall class.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Pepperdine University is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 30-33; SAT: 1330-1420.
Average net price? About $66,585/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Pepperdine University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Pepperdine University has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,900 to $4,800 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$95,692
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$75,202
Housing & meals (typical)
$20,490
Total billed cost
$95,692
Average federal net price: $66,585 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
No In-State Discount, But Real Ways to Shrink the Bill
Pepperdine is private, so a family in Malibu and a family in Mississippi see the same sticker price. What changes the number is aid.
Nearly every new student (98%) gets Pepperdine merit, need-based aid, or both, and the average first-year aid package is about $38,600.
Merit runs from $16,000 to $45,000 a year. California residents can add a Cal Grant (up to $9,358), and families with need can be considered for the Pepperdine Grant (up to $10,000) and federal Pell (up to $7,395).
Run the Net Price Calculator before you fall in love with the view.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Pepperdine University
Why is Pepperdine’s average net price so high?
The most recent federal numbers (2023–24) show families who received grant aid still paid about $66,585 on average, up from $52,216 the year before. Even families earning under $30,000 averaged about $50,560. Pepperdine is generous with merit, but it doesn’t promise to cover full financial need, so lower- and middle-income families should run the Net Price Calculator early and compare offers side by side.
Does my aid go up when tuition goes up?
No. Pepperdine says its institutional grants and scholarships don’t increase to match higher tuition, housing, or food costs. Your merit award stays the same dollar amount for four years. Only federal loan eligibility rises. Families who file the FAFSA on time may qualify for an additional need-based grant in later years, but there’s no guarantee.
What’s not included in the direct cost total?
The $95,692 direct cost covers tuition, typical housing and food, and two required fees. Pepperdine’s full budget adds about $1,000 for books, $1,000 to $1,500 for transportation, and $1,500 for personal expenses. If your student isn’t on a family health plan, add roughly $1,362 per semester for school health insurance.
Do students have to live on campus?
Yes. First-years and sophomores are required to live on campus with a meal plan. The typical housing and food cost is $20,490, though other on-campus options run higher. On-campus housing isn’t guaranteed for juniors and seniors (it’s a lottery), and your aid stays the same whether you live on or off campus.
Does Pepperdine require the CSS Profile?
No. Pepperdine’s first-year aid process asks for the FAFSA (school code 001264). California residents also send a GPA Verification Form to the state by April 2 for Cal Grant consideration.
Is “The Pepperdine Pact” a price guarantee?
No. The Pact is Pepperdine’s list of what tuition already includes (career coaching, tutoring, wellness services, free tickets to home games, and similar perks). It’s not a no-loan pledge or an income-based tuition promise.
Can out-of-state students get a regional discount like WUE?
No. Regional exchange programs apply to public universities. At Pepperdine, everyone pays the same price, and the discounts come from merit, need-based aid, and state grants for California residents.
Late Oct to mid-Nov: Fine Arts auditions for early applicants (Oct 31 or Nov 14).
Nov 1: Early Action and Early Decision I application, test scores, and FAFSA. This is how you get an estimated aid offer by Feb 1.
Jan 15: Early Decision II and Regular Decision application (and the ED II FAFSA).
Jan 27: Supplemental Fine Arts application deadline.
Feb 15: Regular Decision FAFSA (Pepperdine Grant), plus the Christian Leadership Award and Helen Young forms.
April 2: Cal Grant GPA Verification Form (California residents).
Parent rule of thumb: merit is decided off the admission application, so your student’s application deadline is their scholarship deadline.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Pepperdine University
Every admitted first-year is considered for merit automatically. There’s no separate scholarship application.
A 3.60 unweighted, recalculated GPA guarantees at least $16,000 a year through the George Pepperdine Achievement Award.
