Established in 1908, Biola University is a prestigious Christian University located in La Miranda, South California. It is a nationally ranked university renowned for biblically centered education, intentional spiritual development, and vocational preparation. It has a student population of over 6,095 enrolled in various programs offered at Biola University. Amongst these, 4,048 students are enrolled in undergraduate programs and 2,124 are graduate students. Students get to study in a safe environment as Biola has been placed within the top 50 “Safest Colleges in America” analysis from Safe At Last.

The university offers 150 degrees at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels at the campus in La Miranda, online and in distance education mode. Some of the popular courses to study at Biola University are Accounting, Business, Media, Journalism, Arts and Humanities, Social Science, etc.

Due to the university’s excellent academic performance, it has consistently been ranked as one of the topmost Christian universities in the U.S. Moreover, Biola University was also recognized as “America’s Top 10 up and coming” national universities, as per the U.S. News and World Report. It also ranks in the list of “Best Undergraduate Teaching”.

Biola University Ranking

Here are the rankings of Biola University on various educational portals:

Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings:

  • #401-500 in the U.S. College Rankings 

U.S. News and World Report:

  • #187 in National Universities
  • #79 in Best Value Schools
  • #39 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
  • #136 in Best College for Veterans
  • #98 in Top Performance on Social Mobility

Highlights

Type Private
Campus Setting Suburban
Endowment 146 Million USD
Programs Offered Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral programs
Cost of Attendance 53,783 USD
Student-to-Faculty ratio 14:1
Graduation Rate 73%
Retention Rate 87%
On-campus accommodation capacity 65%
Admission Helpdesk 1-800-OK-BIOLA
Official Website https://www.biola.edu/

Biola University Campus

  • Biola University has a beautiful campus in Southern California with an area of 95 acres with exquisite views, and beaches. The university is known for being a 'Great university with Great weather'.
  • The campus has accommodation facilities, 40 majors buildings, 98,000 sq ft large library, attractive classrooms, 6 on-campus dining campus and science center, sports, and recreational facilities.
  • The university campus is a few miles away from Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. Students can also enjoy surfing and sunbathing on the beach, live music at historic theatres and concert halls, TV tapings, Getty Center's vast art collection, and major league entertainments throughout the year.
  • The classrooms are attractive and well-equipped with the latest technology as the study area, internet connectivity, computer systems, etc.
  • The campus also has athletic and recreational facilities that include swimming complex, gymnasium, tennis courts, fitness center, baseball diamonds, lighted outdoor courts for basketball and sand volleyball, etc.

Biola University Accommodation

  • Biola University provides on-campus accommodation to all students. Most of the freshmen stay on campus. Applicants can also go for off-campus accommodation available in US cities.
  • The choice of residence halls and apartment based housing is available.
  • The estimated cost of living in residence halls is 6,000 USD, the stay at apartments is more expensive than residential halls.
  • The university has 11 residence halls, with Alpha Hall, Hart Hall, Blackstone Hall, Hope Hall North, Sigma Hall being some of them.
  • Approximately 7 apartment based housing available. Some of them are Beachcomber, La Miranda, Tradewinds, Tropicana and Wech.
  • The on-campus accommodation is comfortable with all the basic amenities, bed, chair, desk, bookcase, closet, common area, internet connection, and laundry facilities.

Biola University Programs

  • Biola University offers academic programs through nine schools, namely:
    • Cook School of Intercultural Studies
    • Crowell School of Business
    • Rosemead School of Psychology
    • School of Cinema and Media Arts
    • School of Education
    • School of Fine Arts and Communication
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science, Technology and Health
    • Talbot School of Theology
  • About 150 academic programs at Biola University at undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels in disciplines including Anthropology, Accounting, Art, Business Management, Computer Science, Education, English, Law, and Management.
  • The popular undergraduate programs are BS in Accounting, BS in Arts, BS in Business Administration, BA in English, BS in Design and BS in Mathematics.
  • The popular graduate programs are Master of Professional Accountancy, MA in Education, MBA, and Master of Divinity.

