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Pepperdine · California

Pepperdine Merit Aid

A private Church of Christ-affiliated university in Malibu, CA with a tiered merit system: the Regents Scholars Program ($40,000 to $45,000/year for the top 8-10% of admits who submit test scores), the George Pepperdine Achievement Award ($16,000 to $35,000/year, automatic for students with an unweighted GPA of 3.60 or higher), a $5,000/year Christian Leadership Award for Churches of Christ members, and Special Achievement scholarships up to $57,000/year in fine arts, science, and athletics.

Verified Apr 2026Analyst pt-browser
Merit tiers41 automatic on stats
Mid-50% SAT1330–1420CDS 2024-2025
Last verifiedApr 2026Analyst pt-browser

Who this school is for

Families targeting a mid-size private university where holistic merit review rewards strong academics alongside faith-based community involvement. Pepperdine is test-optional for admission and for most merit awards, but the top-tier Regents Scholars Program requires SAT/ACT/CLT scores, making it one of the few scholarships where submitting scores is mandatory. The automatic $16,000 floor for students with a 3.60+ unweighted GPA gives families a guaranteed starting point before holistic factors push the award higher. Church of Christ families can stack the $5,000 Christian Leadership Award on top of merit aid for additional savings.

Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $99,260 for 2026-2027. On-campus COA: tuition $74,370, housing and food $20,490, wellness fee $580, campus life fee $252, books and supplies $1,000, transportation $1,000, personal expenses $1,500, loan fees $68. Direct costs subtotal $95,692; indirect costs subtotal $3,568. Source

Institutional merit aid tiers

Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.

$40,000 to $45,000/year

Regents Scholars Program

ApplicationRenewable for four years (8 semesters). Requires 3.25 cumulative Pepperdine GPA, full-time enrollment, and no academic probation. There is no appeals process for loss of this scholarship.

RequirementsCompetitive. Top 8-10% of the admitted first-year class. Evaluated on unweighted recalculated GPA and SAT/ACT/CLT scores. SAT/ACT/CLT submission is mandatory for Regents consideration even though Pepperdine is test-optional for general admission. All first-year applicants who submit scores are automatically considered; no separate application required. Notification at time of financial aid award.

Includes the Blanche E. Seaver Scholarship at the highest tier. The Regents Scholars Program also provides common first-year housing, a Great Books seminar, dinner events with the Dean and Board of Regents, academic conference funding, and peer mentoring through the Regents Scholars Student Board. Cannot be combined with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award (student receives the higher award). The financial aid types page lists the program as starting at $20,000/year, while the affordability page lists $40,000-$45,000/year; the difference may reflect lower Regents tiers versus the top Blanche E. Seaver tier.

Source

$16,000 to $35,000/year

George Pepperdine Achievement Award

AutomaticRenewable for four years. Requires minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and Satisfactory Academic Progress. Award applies only to tuition charges and is prorated if enrollment drops below full-time.

RequirementsGPA 3.60 unweighted recalculated GPA guarantees at least $16,000/year; higher amounts based on holistic review · Awarded at time of admission based on academic achievement and overall applicant strength. No separate application required. Test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required. Higher awards go to students with stronger GPAs, greater academic rigor, or who demonstrate an excellent overall fit for Pepperdine.

This is the primary merit award for the broad middle of the admitted class. The 3.60 GPA floor means most competitive applicants receive at least $16,000 automatically. Transfer students with 30+ college units are eligible for $5,000 to $20,000/year. Cannot be combined with the Regents Scholars Program (student receives the higher award).

Source

$5,000/year

Christian Leadership Award

ApplicationRenewable for four years. Requires minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and Satisfactory Academic Progress.

RequirementsMust be an active member of a Churches of Christ congregation. Requires a letter of recommendation from a church leader (minister, elder, youth minister). Submit recommendation through the Pepperdine Application Portal by November 1 (Early Action) or February 15 (Regular Decision).

Stackable with other Pepperdine merit awards including the George Pepperdine Achievement Award and the Regents Scholars Program. This is one of the few faith-based awards at Pepperdine that adds on top of academic merit rather than replacing it.

Source

$500 to $57,000/year

Special Achievement Scholarships

ApplicationRenewal at departmental discretion. Requires Satisfactory Academic Progress and may require maintaining a specific number of major-specific units.

RequirementsDepartmental scholarships in music, art, theatre, debate, science, and athletics. Fine Arts Division requires a supplemental application through the Pepperdine Application Portal. Natural Science Division does not require a separate application for entering students. Athletic scholarships are governed by NCAA Division I rules.