The top tier, the Regents Scholars Program ($40,000 to $45,000 a year), also requires SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. Pepperdine superscores all three.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Cal Grant A
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or CADAA plus GPA verification by March 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$9,358/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPACalifornia resident or AB 540 student; 3.0 high school GPA (or 2.4 college GPA); 2026-27 income ceiling $144,700 for a family of four, assets under $111,900; FAFSA or CADAA and a verified GPA by March 2; within one year of high school graduation for the entitlement award
✚
Stacking & Combining
$9,358 a year toward tuition at a private nonprofit California college in 2026-27. Stacks with the college's own aid and with Pell. Guaranteed for every senior who meets the GPA, income, and deadline.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Pepperdine University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent CA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every California senior with a 3.0 whose family is under the ceiling and whose school sent the GPA to CSAC by March 2. The miss is almost always the GPA verification, which the high school must submit separately; a student with a perfect FAFSA and no verified GPA gets nothing.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Cal Grant B
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or CADAA plus GPA verification by March 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.0+ GPACalifornia resident or AB 540 student; 2.0 GPA; 2026-27 income ceiling $76,100 for a family of four, assets under $111,900; FAFSA or CADAA and a verified GPA by March 2
✚
Stacking & Combining
For lower-income families. Year one is a $1,648 access award for books and living costs; from year two it adds the full Cal Grant A tuition amount for your school on top of the access award. Students with dependent children or a foster care history can get up to $6,000 in access money. Stacks with Pell and college aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Pepperdine University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent CA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Low-income seniors with at least a 2.0 who filed by March 2. The first-year letter looks small because tuition does not kick in until sophomore year; families sometimes decline a school over that without realizing year two is worth ten times more.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Regents Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
$40,000–$45,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Top 8 to 10 percent of the admitted first-year class, shared with the Blanche E. Seaver Scholarship. winners/yrTransfer students are also considered, per Pepperdine's 2026-27 merit table.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive either the Regents Scholarship or the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, not both. Regents does combine with the need-based Pepperdine Grant, the Christian Leadership Award, Special Achievement (talent) scholarships, and the Tuition Exchange Scholarship, up to the cost of tuition. All Pepperdine institutional aid applies to tuition only and is prorated below 12 units.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of two named awards inside the Regents Scholars Program (the other is the Blanche E. Seaver Scholarship). Pepperdine's 2026-27 merit table lists Regents Scholars awards at $40,000 to $45,000 per year, renewable up to four years at the same dollar amount. An older Pepperdine aid page still says the program starts at $20,000; the dated 2026-27 table is used here. SAT, ACT, or CLT scores are required to be considered even though admission is test-optional, and Pepperdine superscores all three. Regents Scholars live together, take a Great Books first-year seminar, and receive funding to attend academic conferences.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Roughly the top 8 to 10 percent of admitted first-years, ranked on the combination of unweighted, recalculated GPA (academic classes only) and SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. Pepperdine's admitted middle 50 percent is a 3.63 to 3.88 unweighted GPA and a 1330 to 1420 SAT or 30 to 33 ACT, so Regents students sit at or above the top of those ranges.
Automatic
Blanche E. Seaver Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
$40,000–$45,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Top 8 to 10 percent of the admitted first-year class, shared with the Regents Scholarship. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not combine with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award. Combines with the Pepperdine Grant, Christian Leadership Award, and Special Achievement scholarships up to the cost of tuition. Applies to tuition only and is prorated below 12 units.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of two named awards inside the Regents Scholars Program, at the same $40,000 to $45,000 per year listed in Pepperdine's 2026-27 merit table, renewable up to four years at the same amount. Pepperdine's own pages conflict on this award: the scholarship page places it inside the test-required Regents program, while the admission FAQ refers to a "Blanche E. Seaver International Scholarship" and lists it among awards that do not require test scores. Families, especially international applicants, should ask the admission office which version applies to them.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in the top 8 to 10 percent of the admitted class on unweighted, recalculated GPA plus SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. Course rigor across all four years matters alongside the raw numbers.
Automatic
George Pepperdine Achievement Award
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$16,000–$35,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.6+ GPA👥 ~Merit funds are largest for fall entrants; Pepperdine says spring entrants have far less merit available. winners/yrRecalculated GPA uses academic classes only and does not add weight for honors or AP.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not combine with the Regents Scholarship; students receive one or the other. Combines with the Pepperdine Grant, Christian Leadership Award, and Special Achievement scholarships. The Tuition Exchange Scholarship replaces it rather than stacking. Applies to tuition only and is prorated below 12 units.
