Admissions requirements for evangelical Bible colleges include a high school diploma or a GED. Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon, which is part of Multnomah University, for example, requires a minimum 2.5 high school GPA. Admittees must also have completed the SAT or ACT or coursework from another college with a "C" average or better. Multnomah admits students based on a combination of GPA and test scores. A student with a low GPA can make up for low grades by scoring high on the SAT. Evangelical Bible colleges also require evidence of a student's Christian faith. At Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, applicants for admission must refrain from using tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs and sexual promiscuity for one year prior to enrollment. Students at Moody must belong to an evangelical Protestant church and participate in worship and ministry activities.
Bible colleges offer theological, biblical and secular courses. At Moody Bible Institute, students can take communication and education courses while they pursue degrees in biblical studies and sacred music. Both Moody and Multnomah Bible College offer degrees in aviation for students who want to join the Mission Aviation Fellowship. All students at Multnomah earn a Bible and theology major; students can also earn minor degrees in subjects such as history, psychology and New Testament Greek. Biola University in La Mirada, California operates colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Theology, Psychology, Education and Intercultural Studies.
Evangelical Bible colleges expect students to demonstrate a commitment to the Bible as the word of God. Students and faculty form a Christian community that embraces Christ's directive to make disciples of all men; therefore, mission and outreach activities are an important part of student life. Bible colleges offer students many opportunities for service and leadership. At Moody Bible Institute, programs are tailored to suit the needs of children of missionaries, married students and international students.
Financial aid is available for Bible college students through FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students complete the FAFSA and apply for loans and scholarships just as they would for any secular college or university. Bible colleges employ tuition and financial aid advisors who help students work through the process of applying for financial aid. Tuition varies from college to college. At Biola University, as of January 2011, tuition ranges from $1,908 to $5,724 per term. Tuition at Moody is $4,000 per semester.