Manna University

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1978 and formerly known as Grace College of Divinity
• Accredited by ABHE to award degrees through the doctoral level
• Carnegie-classified as a special-focus institution in theological studies
• All programs can be completed online, with selected in-person options

Student Life & Environment

Student life is designed around a predominantly online, faith-centered community rather than a residential campus. Manna University does not provide university housing, meal plans, or on-campus dining. Students are responsible for their own living and transportation arrangements, including international students studying in the United States. Prospective students wanting residence halls, extensive campus recreation, or a traditional residential social environment should account for that difference. Academic and community support is available remotely. The university’s current-student resources include academic advising, a help desk, library assistance, assignment guides, student records services, and a Writing Center that reviews style, formatting, and grammar and can arrange tutoring. A Student Government Association provides a channel for students to communicate with faculty and administrators. Faith participation extends beyond coursework. The university maintains relationships with partner churches and provides help locating a local church, pastoral care, or Christian counseling. North Carolina students are directed to a Fayetteville counseling provider with telehealth availability, while students elsewhere may request a referral to a counselor licensed in their state. Because practical ministry and Christian service are integrated into several programs, an online student’s local church or community may become an important part of the experience. Applicants should consider whether they have access to an appropriate local setting for service, mentoring, worship practice, or other program-specific activities.

Location & Surroundings

Manna University is headquartered in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Its official site lists a physical location at 5117 Cliffdale Road and a separate registrar mailing address in the Westwood Shopping Center. Students planning an in-person visit should confirm which address applies to their purpose before traveling. Fayetteville is the institutional base, but Manna should not be evaluated as a conventional residential Fayetteville campus. The university is predominantly online, offers no student housing or dining, and delivers selected in-person classes through extension sites and mentoring centers connected with partner churches. The official site currently identifies sites in North Carolina and other U.S. states, as well as international locations. Site availability does not necessarily mean that every degree or course can be taken there. For many students, the practical location is their home community: coursework can be completed online, and some ministry, worship, or service activities take place locally. This model reduces the need to relocate but transfers responsibility for housing, transportation, internet access, and access to an appropriate church or ministry environment to the student. International applicants seeking an F-1 visa should coordinate directly with the university because immigration study arrangements differ from ordinary online enrollment.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, Manna University publishes full-time undergraduate tuition of $260 per credit and part-time undergraduate tuition of $275 per credit. Full-time graduate tuition is $350 per credit, part-time graduate tuition is $370, and doctoral tuition is $390. The listed general charges are a $50 application fee, a $340 technology fee each trimester, and a $225 graduation fee. Rates may change, and books are excluded from the university’s program-cost estimates. The university does not charge different tuition rates based on state residency. It also has no room-and-board charge because it provides neither housing nor meal plans. Students should construct a personal budget for housing, food, transportation, technology, books, and any travel or local ministry activity rather than treating tuition as the full cost of attendance. The official admissions page states that federal Pell Grants and federal student loans are available to eligible undergraduates. Military education benefits are accepted across degree levels, and institutional scholarships are offered, although eligibility and interaction with other aid vary. Applicants should use the university’s aid process and obtain an individualized award rather than assuming that a published scholarship will apply. Career preparation is concentrated in ministry, church leadership, chaplaincy, Christian nonprofit work, missions, worship, and related leadership settings. The university explicitly says that it does not guarantee employment or placement, although career guidance is available to students and alumni. Christian Counseling programs are non-clinical, so students pursuing licensed counseling careers must independently verify state education and licensure requirements before enrollment.