Student Loans At Grand Canyon University: What You Need To Know

Grand Canyon University (GCU) offers a range of financial aid options for students, including scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and student loans. The university accepts the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and offers guidance to students on navigating the student loan process. GCU also provides resources such as the University Policy Handbook, student services counselors, and the Federal Student Aid website to help students understand the different types of student loans, repayment options, and eligibility requirements. The university encourages students to explore scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial assistance before applying for private student loans, which are generally more expensive.

Grand Canyon University's (GCU) annual campus tuition

Grand Canyon University (GCU) has kept its annual campus tuition at $16,500 for 16 years. The university is committed to providing an affordable education for all and has not increased its campus tuition rates since 2009.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the average traditional campus student qualified for approximately $7,300 in GCU-funded scholarships, reducing their tuition to approximately $9,100. GCU offers a variety of scholarship options to reduce the cost of education for students who meet certain criteria.

The cost of attendance at GCU may extend beyond tuition fees, encompassing various direct payments to the institution and additional indirect expenses. These include food and housing, book course materials, supplies and equipment, and Canyon Connect and other course fees.

GCU also offers reduced tuition amounts for online programs for members of the military.

GCU-funded scholarships

Grand Canyon University (GCU) offers a range of scholarships and grants to help students fund their education. GCU-funded scholarships are available for both traditional, on-campus students and online students. Here is a detailed overview of the GCU-funded scholarships:

Traditional, Undergraduate On-Campus Student Scholarships:

GCU offers various scholarships for students pursuing their education on campus. These scholarships are typically awarded based on academic merit, financial need, or a combination of both. Here are some examples:

• Barnabas Pastoral Program Scholarship: This scholarship covers all tuition expenses for students enrolled in the Barnabas Pastoral Program during their fifth year.
• California Grant Match Award: Students offered a California State Grant are eligible for up to $5,742 per academic year if they choose to enrol at GCU instead.
• Canyon Rising Scholarships: This need-based scholarship is for eligible high school students entering GCU for the first time, with different awards for Arizona residents and out-of-state residents.
• CCSC Awards: Qualified new students aged 17-21 who meet academic requirements and graduated from a Canyon Christian Schools Consortium (CCSC) participant school are eligible for awards ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 per academic year.
• Colangelo Scholarship: This full-tuition scholarship is available for high school or transfer students enrolling in the College of Business, who demonstrate academic excellence, community service, and entrepreneurship.
• Financial Support Scholarship: This need-based scholarship is for eligible students with Student Aid Index (SAI) scores between 5,001 and 40,000, providing additional support to other forms of GCU institutional aid.
• Fostering Futures Scholarship: In partnership with the State of Arizona's Department of Child Safety, GCU offers a scholarship covering tuition, fees, room, and meal plans for Arizona students experiencing foster care.
• Grand Canyon University Award: Arizona students graduating from a GCU participant high school with a 3.0 GPA, an ACT score of 19 or higher, or an SAT score of 1000 or higher are eligible for $1,000 per academic year. Out-of-state students receive $250.
• Honors College Scholarship: The Honors College Academic Excellence and Servant Leadership scholarship awards amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per academic year, which can be combined with other GCU-funded institutional aid.
• Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: Current members of Phi Theta Kappa with a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible for $1,000 per academic year.
• Psi Beta Scholarship: Current members of Psi Beta with a cumulative college GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible for $1,000 per academic year.