The range is wide because it spans multiple departments. Theatre scholarships reach approximately 75% of theatre majors. The Ubben Endowed Scholarship for Production Design majors provides $25,000/year. Natural Science Division awards most scholarships to students who have completed 30+ units at Pepperdine, but offers a limited number of $1,000 entering-student scholarships.

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Outside scholarship stacking policy

Outside scholarships may exceed tuition and fees but cannot exceed the standard cost of attendance. The Regents Scholars Program and George Pepperdine Achievement Award cannot be combined (student receives the higher award). The Christian Leadership Award stacks on top of merit awards. The Tuition Exchange Scholarship replaces all other institutional grants and scholarships.

Pepperdine caps total financial aid at the published cost of attendance. Students must report all outside scholarships, grants, and loans to the Financial Assistance Office. For need-based institutional aid, Pepperdine states that aid 'may not in themselves, or when combined with state grants, exceed the need level (as calculated by the federal formula) or cost of tuition.' Outside scholarships are coordinated with need-based aid and COA requirements: outside awards fill federal unmet need first, then remaining funds reduce loans and work-study. Pepperdine does not publish a specific dollar-for-dollar displacement formula for merit awards when outside scholarships are added. The Tuition Exchange Scholarship (80% of tuition) is not stackable with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award or the Pepperdine Grant. The Church of Christ Reciprocal Tuition Remission (50% of tuition for children of employees at seven partner institutions) is stackable with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, Regents Scholarship, and Pepperdine Grant.

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Common Data Set snapshot

From the Pepperdine Common Data Set 2024-2025:

SAT mid-50%1330–142025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%30–3325th / 75th percentile

Source: Common Data Set

Lesser-known scholarships at Pepperdine

Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.

Amount$5,000/yearEligibilityActive members of a Church of Christ congregation. Requires FAFSA submission, a Church of Christ leader recommendation, and the Helen Young Scholarship form by February 15. Notification by April 1.

Renewable annually with a 2.5 GPA. Recipients must participate in PLP events, maintain active Church of Christ involvement, and engage with campus ministry. Stackable with the Christian Leadership Award, meaning Church of Christ students can receive both for $10,000/year in faith-based aid on top of merit awards.

Source

Amount50% tuition scholarship (approximately $37,185/year at 2026-2027 rates)EligibilityChildren age 23 or under of employees at seven partner Church of Christ-affiliated institutions. Renewable up to five years.

Stackable with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, Regents Scholarship, and Pepperdine Grant. This is an unusually generous institutional benefit that most families outside the Church of Christ higher-education network do not know about.

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Amount80% of tuition (approximately $59,496/year at 2026-2027 rates)EligibilityChildren of faculty or staff at participating Tuition Exchange member institutions. Application deadline January 15; decisions by April 1. Renewable up to four years.

Not stackable with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award or Pepperdine Grant. If a student qualifies for both Tuition Exchange and merit aid, they receive the Tuition Exchange amount, which at 80% of Pepperdine's tuition is usually higher than most merit tiers. The Regents Scholarship is stackable with Tuition Exchange but total aid cannot exceed tuition.

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Amount$25,000/yearEligibilityOutstanding student in the theatre production/design major. Requires Fine Arts supplemental application.

One of the largest named departmental awards. Approximately 75% of all theatre majors receive some theatre scholarship, making Pepperdine's theatre program unusually generous for a non-conservatory setting.

Source

Amount$1,000/yearEligibilityExceptional entering or freshman students in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Natural Science, Nutrition, Physics, or Sports Medicine. No separate application; selected based on admission materials and faculty recommendation.

Limited number available. The Natural Science Division also awards larger scholarships to students who have completed 30+ units at Pepperdine with a 3.0 cumulative and 3.0 major GPA, so the real value of declaring a STEM major emerges after freshman year.

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Worked stacking example

California Church of Christ student with a 3.85 unweighted GPA, 1410 SAT, who submits test scores and is selected as a Regents Scholar. Also receives the Christian Leadership Award and the PLP Helen Young Scholarship.

