FAQs

The most popular airports used by Biola student are Los Angeles International (LAX) and Orange County (John Wayne). Long Beach, Ontario and Burbank airports are also near the campus. For specific directions to and from these airports, please refer to Airport Directions on our web page.

Biola does not offer a shuttle service to/from local airports. Students can refer to the Rides section on Biola App to make arrangements with other students to carpool. Students could also consider using the City Bus and Metro Rail Green Line system. Primetime Shuttle also offers a Biola discount at 1-800-REDVANS.

There are several hotels in the local area that offer discounts to parents and family members of Biola students. For a complete listing, visit our local hotels page.

It is not recommended that parents stay in their student's residence hall room. However, students are permitted to have overnight guests of the same gender. Those guests are limited to three total nights in University housing per semester and must have consent of all roommates. Guests must register with the Resident Director or Resident Assistant.

There are a variety of factors that must be considered when determining how frequently parents visit their students and how often students visit their parents. This is of course an individual decision between students and their parents, however, we do have a few suggestions.

Come to Family Weekend! This is a special event that is scheduled each October where parents have the opportunity to visit campus and experience their student's home away from home as well as see the best of what Biola has to offer! The timing of this event is planned to give your student enough time to settle in, but also it's planned at a time when many students start to get a little homesick.

Visit your student, but please: no surprises. Homework, jobs and social activities tend to fill up a student's schedule. Allow your student time to plan ahead.

Family Weekend is held in October, about six weeks into the semester. It's a great time of year to see your student's environment, meet their friends and visit their favorite classes. It also falls around midterms when students often need some encouragement and to see a face from home.

Parents, siblings, grandparents and any other family members are highly encouraged to come. It's a valuable time for both you and your student to interact and help make their Biola experience more complete.

Please refer to the Academic Calendar for specific holiday dates for each academic year. The university is closed on the following holidays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Martin Luther King Day, Good Friday, Easter, Memorial Day and Independence Day. Classes are not in session during the Torrey Memorial Bible Conference in October and the Missions Conference in March. However students are required to attend conference sessions during those events.

Please refer to the Academic Calendar for specific holiday dates. Check with your student regarding when tests, finals, papers and important lectures are scheduled prior to making arrangements. We do encourage you to make your travel arrangements early, especially during the holidays, so your student leaves and arrives to campus at the appropriate times.

During the fall and spring semesters students may stay in their residence hall through vacation times including Christmas break as long as they will be living in Biola housing in the spring. For each holiday break, every resident needs to complete the mandatory holiday plans online form so Campus Safety knows who will and won't be on campus should we have an emergency.

While dorms are open during breaks, the Cafeteria is not open for service and students should make necessary arrangements for meals.

The university does not provide any storage for students’ belongings. You can ship boxes to campus prior to Welcome Week, contract with a portable container provider such as PODS or Public Storage, or rent local short-term storage for your student’s summer storage needs.

If you have boxes shipped, address them with your student’s name and 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada, CA 90639. Boxes may be picked up at the on-campus post boxes next to the Student Union Building.

If you send your student’s belongings in a portable storage container please check first with Facilities Services (562-903-4897) and Campus Safety (562-903-4877) about on-campus locations for the drop-off. We often repave and re-stripe parking lots during the summer months and we’d like to be certain your container won’t wind up in the middle of a project.

You can obtain a list of local self-storage facilities from Auxiliary Services (562-903-4872). Auxiliary Services is located in the Student Services Building, across from Chase Gymnasium.

Each student is assigned a mailbox ID after they complete the enrollment process for their first semester The mail ID stays the same during their entire time at Biola, even if they change residence halls or move off-campus.

We want to make sure that all recipients get their mail and packages as quickly as possible. In order to do so, please use the following format for your address on campus. If this format is not followed, there might be a slight delay in getting your items to you:

First Name Last Name

Mail ID

13800 Biola Avenue

La Mirada, CA 90639

Yes, student packages may be shipped ahead of time. However, due to the space constraints we ask that items be shipped no more than two weeks prior to the student's arrival on campus. Always use the student's box number on the package. If your son/daughter is a new student without a mailbox number, please put NEW STUDENT on the package.

