Independent colleges and universities generally believe the primary responsibility for funding one's higher education belongs to the student and his or her family, assisted as necessary with outside support from public and private aid.

Tuition, however, never covers all the costs of educating a student. Other support includes equipment and facilities donated by others over many years, as well as teachers supported by endowments, and field experiences donated by businesses and schools, as well as by health, social service and government agencies.

Most students at independent colleges depend on a wide array of direct financial assistance to meet their tuition and other costs. Among the sources of this aid are the colleges themselves, private donors, community scholarship funds, churches, foundations, corporations, and state and federal financial aid programs.

Three-quarters of all students at Oregon's independent colleges and universities receive financial assistance totaling more than $250 million per year. All students who desire the distinctive opportunities provided at an independent college or university are encouraged to apply to the colleges of their choice and to request financial aid at the same time. Many students accepted by a private college are surprised to find that the direct cost to them and their families is about the same or even less than that expected at a government-owned institution.