Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is my cost of attendance?
Your total cost of attendance includes both direct and indirect costs (see definitions below) and is set for all students each year, and actual costs may vary, depending on your lifestyle. Your total financial aid award cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance (estimated costs for the academic year). Visit the Cost of Attendance page for more information.

What are direct costs?
Directs costs including tuition and fees that are charged directly to your Pepperdine student account in WaveNet. To view tuition rates for the current academic year, visit the Cost of Attendance page.

What are indirect costs?
Indirect costs are expenses not charged on your Pepperdine student account in WaveNet. These would include living expenses, books and supply costs, and transportation. To view the budget for indirect costs for the current academic year, visit the Cost of Attendance page.

How much is my tuition?
To determine your tuition costs for the program, you may refer to the Tuition Calculator.

What if the financial aid offer I have is not enough to cover my direct and/or indirect costs?
You may apply for additional federal or private loans. For more information, visit the Student Loans section.

What is the FAFSA?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) s the form you need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. The FAFSA asks for information about you and your family's finances, including tax returns.

Do I need to file for a FAFSA? If so, how often?
To be considered for federal financial aid, you must complete the FAFSA once per academic year.

Which FAFSA application do I complete?
See below to determine which FAFSA to complete if you have not yet done so.

For on-ground or hybrid face-to-face programs
If you are attending Fall 2022-Summer 2023, you must complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA. If you are attending Fall 2023-Summer 2024, you must complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA.

For 100% online programs
If you are attending Summer 2022-Spring 2023, you must complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA. If you are attending Summer 2023-Spring 2024, you must complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA.

What tax year do I use for FAFSA?
If you are completing the 2022-2023 FAFSA, you will use 2020 tax information.

If you are completing the 2023-2024 FAFSA, you will use 2021 tax information.

I am not a US citizen, can I apply for federal financial aid (FAFSA)?
You may apply for the FAFSA if you are an eligible non-citizen. More information can be found by visiting https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements/non-us-citizens.

Can I use financial aid for my course-required international and national trips? (EdD and Ph.D programs only)
You may apply for additional credit-based loans, and upon approval, you may use this to cover international and national trips. You may contact the GSEP Financial Aid office for further instructions regarding applying for your specific trip.

Do I need to maintain good academic standing in order to remain eligible for financial aid?
Yes. You must maintain academic progress at Pepperdine University in order to remain eligible for financial aid. You may review our Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for additional details. In general, if your GPA falls below 3.0, you have one term to raise it to 3.0 before losing eligibility for financial aid and being dismissed from the program. You may regain eligibility by earning a GPA of 3.0; however, aid eligibility is not retroactive. Aid eligibility will resume in the term after the GPA of 3.0 is achieved.

How do I know what I have been awarded?
The Financial Aid Office will send you a notification via email after you have submitted all documentation and your file is complete. The email will direct you to your "Student Center" in WaveNet, where you will have access to view your financial aid offer and accept, reduce, or decline your financial aid.

How do I know if I am missing documents and my file is still incomplete?
Once admitted, you can log on to WaveNet, view the self-service menu (or Home page), and review the To Do list. Missing information items will be listed here along with access links to the documents needed to complete your file.

How is financial aid offered and disbursed to me?
Once your file is complete and an award determination has been made, you will receive an email advising you to view your award in WaveNet. You must “Accept” your financial aid in order for it to be disbursed to your student account and complete the required To-Do List items. Financial aid is disbursed directly to your student account at the beginning of each term if all requirements are completed prior to the start of the term.

How many units must I enroll in to be eligible for federal student loans?
You must be enrolled at least half-time (one 3 unit course or 2-unit dissertation/practicum course) to be eligible for federal student loans.

What is my loan repayment estimate after I graduate?
To check your loan history and details of all loans borrowed for your undergraduate or graduate education, please visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). You will need your FSA ID to access your information.

What is the interest rate on Federal Direct Loans?
For current interest rates regarding all federal loans, see the Federal Student Aid webpage.

