California Intercontinental University
California Intercontinental University — Online Programs, Tuition & Accreditation
California Intercontinental University
All programs offered completely via distance education
101 South Reid Street, Suite 307, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57103
Phone: (949) 359-0045
Website: www.caluniversity.edu
Quick Facts
| Type | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Accreditation | Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) — accredited since January 2009, next review June 2028 |
| Total Enrolment | 623 (151 undergraduate, 472 graduate) |
| Student-to-Faculty Ratio | 16 to 1 |
| Faculty | 21 full-time, 19 part-time |
| Online Programs | Both undergraduate and graduate — 100% of students enrolled exclusively in distance education |
| Awards Offered | Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, Doctor's degree (research/scholarship) |
| Carnegie Classification | Doctoral/Professional Universities |
| Religious Affiliation | None |
| Federal Financial Aid | Yes — eligible for Pell Grants and Direct Loans |
| Military/Veteran Friendly | Yes — credit for military training, dedicated veteran support, DoD MOU |
| Credit Accepted | Credit for life experiences, Advanced Placement (AP) credits |
| Application Fee | $45 |
| Admissions Policy | Open admissions |
| Cohort Default Rate | 0.0% (2021) |
A Note on Accreditation
California Intercontinental University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognised by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA. However, DEAC is a national accreditor rather than a regional/institutional accreditor. Credits from nationally accredited institutions may not transfer to regionally accredited schools, and some employers may not recognise degrees from nationally accredited institutions in the same way. If you plan to transfer credits or pursue further education at a regionally accredited institution, verify credit acceptance with your target school before enrolling. Note also that while CIU's Carnegie classification lists it as a Doctoral/Professional University, this reflects its programme offerings rather than its research activity or prestige level.
Tuition & Fees (2024–2025)
| Graduate Tuition | $9,504 per year |
| Graduate Fees | $1,170 per year |
| Total Graduate Tuition & Fees | $10,674 per year |
Undergraduate tuition figures for 2024–2025 were not separately reported to NCES. A prepaid tuition plan and tuition payment plan are available. The institution did not admit full-time first-time undergraduate students in 2023–2024, so standard net price data is not available — use the Net Price Calculator for a personalised estimate. Figures are sourced from NCES College Navigator — verify directly with the institution before making financial decisions.
Financial Aid Snapshot (2023–2024)
| All Undergrads Receiving Grants/Scholarships | 89% — average award $6,132 |
| All Undergrads Receiving Pell Grants | 77% — average award $4,995 |
| All Undergrads Taking Federal Loans | 79% — average loan $6,993 |
Net price data was not reported as the institution did not admit full-time first-time undergraduate students in 2023–2024. Use the institution's Net Price Calculator for a current estimate.
Admissions
| Admissions Policy | Open admissions |
| Application Fee | $45 |
| Part-Time Student Retention | 50% (students who began Fall 2023 and returned Fall 2024) |
CIU operates open admissions. The institution did not admit full-time first-time undergraduate students in 2023–2024, so standard IPEDS graduation rate data is not available. All tracked undergraduates were part-time, of whom 50% returned the following year.
Retention & Graduation
| Part-Time Student Retention | 50% |
| Overall Graduation Rate | Not reported — institution did not admit full-time first-time undergraduates in the cohort year |
| 8-Year Bachelor's Completion (Part-Time, First-Time, entered 2016–17) | 13% (all students); 9% Pell; 21% non-Pell |
| 8-Year Bachelor's Completion (Part-Time, Non-First-Time, entered 2016–17) | 47% (all students); 33% Pell; 64% non-Pell |
Standard graduation rate data is not reported because CIU did not admit full-time first-time undergraduates. The 8-year outcome measures above are more representative. Bachelor's completion rates are notably higher for transfer/returning students (non-first-time) than for first-time students, which is consistent with the institution serving experienced adult learners at the graduate level primarily.
Student Demographics (Fall 2024)
| Undergraduate Attendance | 100% part-time |
| Gender (Undergraduate) | 53% female, 47% male |
| Age (Undergraduate) | 93% aged 25 and over, 7% aged 24 and under |
| Residency (First-Time Students) | 92% in-state, 8% unknown |
| Graduate Attendance | 100% full-time |
The student body is overwhelmingly adult (93% aged 25+) and predominantly graduate-level — 472 of 623 students (76%) are graduate students, making CIU primarily a graduate institution. All undergraduates study part-time. The near-equal gender split (53/47) is unusual among online universities which tend to skew heavily female.
Online Programs Offered
Business & Management (largest area — 5 associate's, 4 bachelor's, 49 master's, 22 doctorates conferred in 2023–2024)
- Business Administration and Management, General (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Human Resources Development (Master's)
- Knowledge Management (Master's)
- Project Management (Master's)
- Banking and Financial Support Services (Master's)
- International Marketing (Master's)
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies (Bachelor's, Doctorate)
- Information Resources Management (Doctorate)
- International Business/Trade/Commerce (Doctorate)
Health Professions
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) — 25 awards conferred
Computer & Information Sciences
- Information Technology (Associate's)
- Information Technology Project Management (Bachelor's)
- Network and System Administration (Bachelor's)
All programmes are offered entirely via distance education. A total of 109 awards were conferred in 2023–2024. CIU is primarily a graduate institution — 66 of 109 awards were master's degrees and 28 were doctorates. Programme availability may change — verify current offerings directly with California Intercontinental University.
Student Services Available to Online Students
- Academic and career counselling
- Disability services — www.caluniversity.edu/resources-caluniversity-online-course-catalog
Military & Veteran Support
| Military Credit | Credit awarded for military training |
| Veteran Support | Dedicated point of contact for veterans, servicemembers, and families |
| DoD Partnership | Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU |
| GI Bill Recipients — Undergraduate (2023–2024) | 4 students |
| GI Bill Recipients — Graduate (2023–2024) | 7 students — average benefit $8,049 |
| Veteran Tuition Policies | www.caluniversity.edu/military |
Important Links
| Admissions | www.caluniversity.edu/departments/admissions |
| Apply Online | www.caluniversity.edu/Apply-Online |
| Financial Aid | www.caluniversity.edu/departments/financial-aid |
| Net Price Calculator | www.caluniversity.edu/netpricecalculator |
| Military | www.caluniversity.edu/military |
| Disability Services | www.caluniversity.edu/resources-caluniversity-online-course-catalog |
| Mission & Goals | caluniversity.edu/about/mission-and-goals |
About California Intercontinental University
California Intercontinental University (CIU) is a small, private, for-profit institution operating entirely online, administratively based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (despite its California-referencing name). It specialises primarily in business administration and management at the graduate level, with doctorates and master's degrees in areas such as human resources, project management, knowledge management, and healthcare administration. With 623 students — 76% of whom are graduate students — CIU functions primarily as a graduate institution. It is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a national accreditor recognised by the U.S. Department of Education. The institution's Carnegie classification as a Doctoral/Professional University reflects its doctoral programme offerings rather than its research activity. CIU serves an overwhelmingly adult student population (93% aged 25+), with all undergraduates studying part-time. Prospective students should note the DEAC national accreditation, which may affect credit transferability to regionally accredited institutions, and verify acceptance with target schools before enrolling.
Community Discussion
Have you attended California Intercontinental University or are you considering it? Share your experience or ask questions in our Course & Program Reviews forum.
Information on this page is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator database and the institution's official website. Data reflects the most recently available reporting year. Details may have changed — always verify directly with California Intercontinental University before making enrolment or financial decisions. Last updated: April 2026.