Private and Out-of-State Universities

The Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities (AICCU) is comprised of over 80 independent, nonprofit colleges and universities in California. Together, these institutions make up the Independent California Colleges and Universities Sector (ICCU). Transfer pathways include campus articulation agreements, and the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program.

• For a list of AICCU's click HERE!
• You can also access the 2020-2021 Transfer Guide HERE! 

A Common misconception about independent, nonprofit colleges and universities is that they are too expensive to attend. Not so—you would be surprised at how affordable an independent (private) college or university can be. Tuition varies a lot, depending on the institution. All institutions offer some form of financial aid. Coupled with state, federal, and other forms of aid, cost of attendance may sometimes be less than at a public four-year university. 

There are currently 12 independent, non-profit colleges and universities in California (member institutions of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)) officially partnered with Associate Degree for Transfer, with many more to come in the near future. As soon as spring 2020, all of these campuses will accept students who earn an Associate Degree for Transfer (with a minimum 2.0 GPA) with guaranteed admission into the major they apply for. View the agreement between the California Community Colleges and AICCU HERE!

Participating AICCU's

• Brandman University 
• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, LA 
• Fresno Pacific University
• Golden Gate University
• Humphreys University
• International Technological University
• Marymount California University
• Mills College
• National University
  • ADT Pathways
  • List of Majors
  • Discounted Tuition Scholarship
• University of Saint Katherine
• University of the Pacific
• University of the West​​​​​​​​​​​

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Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have an excellent academic track record. While only about 17 percent of black undergraduate students attend an HBCU, more than 28 percent of African-Americans who receive a bachelor’s degrees obtain them from an HBCU.  These colleges and universities are also leading institutions in awarding degrees to African-American students in the life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and engineering programs.

Thanks to an agreement signed March 17, 2015 between the California Community Colleges and several HBCUs, California community college students who complete certain academic requirements are guaranteed transfer to a participating HBCU. 

California community college transfer students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher are guaranteed admission to HBCU partner schools using either of the following two options: (1) complete a minimum of 30 UC or CSU units (2) complete a transfer level-associate degree (ADT) using the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth pattern. There may be additional prerequisites or other requirements for certain majors.

Additional program benefits for students under the agreement include priority consideration for housing, consideration for transfer scholarships for students with a 3.2 or higher GPA, and pre-admission advising. Learn more about the agreement by clicking HERE! 

Below is a list of participating HBCU's along with links to each website. In addition, you can Find your HBCU match and also search for HBCU Online Degree Programs. 

Presently, there are 32 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in the United States. These TCUs offer 358 total programs, including apprenticeships, diplomas, certificates, and degrees. These programs include 181 associate degree programs at 23 TCUs, 40 bachelor’s degree programs at 14 TCUs, and 5 master’s degree programs at 2 TCUs (AIHEC).

TCUs are both integral and essential to their communities, creating environments that foster American Indian culture, languages, and traditions. TCUs serve a variety of people, from young adults to senior citizens, American Indian to non-American Indians. Click HERE for more information.

Tribal Colleges & Universities that offer Bachelor Degrees

• Alaska
  • Ilisagvik College
• Arizona
  • Dine College
• Kansas
  • Haskell Indian Nations University
• Montana
  • Salish Kootenai College
• New Mexico
  • Institute of American Indian Art
  • Navajo Technical University
• North Dakota
  • Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
  • Sitting Bull College
  • Turtle Mountain Community College
  • United Tribes Technical College
• South Dakota
  • Oglala Lakota College
  • Sinte Gleska Univeristy
• Washington
  • Northwest Indian College
• Wisconsin
  • College of Menominee Nation

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is an agreement among WICHE’s 16 member states and territories, through which 160+ participating public colleges and universities provide steep nonresident tuition savings for Western students.

Through WUE, eligible students can choose from hundreds of undergraduate programs outside their home state, and pay no more than 150 percent of that institution’s resident tuition rate. 

Since full nonresident college-tuition rates may exceed 300 percent of resident rates, WUE increases affordable higher-education choices for students, and minimizes the adverse impacts of student loan debt.

To learn more about WUE click HERE!

• Check your eligibility- You must be a resident of a WICHE-region state or territory and applying to a participating public school in another Western state.
• Check schools and degrees- Search the WUE Savings Finder to see which majors are eligible for the WUE rate by school.
• Meet your school’s WUE requirements-Some institutions require a minimum GPA, exclude selected majors, or have early application deadlines.
• Apply directly to the school- Contact the school’s admissions, financial aid, or scholarship office to let them know you’re seeking WUE. Contact information for each school is available on the WUE Savings Finder.

Learn more about WUE eligibility HERE!