Southern California University of Health Sciences
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO EDUCATE STUDENTS AS COMPETENT, CARING AND SUCCESSFUL PRACTITIONERS OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE. THE UNIVERSITY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMICS, SCHOLARSHIP, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP THROUGH ITS OFFERINGS OF BACHELOR, MASTER AND DOCTORATE PROGRAMS.
- Income
- $59.0 million
- Spending
- $57.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 95%
- Employees
- 523
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $701,562, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $30.6 million spent. FOUNDED IN 1911, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES (SCU) PREPARES HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO DELIVER INTEGRATIVE, WHOLE-PERSON CARE RESPONSIVE TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES. AS A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT INSTITUTION, SCU HAS ADVANCED A MODEL OF HEALTHCARE EDUCATION THAT RECOGNIZES THE FULL RANGE OF FACTORS INFLUENCING HEALTH, PHYSICAL, BEHAVIORAL, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL, AND EQUIPS GRADUATES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES ACROSS DIVERSE POPULATIONS.THE UNIVERSITY OFFERS TWELVE DEGREE PROGRAMS, SIX CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, AND A RANGE OF SHORT COURSES ACROSS DISCIPLINES INCLUDING CHIROPRACTIC, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, ACUPUNCTURE AND CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE, AYURVEDIC MEDICINE, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES, HUMAN GENETICS AND GENOMICS, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH SCIENCES, AND MORE.IN FALL 2024, SCU ENROLLED 1,464 STUDENTS IN ITS DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, SUPPORTED BY MORE THAN 340 FACULTY MEMBERS. DURING THE YEAR, THE UNIVERSITY AWARDED 448 DEGREES, INCLUDING 242 DOCTORAL, 170 MASTER'S, AND 36 BACHELOR'S DEGREES.STUDENTS IN SCU'S CLINICAL PROGRAMS GAIN SUPERVISED, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE THROUGH THREE UNIVERSITY-OPERATED ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTERS, PARTNERSHIPS WITH NINE HEALTH CENTERS, AND A BROAD NETWORK OF AFFILIATED CLINICAL AND PRECEPTOR SITES. ACROSS THESE SETTINGS, STUDENTS DEVELOP CLINICAL COMPETENCE WHILE HELPING EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE, INCLUDING SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY CLINICS, FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS.
- $5.2 million spent. SCU HEALTH PROVIDES INTEGRATIVE, WHOLE-PERSON CARE THROUGH AN ACADEMIC HEALTH SYSTEM THAT COMBINES CLINICAL SERVICE, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH. GROUNDED IN SCU'S COMMITMENT TO HEALTH EQUITY, THE PRINCIPLE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES SHOULD HAVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL HEALTH. SCU HEALTH DELIVERS PATIENT-CENTERED, EVIDENCE-INFORMED CARE THAT ADDRESSES THE FULL RANGE OF FACTORS INFLUENCING WELL-BEING.ACROSS ITS CLINICAL NETWORK, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY-OPERATED CLINICS, EMPLOYER-BASED SITES, AND CONTRACTED COMMUNITY LOCATIONS. SCU HEALTH DELIVERED MORE THAN 41,000 PATIENT VISITS IN 2025. THESE SERVICES EXTENDED CARE TO DIVERSE POPULATIONS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, HOSPITALS, FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS, AND PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.IN ADDITION TO DELIVERING PATIENT CARE, SCU HEALTH SERVES AS A CLINICAL TRAINING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS ACROSS MULTIPLE HEALTHCARE DISCIPLINES. UNDER LICENSED SUPERVISION, STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN TEAM-BASED CARE DELIVERY, GAINING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOPING THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR COLLABORATIVE, INTEGRATIVE PRACTICE. THIS MODEL SUPPORTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY PREPARING GRADUATES TO ADDRESS PHYSICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN DIVERSE CARE SETTINGS.SCU HEALTH ALSO ADVANCES COMMUNITY IMPACT THROUGH CLINICAL OUTREACH INITIATIVES. DURING THE YEAR, FACULTY SUPERVISED MORE THAN 200 STUDENTS IN DELIVERING CARE TO OVER 3,000 PATIENTS ACROSS 21 OUTREACH EVENTS, WITH THE MAJORITY FOCUSED ON UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS FACING BARRIERS RELATED TO INCOME, HOUSING, OR ACCESS TO CARE.THROUGH ITS INTEGRATED MODEL OF CARE, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH, SCU HEALTH CONTRIBUTES TO IMPROVING ACCESS, ADVANCING WHOLE-PERSON HEALTHCARE, AND PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO SERVE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
- $935,150 spent. THE SCU RESEARCH DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS A GROWING RESEARCH ENTERPRISE FOCUSED ON ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE IN INTEGRATIVE, WHOLE-PERSON HEALTHCARE AND IMPROVING PATIENT OUTCOMES. GUIDED BY SCU'S WHOLE HEALTH APPROACH, RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ALIGN WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S MISSION TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX PHYSICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH, WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE ACROSS HEALTHCARE DISCIPLINES.DURING 2025, SCU INVESTIGATORS LED AND CONTRIBUTED TO A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO OF RESEARCH INITIATIVES, INCLUDING 19 GRANT-RELATED PROJECTS AND 10 ACTIVE STUDIES, WITH ADDITIONAL PROPOSALS UNDER REVIEW. FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS PRODUCED 45 SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS AND DELIVERED 47 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, REFLECTING CONTINUED GROWTH IN RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY AND DISSEMINATION. IN 2025, ALL HEALTH SYSTEM RESEARCH REVENUE CAME FROM FEDERALLY FUNDED GRANTS.SCU'S RESEARCH PROGRAM INCLUDES FEDERALLY FUNDED AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY'S FIRST NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) R01 AWARD AND PARTICIPATION IN MULTI-INSTITUTION NIH-FUNDED RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS. THESE EFFORTS EXPAND SCU'S ROLE IN ADVANCING INTEGRATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH AND CONTRIBUTING TO NATIONAL AND GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC DIALOGUE.RESEARCH AT SCU IS INCREASINGLY ORGANIZED AROUND A WHOLE HEALTH FRAMEWORK, INTEGRATING CLINICAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND COMMUNITY-BASED PERSPECTIVES INTO STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOMES. THIS APPROACH SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF EVIDENCE-INFORMED MODELS OF CARE THAT REFLECT REAL-WORLD PATIENT NEEDS AND HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS.IN ADDITION TO FACULTY-LED RESEARCH, SCU ACTIVELY ENGAGES STUDENTS AND TRAINEES IN SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY, FOSTERING A CULTURE OF INQUIRY AND PREPARING FUTURE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO APPLY RESEARCH IN CLINICAL PRACTICE. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, SCU CONTINUES TO BUILD RESEARCH CAPACITY, EXPAND EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF WHOLE-PERSON, INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1948.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA), EIN 95-1642394. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.