Few campuses have Pepperdine's view: white buildings on the hills above the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, looking straight out to sea. The private Christian university, affiliated with the Churches of Christ and founded in 1937, teaches undergraduates at Seaver College and runs graduate schools of business, law, public policy and education. Seaver students often spend a semester at Pepperdine's own campuses abroad, including Florence, Heidelberg, Lausanne and London. The Caruso School of Law is best known for its Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Malibu, California, United States
Official website: pepperdine.edu
Private Christian university
1937
Malibu, above the Pacific Coast Highway
Seaver, Graziadio, Caruso Law, Public Policy, GSEP
$55,000 – $72,000
International students, undergraduate and graduate tuition
$22,000 – $28,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on pepperdine.edu before you apply.
BS Business Administration
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BA Communication
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Full-Time MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
GMAT/GRE, TOEFL: 80
LLM in Dispute Resolution
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 90
Master of Public Policy
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
TOEFL: 80
Pepperdine-run campuses in Florence, Heidelberg, Lausanne and London.
The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at its law school.
An ocean-facing campus in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Business graduates join Los Angeles firms in entertainment, finance and real estate.
Law and dispute resolution graduates work in mediation, litigation and in-house legal teams.
F-1 graduates can apply for OPT; check STEM designation for extended work time.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
Main intake
Malibu is small and strung out along 21 miles of coast, with Zuma Beach and Point Dume nearby. Most undergraduates live on campus, since rent in town is very high.
Santa Monica is about 30 minutes south on the coast highway. A car is close to essential, and in wildfire season the campus sometimes has to shelter in place.
Form I-20 issued by Pepperdine University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Seaver College has an Early Action deadline in November and a Regular Decision deadline in January for fall entry. The graduate schools set their own deadlines, often in winter or spring, and international applicants should use the earlier ones.
Undergraduates start in late August. Most graduate programmes also start in the fall, though some business programmes offer other start dates.
It's the F-1 student visa. Get your I-20 from Pepperdine University first (they need your deposit and bank documents), then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and attend the visa interview. Book the interview early in peak season.
Business administration, communication, the MBA, the MPP and the dispute resolution LLM draw many international students. Seaver admits on grades, essays and English scores. The LLM needs a first law degree, and the MBA needs work experience.
Seaver offers merit scholarships to international first-year students, and the graduate schools have their own awards. Need-based aid for international students is limited.
