A Parent's FAQ

Homesickness and leaving family and friends behind can present challenges during the first year. Students indicate that it helps if family members keep in close contact by phone, e-mail, sending care packages and letters, and participating in the Adopt-a-Dorm program. Sending items that make them smile, like pictures or cards, is meaningful. A Starbucks (or other) gift card comes in handy around midterms and finals. Another area of adjustment is having a roommate and all aspects of sharing the space, especially if your student is accustomed to having his/her own room. The academic pace can also be an adjustment since most Pepperdine University students were successful in high school. This environment can be more competitive. 

Students recommend that new students wait a few months before going home for the first time, citing Thanksgiving as a good goal. Being here allows students to connect and thrive within the Pepperdine community. Holiday breaks are also great opportunities to travel home with new friends. Interim housing (on-campus) is available to students who stay in Malibu for holiday breaks, excluding Spring Break. 

Students wishing to use cellular phones on the Malibu campus will find that AT&T™ and Verizon™ enjoy the best cell coverage. Cell phone representatives will be on campus during the New Student Orientation in August, and they will provide the latest phones and subscription plans for students.

All charges are assessed to the student's financial account and charged at the start of each semester. All financial information, including charges, financial aid, and a "To-Do List," is available through your student's Wavenet account. Please call One Stop at (310) 506-7999 for details related to addresses, fee schedules, etc. 

Extensive medical services are available at the on-campus Student Health Center Monday through Friday, 8 AM -5 PM PST, and offer a wide range of services similar to a primary care practitioner's office. Most of these services are offered at no charge as part of the Thrive Wellness Program. After hours, students have 24/7, no-cost care available by utilizing the TimelyCare platform or visiting our website for the closest urgent care and emergency rooms. 

The rooms are furnished with an extra-long twin bed, a dresser (or three stackable drawers), a small bookcase (or desktop book hutch), and a desk with a chair and a coolwave (refrigerator/microwave unit).   A common living room with a loveseat, lounge chair, and two sofas. These items must remain in the room.  Students are free to personalize and accessorize the rooms any way they want within the following guidelines: refrain from installing objects on the wall that leave a hole greater than 1/2 inch or use adhesive materials; the walls may not be painted in any way; do not bring fire hazards such as halogen lamps, candles, toasters, BBQs, etc; and do not use cinderblocks or furniture to loft the furniture. 

Vacuums are provided in freshmen dorms and available in other housing complexes upon request. Cleaning services are provided in freshmen housing in common areas and bathrooms only. An outsourced laundry service is also available if you are interested. Sparkletts water service may be arranged if students are interested. Individual microwave units, refrigerators, or air conditioners are NOT allowed due to the strain on available electricity in each building.

Common responses from students include the fact that it is easier to have a car, especially if you are used to having one, but there are ways to get rides with other students.  If you do not have a car and you want to get off campus (and you will want to), many students carpool if they want to go shopping in LA, Santa Monica, or through Malibu Canyon.  If you don't have a car, many first-year students don't, and you are more likely to become more connected to the Pepperdine community, especially if you live in Southern California and think you will go home often.  Parking is free and readily available throughout campus, including the newly added parking structure at Mullin Park, but you must register your car and obtain a parking pass.

Other options include Zipcar. Students are able to rent cars on campus by the hour. The Pepperdine SGA Lyft Ride Smart pilot program offers current Seaver College students discounted Lyft rides to or from the Malibu campus Monday through Saturday during eligible time windows. Learn more about how you can participate in the SGA Lyft-Ride program. 

Students can find off-campus and on-campus employment through the Seaver College Career Center as well as CareerSpace (available through your Wavenet account). On-campus jobs offered throughout the year include positions with Sodexo food service, Payson Library, the Pepperdine Call Center, and many more departments. Lots of students have financial aid packages (Federal Work Study) that require student employment each semester.  Whatever the reason, on-campus employment is not only a good source of additional income, but also a way to get connected to the Pepperdine community, to meet other students and professional staff members.

