A federal appeals court has ruled that the U.S. Department of Education wrongly denied the nonprofit status of Grand Canyon University (GCU), which has been embroiled in a legal dispute since it reverted to nonprofit status in July 2018. The Department had initially denied the status in 2019, claiming it would benefit the for-profit entity that previously owned GCU, despite recognition from the Internal Revenue Service and state officials. This ruling comes ahead of a hearing regarding a $37.7 million fine imposed on GCU for allegedly misleading students about tuition costs while operating as a for-profit institution. The decision has been celebrated by supporters of GCU, including Rep. Andy Biggs, who described it as a significant victory for the largest Christian university in the nation.