Biola University

Private · Moderately Selective · CA

Photo: Biola University (CC0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationCA · West

SettingSuburban

Undergrads3,474

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate54.1%

6-yr grad rate67.6%

Drop-out rate16.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$49k

Out-of-state tuition$49k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity60.6%

Gender diversity58.2%

International6.9%

IdentityUndenominational

Overview

Biola University is an evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California, where every undergraduate completes substantial biblical-studies coursework alongside their chosen major, regardless of field. It sits in southeast Los Angeles County, giving it real proximity to the entertainment industry without being an urban campus itself.

Academics

Film and media production, and business, are Biola's strongest professional programs, both benefiting directly from the Los Angeles-area entertainment and media industry within reach. The Torrey Honors program, a great-books curriculum built around seminar discussion of primary texts, is a distinctive academic track for students who opt into it, layered on top of Biola's already-substantial biblical studies requirements.

Campus & student life

Chapel and spiritual formation are built into the rhythm of campus life rather than treated as separate from it, consistent with the university's evangelical identity. The relatively contained Southern California suburban campus gives students easy access to Los Angeles without living inside the city.

Getting in

Biola looks for demonstrated Christian faith commitment alongside academic readiness, typically through a statement of faith or pastoral reference as part of the application; essays that reflect genuine alignment with its evangelical mission carry real weight.

After graduation

Film and media graduates have a real track record of entering the Los Angeles entertainment industry directly, aided by the school's proximity and industry connections, while Torrey Honors graduates often go on to graduate study in the humanities or ministry-adjacent fields.

Worth knowing

The Torrey Honors program is a genuinely distinct academic experience within Biola, small, seminar-based, and text-heavy, worth investigating specifically for a student drawn to a great-books style of education rather than a standard major-based curriculum.

biola.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate74.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1160–1370 · ACT 24–29

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Applying