💡
Strategic Detail
Pepperdine's broad merit award. Admitted first-years with an unweighted, recalculated high school GPA of 3.60 or higher automatically receive at least $16,000 per year. Students with higher GPAs, stronger course rigor, or a strong overall fit in holistic review can receive up to $35,000 per year. Test scores are not required. Transfer students with 30 or more college units can receive $5,000 to $20,000 per year based on college GPA. The dollar amount stays the same all four years even as tuition rises.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most admitted students. 98 percent of new Seaver students receive institutional merit and/or need-based aid. A 3.60 unweighted, recalculated GPA in academic classes locks in the $16,000 floor; awards climb toward $35,000 with AP, IB, or honors rigor, strong essays, and leadership.
Data last verified Oct 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
🎓 No Honors College? Regents Is the Closest Thing
Pepperdine doesn’t have a separate honors college. Instead, Regents Scholars get the honors-style experience:
shared housing with other scholars, a Great Books first-year seminar, dinners with the dean and university leaders, and funding to attend academic conferences.
Keeping it requires a 3.25 Pepperdine GPA and full-time enrollment.
Note: Students receive either the Regents Scholarship or the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, not both.
Merit applies to tuition only, stays the same dollar amount for four years, and is prorated if your student drops below 12 units.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Pepperdine University)
How much is the George Pepperdine Achievement Award?
For 2026–27 it’s $16,000 to $35,000 a year, renewable for four years. Admitted students with a 3.60 or higher unweighted, recalculated GPA automatically get at least $16,000. Higher GPAs, tougher course loads, and a strong overall application push the amount toward $35,000.
What does “unweighted, recalculated GPA” mean?
Pepperdine rebuilds your student’s GPA using academic classes only (English, math, science, social science, language) and doesn’t add extra points for AP, IB, or honors. A 4.3 weighted GPA on the transcript can recalculate well below that, so do the math before counting on the $16,000 floor.
Do we need test scores to get merit?
Not for the Achievement Award. Scores are required only for the Regents Scholars Program. Pepperdine superscores the SAT, ACT, and CLT, taking the best section scores across test dates.
What’s the difference between the Regents Scholarship and the Blanche E. Seaver Scholarship?
They’re two named awards inside the same Regents Scholars Program, and both are listed at $40,000 to $45,000 a year. Roughly the top 8% to 10% of admitted first-years, ranked by GPA plus test scores, receive one. One Pepperdine FAQ also mentions a “Blanche E. Seaver International Scholarship” that doesn’t require scores, so international families should ask admission directly which version applies.
Can my student get both the Regents Scholarship and the Achievement Award?
No. It’s one or the other. Either one can combine with the need-based Pepperdine Grant and the Christian Leadership Award.
What does it take to keep the award?
The Achievement Award needs a 2.0 Pepperdine GPA and normal academic progress. Regents and Blanche E. Seaver need a 3.25 GPA, full-time enrollment, and no academic probation. A student who falls below 3.25 for two semesters in a row gets one appeal through Pepperdine’s Academic Scholarship Appeal Form.
When will we know the amount?
Merit arrives with the admission decision. Early Action and Early Decision applicants who file the FAFSA by Nov 1 get an estimated full aid offer by Feb 1.
Does applying Early Decision change our merit?
Pepperdine’s admission pages say ED admits are guaranteed at least $25,000 a year in merit, which is $9,000 above the regular floor. ED is binding, so only use it if Pepperdine is the clear first choice and you’ve run the Net Price Calculator.
Pepperdine doesn’t run a big essay-and-interview competition for full tuition or a full ride.
Its largest award, the Regents Scholars Program at $40,000 to $45,000 a year, is decided automatically from GPA and test scores (covered above).
The competitive awards below are smaller and narrower: church-based scholarships for Church of Christ members and audition-based talent awards in music, theatre, and art.
✅ What Stacks at Pepperdine?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Parent Translation
Regents vs. Achievement Award
No
You get one or the other, never both.
Pepperdine Grant (need-based)
Yes
Combines with either merit award, the Christian Leadership Award, and talent scholarships.
Pepperdine says these typically stack with other merit awards.
Tuition Exchange (80%)
Replaces
Replaces the Achievement Award and Pepperdine Grant, but can combine with Regents up to tuition.
All Pepperdine aid
Tuition only
Institutional money can’t pay housing or food. Plan for that bill separately.
