Oct 11, 2024  
2024-2025 Graziadio Academic Catalog 
  
2024-2025 Graziadio Academic Catalog

Financial Aid


Pepperdine University participates in a variety of federal and state aid programs that are available to the admitted Graziadio Business School students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or other eligible non-citizens. Most government programs require students to be enrolled at least half time to be eligible for financial aid (see enrollment definitions).

Application Process

  1. Apply and be admitted to PGBS.
  2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.studentaid.gov. Pepperdine University’s school code is 001264.
  3. BSM students who are California residents and interested in applying for Cal Grant must file the FAFSA and submit the GPA verification form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by March 2nd to be considered for Cal Grant.

Types of Aid

Pepperdine University participates in several federal and state financial aid programs including:

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
  • Federal Direct Loans
  • Cal Grant A and B

Graduate students are only eligible for Federal Direct Loans.

Federal Direct loans are federally guaranteed non credit-based loans. Dependent BSM students may borrow up to $7,500; independent BSM students may borrow up to $12,500 through a combination of Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans for each two-trimester loan period. Graduate students are eligible to borrow up to $20,500 for each academic year. The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan is credit-based, has no aggregate limit, and is available to graduate students only. The annual amount of the Direct Graduate PLUS loan cannot exceed the difference between the annual cost of attendance and other financial aid. The total amount of all annual education-related aid cannot exceed the total cost of attendance.

All students considering student loans are required to complete the online loan Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note prior to receiving any loan funds. All financial aid funds are sent directly to Pepperdine University and are applied to the student’s account upon verification of enrollment. Student loan funds are evenly disbursed during the academic year and are received via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

Private credit-based education loans are available to students with approved credit. Further details regarding all financial aid programs and student eligibility can be found on the Financial Aid webpage.

Financial aid from federal, state, and institutional resources should be considered as a supplement to personal resources and not as a primary means for paying educational expenses. Pepperdine University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal or state law in the administration of its financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards

In accordance with the U.S. Department of Education’s regulations, universities are required to consistently apply reasonable standards for evaluating Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for all students regardless if they are financial aid recipients. Additionally, recipients of Title IV funds must meet the minimum standard of SAP in order to continue receiving Federal Aid. SAP standards are evaluated at the end of each academic term. For the BSM program, the maximum number of transfer units is 60.

Students are evaluated for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) based on three standards as defined below:

1. Academic Standard (CGPA)

The academic standard is measured by the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), which refers to the overall GPA. CGPA is calculated by dividing the number of quality points earned in all courses attempted by the total credit hours in all attempted courses.

2. Pace Standard (ICR)

Incremental Completion Rate indicates the pace at which a student is progressing through the required credit hours for the degree program. ICR is calculated by determining the percentage of credit hours a student successfully completes by the credit hours attempted.

Credit hours completed are defined as the total credit hours a student has completed with a passing grade.

Credit hours attempted includes: 

  • The total credit hours completed

  • The total credit hours that have transferred in to count towards the enrolled degree program 

  • Attempted courses include all courses with the following grades:

    • Withdrawal (W) or (WF)

    • Incomplete (I)

    • Transfer Credit (TR)

    • Credit / No Credit (CR/NC)

    • All failing grades that do not count towards a student’s degree

    • All passing grades 

​​3. Maximum Time Frame Standard (MTF)

Time Frame is defined by credit hours attempted, which are credits a student has enrolled in and transferred to apply towards their degree program, which is further defined above. The maximum time frame is the total number of credit hours a student is allowed to attempt during a program. 

At the Graziadio Business School, the minimum standards for SAP are:

  • ACADEMIC STANDARD (CGPA)
    • Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (or higher) throughout their academic program and to qualify for graduation.

    • Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or higher) throughout their academic program and to qualify for graduation.

    • Please see the Standards of Achievement  for additional CGPA standards that apply to graduate programs.

  • PACE STANDARD (ICR)

    • Successfully complete a minimum of 67% of attempted units on a cumulative basis.

  • TIME FRAME STANDARD (MTF)

    • Students may not attempt more than 150% of the credit hours in a degree program. 

SAP Violations

At the end of each academic term, students who fail to meet the minimum SAP standards will be notified in writing by the program office prior to the start of the following trimester. 

