Navajo Nation Enters Agreement With GCU For Tuition Discount
Grand Canyon University has entered into an agreement with the Navajo Nation for a tuition discount of 10% for its eligible employees and citizens.
GCU says it considers the move to be in line with other ways it is trying to “expand access to higher education, particularly for those in underserved or disadvantaged populations.”
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren recently visited GCU’s campus to sign the Educational Alliance Participant Agreement, which allows Navajo Nation employees and members to get a 10% tuition scholarship for GCU online or evening bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs.
“Higher education should feel within reach for our people, not out of reach,” Nygren said.
“Educational Alliance Participation Agreements such as the one with the Navajo Nation are one way to expand educational opportunities and keep costs affordable,” GCU Communications Executive Director Bob Romantic told MinistryWatch. “These agreements provide tuition discounts and make it easier for working adults and students unable to relocate to pursue a degree.”
He added that GCU has “thousands of similar agreements nationwide with school districts, health-care systems, municipalities, military installations, and community organizations, including several Native American tribes across multiple states.”
There are currently more than 400 Navajo students enrolled at GCU both on-campus and online, according to reporting by Tri-City Record.
GCU claims to have maintained relationships with Native American tribes since its founding in 1949, especially the 22 tribes in Arizona. Native Americans make up 5.3% of the Arizona population.
“We are committed to actively understanding and addressing the potential challenges Native American college students may experience in college and how we can provide a culturally responsive education with ample support wherever necessary,” its website states.
To prove one’s Native American heritage, according to the GCU website, documentation such as tribal enrollment cards, census records, birth or death certificates, or letters of verification will be required.
GCU is the nation’s largest Christian university by revenue with $1.87 billion in revenue last year. It projected enrollment exceeding 133,000 students for the 2025-26 school year.
In the MinistryWatch 1000 Database, it has the highest 5-star Financial Efficiency Rating, a D Transparency Grade, and a Donor Confidence Score of 70, meaning donors can give with confidence.
This article was originally published at The Roys Report.
Kim Roberts is a freelance writer who holds a Juris Doctorate with honors from Baylor University and an undergraduate degree in government from Angelo State University. She has three young adult children who were home schooled and is happily married to her husband of 28 years.