We’re SO excited to have you joining the OneLife family! 🥳
To be honest, there’s a fair amount of paperwork and logistics between now and Move-In Day. But don’t worry, this is not a sink-or-swim situation! Helping you through the process is literally our job!
The first place we recommend you look is right here in the Student Portal! There are links and detailed instructions for each task below!
But if you’re still unsure about something, please reach out!
Your very first task is to download your Checklist!
Copy the document, save it to your google drive and bookmark it!
Then you can check off tasks and write down important info as you go.
Below are drop downs with detailed instructions about each task that you’ll need to do before move-in.
We’ve broken out the task into monthly “themes” to space them out (and for a little whimsy), but you’re always welcome to work ahead!
Passport applications can sometimes take up to a couple of months, which is why we have this EARLY in your onboarding process.
If you do not have a passport already: You will need to order a passport book ASAP as passport applications can sometimes take a few months.
If you already have a passport: Please ensure the expiration date is after December 1, 2028.
⏰ Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Apply to Cairn University if you’re attending our Pleasant View or Three Springs locations in Pennsylvania. Helpful information as you go:
Apply to North Greenville University if you’re attending our Sakanaga location in South Carolina.
⏰ Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Once you’re accepted as a student 🥳 you’ll receive an email inviting you to activate your new Cairn/NGU email. Please do so immediately.
They’ll be sending you vital information throughout the process so it’s important you have access and are checking it semi-regularly.
*Please Note, if you have not received an email to set up your Cairn/NGU email, please check your spam or junk folders. Then please email Cairn/NGU right away if you still have not received this email.
⏰ Estimated Time: 3 minutes
FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It is a U.S. federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, including grades, transcripts, disciplinary files, and class schedules. If you want your parents/guardians to see your financial bills, you will need to add them to your Core Campus account/portal.
Pleasant View & Three Springs Students
In order for your personal support system to communicate with Cairn about anything specifically for your bill you must complete the online FERPA form to be submitted directly to Cairn University.
Sakanaga Students
FERPA permission can be granted via the Student Portal.
You’ll need a physical and a few health forms (including this one for your doctor to fill out) completed later this spring, so go ahead and get an appointment on the calendar now.
Trust me, your future self will thank you.
⏰ Estimated Time: 30 minutes
FAFSA stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”.
By applying for FAFSA you will discover what federal aid you’re eligible for which could include grants, scholarships, loans or other options. This application does not automatically enroll you to any of the given options.
Please note FAFSA is time sensitive. The earlier you apply, the more financial aid you will most likely be eligible for, so we recommend students do this ASAP.
For Cairn Students: Use school code 003351
For NGU Students: Use school code 003441
It usually takes 1-3 days for your FAFSA to be processed.
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If you have a remaining balance after OneLife scholarships and FAFSA grants, then loans can help bridge the gap.
While OneLife does not offer loans directly, several external funding options are available.
Explore federal aid, parent financing, and university-recommended loans in our Student Loan Resource.
⏰ Estimated Time: 15 minutes
It usually takes 1-3 days for your FAFSA to be processed.
You will receive an email to your Cairn/NGU email about your financial aid.
⚠️ In order to receive scholarships, grants, or loans you must explicitly “accept” them. If the amounts reflected are not what you expect please contact the Financial Aid Department.
Cairn Financial Aid: finaid@cairn.edu; (215)702-4245
NGU Financial Aid: finaid@ngu.edu; (864) 977-7056
⏰ Estimated Time: 10 minutes
We want to encourage churches and ministries to invest in the growth of the next generation of Christian leaders. Therefore, OneLife will match a gift from a church or ministry up to $1,000 ($500 for the fall semester, $500 for the spring semester).
Send this Ministry Matching Grant Form to your church or a ministry you’re involved in for them to submit financial support directly.
⏰ Estimated Time: 1-2 hours
Build your support team by inviting friends and family to be part of your OneLife journey through prayer and financial support. OneLife provides options for students to set up a donation page.
We will stop receiving donations July 15th.
Even if you’ve never fundraised before, don’t worry, we’ll walk you through the process! Find instructions to Set up your Donation Page here and use this Sample Support Letter to create your own.
Print out this Medical Clearance Form and take to your next doctor’s appointment and have it signed. This helps us prepare for a safe and successful year.
⚠️ You will need this completed before filling out the OneLife Medical Form below.
⚠️ Additional Mandatory Requirement for Pleasant View, PA Students:
This site requires you to have the QuantiFERON Gold TB Blood Test done for the safety of the retired residents. You can either have this done at your primary care doctor’s office, OR you can wait to have this test done at move-in for $125 (taken out of your housing deposit).
