Announcing two COVID response scholarships
John Paul the Great Catholic University is the Catholic University for Creative Arts & Business Innovation located in Escondido, California.
To help meet the urgent need of local students whose ability to obtain a Catholic university education has been jeopardized by the COVID-19 pandemic, JPCatholic is offering two new scholarships for incoming freshmen and transfer students who start at JPCatholic in Fall 2020. Fall classes begin on September 30th, and the University is planning to hold classes on-campus while taking appropriate health and safety precautions.
COVID Zero Tuition Scholarship
For Cal Grant-A Eligible Students
For Cal Grant-A eligible students, this scholarship along with your state and federal aid will cover your full tuition without any need for loans.
Stay Local Scholarship
For San Diego County Students Who Are Not Eligible for Cal Grant-A
For San Diego county students who are now reconsidering their college plans and want to receive a local on-campus education this Fall, the Stay Local Scholarship will make our private Catholic education affordable and comparable to local public CSU and UC institutions.
APPLY NOW FOR FREE
If you’re interested in one of these scholarship opportunities, the first step is to apply for admission. We’ll waive the full $50 app fee, so you can apply for free!
Get Started Explore Programs Compare JPCatholic with CSUSM
Eligibility and Requirements1
- The COVID Zero Tuition Scholarship is open to all California residents who are Cal Grant-A eligible.
- The Stay Local Scholarship applicants must have an established residence in San Diego County before September 25th, 2020.
- Applicants must meet JPCatholic’s application requirements, receive formal acceptance, and submit the 2020-2021 FAFSA application.
- Applicants must be new freshmen or transfer students entering in Fall 2020.
- Scholarship is renewable for the duration of the education.
You're invited to a Virtual Campus Tour
The free online event will show you our campus in downtown Escondido and provide information on our academic programs, Catholic community, and COVID response scholarships.
Special Event for San Diego County Residents:
Saturday, July 11th, 11:00am PDT
SIGN UP NOW
CSU San Marcos and JPCatholic Comparison
| San Marcos | JPCatholic |
|---|---|
| 16% graduate within four years | 59% graduate within four years |
| 78% job placement rate within six months | 92% job placement rate within six months |
| 3.54% loan default rate | 1.28% loan default rate |
| 0% to 10% Tuition Increase (based on state of California and CSU San Marcos Board of Trustees) | Tuition-Lock Guarantee (rates do not increase as long as student is enrolled full-time consecutively) |
| $643 cost of commuter parking permit for one academic year | $105 cost of commuter parking permit for one academic year |
| 25:1 student to professor ratio | 15:1 student to professor ratio |
| Fall 2020 classes planned for online | Fall 2020 classes planned for on-campus |
(Data from IPEDs, csusm.edu, and usnews.com)
At JPCatholic, you can receive an affordable and high quality Catholic education that helps you grow professionally, spiritually, and academically with small class sizes, caring professors, and a creative, diverse, and supportive student body.
With JPCatholic’s unique 3-year program, students are able to start their careers three years earlier than many CSUSM students, many of whom take up to 6 years to graduate. Coupled with the security of JPCatholic’s tuition-lock guarantee, upfront and lower than average fees, and hands-on experience students garner from their program, students are able to graduate with confidence as they pursue their dreams.
Envision your future at JPCatholic
Classes Will Be On-Campus This Fall
Fall Quarter classes begin on September 30th, and the University is planning to hold classes on-campus while taking appropriate health and safety precautions. Small class sizes and one-on-one mentorship are hallmarks of the JPCatholic experience and catalysts of your growth as a creator, leader, innovator, and scholar.
Read Our COVID-19 ResponseExperience the Benefits of a Small Campus Environment
With a total student body under 300, JPCatholic offers a warm and welcoming campus community. Foster lifelong friendships, form creative partnerships, and surround yourself with a supportive environment that encourages your growth in both virtue and artistic excellence. Our small classroom sizes offer the chance for one-on-one mentorship from industry professionals who still work in their field.
Join in a Virtual TourGraduate in 3 Years
Our unique academic model prepares students for the real-world pace of professional life in the industry, with a focus on hands-on projects, internships, and portfolio preparation. The program is structured on a year-round quarter system, and you graduate with your Bachelors Degree in just 12 quarters. Each quarter is 10 weeks long, with about 3 weeks of break between each quarter.
See How It Works
Grow in a Supportive Catholic Community
Our campus is a place where students can grow both professionally and spiritually. We’re a unique community of artists and innovators, centered around our faith in Jesus Christ and the beauty of the Catholic faith. Immerse yourself in an abundance of opportunities for spiritual growth, including Daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, Rosary, Retreats, and Service Projects.
Learn MoreLaunch a Successful Career
JPCatholic alumni have found success in a variety of paths, ranging from Hollywood to independent media organizations, and from large corporations to nonprofits to their own entrepreneurial start-ups. View our placement rate and alumni jobs by clicking below.
See Alumni SuccessWhere are we located?
Our campus is located in historic downtown Escondido at the corner of Grand Ave. and Maple St. – about a 5-minute drive from the 15 freeway.
Join a Virtual Tour
Apply Now For Free
If you’re interested in one of these scholarship opportunities, the first step is to apply for admission. We’ll waive the full $50 app fee, so you can apply for free!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there is enough time! Fall Quarter Orientation kicks off on September 25th. Every prospective student has their own admissions representative who can assist them throughout the enrollment process. JPCatholic has a streamlined application where motivated applicants can complete it within one day. The process consists of a short informational form, unofficial transcript(s), and a 15-minute essay questionnaire. We are also waiving the application fee for local San Diego county students!
The financial aid application is also streamlined and consists of the FAFSA and the items you already turned in for admissions. We can provide any information you need to make a confident decision before your enrollment deadline.
Yes! With potential federal and state aid, and these special COVID response scholarships for San Diego county residents on top of the institutional scholarship, many students will have the option of pursuing an excellent Catholic and hands-on higher education at a price that they can afford, and as a result, graduate on a firm financial footing.
Yes! We accept and welcome transfer students, and students may apply to JPCatholic with any amount of college credits year round, so students do not have to wait until they are sophomores to transfer.
However, there are great benefits to starting your education at JPCatholic right away if possible, as the 2020 COVID response scholarships are solely for fall 2020 applicants and are renewable for the duration of the education. Furthermore, since JPCatholic is a year round school and provides individualized education, classes build upon each other and are not offered every quarter, meaning that normally the sooner you transfer the sooner you graduate, which can have the additional benefit of increased lifetime earnings.
Admissions representatives are happy to provide the unique assistance that transfer students require in regards to credit evaluations, class schedules, and more.
The 2020 COVID response scholarships are a unique and one-time opportunity for fall 2020 applicants, and it’s renewable for the duration of the education. Starting at JPCatholic in fall 2020 will give you access to these scholarships, which will make the education much more affordable.
JPCatholic operates on a year-round quarter system, so you would also be able to graduate with your bachelor’s degree in just three years – as opposed to two years of community college plus the additional years to finish your degree elsewhere.
JPCatholic is unique in that we have about 300 students and an average class size of 21 students. Our small size makes it possible for us to operate well within the safety precautions and guidelines issued by local and state authorities.
Furthermore, students live in nontraditional student housing composed of luxury townhomes and apartments. There are no communal bathrooms or cafeteria. There are five students within each unit that contains two bedrooms, a full sized kitchen, and two bathrooms. We prioritize the safety of our students and staff and have contingency plans in place as the situation continues to develop.
You could be! As long you meet the eligibility requirements, we invite you to apply for one of these new scholarship opportunities. Please contact your admissions representative to inquire about next steps.