Private and Out-of-State Universities

The Association of Independent California Community Colleges & Universities (AICCU) represents California's independent, nonprofit colleges and universities, which together make up the Independent California Colleges and Universities (ICCU) sector. These institutions include more than 75 accredited nonprofit campuses across the state. 

Transfer pathways into AICCU institutions include:

• Campus articulation agreements
• The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathway, which guarantees admission to a participating AICCU campus for students who complete an AA-T or AS-T and meet campus-specific requirements.

Affordability of Independent/Private Nonprofit Colleges

A common misconception is that independent, nonprofit colleges and universities are always more expensive. In reality, tuition varies widely, and all AICCU institutions offer financial aid, including institutional scholarships, federal aid, and state aid such as the Cal Grant. With these resources combined, the cost of attendance can sometimes be comparable to - or even lower than - a public four‑year university. (Supported by CCC transfer center guidance and AICCU financial aid practices.)

There are currently 12 independent, nonprofit colleges and universities in California - all members of the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities (AICCU) - that have formally partnered with the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathway as part of the AICCU ADT Transfer Guarantee. As early as spring 2020, these campuses began accepting California Community College students who complete an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA‑T or AS‑T) with a minimum 2.0 GPA, guaranteeing:

• Admission to the participating AICCU institution, and
• Admission into the major/program the student applies for, provided all campus-specific requirements are met.

You can view the full agreement between the California Community College Chancellor's Office and AICCU HERE.

Participating AICCU's Institutions

The following independent, nonprofit institutions participate in the AICCU ADT Transfer Guarantee.

• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, LA
• Fresno Pacific University
• Golden Gate University
• Humphreys University
• National University
  • ADT Pathways
  • List of Majors
  • Discounted Tuition Scholarship
• Notre Dame de Namur University
• Saint Mary's College of California
• 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. 

Alabama

• Alabama State University
• Talladega College
• Stillman College

Arkansas

• Arkansas Baptist College
• Philander Smith College

Florida

• Bethune-Cookman University
• Edward Waters University

Georgia

• Fort Valley State University
• Morehouse College
• Morris Brown College

Kentucky

• Kentucky State University

Louisiana

• Dillard University
• Grambling State University
• Southern University and A&M College
• Southern University at New Orleans

Maryland

• Bowie State University
• Coppin State University

Mississippi

• Jackson State University
• Mississippi Valley State University
• Tougaloo College

Missouri

• Harris-Stowe State University
• Lincoln University of Missouri

North Carolina

• North Carolina Central University
• Shaw University

Ohio

• Central State University

South Carolina

• Benedict College
• Claflin University
• Voorhees University

Tennessee

• Fisk University

Texas

• Huston-Tillotson University
• Texas Southern University
• Wiley College

Virginia

• Virginia State University

West Virginia

• West Virginia State University

Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are tribally controlled and culturally grounded higher-education institutions chartered by soveriegn tribal nations. As of 2026, there are 35 fully accredited TCUs in the United States, operating more than 90 campuses across 13-15 states. These institutions serve Native and non-Native students, providing programs that strengthen American Indian languages, cultures, history, and community well-being. 

TCUs offer a wide range of educational opportunities including certificate programs, workforce training, apprenticeships, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and several growing master's programs. TCUs are central to community and tribal nation-building, supporting students with culturally centered teaching, mentoring, holistic student services, and career pathways.

👉 Click HERE for more information

Tribal Colleges & Universities Offering Bachelor's Degrees

Alaska

• Ilisagvik College

Arizona

• Dine College
• Tohono O'odham Community College

Kansas

• Haskell Indian Nations University

Michigan

• Bay Mills Community College
• Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College
• Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College

Minnesota

• Leech Lake Tribal College
• Red Lake Nation College
• White Earth Tribal and Community College

Montana

• Aaniih Nakoda College
• Blackfeet Community College
• Chief Dull Knife College
• Fort Peck Community College
• Little Big Horn College
• Salish Kootenai College
• Stone Child College

Nebraska

• Little Priest Tribal College
• Nebraska Indian Community College

New Mexico

• Institute of American Indian Arts
• Navajo Technical University
• Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute

North Dakota

• Cankdeska Cikana Community College
• Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
• Sitting Bull College
• Turtle Mountain College
• United Tribes Technical College

Oklahoma

• College of the Muscogee Nation

South Dakota

• Oglala Lakota College
• Sinte Gleska Univeristy
• Sisseton Wahpeton College

Washington

• Northwest Indian College

Wisconsin

• College of Menominee Nation
• Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a tuition-savings program coordinated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). It includes 16 member states and U.S. Pacific territories, and more than 170 participating public colleges and universities across the West. 

Through WUE, eligible students pay no more than 150% of a school's in-state tuition rate when attending an approved out-of-state public college within the WICHE region. This can significantly reduce costs because full nonresident tuition at many schools can be up to three times higher than resident rates. 

WUE helps make out-of-state college options more affordable, expands access to hundreds of majors across the West, and helps students reduce student loan debt. 

👉Click HERE to learn more about WUE!

1. Confirm You Live in a WICHE State or Territory
   1. To qualify for WUE, you must be a resident of a WICHE-region state or territory and apply to a participating public college in another Western state.
2. Explore Participating Schools and Eligible Majors
   1. Use the WUE Tuition Savings Finder to check:
      1. Which schools participate
      2. Which majors are eligible for WUE at each campus
      3. Tuition savings for each school
         1. Participating colleges choose which programs they include.
3. Review Each School's WUE Requirements
   1. Colleges set their own rules for WUE. Some may:
      1. Require a minimum GPA
      2. Exclude certain majors (often high-demand programs)
      3. Have early application deadlines
      4. Limit WUE awards or seats
         1. These requirements vary by school.

4. Apply Directly to the College

   WUE is not a centralized application - students apply directly to each school. 

   After applying, contact the college's admissions, financial aid, or scholarship office to confirm WUE consideration.

   School contact details are available through the WUE Tuition Savings Finder.

👉 Learn more about WUE eligibility HERE!