nonprofit status by applying the wrong standard of assessment. The Dept. of Education was ordered to reevaluate according to a different standard.
=== Regulatory sanctions ===
In 2008, the federal government sued GCU for paying enrollment counselors according to how many students they had enrolled while at the same time accepting federal financial aid, a violation of the Department of Education's incentive compensation ban. GCU reached a settlement in the case, and was forced to pay a $5.2 million fine to a former employee and the government.
In 2023 the Department of Education fined the company $37.7 million for deceiving students about the cost of doctoral degrees. The department alleged that 78% of students graduating in those programs paid about 25% more than the cost that GCU represented, with much of the extra charges accumulating from additional "continuation classes" for completing the dissertation requirement. Only 2% paid the represented cost. The school disputed the allegation, claiming in addition …
