On-Campus Financial Aid
Your Path to an Affordable Education Starts Here
At Grace we have a pathway that is designed to make quality, Biblical education both affordable and accessible. We provide clear, upfront tuition rates, with no hidden fees, so you can focus on achieving your goals without financial surprises. Our comprehensive support includes academic scholarships, federal and state aid, and countless opportunities for external scholarships and grants. Additionally, our “No Friday Classes” policy offers flexible scheduling to support employment. This pathway empowers you to graduate in four years with a manageable cost, ensuring your journey is as financially sustainable as it is spiritually and academically enriching.
Your Path to an Affordable Education
Get Started Here
Use the Pathway to quickly estimate your total cost of attendance. Get started by combining our transparent tuition rate with Housing & Dining options. Then apply the Grace Scholarship based on academic performance, financial need, and leadership involvement. Then, reduce that number by potential Federal and State Aid by completing the FAFSA. Explore our suggested list of Outside Scholarships & Grants and possible Student Employment opportunities to further reduce your Out of Pocket Cost.
Transparent Tuition
$19,500 per year
For all students entering 2025-26, Grace promotes a “true” tuition rate—what it actually costs to educate a student for a year—not an inflated rate that requires discounts or scholarships in order to make it appear affordable. No exorbitant fees tacked on at the end. This rate covers up to 15 hours per semester (30 credit hours per year) to ensure you graduate on time in 4 years.
For returning students who entered before 2025-26, tuition cost details are available on the Student Portal.
Grace Scholarship
Up to $3,000 per year
Our annual scholarship is provided by generous donors and ministry partners who share the same Biblical values as us and help you offset the cost of our already competitively priced education. The amount of the scholarship is determined by these 3 factors: Academic Achievement (based on your GPA), Financial Need, and Leadership & Engagement traits.
The Grace Scholarship is offered to all students entering 2025-26. All returning students entered before 2025-26 are eligible to apply for On-Campus Scholarships through the Student Portal.
Academic Achievement
Based on GPA (Max 60pt)
| GPA | Points |
| 3.80 – 4.00 | 60pt |
| 3.30 – 3.79 | 40pt |
| 3.00 – 3.29 | 30pt |
| 2.70 – 2.99 | 20pt |
Financial Need
Based on SAI (Max 25pt)
| SAI | Points |
| -1,500 – 1,500 | 25pt |
| 1,501 – 5,000 | 20pt |
| 5,001 – 10,000 | 15pt |
| 10,001 – 30,000 | 10pt |
Leadership & Engagement
(Max 30pt)
| Complete the following | Points |
| Leadership Essay | 10pt |
| College Event/Tour | 10pt |
| Dual Enrollment | 10pt |
| Apply by 12/31 | 10pt |
Total Scholarship
| Points | Scholarship Amount |
| 90-115 | $3,000 |
| 80-89 | $2,500 |
| 70-79 | $2,000 |
| 60-69 | $1,500 |
| 50-59 | $1,000 |
| <50 | $500 |
Federal & State Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines your eligibility for Federal and State grants. The FAFSA application is typically released between October and December each year and needs to be completed by both the student and parent. You should submit your completed FAFSA application as soon as possible after January 1st and before May 1st.
The FAFSA Code Number for Grace Christian University is 002265
Federal & State Grants
- Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant program that provides financial assistance to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and other educational expenses. The Pell Grant is available to eligible students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree, as well as some post-baccalaureate programs. The amount of the Pell Grant awarded is determined by factors such as the student’s expected family contribution, enrollment status, and the cost of attendance at the institution. - Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a need-based grant program aimed at providing additional financial assistance to undergraduate students. Eligibility and award amounts vary depending on individual financial circumstances and the availability of funds at the institution. - Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education Grant (TEACH)
The TEACH Grant program provides financial aid for students intending to pursue a career in teaching. Recipients must agree to serve as full-time teachers in high-need fields in public or private elementary or secondary schools that serve low-income students. This grant supports students who are committed to making a difference in underserved communities through education. - Michigan Tuition Incentive Program (TIP)
The Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) encourages eligible Medicaid recipients to complete high school by providing tuition assistance during an eligible student’s qualifying certificate or associate degree program and also during the student’s bachelor’s degree program. - Michigan Achievement Scholarship
Outside Scholarships & Grants
There are literally hundreds of scholarships and grants available to you, it’s just a matter of finding them. Start with an online search of scholarship websites—we’ve listed a few below. Then check with your church, your (or your parents’) employer, the city/community you live in, local businesses, even your high school. You’ll be amazed when you discover what is available!
