Welcome, California students!

NAU might just be the right university for you.

Not only are California students eligible for the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) tuition rate and merit-based scholarships, you also receive our pledge that your tuition will be the same, fixed rate for four years.

a philosophy professor smiles as he lectures his class

Rigorous academic programs led by dedicated, world-renowned professors and researchers

We offer almost 150 diverse, in-depth undergraduate degree programs either at our Flagstaff campus or at one of our locations across the state. We’re also excited to announce our newly opened Honors College residence hall.

two female students smile sitting at a picnic table outside a local establishment in flagstaff

Four seasons and plenty to do in Arizona’s best college town

On campus you can take advantage of over 350 student organizations, furthering your academic interests, filling your weekends with club sports and community service, or enjoying limitless outdoor opportunities on campus and in the area — from sports events to wilderness exploration.

We’re home to 15 NCAA Division I athletic programs, including football, a championship-winning men’s cross country team, men’s and women’s basketball and tennis, and women’s soccer.

Find out if NAU is the right place for you

Visit our beautiful campus or attend one of our NAU Comes to You Information Sessions held at a location near you.

Can’t wait to start exploring?

Take our virtual tour

You’re already here.

Yes, well, maybe YOU aren’t here yet – but many of your fellow Californians are!

We have more students from California than any other state except Arizona.

27,086

total undergraduate students

4,441

undergraduate students from California

Why choose NAU?

No impacted majors

You will be offered admission to Northern Arizona University if you have a 3.0 or higher core GPA (based on a 4.0 scale and calculated using only 16 required core courses) and have no deficiencies in those core courses.

You will be considered for NAU admission if you have a 2.5 core GPA and you have no more than one deficiency in any two areas of the required courses. If you have a combination of a math and lab science deficiency, you are not admissible.

But when you apply to Northern Arizona University we are looking at you as a candidate. We are not looking at what county or town you are from, or what major you plan to declare—if you meet our requirements for admission, you are in!

Explore admissions requirements Apply now

Affordability through WUE tuition, our pledge, and scholarships

NAU is more affordable than you might think.

California students living on campus have an estimated 2018-19 Total Cost of Attendance of $32,461—and that’s before any financial aid or merit-based scholarships.

All students from California who enroll as a degree-seeking undergraduate on the Flagstaff campus are eligible for the WUE tuition rate—$15,585 in 2018-19—approximately 40% lower than the normal out-of-state rate.

Students are evaluated for WUE tuition eligibility during the admissions process—a separate application is not required.

More details about WUE

We know financial predictability is important—that’s why our pledge to you is a guarantee of the same tuition rate for four years.

Based on GPA and test scores, California freshmen may be eligible for the renewable, merit-based Founders Blue and Gold Scholarships of $4,000 to $5,000 per year.

Freshman merit scholarship eligibility

Transfer students are also eligible for merit-based scholarships.

Transfer scholarship eligibility

And…

#3 best college town in the US