SAP Warning

Failure to meet any one of the SAP requirements results in placement on SAP Warning status for the following term. Students who do not meet all SAP standards at the end of the term while on SAP Warning status will be dismissed from the business school. Students may appeal a dismissal one time after taking a minimum of one term off. Appeals can only be submitted on the condition that meeting SAP requirements is mathematically possible within one trimester upon re-entry. Students who receive financial aid will lose their eligibility to receive financial aid for future terms upon dismissal. 

SAP Dismissal Appeal Process

Students who are dismissed for failing to meet the minimum requirements of SAP must appeal the dismissal in writing to the Program Office.

Submit written appeals to the Program Office 30 calendar days prior to the start date of the term of intended re-entry. The Program Office will evaluate the appeal and render a written decision within 14 calendar days of the term start date.

The written appeal for re-entry must state the mitigating circumstances that the student believes contributed to the failure to meet SAP requirements leading to the dismissal, including relevant supporting documentation, and an explanation of how the circumstances have been addressed to ensure the student will be able to meet minimum SAP standards if re-admitted. Appealing a dismissal does not guarantee re-entry. 

SAP Probation

If an appeal is granted, students are placed on SAP probation and must earn the minimum CGPA or higher after one term on SAP probation and satisfy the probation requirements outlined in the Academic Success Plan, including achievement of the minimum required CGPA at the time of graduation. While on academic probation, students are expected to achieve the minimum requirements in the plan by the end of each probationary term to remain enrolled. If at the end of the SAP probationary term, students who successfully meet the minimum requirements for SAP are returned to satisfactory academic standing and remain eligible for financial aid. Failure to meet the minimum requirements at the end of the probationary trimester will result in dismissal with no further appeal. Students will also lose federal financial aid eligibility. Students are unable to appeal, reapply or re-enter following a second dismissal to any program at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.

Additional Financial Aid Policies

  • Institutional scholarships and awards may have certain restrictions and requirements. Policies and conditions can be found at FA Policies.
  • Verification Policy: Once students complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the Central Processing System (CPS), there is a possibility that the application will be selected for a process called verification. Verification is a process PGBS is required to perform to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. CPS usually selects the application for verification based on conflicting data, a change from the prior year, or due to the random selection process. The PGBS Financial Aid Office is also authorized to require additional documentation in cases with conflicting information.  If selected, the student must provide the documentation requested by PGBS within the active academic year. 
  • Disbursement Policy: Students must accept and/or decline their financial aid awards via WaveNet in order for the funds to apply towards students’ accounts. Financial aid funds are credited to students’ accounts as they are received and after the student’s enrollment level has been confirmed. If there are funds in the students’ financial aid package that exceeds students’ charges, the funds will be refunded to the student.
  • Withdrawals and Refunds:
    • Refunds Due to Withdrawal: The student may be eligible for a full or partial refund of tuition payments if they withdraw from the course(s) during the trimester. The withdrawal date is the date the student notifies the Program Office regarding their withdrawal from the course or the trimester.
    • Return of Title IV Funds: Withdrawal from the course(s) at or prior to completion of 60% of the trimester may result in loss of eligibility to keep the full amount of the disbursed federal funds. Unearned Title IV funds are returned as stated in Federal Regulations, 34 CFR parts 668, 682, and 685, Return of Title IV Aid. The refund amount is calculated based on the Federal Return of Title IV Funds pro-rata schedule.  Federal funds will be returned in the order of: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (BSM students only), Federal Direct PLUS, Federal Pell Grant (BSM students only), FSEOG (BSM students only), and other federal, state, private, or institutional aid.

Students who complete more than 60% of the trimester maintain their eligibility for disbursed federal funds. After all charges and returns of Title IV funds are finalized, the credit balance, if any, will be released to the student.

Information regarding the application process or eligibility requirements can be obtained online or by contacting the Graziadio Business School Financial Aid Office at (310) 568-5530 or pgbsfinancialaid@pepperdine.edu.

Pursuant to state law, a student’s state financial aid may be suspended if a student is found to have engaged in certain acts of wrongdoing as defined in Sections 69810-12 of the California Education Code. Such wrongdoing includes being arrested and convicted of a public offense arising from disruptive acts on Pepperdine campuses or University-controlled property, willfully and knowingly disrupting the orderly operation of any of the campuses even if not arrested and convicted, and being suspended for disrupting the orderly operation of such campuses.