Address packages as follows:

Your student's name

Mail ID

13800 Biola Ave.

La Mirada, CA 90639

For the most up to date and accurate figures check tuition and costs.

Visit the Office of Financial Aid to learn about possible financial aid opportunities.

Find out more information on payment plans.

FERPA stands for The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1.The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 30 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

2.The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

3.The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. “Directory Information” however, is generally available to third parties unless otherwise requested by the student.

4.The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Learn more about FERPA.

No. Due to a federal privacy regulation called FERPA, students and only students are given their grade report. Students are encouraged to share their grades with their parents, but Biola is unable to release that information to anyone other than the student. Learn more about FERPA.

Grade reports will be available to the student on their Canvas portal at the end of each academic term. Students may access their grades on-line or they may request a printed paper report at the end of the term from the Registrar's Office.

As the parent of a college student, your son or daughter, who turned eighteen, is considered an adult on many levels - he or she became eligible to marry, join the military, vote and be treated by a physician without parental approval. We celebrate this important time of growth and independence with you! We want to help you understand the implications their age will have on their privacy including your access to their educational and financial records.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that was instituted in 1974 for the purpose of protecting the privacy of student education records by defining and limiting those who have access to the information. At Biola, when a student enters postsecondary education, regardless of tax dependency and age, rights to access the student’s educational records are transferred from the parent to the student.

What does this mean for parents?

It means that under FERPA, your student holds the right to the release of his or her academic information, including financial information. Even when parents pay the tuition for their student, they do not have access to their student’s educational or financial records without their student’s signed, written consent, in compliance with these federal regulations.

Biola believes that parental and family support is instrumental in the success of our students. While we promise to treat your son or daughter as an adult, we understand that students still desire and seek out parental guidance. We encourage you to communicate regularly with your student regarding their academic progress. In cases where you desire specific educational records, your student will be able to provide written consent to the office regarding their records. If that is the case, we hope the following details will be helpful in knowing next steps for releasing consent.

Financial Aid

• FERPA Protected Information:
  Student-specific financial aid application, documentation, and award information
• Means for Consent:
  Information Release Consent form, myaccount.biola.edu > Student Financials > Financial Aid Requirements or biola.edu/financial-aid/process/forms.
• Contact:
  financialaid@biola.edu
  (562) 903-4742
  biola.edu/financial-aid

Student Account Services

• FERPA Protected Information:
  Any specific account information
• Means for Consent:
  myaccount.biola.edu > Financials > Access your student account. New Authorized Users (AU) must be designated by the student by providing an AU’s email address. The Authorized User must activate the authorization by logging on per emails sent to them.
• Contact:
  student.accounts@biola.edu
  (562) 903-4760
  biola.edu/student-account-services

Registrar

• FERPA Protected Information:
  Non-Directory Information
• Means for Consent:
  As the manager of their own educational records, students may authorize Biola to share and release non-directory information from their educational records to the recipient(s) of their choosing. Official Transcripts can be released through the University’s transcript ordering process and Unofficial Transcripts are accessible to the student on myaccount.biola.edu. Additional means of releasing non-directory information are available through the Office of the Registrar.
• Contact:
  registrar@biola.edu
  (562) 903-4720
  biola.edu/registrar

Further information about FERPA, including how student requests for total confidentiality relate to the release of both directory and non-directory information can be found online at FERPA: Notification of Student Rights and Directory Information Public Notice.

Always feel welcome to call Family Engagement with any questions or concerns about your student and your role as a parent or guardian. We are here to resource you, guide you, and help you navigate FERPA guidelines.

Housing has provided a full housing packing list of do’s and don'ts when it comes to packing for college.

Google Apps for Education is a package of online tools that makes communicating and collaborating easier and more efficient. The cornerstone of Google apps is Gmail, Google’s web-based email program, which integrates with Google Calendar, for coordinating schedules, and Google Docs, for creating and sharing documents, All of these services are hosted online, so email, documents and calendars are always accessible from any computer.

Internet access is free on campus. All of our residence hall rooms (as well as the computer lab and library) are wired with Ethernet for high-speed (broadband) communication with both the Biola intranet and the Internet.