Can I defer payment on federal student loans I previously borrowed?
Yes. As long as you are enrolled at least half-time status at an accredited college or university, your student loans are eligible for deferment (repayment of the loans is deferred). Pepperdine University reports your enrollment status to the federal government for loan deferment purposes several times each term. 

My financial aid offer is not enough, how do I request additional funding?
You may be eligible for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan or a private educational loan. Both loan options require credit approval and it is generally available to students who do not have adverse credit history. You may refer to the loan section of our website or contact the GSEP Financial Aid Office at 310.568.5775 or gsepfaid@pepperdine.edu for more information.

Are private loans offered at Pepperdine?
Private/alternative loans are accepted. Please visit FASTChoice for additional information regarding private loans and comparisons, please visit. FASTChoice helps you determine which loan is right for you by providing detailed information for various loans, as well as the terms and benefits offered by different lenders.

Does my Direct Loan eligibility cover the entire cost of the program?
Assuming you are eligible for both the Federal Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, your aid can cover the tuition for the current academic year you are enrolled. Please note that students must reapply for financial aid every aid year. In addition, we recommend that students review their anticipated aid disbursements every term to ensure that they have sufficient funding to cover tuition and any refund amounts needed.

How many units must I be enrolled in to be eligible for Pepperdine grants and scholarships?
For the majority of Pepperdine scholarships, the minimum enrollment requirement is 6 units per term, however, please see Pepperdine Scholarship policies for new students and continuing students for more details.

What should a student send us if they find out they are going to receive an outside scholarship?
If you receive a scholarship from an outside organization, you must have them mail the check and scholarship notification to Pepperdine's West LA Campus at 6100 Center Dr. 5th fl Los Angeles, CA 90045. Upon receipt, we will post the scholarship to your WaveNet account.

Does the Pepperdine Online Psychology Program offer internal scholarships to online students?
Yes. The Pepperdine Online Psychology programs offer a limited number of scholarships per cohort. All applicants are considered for a scholarship, and no additional application is required. Scholarships are awarded close to the cohort start date.

What is Federal Work-Study and how do I qualify?
Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student's course of study.
Here's a quick overview of Federal Work-Study:

• It provides part-time employment while you are enrolled in school.
• It's available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with financial need.
• It's available to full-time or part-time students.

If you are interested in utilizing Federal Work-Study funds,

• You must submit the FAFSA.
• You must secure a position through Student Employment and indicate interest in Federal Work-Study upon being hired.
• You will then be notified by our office of the award amount. The Federal Work-Study funds you earn are not applied directly to your WaveNet account but are earned via your student position and distributed through your bi-weekly paycheck.

Can I use Veteran's Benefits to cover tuition? How do I qualify?
Visit the Veteran's Services webpage for information on how to determine your eligibility and apply them to your student account.

When will my financial aid disburse?
If your financial aid file is complete before the start of the term and you are enrolled, your aid will disburse at least one week prior to the start of the term. Any federal financial aid in excess of your tuition and fee charges will be refunded to you by the Student Accounts Office within 1-2 weeks of financial aid disbursements.

When is tuition due?
Tuition is due the day after the last day of the add/drop period each term. See the Academic Calendar for these dates. If your outstanding charges are GREATER than your pending financial aid, the difference (outstanding charges - pending financial aid) is your estimated balance to pay. If you need to obtain additional loan funding, please contact the GSEP Financial Aid Office.

How do I know how much I owe or if I will receive a refund?
Tuition rates can be found on the Cost of Attendance page. We also provide a Tuition Calculator to assist you with the calculation. Use the following equation to determine your balance due/refund each term:
TUITION COST (# of units x per unit rate) - FINANCIAL AID = BALANCE DUE/REFUND

What will happen to my financial aid if I withdraw or drop a course?
If you plan to drop a course but remain enrolled please contact us at gsepfaid@pepperdine.edu or 310-568-5775 for information on how it impacts your financial aid.

If you plan to withdraw fully, take a leave of absence, please see our policy available on our website for more information. You can also contact our office to discuss the impact on your financial aid.