Scholarship Websites
Community Connections
- Church
- Employer
- Local Businesses
- Insurance Companies
- Library
- City Hall
- City/Local Promise Scholarships
Unique Qualifiers
- Hobbies
- First Generation
- Circumstantial
- Situational
- Minority
- Unique
Student Employment
Work is another way to keep college affordable. Our “No Friday Classes” policy allows time for students to earn money during the semester. Monday-Thursday classes end in the early afternoon, providing additional time for a job. Off-Campus employment opportunities are encouraged. Grace maintains relationships with many businesses in town—many within walking distance of campus—that love to employ Grace students
On-Campus Opportunities
- Athletics
- Campus Coffee Shop
- Dining Services
- Enrollment Office
- Facilities Maintenance
- Housekeeping
- Library
- Marketing
- Tutoring
Off-Campus Opportunities
- J&H Convenience Stores
- Chick-fil-A
- Flowerland
- Biggby Coffee
- McDonalds
- Wesco
- Potter’s House – Tutoring (Federal Work Study)
Ready to Apply?
Now that you’ve seen Grace’s path to an affordable education, it’s time to apply!
Your Next Steps
Once we have received your application and FAFSA results, you will receive a notice of acceptance and will be issued a financial aid award letter outlining the scholarships, grants and loans you are eligible for.
Estimated Cost examples
To see how this pathway works in real numbers, let’s look at a couple of estimated cost calculations. In the example calculations below, you’ll see how transparent tuition, scholarships, and aid come together to make a Grace education not only attainable but sustainable, helping you to graduate ready to serve with minimal financial burden.
For example, consider Marco—he has a 3.8 GPA (60 points) and an SAI rating of 15,000 (10 points); he also visited campus (10 points), wrote an essay (10 points), and applied in December (10 points). His total of 100 points earned him a Grace Scholarship in the amount of $3000. In addition, Marco was eligible to receive the average amount of federal and state aid (based on 2024 enrollment), plus he secured several outside scholarships. Marco also works on-campus at the Kahawa Coffee Shop.
Another example is Sarah—she has a 3.0 GPA (30 points) and an SAI rating of 2,500 (20 points); she missed the December application deadline but did visit campus (10 points) and wrote an essay (10 points). Her total of 70 points earned her a Grace Scholarship in the amount of $2000. Sarah was able to get just more than the average amount of Federal and State aid and also received some outside scholarships–including one from the church where she is employed part time year-round.
And there’s Ben—he’s an athlete and didn’t decide on heading to Grace until the Spring. His GPA is 2.7 (20 points); his SAI # is 1,000 (25 points). He visited campus with the soccer coach (10 points) but didn’t do an essay. With a total of 55 points, Ben earned a $1000 Grace Scholarship and was able to get quite a bit of federal and state aid. Soccer doesn’t leave a lot of time for work, but he’s able to work part time at the campus library during the off-season.
Annual Out-of-Pocket Cost Calculations
| Step | Marco | Sarah | Ben |
| Transparent Tuition | $19,500 | $19,500 | $19,500 |
| Grace Scholarship | – $3,000 | – $2,000 | – $1,000 |
| Federal Grants | – $3,000 | – $3,700 | – $7,390 |
| State of Michigan Awards | – $3,600 | – $5,500 | – $9,100 |
| Outside Scholarships & Grants | – $1,200 | – $1,200 | – $500 |
| Student Employment | – $3,000 | – $4,000 | – $1,500 |
| Total Annual Out-of-Pocket Cost | $5,700 | $3,100 | $10 |
| Total Per-Semester Out-of-Pocket Cost |
$2,850 | $1,550 | $5 |
Housing & Dining
Housing & Dining Options
Flexible meal plans offer students creative options to accommodate financial needs while providing meals from our wonderful dining hall. Rather than purchasing meals weekly, meal plan cost is per semester. Students are able to choose how many meals they eat in a given week and can adjust as needed based on their remaining quantity.
Loans
Loans & Responsible Borrowing
Many students borrow more than they need for their tuition, books and fees. We want to strongly encourage you to consider borrowing only what you need or using only subsidized loans when possible. Subsidized loans do not collect interest while you are attending your program, however, unsubsidized loans do.
Financial Aid
Contact Us
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Financial Aid Office.
PHONE (616) 538-2330
EMAIL financialaid@gracechristian.edu
FAX (616) 538-0588 (Attn: Financial Aid)
KURT POSTMA (Director) (616) 261-8557 or kpostma@gracechristian.edu
JODY FERGUSON (616) 264-6651
KEN MYERS (616) 261-8577
JAMIE BRISTOL (616) 261-1564