If your student is chasing a full-ride competition with finalist weekends and interviews, Pepperdine isn’t that kind of school.
The path to a lower price here is strong grades and test scores for Regents, an on-time FAFSA for the Pepperdine Grant, and any talent or church awards that fit.
App Requiredreligious affiliation
Pepperdine Legacy Partners (PLP) Helen Young Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Active members of a Church of Christ congregation only.
👥 ~PLP awards a number of $5,000 scholarships each year; the exact count is not published. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applied for on top of the Christian Leadership Award process, so a student can hold both church awards. Pepperdine applies these awards to tuition only; confirm final stacking on the award letter.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Christian Leadership Award steps (admission application plus a Church of Christ leader recommendation), file the FAFSA by Feb 15, and submit the Helen Young Scholarship form through the Pepperdine Application Portal by Feb 15. One recommendation covers both awards.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by Pepperdine Legacy Partners (formerly Associated Women for Pepperdine), founded in 1958. Renewable each year for the same amount. Recipients keep at least a 2.5 GPA, help at PLP events, stay active in a local Church of Christ, and take part in campus ministry. Early Action and Regular Decision applicants are notified together by April 1.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Church of Christ students who are visibly involved in their home congregation and plan to stay involved in campus ministry.
App Requiredmajor specificaudition
Fine Arts Talent Scholarships (Music, Theatre, Art)
📅 Deadline: Nov 14 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Fine Arts majors, minors, and ensemble members.
👥 ~Number and size of awards vary by program and year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pepperdine says Special Achievement scholarships typically stack with other merit awards.
📄
How to Apply
Choose a Fine Arts major on the Common App, complete the supplemental Fine Arts application in the Pepperdine Application Portal (two Fine Arts letters of recommendation), upload audition or portfolio materials, and register for a live audition day in the same admission round you apply in.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of Pepperdine's Special Achievement scholarships, which range from $500 to $57,000 per year across all talent areas (athletics included). Music majors and minors, instrumental ensemble members, and musical theatre applicants must audition live; other theatre applicants are strongly encouraged to. Studio art applicants seeking scholarships submit a portfolio and can attend a portfolio review day. Auditioning automatically places the student in the scholarship pool unless they opt out. Fine Arts applicants are not eligible for Early Decision.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted Fine Arts students whose audition or portfolio stands out. Recorded audition materials must be uploaded with the supplemental application even if the student also auditions live.
Data last verified Oct 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Competitive Scholarship FAQs (Pepperdine)
Does Pepperdine offer any full-tuition scholarships?
Not as a competition open to all incoming students. The closest are the Tuition Exchange Scholarship (80% of tuition, only for children of employees at member colleges) and the Regents Scholars Program at $40,000 to $45,000 a year. Families with need can layer the Pepperdine Grant, Cal Grant, and Pell on top of merit.
Who can get the Helen Young Scholarship?
Active members of a Church of Christ congregation. It’s $5,000 a year, renewable with a 2.5 GPA, and recipients help with Pepperdine Legacy Partners events and stay involved in campus ministry. Submit the form and a church leader recommendation by Feb 15; winners hear by April 1.
Can a student hold both church scholarships?
Yes, the Helen Young application builds on the Christian Leadership Award process, and one church recommendation covers both. That’s potentially $10,000 a year toward tuition.
How do Fine Arts scholarships work?
Students choose a Fine Arts major on the Common App, complete the supplemental Fine Arts application by Jan 27, and audition or submit a portfolio. Auditioning puts your student in the scholarship pool automatically. Fine Arts applicants can’t apply Early Decision, so they use Early Action or Regular Decision.
What about athletic scholarships?
Pepperdine competes in NCAA Division I with 17 teams, and coaches decide athletic aid directly. Talk to the coach early, and don’t count on athletic money stacking until it’s on the award letter.
Merit comes with admission, but Pepperdine also manages a pool of donor-funded “restricted” scholarships through a separate portal,
pepperdine.academicworks.com. Once your student has WaveNet credentials:
Sign in and complete the Seaver College general application (scholarship questionnaire).
Browse the listings marked “SEAVER UNDERGRADUATE” and apply to any that fit.
Check deadlines. They run from early fall to the end of April.
Report any outside scholarships to the financial aid office by July 1.
