LABI College

About LABI College

LABI College traces its history to October 1, 1926, when Alice E. Luce, Ralph Williams, and Richard Williams founded the Latin American Bible Institute in San Diego. The school subsequently moved to La Mesa and Los Angeles before establishing its present La Puente campus, where it graduated its first class in 1950. LABI College is the current public-facing name, while Latin American Bible Institute remains the underlying legal entity. The college describes itself as a biblically based Pentecostal community that prepares Christian students for service in the church and wider world. Its origins and continuing mission are closely connected to Latino churches, and the institution offers instruction in English and Spanish. This makes LABI a specialized choice rather than a broad comprehensive college: prospective students should be comfortable with Christian formation and substantial Bible, theology, and ministry content across the curriculum. LABI is institutionally accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education to grant certificates and degrees at the associate and baccalaureate levels. The college announced in February 2025 that this accreditation had been reaffirmed through 2035. It is also approved to operate by California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. The official website was actively inviting fall 2026 applications as of August 2026, and a May 2026 commencement provides additional evidence of current operations.

LABI’s official homepage was accepting applications for fall 2026 as of August 2026. The published application process requires a completed online application and a nonrefundable $25 fee. First-time applicants are asked for an official high-school transcript, a pastoral reference, and either a personal-testimony essay or statement-of-calling essay, depending on the program. These faith-related requirements are important indicators of institutional fit. Transfer applicants must also submit official transcripts from previously attended colleges. LABI’s public admissions page says that no more than 18 units may be transferred from approved prior study, an unusually restrictive limit that transfer students should confirm directly before committing. The page does not publish a fall 2026 deadline, minimum GPA, standardized-test requirement, or current acceptance-rate methodology. Applicants should not rely on the SAT, ACT, or acceptance-rate figures in the database record without confirmation from admissions. International applicants face a significant limitation. LABI states that it is not currently certified to issue Form I-20, so it cannot sponsor the usual F-1 student-visa process. Its English admissions page requests a TOEFL score or equivalent, while the Spanish page also describes credential evaluations for education completed outside the United States. International applicants should obtain written guidance from LABI and appropriate immigration authorities before applying or paying fees.

LABI’s degree portfolio is focused. The college lists an Associate of Arts in Bible and Ministry and Bachelor of Arts programs in Theology, Psychology, and Business Administration, alongside a Certificate in Ministerial Studies. It does not advertise master’s or doctoral degrees. The extensive unrelated program list stored in the existing content metadata is not supported by the current academic pages and should not be used for advising. Each bachelor’s program requires 120 credits. The psychology and business curricula combine general education, a 30-credit Bible, theology, and ministry core, major coursework, and electives. Psychology covers areas such as human development, research methods, statistics, abnormal psychology, counseling, and the integration of psychology and theology. Business includes management, accounting, economics, statistics, marketing, business law, human resources, finance, and faith-informed ethics. Theology combines biblical studies, Pentecostal theology, ministry practice, preaching, urban ministry, cross-cultural ministry, and social concerns. Bachelor’s students must also complete an end-of-program capstone consisting of a written reflection and recorded presentation. The spring 2026 schedule showed a mix of campus classes, live online Zoom courses, and asynchronous online study, so delivery mode can vary by course. LABI also publishes a list of states in which it provides distance education. Prospective online students should confirm that their state remains authorized and that their intended program can be completed in the desired format before enrolling.

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1926 as the Latin American Bible Institute
• Pentecostal college with a bilingual and bicultural mission
• ABHE accreditation reaffirmed through 2035
• Operating from its La Puente campus and accepting fall 2026 applications

Student Life & Environment

Student life is organized around LABI’s Pentecostal identity. The Office of Spiritual Formation coordinates devotionals, chapel, pastoral guidance, and ministry opportunities. The college’s current chapel page lists gatherings on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday and Thursday mornings, including a student-led Tuesday worship experience. Students considering LABI should therefore expect faith formation to be a regular part of campus life rather than an optional extracurricular activity. LABI reports partnerships with more than 40 local churches through its mobilization and internship program. These opportunities are intended to help students develop ministry skills under church supervision. The pastoral team offers biblical and pastoral guidance but expressly distinguishes that support from medical counseling and refers students to licensed professionals when appropriate. Campus resources include the Dr. Simon Melendres Library, which serves both in-person and online learners with print holdings, an online catalog, research resources, and librarian assistance. On-campus housing is available: official student forms include a housing request, and campus materials describe dormitories, a cafeteria, chapel, classrooms, and separate dorm-room setups for men and women. Students should request the current housing handbook and availability details because the public site does not provide a complete 2026–2027 residence-life policy.

Location & Surroundings

LABI College is located at 14209 Lomitas Avenue in La Puente, within eastern Los Angeles County. The institution has occupied its La Puente site since the mid-twentieth century, and its current terms, admissions pages, and campus materials consistently identify this address. The setting gives students access to the churches and communities of the greater Los Angeles region while retaining a compact residential college environment. Official campus-tour information identifies classrooms, the library, chapel, and dormitory rooms among the principal facilities. The college also provides a main parking lot and has advertised free parking for admissions events. Its public materials do not provide sufficiently detailed, current information about public transportation, neighborhood amenities, or routine student transportation. Prospective students without a car should therefore map their likely commute and ask admissions how students typically reach shopping, employment, churches, and regional transit. Applicants planning to live on campus should verify housing availability before making travel or enrollment commitments, since a published housing capacity or 2026–2027 occupancy guarantee was not found.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The newest detailed official price schedule found is for 2025–2026, not 2026–2027. It lists tuition of $7,920 per semester. Approximate billed totals were $8,840 per semester for an off-campus degree student and $13,835 for an on-campus student, or $17,680 and $27,670 respectively for the academic year. The schedule says these estimates exclude books, supplies, special fees, transportation, and personal expenses, and the college reserves the right to change charges. These figures should therefore be treated as historical planning benchmarks; applicants need a current 2026–2027 cost sheet before deciding. LABI participates in federal student aid. Eligible students may submit the FAFSA using school code 042843 and may qualify for Pell Grants or Direct Loans. The college also advertises institutional aid and a net price calculator. Payment plans require 50 percent of the remaining semester cost upfront after applicable aid, plus the stated plan fee under the 2025–2026 schedule. Career preparation depends strongly on the program. Theology and Bible students can pursue supervised experience through LABI’s network of more than 40 church partners. Business and psychology curricula develop disciplinary knowledge alongside Christian ethics, communication, research, and leadership. However, LABI does not publish sufficiently current placement rates, salary outcomes, employer lists, or professional-licensure results on the reviewed pages. Psychology applicants should not assume that a bachelor’s degree alone qualifies them for licensed clinical practice and should compare the curriculum with the requirements of any intended graduate program or occupation.