Affordable Education for California Students
Welcome to Grand Canyon University! We are an institutionally accredited, private Christian university in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona where students can find their purpose. As of September 2025, GCU offers 370 programs, including 148 degree programs, 176 emphases and 54 certificate programs.
In Fall 2024, GCU had over 24,600 ground students.1 Our vibrant campus features:
- Academic buildings
- Suite-style residence halls and apartments
- Popular eateries
- Athletic facilities
- 54 Lopes Live Labs (as of September 2025)
There’s plenty to do here in sunny Phoenix — a city loved for its beautiful weather, delicious dining, hiking and outdoor activities, world-class shopping, exciting events and adventures off campus. We’re only a road trip away from destinations like beautiful Sedona, the Grand Canyon and more.
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California Community College Transfers
California community college students can easily transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree. GCU accepts courses that are part of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) to fulfill GCU general education requirements per transfer policies.
GCU offers several helpful and complimentary services to our transfer students, including:
- Lopes Credit Evaluation Tool: Just plug in your previous college courses, and the tool displays how many units may qualify as transfer credits toward your chosen degree program at GCU.
- Transfer Credits Search Tool: Input classes you’ve already taken to see if credits earned from previous schools and courses might transfer to GCU.
For more info, visit our College Transfer Center.
Cal Grant Match Program
To help you fund your education, GCU is pleased to offer the Cal Grant Match Program, which is available to students who qualify for California Grant A funds and choose to attend GCU’s campus in Phoenix. Your university counselor can help you learn more about this opportunity.
Please note, recipients must not already qualify for a larger amount of GCU-funded scholarships, as the Cal Grant. A match cannot be combined with any other GCU scholarship offer.
Concerned about graduating on time from a California university? The majority of freshmen entering the California State University (CSU) system do graduate, but most do not do so within four years.2 General education classes in particular fill up quickly, which can delay or add to the time it takes for you to graduate. GCU is not impacted by class or program availability, so your courses are open and ready for you when you need them, making it possible to stay on track, which can save you money in the long run.
Committed to affordability, GCU offers generous scholarship opportunities to qualified students, and as a private university, GCU students pay the same affordable tuition rates no matter which state you live in. On average, a traditional campus student in 2024-25 qualified for approximately $7,300 in GCU-funded scholarships for the academic year.3 Average tuition after scholarships is approximately $9,100.3 In 2024, GCU’s traditional campus students received over $196 million in institutional scholarships.
There are many unknowns for students who are looking for the right university. At GCU, we want future Lopes to feel confident in their decision and happy about their choice. That's why we offer Discover GCU. This is more than just a campus tour; it’s a chance to live the Lope life before your first day of college.
During this immersive visit, you’ll stay in one of our residence halls, dine at popular campus eatieries, explore unique spaces like the Esports Arena, engineering lab and recording studio, and attend a campus event that brings the energy of GCU to life. You'll also meet professors and future and current Lopes, take a student-led campus tour, learn about our various degree programs and attend an informational presentation.
Best of all? Your airfare, meals and overnight stay are covered.4 No cost, no barriers — just your future waiting.
This experience is for high school seniors and transfer students age 24 and younger who demonstrate their ability to meet admissibility for the traditional campus.
Contact your university counselor for more information about Discover GCU.
At GCU, the admissions process is simple, straightforward and our university counselors provide step-by-step personalized support. Our university counselors are located in California and available to meet at your convenience.
GCU values transparency and trains our university counselors to offer financial details and benefits, while directly answering questions about how you can pay for college and incur minimal debt.
Next Steps
- Apply at gcu.edu/ApplyNow and upload your unofficial transcripts with no application fee.
- Make an appointment with your university counselor to review scholarships and programs.
- Visit the GCU campus; all-expenses-paid programs are available.4
- Register early to secure courses and on-campus housing.
- Pack your sunglasses and move to Lope Country!
1 Includes all traditional students who have a last date of attendance at least three weeks into the Fall 2024 semester or participated in a campus evening class in August or September 2024.
2 Jackson, Jacob. (2020, Nov.). Getting to Graduation on Time at California State University. Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
3 Scholarships may be awarded based on sixth semester transcripts (high school transcripts submitted after Junior year of high school). When final official transcripts are received, GCU reserves the right to rescind or modify the scholarship if it is determined that eligibility was not achieved. GCU reserves the right to change or decline scholarship awards for any reason. If a student does not meet the minimum renewal criteria, their scholarship will be forfeited. Prices are based on the 2024-25 rate and are subject to change.
4 All-expenses-paid visits are only available to prospective students accepted to the traditional campus. Student and parent/guardian (if student is under 18) are required to sign the Discover GCU Waiver. GCU will arrange and book air or ground travel to and from the student’s home city/state to Phoenix, AZ. The visit also includes accommodations in the Discover GCU residence hall and a meal card that covers breakfast, lunch and dinner while on campus. If utilizing travel reimbursement instead, additional restrictions may apply.
By clicking next I agree to receive phone calls, emails and text messages from GCU at the information provided above. Third parties may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect or receive information and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads. To opt-out of data collection please click here. Grand Canyon University © 2025 - All Rights Reserved. For the most up-to-date information about admission requirements, tuition, scholarships and more, visit gcu.edu. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.