For frequently asked questions about Google apps and other computer questions visit Biola's FAQs.

Biola does not have a Sunday service on campus because we desire for students to get involved in a local church in the community. There are a variety of churches in the local community as well as throughout the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas that Biola students attend. For a listing of churches near Biola, refer to the list of local churches.

Eagle's Nest, Heritage Café and Blackstone Café offer food service for students. Most are open all day and evening, Monday through Friday, with additional hours on Saturday and Sunday. Students may use Flex Points, cash, credit or “meal equivalencies” to eat in the on campus eateries.

Often students know a handful of friends, classmates and floormates that own a car. Encourage your student to reach out to them when they are in need of a ride somewhere. As courtesy they should always offer to pay for the gas and inconvenience.

The city of La Mirada offers a dial-a-ride service which operates on weekdays and Saturday for a very low cost. For a complete listing of their schedules and services, check out the City of La Mirada website. Look under 'Community Services' and then 'Transit'.

Students can refer to the Rides section on Biola Classifieds  or use the Biola App to make arrangements with other students to carpool.

Biola has a detailed, well prepared plan to meet the needs of the Biola community in case of an emergency. This plan includes Emergency Response Teams, composed of university specialists, to address different aspects of any problem; routine fire drills practiced once a month in dorms where students are informed of evacuation plans; Building Coordinators assigned to coordinate emergency preparedness for every building on campus and Emergency Response Guidelines posted in every classroom and dorm room. Should an emergency occur, families can view live updates via our Biola’s Twitter, Facebook and Emergency notifications page.

We want parents to be involved in supporting their students at Biola! There are a variety of ways that parents can serve students and other Biola parents. Email parents@biola.edu to be a Parent Ambassador by volunteering at Parent and Family Welcome, Family Weekend, Grandparents Day or being part of our parent to parent welcome calls.

You could also join the Parent Council, composed of more than 24 members, that represents a cross-section of the student population. Parent Council members help at our on campus events, regional meet ups as well as provide helpful insight into how Biola can best serve our families. Get more information on our Parent Council.

To stay connected with the University parents, sign up to be part of our twice monthly parent e-mail news update and monthly “Parents in Prayer” email group.

Parents are also encouraged to attend Family Weekend in October each year and sporting events or music performances on campus or in your local area.

Parents also have the opportunity to give to Biola out of their financial resources through the following funds:

Biola Fund: Benefitting student affordability now and into the future

Parent Benevolent Fund: The purpose of the Parent Benevolent Fund is to provide compassionate assistance to students in emergency situations. Examples of such would be travel expenses to a funeral of immediate family member, medical emergencies, mental health needs and financial exigency.

Visit our development website for more information.

As a part of the division of Student Success, the Career Center exists to educate and equip students and alumni to discern their life goals and design an engaging learning experience in preparation for meaningful work and calling.

The Career Center provides assistance in choosing a major and career path, internship and job search coaching, resume assistance, career assessment and graduate school planning. Additionally, they conduct employer outreach and manage unique job/internship postings through Handshake.

The Student Health Center provides confidential health services for all registered students. Consultation with a physician or nurse is free, however there is a fee for medications or specific treatments. There are 45 items available in the Health Center waiting room for self-care at no cost. For office hours or contact information, including a list of local hospitals, check out the Health Center website.

Your student’s chapel participation and any correspondence with them are protected by The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Chapel Accountability cannot discuss the specific details of your student’s participation in chapels. Our encouragement would be to ask your student to share any email correspondence from the Chapel Accountability Office that they would have received throughout the semester. You can also ask your student to share their chapel report with you, which can be found on your student’s MyBiola Account. If that information does not answer your questions, please encourage your student to email the Chapel Accountability Office at chapel.accountability@biola.edu, and ask for specific reasons why a chapel fine was applied to their account. You can then ask your student to share that information with you.

Your student can choose to waive their FERPA rights, and can do so by completing a FERPA: Consent Release Form. Your student can designate which information they would like released and to whom it can be shared with. This would not be permission for ongoing tracking of your student's chapel participation but an up-to-date release of their information at this point in time.