Parent translation: the general application takes one sitting and puts your student in front of donor funds most families never hear about.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These aren’t automatic, and several are aimed at specific groups (Church of Christ families, first-gen students, science majors, children of college employees). If one fits your family, it can add thousands a year on top of merit.
App Requiredreligious affiliation
Christian Leadership Award
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Members of a Church of Christ congregation only.
👥 ~Pepperdine does not publish the number of recipients. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pepperdine states this award stacks with other merit awards, including the George Pepperdine Achievement Award or Regents Scholarship and the Pepperdine Grant. It can be held alongside the PLP Helen Young Scholarship. Tuition only.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission, then request a Church of Christ recommendation through the Pepperdine Application Portal. Your church leader receives an email link to submit it. File the FAFSA by Feb 15.
Selection criteria: Emphasis on church involvement, leadership, and alignment with Churches of Christ affiliation.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
$5,000 per year for members of a congregation associated with the Churches of Christ, renewable for four years at the same amount with a 2.0 GPA and Satisfactory Academic Progress. First-year and transfer applicants are both considered.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Active Church of Christ members who get a recommendation from a minister, elder, or youth minister at their home congregation.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlycurrent students
Faculty-Staff Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Mid-March for the following year (Mar 18 in 2026; portal opens late February) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Current Pepperdine students with a 3.5+ GPA.
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~Number of awards not published. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applied to tuition; total aid cannot exceed the cost of tuition.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the online application with a short essay (1,500 characters or fewer) on growth in purpose, service, or leadership, and arrange two faculty or staff recommendations.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
For current students who did not land a big merit award at admission but are excelling at Pepperdine. Applicants must have completed at least 12 units at Pepperdine, hold a 3.5 GPA or higher, and be returning full-time. Awards cover one academic year; previous winners may reapply.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong students with two faculty or staff recommenders who know them well, ideally a professor from the current year in their major.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlymajor specific
Natural Science Division Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Late February or early March for the following year Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Natural Science majors.
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~A limited number of $1,000 first-year awards each year; other award counts vary. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pepperdine says Special Achievement scholarships typically stack with other merit awards.
📄
How to Apply
Continuing students apply through the division's online form, posted each February. Entering students are considered automatically.
💡
Strategic Detail
Covers the Natural Science Division Scholarship plus named funds (H. Douglas Dean Memorial, Edison International, Flora Laney Thornton, Darnell, Litton). Most awards go to students with 30 or more Pepperdine units, a 3.0 cumulative and major GPA, and a major in biology, chemistry, computer science, math, natural science, nutrition, physics, or sports medicine. The division may also give a few $1,000 awards to entering students based on admission materials, with no application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Science majors with strong grades in their division courses who also serve the division (tutoring, lab help, research).
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyfirst generation
First Wave Ambassador Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early April for the following year Non-Renewable
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ First-generation students after one year at Pepperdine.
🏫 3.3+ GPA👥 ~A small cohort of ambassadors each year. winners/yr🎓 All UndergradApplicants must have completed at least one year at Pepperdine.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Paid as a scholarship alongside existing aid.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the online application and a resume to the Student Success Center, and have two academic or professional recommenders submit forms.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
A $5,000 scholarship for first-generation students who serve a one-year term mentoring new first-gen students through the Student Success Center. Requires one completed year at Pepperdine, a 3.25 GPA, full-time enrollment in Malibu both semesters, and early move-in for training and Summer Bridge.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-gen students who were active in the First-Gen club and want a leadership role. Club members get preference.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
International Programs Scholarship
📅 Deadline: IP priority deadline for your program cycle; considered on a rolling basis afterward while funds last Non-Renewable
$500–$1,500
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited funds; awards depend on the year's scholarship budget. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of the student's existing Pepperdine merit and need-based aid for that term.
📄
How to Apply
Start an International Programs application in the ViaTRM portal. An optional IP Scholarship form appears in your My Programs dashboard; submit it by the priority deadline.