⏰ Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Here’s what you’ll need to fill out the OneLife Medical Form:
⚠️ Additional Mandatory Requirement for Pleasant View, PA Students:
This site requires you to have the QuantiFERON Gold TB Blood Test done for the safety of the retired residents. You have 2 options:
⏰ Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Both NGU and Cairn require health forms before you arrive on campus. Find these in your student portals.
⚠️ Note for Cairn Students: You will need to provide a TB test regardless of you not attending on campus. Pleasant View students, your QuantiFERON Gold TB Blood Test will suffice.
⏰ Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Now we’re getting into some of the fun stuff! *rubs hands together excitedly*
We use this form to prepare for our trips, pick your roommate, and just get to know you better!
You’ll need to have this information handy:
After filling out the form, learn more about your OL location! Pleasant View | Three Springs | Sakanaga
⏰ Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes
Please be thorough and accurate with the Waiver & Release Form.
Students need to complete this form, but parents should review it as well.
⚠️ Three Springs, PA Students: If you will be under the age of 18 upon move-in, your parent/guardian also has to read, agree to, and sign portions of this waiver.
⏰ Estimated Time: 5 minutes
If you will be under the age of 18 upon move-in, your parent/guardian must fill out the additional Parent Waiver.
⏰ Estimated Time
Students attending Three Springs or Pleasant View must complete Pennsylvania Clearances before arriving on site. Because processing can take several weeks, we strongly encourage you to begin as soon as possible.
Use these detailed instructions for step-by-step guidance.
Once you have all 3 clearances, please submit them in this 3 minute OneLife Clearances Submission Form.
⚠️ Sakanaga, SC students do not have to complete this step.
We call it ‘Junk Drawer June’ not because these tasks aren’t important, but because they’re some of the last pieces to wrap up before you arrive!
Cairn and NGU have additional forms, acknowledgements, or enrollment tasks that need your attention.
Log into your Cairn’s Core Campus Portal or NGU’s Student Portal and make sure everything is completed!
You may have uploaded a partial transcript when applying. However, Cairn & NGU require proof of graduation via a final high school transcript sent directly from the high school or homeschooled administrator.
Please have these sent directly via a secure electronic source such as Parchment or e-Script (these are faster) or through the mail in a sealed envelope to Cairn/NGU using the addresses below.
Cairn University
Attn: Admissions
200 Manor Ave.
Langhorne, PA 19047
North Greenville University
Office of Admissions
P.O. Box 1892
Tigerville, SC 29688
⚠️ Final High School Transcript must include:
⚠️ If you were homeschooled: Cairn and NGU still need a final transcript. In these circumstances the “Official High School Administrator” is either a parent or an administrator at your home school co-op.
⏰ Estimated Time: 1 hour
Your site staff will email you a scheduling link as we get closer to summer.
Check back here in June, 2027 to book your call!
⏰ Estimated Time: 2 minutes
Around this time of year we start posting things on our social media accounts in preparation for our incoming class – think locations we’ll be traveling to, ways to prepare, introducing the site staff.
So follow along the fun!
⏰ 1 hour
Check back here in July for the Virtual Orientation link to meet your cohort, get the inside scoop on your year, and get hyped for what’s ahead!
Other than your Enrollment Fee ($250) and your Housing Deposit ($225) which you should have already paid at this point, the majority of your payments for OneLife will go through our University partners – Cairn for our PA locations and NGU for our SC location.
In July you’ll receive an email about your bill for the fall semester and options to sign up for a payment plan.
Then they usually require a first payment by August 1st, so please plan accordingly!
⚠️ If you do not receive a bill by July 15, please contact student accounts immediately.
⚠️ For Sakanaga, SC students: Room and board will be billed through OneLife instead of NGU. We will award your OneLife scholarships toward this amount first.
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If you have a remaining balance after OneLife scholarships and FAFSA grants, then loans can help bridge the gap.
While OneLife does not offer loans directly, several external funding options are available.
Explore federal aid, parent financing, and university-recommended loans in our Student Loan Resource.
Check out the packing list and start getting hyped for move-in! 🎒
You may need to order some essentials (especially for treks), so start prepping early!
Keep up with OneLife on Instagram! Feel free to share your senior photos, summer plans, and OneLife excitement!
Download the OneLife logo to put on graduation announcements, photos, etc!
Tour one of our campuses, connect with students and staff over a meal, and discover if OneLife is the right next step for you!
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virtual Options available!