The amount of money your student needs to spend varies among students. Many things to do on campus or in the Los Angeles area do not cost additional money.  The student's financial responsibilities also impact the amount; for example, will the student be responsible for paying a monthly phone bill or need cash for gas?  After that is determined, other frequent expenses include recreational activities such as movies, occasional meals out, and membership dues for Greek organizations that can range from $300-$500 each semester; some campus events, such as concerts or fundraisers, can create additional costs. Many on-campus student employment opportunities are available, so please see the Student Employment office or CareerSpace (available through Wavenet).

We recommend that students bring several items for their room/bathroom, including a lamp, surge protector/extension cord, a fan, twin XL mattress pad, hangers, a trash can, and a laundry basket/hamper, among other items you think your student will use (avoid over-packing). Deciding what to bring to college is not easy, but you and your student will save lots of time by creating a checklist of essentials. Here is our suggested packing list!

Each student is assigned a campus mailbox number and combination.  In the box, students will receive letters, and notification slips indicating that they will pick up a package in the Lighthouse mailroom. Students can ship items 30 days before arrival in August.  These items can be picked up Monday-Friday between the hours of 8 AM - 4:30 PM PST.

The mailing address is:

24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Campus Box # _____
Malibu, CA 90263

We are fortunate to be in a safe community, but it is always important to use good common sense. Pepperdine's Department of Public Safety routinely patrols the campus and is available 24 hours per day to respond. Students should always secure their room in their residence hall and carry their ID cards when they leave. Personal property should not be left unattended, and cars should be locked. When walking at night or traveling in the Los Angeles area, having a companion and/or making sure someone is aware of your plans is important.  

Pepperdine University maintains strict conduct expectations for students and guests, which are in place for safety and privacy reasons, including designated visitation hours for members of the opposite sex, and alcohol is prohibited on campus premises.

About 30% of the students at Pepperdine participate in the Greek system. Our community is a progressive and dynamic group of eight sororities and five fraternities across three national councils dedicated to living lives of "purpose, service, and leadership."  Pepperdine Fraternity & Sorority Life's core values are: scholarship, leadership, friendship, philanthropy, community service, spiritual development, and personal growth. Since the university does not authorize alcohol on campus or at any university function, the stereotype of wild parties and drunkenness is not prevalent here. The organizations do not have individual houses.  Please see the Campus Life home pages for detailed information about the Greek system.

Pepperdine has many highly competitive NCAA athletic teams and Intramural sports teams that provide a great opportunity for recreation. The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University offers many opportunities to see artists, musicians, dancers, and performers with incredible talent and relentless determination to perfect their craft. The local beaches are popular for students during warmer weather. The Malibu Country Mart, Malibu Village Mall, Malibu Lumberyard, Malibu Colony Plaza, Trancas Country Mart, and Pointe Dume Village are convenient shopping areas. The 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and Westwood are frequent evening destinations for movies and dining.  The Commons in Calabasas and The Promenade in Westlake Village are also very popular!

Students have several options when it comes to study areas.  Payson Library on the main campus and student lounge in The Lighthouse of the Tyler Campus Center is open 7 days a week with varied hours.  The Howard A. White Center is open 24 hours.

Students have WiFi access all over campus and can connect to the internet using their Wavenet login information.  Each student bedroom has two phone lines and Ethernet jacks. Computers and printers are available for use in The Lighthouse, Payson Library, and the Center for Communication and Business. Printing is also available to students, payable only through Waves Global Cash, which can be loaded onto your student's ID card online or at OneStop. For more information on this subject, please call the Seaver Technology Group at (310) 506-4191.

The student ID acts like a debit card. When purchasing food or drinks, present it to a cashier at one of Pepperdine's dining locations. The cashier will swipe the card, and the appropriate number of points will be deducted from your balance. You can then view your remaining balance on the screen to help you keep track. The fastest way to pay online is using an ID card. To check the remaining balance of your meal plan, go to your WaveNet > ID Card Services. 

To learn how to add money to your students ID card, visit the Waves Cash Global page.

Frequently asked questions regarding tuition can be found here.