Selection criteria: Applications evaluated on financial need, academic standing, and commitment to the international program.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Primarily need-based help with the extra costs of a Pepperdine study-abroad program. Semester and academic-year awards typically run $500 to $1,500; summer program awards typically run $250 to $1,000. The award is rescinded if the student withdraws from the program. Pepperdine institutional grants and scholarships usually continue to apply while abroad.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with financial need who apply for the scholarship at the same time as their International Programs application, by the priority deadline.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyfaculty selected
Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)
📅 Deadline: Faculty proposals due Feb 10; students are recruited by faculty mentors Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Each faculty mentor takes up to two students. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers the summer research course tuition; separate from academic-year aid.
📄
How to Apply
Talk with professors in your major during fall and winter about summer research. Faculty submit proposals by Feb 10 and select up to two students each; awards are announced by April.
Selection criteria: Reviewed on project quality, feasibility, and strength of faculty mentorship.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Students who join a faculty member's SURP project register for 4 to 8 units of summer research credit and receive a 4-unit tuition scholarship, if eligible for aid, to cover the research course. Projects run across summer sessions, and students present at Seaver's spring Research and Scholarly Achievement Symposium. Biology students can also look at SURB, a separate federally funded summer biology research program.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who build relationships with professors early. Faculty propose projects in winter and recruit their own student researchers.
App Requiredemployer benefit
Tuition Exchange Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Children of employees at Tuition Exchange member schools.
👥 ~Limited number each year; not guaranteed. winners/yr
📄
How to Apply
Submit the preliminary Tuition Exchange application through the parent's employer by Nov 1 (Early Decision I or Early Action) or Jan 15 (Early Decision II or Regular Decision), in addition to the Pepperdine admission application.
💡
Strategic Detail
An 80 percent tuition scholarship for children of eligible faculty and staff at more than 700 Tuition Exchange member colleges. It replaces the George Pepperdine Achievement Award and the Pepperdine Grant rather than adding to them, but it can combine with the Regents Scholarship up to the cost of tuition. Renewable four years with a 2.0 GPA. Early applicants hear by Jan 10; Regular Decision applicants by April 1.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families where a parent works at a Tuition Exchange member school and applies through that school's TE office early.
App Requiredemployer benefitreligious affiliation
Church of Christ Reciprocal Tuition Remission
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 5 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Children of employees at six partner Church of Christ colleges.
Student must be 23 or under and a dependent of a qualified employee.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pepperdine states it stacks with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, the Pepperdine Grant, and the Regents Scholarship, up to the cost of tuition.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, submit documentation of the parent's qualified employment to the Office of Financial Assistance.
💡
Strategic Detail
A 50 percent tuition scholarship, renewable up to five years, for dependents age 23 or under of qualified employees at Abilene Christian, Lipscomb, Faulkner, Freed-Hardeman, Lubbock Christian, or Oklahoma Christian. Applies to undergraduate tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Children of faculty and staff at the partner Church of Christ schools who are admitted to Pepperdine.
Data last verified Oct 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What if my student didn’t get a big merit award as a freshman?
Look at the Faculty-Staff Scholarship. Current students with a 3.5 GPA and at least 12 Pepperdine units can apply each spring (mid-March), with an essay and two faculty or staff recommendations. Science majors should also watch for the Natural Science Division scholarships, which open in February.
Is there money for first-generation students?
After one year at Pepperdine, first-gen students with a 3.25 GPA can apply to be First Wave Ambassadors, a mentoring role that comes with a $5,000 scholarship. Applications are due in early April.
Does our aid follow our student abroad?
Usually yes. Pepperdine says institutional grants and scholarships generally apply while students are in an International Programs term, as long as they stay eligible. The International Programs Scholarship adds about $500 to $1,500 for a semester or year program, mainly based on need. Apply by the priority deadline when you submit the program application.
A parent works at another college. Does that help?
Possibly a lot. If that college belongs to the Tuition Exchange, your student can apply for an 80% tuition scholarship (priority deadline Nov 1). Children of employees at six Church of Christ colleges, including Abilene Christian and Lipscomb, may qualify for a 50% tuition remission instead.
Can students get paid to do research?
Through the Summer Undergraduate Research Program, students on a faculty member’s project get a 4-unit summer tuition scholarship to cover their research credit. Professors recruit their own students, so encourage your student to get to know faculty in their major during the first year.
Pepperdine’s undergraduate college, Seaver College, is a small Christian liberal arts school of about 3,500 students on a hillside above the Pacific in Malibu, about 30 minutes from Los Angeles.
