Pacific University

About Pacific University

Pacific traces its origins to an Oregon Trail orphan school established in 1848. It received a charter as Tualatin Academy in 1849 and later became Pacific University. The institution now combines undergraduate liberal arts and sciences with professional education, particularly in health-related disciplines and education. Its official program directory lists bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral study, while its institutional accreditation was reaffirmed in 2024 and affirmed again in January 2026. Forest Grove is the principal residential undergraduate campus and also hosts selected graduate and professional programs. Hillsboro houses many health-professions and business programs, and Pacific maintains a Portland location for its low-residency writing program. This distributed structure can be useful for students seeking clinical or metropolitan connections, but prospective graduate students should verify the delivery site and format of their specific program rather than assuming it is based in Forest Grove. A significant institutional transition is underway. Pacific and Willamette University signed a merger plan in July 2026, following board approval in June. Their published timeline anticipates a corporate merger in early 2027 after the first stage of regulatory approvals. The proposed collegiate structure is intended to retain the names, campuses, admissions processes, traditions, clubs, and athletic programs of participating schools and colleges. Pacific is therefore publishable as an operating institution on the current date, but students considering enrollment beyond 2026 should follow official merger communications for changes to governance, systems, programs, or policies.

First-time undergraduate applicants apply through the Common Application. Pacific’s current undergraduate admissions page states that the application is free, an official high-school transcript is required, and ACT or SAT scores are optional. It lists Early Action on November 1, Early Action II on January 15, and rolling review after January 15. Because the page does not label those dates with a specific entry year, applicants for 2027 or later should confirm them in the current application cycle before planning around them. Transfer applicants follow a separate process, while graduate and professional programs have program-specific prerequisites, deadlines, documents, and admissions routes. Applicants to those programs should not rely on undergraduate procedures or dates. International first-time undergraduates also use the Common Application and must provide an official high-school transcript and diploma with certified English translations, a recommendation, and English-proficiency evidence when applicable. International transfer applicants use Pacific’s transfer application and submit transcripts from every postsecondary institution attended. After admission, international students may need a financial statement, sponsorship documentation, passport copy, and credential evaluation of foreign university records. The university accepts several English tests and provides exemptions in specified circumstances, but applicants should verify the currently accepted tests and minimum scores on the dedicated proficiency page. Pacific states that international undergraduates may receive merit awards but are not offered aid beyond those awards or full-tuition coverage.

Pacific offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education through multiple academic areas. The official program directory identifies bachelor’s programs alongside master’s and doctoral options. Undergraduate study in Forest Grove covers the liberal arts and sciences as well as fields such as business, education, communication, arts, and health-related preparation. Graduate and professional offerings include programs in education, business, social work, optometry, and several health professions. Applicants should use the program directory to confirm the exact credential, prerequisites, campus, modality, and professional accreditation because these details vary substantially by course. The academic model emphasizes learning beyond lectures through research, internships, civic engagement, study abroad, and clinical or field placements where relevant. Pacific also provides academic and career advising and a Center for Learning and Student Success. Its Pacific Priority framework advertises mapped career pathways, early admission opportunities for selected graduate programs, and an on-time graduation guarantee; students should read the applicable terms before relying on any guarantee. Campus location matters academically. Forest Grove is home to residential undergraduate education and selected graduate programs, including optometry, social work, speech-language pathology, and teaching. Many health-professions and MBA offerings use facilities at Hillsboro, where classrooms, laboratories, and university clinics are located near Portland-area employers and transit. The low-residency writing program uses Pacific’s Portland location. Prospective students should compare not only subjects but also professional licensure requirements, clinical placement expectations, and commuting or relocation needs.

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit university chartered in 1849
• Institution-wide NWCCU accreditation is active, with the next full evaluation scheduled for 2030
• Forest Grove serves as the residential undergraduate campus
• A regulatory-dependent corporate merger with Willamette University is anticipated in early 2027

Student Life & Environment

The Forest Grove Campus provides the university’s primary residential undergraduate experience. Its facilities include residence halls, a student center, Tran Library, an auditorium, an athletic complex, an art gallery, a makerspace, gardens, and the Old College Hall museum. The downtown location places shops, restaurants, and community events within a few blocks, making daily life possible without treating the campus as an isolated enclave. Housing and dining are available on the Forest Grove Campus. Students preparing to enroll should review the current housing application, residency rules, room types, meal plans, and cancellation terms directly with Campus Living, since these can change by entering class and academic year. Academic support, health and counseling services, and public-safety resources are also located on or near the residential campus. Recreation can extend beyond university facilities. Forest Grove sits near farmland, forests, vineyards, and outdoor areas suitable for hiking, cycling, and paddling, while Portland and the Oregon Coast are accessible for occasional trips. Students in Hillsboro-based graduate and professional programs should expect a different experience: that campus is oriented more toward professional classrooms, laboratories, clinics, and metropolitan transit access than toward traditional residential undergraduate life. Applicants should therefore evaluate student life by program location rather than assuming every Pacific campus offers the same housing or activities.

Location & Surroundings

Pacific’s main campus is at 2043 College Way in Forest Grove, on the western edge of the Portland metropolitan area. The university describes it as approximately 22 miles west of downtown Portland. The campus occupies a central downtown position, combining historic brick buildings and oak-covered grounds with shops, restaurants, and seasonal community events nearby. Public transportation connects Forest Grove with the wider metropolitan area. TriMet bus service reaches the city, the MAX light-rail network extends to Hillsboro, and a local GroveLink shuttle operates within Forest Grove. Students should still examine journey times carefully if they expect frequent travel between Forest Grove and Hillsboro, since Pacific describes the campuses as roughly 10 miles apart and different programs are assigned to different sites. The surrounding region offers a small-city setting near forests, agricultural land, vineyards, and the Oregon Coast Range. Portland provides access to a larger employment and cultural market, while the coast is approximately an hour west by car according to the university. Hillsboro-based students benefit from direct MAX access and proximity to the city’s Health and Education District.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For undergraduate study on campus, Pacific’s published 2026–2027 estimate lists $60,100 in tuition and fees and $16,834 for room and meals, producing $76,934 in direct costs. Its fuller cost-of-attendance budget adds estimated books and supplies, personal expenses, transportation, and loan fees for a total of $79,856. These figures apply to the College of Undergraduate Studies on-campus budget, not automatically to graduate or professional programs, whose tuition and required expenses vary by course. The university explains that financial aid can reduce the published price. Domestic students seeking federal and institutional need-based assistance must complete the FAFSA. Pacific also advertises merit and talent-based scholarships, but applicants should use the net-price calculator and wait for an individualized award rather than treating a maximum scholarship figure as guaranteed. International undergraduates are considered for merit awards, while the university states that it does not provide them financial-aid packages beyond merit awards or full-tuition coverage. Career preparation is integrated through internships, research, civic engagement, study abroad, clinical placements, and other field experiences, depending on the program. Academic and career advising is available to undergraduates, and Pacific’s advising resources help students explore occupations, locate internships and employment, prepare application materials and interviews, and investigate graduate study. No current, program-level salary or placement-rate evidence was found in the selected official sources, so students should request recent outcomes for their particular degree before comparing career return on cost.