
California Baptist University is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, commonly called WSCUC. Institutional accreditation evaluates the university as a whole; it is distinct from approval or accreditation of a particular degree program.
That distinction matters most for students entering regulated professions. A nursing, engineering, teaching, counseling, or other professionally oriented program may have separate accreditation or state-approval requirements. Applicants should verify the status of their specific program with the relevant accreditor or licensing board, especially if they intend to qualify for a license outside California.
Institutional accreditation is an important condition for participation in federal student aid programs and can affect how another college evaluates transfer credit. It does not, by itself, guarantee that credits will transfer, that a professional license will be awarded, or that every degree has specialized accreditation.
First-year applicants to California Baptist University generally apply with a secondary-school academic record and proof of high school completion or an accepted equivalent. The university is not an open-admission institution: its reported first-year admissions figures show about 6,782 offers of admission from 7,990 applications, an acceptance rate of approximately 85%.
High school GPA and the secondary-school record are required elements of the admissions review. Class rank and recommendations may be considered but are not generally required. SAT and ACT scores are neither required nor recommended in the reported admissions data; only a small share of enrolling first-year students submitted scores. Applicants should follow the current application instructions if they believe a score is relevant to an individual circumstance rather than assuming it is needed.
Requirements can differ for transfer, graduate, international, and professionally regulated programs. An applicant whose schooling was not in English should review the applicable English-proficiency rules; the reported undergraduate admissions policy considers TOEFL results but does not list them as universally required. Students should also check the current application calendar for their intended entry term and major, since a university-wide admission decision may not complete admission to a selective program.
California Baptist University applicants should check the fee shown in the current application for their applicant category and submission method before paying. An application charge, if assessed, is separate from an enrollment deposit, orientation charge, tuition, and other costs that may arise after admission.
Students who cannot afford an application charge should ask admissions about waiver eligibility and the request procedure before submitting payment. Undergraduate, graduate, online, and special-program applications may use different processes; a waiver or fee arrangement for one route should not be assumed to apply to another.
California Baptist University reports an Army ROTC unit on campus and an Air Force ROTC opportunity through a cooperating host institution. Those are different arrangements: an Air Force participant may need to meet another institution's enrollment and travel requirements in addition to CBU's degree requirements.
ROTC students ordinarily take military-science or aerospace-studies coursework alongside their major and complete additional training. Scholarships, eligibility standards, medical qualifications, and any resulting service commitment depend on the branch and the student's contract; simply exploring ROTC does not establish scholarship eligibility. Before building a class schedule around participation, students should confirm the current host arrangement, cross-enrollment process, transportation needs, and branch-specific obligations with the relevant ROTC staff.
California Baptist University accepts transfer applications and generally considers credit earned at other accredited colleges. It reports transfer entry for fall, winter, and spring terms, but admission to CBU and acceptance of particular courses toward a degree are separate decisions.
A transfer applicant should be prepared to provide official transcripts from every college attended and to follow any additional instructions tied to the amount of college coursework completed. GPA standards, deadlines, and supplemental requirements may be stricter for a particular major than for general university admission. The university also reports accepting Advanced Placement credit, CLEP examinations, and some credit evaluated under American Council on Education recommendations; each has its own limits and documentation rules.
The useful question is not just "Will this course transfer?" but "Will it satisfy a requirement in my intended major?" Students coming from a California community college should ask for a degree-specific transfer-credit evaluation and check any applicable articulation agreement before enrolling in remaining prerequisite courses. They should also confirm the minimum number of credits that must be completed at CBU to earn its degree.
California Baptist University students may pursue international experiences, but an overseas service project and a credit-bearing study-abroad program are not necessarily the same thing. CBU is associated with international service and mission opportunities; students seeking academic credit need to confirm the approval process for the particular destination and program.
For a semester abroad, short-term course, or program operated with another provider, the essential checks are whether the courses meet major or general-education requirements, how grades and credits will appear on the transcript, and whether participation affects a planned graduation date. Financial aid treatment can also differ by program and term. Students in tightly sequenced majors should discuss proposed courses with their academic adviser before paying a deposit or making travel arrangements.
24% of admitted students enrolled (1,612 of 6,782)
Percent of students submitting ACT scores
1%Percent of students submitting SAT scores
9%High school completions
General Educational Development (GED) requiredComputer required
NoComputer purchase/lease plan is available in the institution
YesSecondary school GPA
RequiredSecondary school rank
Considered but not requiredSecondary school record
RequiredCompletion of college-preparatory program
Considered but not requiredRecommendations
Considered but not requiredFormal demonstration of competencies
Neither required nor recommendedAdmission test scores
Neither required nor recommendedTOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language
Considered but not requiredOther Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)
Neither required nor recommendedOpen admission policy
NoDual credit
NoCredit for life experiences
YesAdvanced placement (AP) credits
YesDisabilities services
YesROTC-Army
ROTC branch unit on campusROTC-Air Force
ROTC branch unit at a cooperating host institutionStudy abroad
YesStudent can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization
YesPreparation at another institution required
NoApproved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher
YesGenerally accepts credits
YesAccept ACE recommendation for credit
YesPossible transfer
Fall, Winter, SpringData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.