Every class is taught by a professor (no teaching assistants), the average class has 18 students, and about three out of four students finish in four years.
What really sets it apart, though, is how many students leave Malibu to study somewhere else for a while.
Signature Program: International Programs: About 87% of Pepperdine undergraduates study abroad, one of the highest rates in the country.
Pepperdine runs its own residential programs in Heidelberg, London, Florence, Buenos Aires, and Switzerland, plus a Washington, D.C. program,
where students live and take classes together with Pepperdine faculty. Most students go during sophomore year, and their Pepperdine aid generally goes with them.
Business Administration: The most popular major on campus, with accounting, finance, and international business options and a heavy dose of team projects and case competitions.
Communication: Integrated marketing communication, advertising, public relations, and journalism draw a large share of students, helped by the short drive to the LA media and entertainment world.
Psychology: A top-five major and a common launch point for graduate study in counseling and clinical psychology.
Economics and Political Science: Strong social science programs, with the Washington, D.C. internship program as a natural next step.
Biology and Sports Medicine: Pre-health students get one-on-one summer research with faculty through programs like SURB and SURP, often leading to co-authored work and conference presentations.
Nursing (newer): A four-year BSN through Pepperdine’s College of Health Science, with its own application requirements.
Faith is part of everyday life here. Pepperdine is affiliated with the Churches of Christ, applicants write an essay about why they want a Christian university, and students attend chapel and faith-centered programming.
Students come from many religious backgrounds, but families should know going in that the Christian mission shapes the campus culture.
⭐ College Specialty
Pepperdine’s undergraduate college, Seaver College, is a small Christian liberal arts school of about 3,500 students on a hillside above the Pacific in Malibu, about 30 minutes from Los Angeles.
Every class is taught by a professor (no teaching assistants), the average class has 18 students, and about three out of four students finish in four years.
What really sets it apart, though, is how many students leave Malibu to study somewhere else for a while.
Signature Program: International Programs: About 87% of Pepperdine undergraduates study abroad, one of the highest rates in the country.
Pepperdine runs its own residential programs in Heidelberg, London, Florence, Buenos Aires, and Switzerland, plus a Washington, D.C. program,
where students live and take classes together with Pepperdine faculty. Most students go during sophomore year, and their Pepperdine aid generally goes with them.
Business Administration: The most popular major on campus, with accounting, finance, and international business options and a heavy dose of team projects and case competitions.
Communication: Integrated marketing communication, advertising, public relations, and journalism draw a large share of students, helped by the short drive to the LA media and entertainment world.
Psychology: A top-five major and a common launch point for graduate study in counseling and clinical psychology.
Economics and Political Science: Strong social science programs, with the Washington, D.C. internship program as a natural next step.
Biology and Sports Medicine: Pre-health students get one-on-one summer research with faculty through programs like SURB and SURP, often leading to co-authored work and conference presentations.
Nursing (newer): A four-year BSN through Pepperdine’s College of Health Science, with its own application requirements.
Faith is part of everyday life here. Pepperdine is affiliated with the Churches of Christ, applicants write an essay about why they want a Christian university, and students attend chapel and faith-centered programming.
Students come from many religious backgrounds, but families should know going in that the Christian mission shapes the campus culture.
🔗 Official Pepperdine University Links
Use Pepperdine’s official pages below to confirm deadlines, scholarship amounts, costs, and aid rules. Pepperdine updates these pages each year, and they always win over any summary, including ours.
Here’s the honest picture. Pepperdine is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, with small classes, professors who know your student by name, and a study-abroad program almost nobody can match. It’s also a school where the average family that gets aid still pays well over $60,000 a year.
The merit is real and fairly predictable. A 3.60 unweighted GPA locks in at least $16,000, Early Decision bumps that guarantee to $25,000, and students who send strong test scores can land $40,000 to $45,000 through Regents. But that award never grows while tuition does. So the families who make Pepperdine work tend to do three things: send test scores, file the FAFSA with the application (not after it), and treat church, talent, and donor scholarships as part of the plan instead of an afterthought.
If the Net Price Calculator lands in a range your family can live with for four years, not just one, Pepperdine can be worth every mile of that Malibu drive.
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