Application Process for Biola University

International applicants need to keep the following procedure in mind if considering getting admission at Biola University:

  • Application Portal: Applicants can apply through an online portal available at the university's official website.
  • Application Fees:
    • Undergraduate Applicant- 45 USD (non-refundable)
    • Graduate Applicant- 65 USD (non-refundable)
  • Application Deadlines: Application deadlines for undergraduate courses are:
    • Fall Session
      • Early Action 1- November 15
      • Early Action 2- January 15
    • Spring Session
      • Regular- October 15
    • Deadlines for application to graduate courses vary with the course.
  • Required Documents: Following documents are required for the application process
    • A completed application
    • Official transcripts or high school records, diplomas, and certificates from previous institutions
    • Standardized test scores i.e,
      • SAT/ACT (For undergraduate applicants)
      • GRE/GMAT (For graduate applicants)
    • English language proficiency
    • Financial documents, if applying for financial aids
  • Additional Requirements:
  • English Language Proficiency: Applicants with a native language other than English need to prove their proficiency by providing scores of TOEFL, IELTS test.

Biola University Cost of Attendance

  • The estimated cost of attendance depends on several factors like the program applied for, tuition fees, books and supplies, housing, dining, transportation etc.
  • Estimated Cost of Attendance at Biola University is tabulated below:
Expense Cost per Year
Tuition Fees 43,512 USD
Room and Board (On Campus) 11,039 USD
Books and Supplies 1,000 USD
Health Insurance 1,070 USD
Personal Expenses 2,000 USD
Total 58,621 USD

Financial Aid by Biola University

  • Biola University offers financial help in the form of Scholarships, Grants, and Loans.
  • The university provides financial aids to almost 99% of the students.
  • Apart from these, there are other scholarships to study in the USA that can offer a good amount of rebate on your cost of attendance.
  • The university offers many merits and needs-based scholarships to international students. Some of the freshman academic scholarships available for international undergraduates are:
    • Dean's Scholarship - 18,000 USD
    • Provost's Scholarship- 19,000 USD
    • Founder's Grant- 10,000 USD
    • President's Scholarship- 1,000 USD
    • Eagle's Grant - 10,000 USD
  • Undergraduate students are also provided Church matching scholarships and First-gen Scholarships.
  • The university provides most of the scholarships automatically, but for some scholarships, an application needs to be submitted.

Biola University Alumni

  • The university has a strong network of alumni from all across the world,
  • The university runs an alumni association called Biola Hub.
  • The association organizes various tours for its members, the association also offers discounted fitness club membership, free parking, free class audit, discounted health insurance, library membership, and many other discounts and benefits.
  • Some notable alumni are:
    • Cassie Randolph (Television Personality)
    • John Thune (U.S. Senator)
    • Anabel Munoz (Reporter and Anchor)

Biola University Placements

Around 90% of the graduates of Biola University were employed or admitted to graduate school within 6 months from graduation which was 17% higher than the 73% average across the Western United States. The median starting salary of an alumni of Biola University was 47,300 USD. Crowell’s MBA graduates are employed in companies like Boeing, Philips, HP, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc.

Nearly 70% of the students completed at least one internship during the bachelor’s degree program. The university also has a job placement assistance system called ‘Handshake’ which provides support and services to students to help them with their job placement.

FAQs

Ques. What are the most popular majors offered at Biola University?

Ans. Biola University is Christian faith university and is very well-known for its program in Biblical Studies.

Ques. What GPA is required for admission to Biola University?

Ans. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission to undergraduate programs.

Ques. Is it hard to get into Biola University?

Ans. Biola University has a moderately selective admission policy. It had an acceptance rate of 70% in fall.

Ques. What is the tuition fee of Biola University?

Ans. The tuition fee for undergraduate at Biola University is 44,382 USD while the tuition fee for graduates vary from program to program and ranges from 667 USD to 1,307 USD.

Ques. What are the financial aid options for international students?

Ans. International students are eligible to receive financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants and loans.

Ques. What ACT or SAT score is required for admission to Biola University?

Ans. Applicants must have a minimum ACT composite score of 19 or minimum SAT EBRW+Math score of 1000 and a reading test score of 26. Students admitted to Biola University have an SAT score between 1080 and 1310 or an ACT score of 21 and 28. 

Ques. How can I apply to Biola University?

Ans. Interested students can apply to Biola University by completing the online application available on the university’s website. Undergraduates must submit an application fee of 45 USD and postgraduate applicants must pay 65 USD.

Ques. Does Biola University have dorms?

Ans. Yes. Biola University offers on-campus accommodation to students.

Ques. Where does Biola University stand in the world?

Ans. Biola University ranks in the top #401-500 universities in the U.S. in THE World University Rankings. It is ranked at the 187th position in national universities in the U.S. News and World Report.

Ques. Will Biola be having in-person classes for the spring semester?

Ans. Given Biola’s long-planned precautions as well as the hardship students have faced over the last nine months, Biola’s intention is to begin reopening the campus in the spring semester based on a phased-in approach.