Online Scholarships:

GCU also provides scholarships for students pursuing their degrees through online or evening courses. These scholarships often involve partnerships with employers and organizations. Here are some examples:

• National Center for Teacher Preparation's Initial Teacher Licensure Scholarships: GCU offers 32% off tuition for select bachelor's programs and 25% off tuition for master's programs in education for students committing to online courses.
• New Undergraduate Student Holiday Scholarship: New undergraduate students starting their program in December may receive up to $750 in scholarship funds toward tuition.
• New Graduate Student Holiday Scholarship: New graduate students starting in December may receive up to $500 in scholarship funds toward tuition.
• New Doctoral Student Holiday Scholarship: New doctoral students may receive $500 in scholarship funds toward tuition when starting in December.
• Education Master's Degree Scholarship: New students enrolling in an education or secondary education master's degree may be eligible for a minimum of $3,340 off (up to $5,950 off) tuition.
• Alumni Doctoral Degree Scholarship: GCU alumni enrolling in a doctoral program for the first time may receive a $2,000 scholarship.
• Arizona ABSN Scholarships: Students pursuing an accelerated BSN program in Arizona can apply for need-based scholarships, committing to work as a nurse in Arizona for a minimum of four years after graduation.
• ABSN Scholarship Outside of Arizona: A scholarship of up to $8,000 is available for those enrolled in the accelerated BSN pre-nursing program at the Salt Lake City (Sandy, UT) learning site.

These are just a few examples of the GCU-funded scholarships available. GCU is committed to providing an affordable education and offers a variety of scholarship opportunities to reduce the financial burden on students.

Federal student loans

There are a few types of federal student loans:

Direct Subsidized Loans

Direct subsidized loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need. The student's school determines the amount of money the student can borrow, and that amount cannot exceed their financial need. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on Direct Subsidized loans while the student is in school at least half-time and during their grace period.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Direct unsubsidized loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students, and there is no requirement to demonstrate financial need. The student's school determines the amount the student can borrow based on the cost of attendance and other financial aid received. Unsubsidized loans accrue interest immediately upon disbursement to the borrower's account. The federal government does not pay interest on behalf of the borrower at any time.

Direct PLUS Loans

Direct PLUS Loans, also known as Parent Plus Loans or Grad Plus Loans, are federal loans that graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay for college. PLUS loans are credit-based and can help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid.

To apply for a federal student loan, you must first complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Based on the results of your FAFSA form, your college or career school will send you a financial aid offer, which may include federal student loans.

Private student loans

The average private student loan debt in the US is $54,921 per borrower, which is higher than the average federal student loan debt of $36,510. The average interest rate for private student loans is 6.405%, though this will vary depending on the lender and the year.

Before applying for a private student loan, it is recommended that you compare origination fees, interest rates, the terms of repayment, and the availability of deferment/forbearance. It is also often best to exhaust your federal student loan eligibility before applying for a private student loan.

To apply for a private student loan, you can go through a bank, credit union, or online lender. Most private lenders will require borrowers to have good credit and an income to support loan payments. If you don’t meet those qualifications, you will need a co-signer who does.

Student loan forgiveness

There are several types of forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge plans. Here are some examples:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organisation, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness under PSLF. PSLF forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer.
• Teacher Loan Forgiveness: If you teach full-time for five complete and consecutive academic years in a low-income elementary or secondary school, or educational service agency, you may be eligible for forgiveness of up to $17,500 on your Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and your Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans.
• Total and Permanent Disability Discharge: If you are totally and permanently disabled, you may qualify for a discharge of your federal student loans and/or Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant service obligation.

If you attended Grand Canyon University (GCU) and believe you were coerced into taking out loans, you may be able to apply for GCU loan forgiveness using the Borrowers Defense Against Repayment (BDAR) application. BDAR allows eligible and approved borrowers to receive forgiveness on a portion or all of their student loan debt related to deceptive and misleading activities performed by the school.

GCU has been the subject of lawsuits and complaints regarding deceptive practices, including:

• Using a bait-and-switch scheme
• Enrolling students into unaccredited programs
• Violating the Department of Education's incentive compensation loan by accepting federal financial aid and paying enrollment counsellors for each student enrolled
• Misleading marketing tactics
• Violating federal securities laws
• Receiving loans for students without their knowledge or prior consent
• Failing to refund tuition after a student dropped courses and withdrew their enrollment

If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be eligible for GCU loan forgiveness.

Frequently asked questions