Regents Scholars ProgramMid-range of the $40,000-$45,000 Regents tier$42,000
Christian Leadership AwardChurch of Christ membership, stackable with Regents$5,000
PLP Helen Young ScholarshipChurch of Christ membership, stackable$5,000
Cal Grant A (estimated)California state grant for qualifying families$9,358
Total aidagainst $99,260 cost of attendance$61,358
Out of pocket$37,902

Common mistakes at Pepperdine

  1. Pepperdine is test-optional for admission and for the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, but the Regents Scholars Program ($40,000-$45,000/year) explicitly requires SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. Students who do not submit scores are automatically excluded from Pepperdine's most competitive merit tier, which can mean a difference of $10,000-$29,000/year compared to the Achievement Award.

  2. Students with an unweighted recalculated GPA of 3.60 or higher automatically receive at least $16,000/year. Many families underestimate Pepperdine's affordability because they see the $99,260 sticker price and assume no merit aid is forthcoming without a separate application. The automatic floor means competitive students know a minimum discount before they even apply.

  3. Church of Christ families can combine the $5,000 Christian Leadership Award and the $5,000 PLP Helen Young Scholarship on top of the George Pepperdine Achievement Award or Regents Scholars Program. That is $10,000/year in faith-based aid that stacks with merit, but both require a recommendation from a church leader submitted by February 15. Families who miss the deadline or skip the recommendation leave this money on the table.

  4. The Tuition Exchange Scholarship covers 80% of tuition and is not stackable with the George Pepperdine Achievement Award or the Pepperdine Grant. If your student qualifies for both Tuition Exchange and a merit award, they receive Tuition Exchange, not both. However, the Regents Scholarship does stack with Tuition Exchange up to the tuition cap, making the combination valuable for exceptionally strong applicants from TE-member institutions.

Pepperdine merit aid FAQ

  • Does Pepperdine require SAT or ACT scores for merit scholarships?

    Only for the Regents Scholars Program ($40,000-$45,000/year), which requires SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. The George Pepperdine Achievement Award ($16,000-$35,000/year), the Blanche E. Seaver International Scholarship, and all other merit awards are test-optional. If a student submits scores, they are considered as part of holistic review for all awards; if they do not submit, they are still fully eligible for everything except Regents. Pepperdine superscores both the SAT and ACT.

  • What GPA does my student need to keep a Pepperdine merit scholarship?

    It depends on the tier. Regents Scholars and Blanche E. Seaver Scholars must maintain a 3.25 cumulative Pepperdine GPA, full-time enrollment, and no academic probation, with no appeals process if the scholarship is lost. The George Pepperdine Achievement Award requires only a 2.0 cumulative GPA and Satisfactory Academic Progress. The Christian Leadership Award requires a 2.0 GPA, and the PLP Helen Young Scholarship requires a 2.5 GPA. All merit scholarships apply only to tuition charges and are prorated if a student drops below full-time enrollment.

  • Will outside scholarships reduce my student's Pepperdine merit award?

    Pepperdine caps total aid at cost of attendance ($99,260 for 2026-2027 on-campus students). Outside scholarships must be reported to the Financial Assistance Office and are coordinated with need-based aid first: outside awards fill federal unmet need, then reduce loans, then work-study. Pepperdine does not publish a specific displacement formula for how outside scholarships interact with merit awards like the George Pepperdine Achievement Award. For most families, outside scholarships will reduce need-based components before touching merit aid, but contact the Financial Assistance Office at 310.506.4000 for your specific scenario.

  • How is the Regents Scholars Program different from the George Pepperdine Achievement Award?

    The Regents Scholars Program is a competitive scholarship for the top 8-10% of admitted first-year students, worth $40,000-$45,000/year, requiring submitted test scores and a 3.25 GPA for renewal. The George Pepperdine Achievement Award is a broader merit award ($16,000-$35,000/year) that is automatic for students with a 3.60+ unweighted GPA, does not require test scores, and requires only a 2.0 GPA for renewal. Students cannot hold both; they receive the higher award. The Regents program also includes cohort housing, a Great Books seminar, and networking events with university leadership.

  • Can Church of Christ students stack faith-based and merit scholarships?

    Yes. The $5,000 Christian Leadership Award and the $5,000 PLP Helen Young Scholarship are both available to active Church of Christ members and both stack on top of the George Pepperdine Achievement Award or the Regents Scholars Program. That is up to $10,000/year in faith-based aid layered on merit. Both require a recommendation from a Church of Christ leader. The Christian Leadership Award deadline matches admissions (November 1 EA or February 15 RD), and the Helen Young Scholarship form is due February 15. The Church of Christ Reciprocal Tuition Remission (50% tuition for children of employees at partner institutions) also stacks with merit awards.