Financial Aid
Scholarships
You've worked hard and performed well. Elmhurst College may have just the scholarship for you. We believe in recognizing and rewarding excellence, so we offer an array of scholarships—ranging in value from $2,000 to $21,000—for academic achievement and talent in the visual and performing arts. You may also be eligible for one of our special scholarships if you are a member of an underrepresented group, if you belong to a congregation of the United Church of Christ, or if you are related to an Elmhurst graduate or student. It's all about giving deserving students access to an extraordinary education.
Freshman Scholarships
Transfer Scholarships
Other Scholarships
Scholarships for Adult Students in Accelerated Majors
Scholarship Search
External Scholarships
Freshman Scholarships: 2012–2013 Academic Year
If you're an entering freshman with a strong high school academic record, you may earn a valuable scholarship that can be renewed each year of your studies at Elmhurst. We award these scholarships based on a combination of high school grade point average and curriculum in English, mathematics, laboratory science, social science and foreign language courses and composite ACT or SAT scores. We may also consider a student's essay, letters of recommendation and extracurricular activities. To be considered, apply for admission by the preferred date of February 15.
Presidential Scholarship
These scholarships range in value from $17,000 to $21,000 per year. Presidential Scholars will have excelled in a challenging high school curriculum including a number of advanced placement and honors courses and will have consistently demonstrated superior academic performance in all measures at the high school level. These scholarships may be renewed with the maintenance of a 3.25 Elmhurst grade point average and full time enrollment.
Dean's Scholarships
These scholarships range in value from $12,000 to $16,000 per year. Dean's Scholarship winners will have high-level performance in a strong high school program, including advanced placement and honors courses and will have shown superior abilities in most other academic endeavors. These scholarships may be renewed with the maintenance of a 3.00 Elmhurst grade point average and full time enrollment.
Founders Scholarships
These scholarships range in value from $6,000 to $11,000 per year. Founders Scholarship recipients will have performed at a superior level in a solid college-bound curriculum and will have demonstrated above average abilities in other academic indicators. These scholarships may be renewed with the maintenance of a 2.75 Elmhurst grade point average and full time enrollment.
Transfer Scholarships: 2012–2013 Academic Year
Each year we offer the top 20 percent of entering transfer students valuable scholarships that may be renewed each year of their studies at Elmhurst. Scholarships are offered based on the grade-point average attained in previous college-level work and on the number of college credit hours earned at the time of application. Scholarships range in value from $6,000 to $18,000 per year.
Transfer Excellence Scholarships
To be considered for an Excellence Scholarship, students must have earned at least 45 semester hours of transferable college credit and a cumulative transfer grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale at the time of application. Maintenance of a 3.25 grade-point average and full time enrollment are required for renewal.
Transfer Achievement Scholarship
To be considered for an Achievement Scholarship, students must have earned at least 30 semester hours of transferable college credit, and have a cumulative transfer grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale at the time of application. Maintenance of a 3.00 grade point average and full time enrollment are required for renewal.
Transfer Recognition Scholarships
Students with less than 30 semester hours of transferable credit at the time of application are considered for these scholarships. To be considered for a Recognition Scholarship, students must have a cumulative transfer grade-point average of 2.80 on a 4.00 scale at the time of application. Maintenance of a 2.75 grade point average and full time enrollment are required for renewal.
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships are offered to students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa, and have earned a cumulative transfer grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale at the time of application. The scholarship is valued at $2,000 and can be added to other scholarship funds offered by Elmhurst. Students must provide official college transcripts confirming PTK membership at the time of application to be considered for this award. Renewal of this scholarship requires maintenance of the grade point average needed for the scholarship award (Excellence, Achievement, Recognition) and full time enrollment.
Other Scholarships
Enrichment Scholarships
This scholarship has a value of one third tuition ($10,000 for 2011-2012)*. These scholarships are offered to freshmen and transfer students who are members of traditionally underrepresented groups at Elmhurst. The scholarship is not limited by race or ethnicity. The scholarship is renewable with the maintenance of a 2.50 grade point average and full time enrollment. To be considered for an enrichment scholarship, apply for admission to Elmhurst College.
*For students paying comprehensive tuition fee
United Church of Christ Scholarships
This scholarship has a value of one third tuition ($10,000 for the 2011-2012)*. These scholarships are offered to freshmen and transfer students who are members of congregations of the United Church of Christ. These scholarships are renewable each year, provided that the recipient remains enrolled full time and in good standing at the College. To receive consideration, apply for admission at Elmhurst and ask your pastor to submit a letter of membership to the Director of Financial Aid.
*For students paying comprehensive tuition fee.
Music Scholarships
Scholarships of up to $21,000 are offered to students planning to major in music based on academic credentials and an audition. All students who plan to major in music, music education, music business, music theory and composition or jazz studies must audition. To be considered for a music scholarship, apply for admission and schedule an audition by contacting: Gayle Bisesi, Director of Music Admission, (630)617-3524 or bisesig@elmhurst.edu.
Art and Theatre Talent Scholarships
Talent Scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate exceptional talent in art or theatre. Students may receive these scholarships in addition to other scholarships offered by Elmhurst College. To receive consideration, apply for admission and contact the appropriate director for audition or portfolio details:
- Art: Mary Lou Stewart, Chair and Associate Professor, (630) 617-3553 or marylous@elmhurst.edu
- Theatre: Janice Pohl, Director of the College Theatre, (630) 617-3008 or janicep@elmhurst.edu
Legacy Scholarships
Legacy Scholarships are valued at $2,000 and may be added to to other scholarships offered by Elmhurst. This scholarship is offered to students that have directly related family members (father, mother, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother) who have graduated from or are currently enrolled full time at Elmhurst College. Students must identify their legacy relative in their application for admission in order to receive the award.
More Affordable Than You May Think
An education like the one you will find at Elmhurst is one of the biggest-and wisest-investments you'll make. We provide a variety of financial aid options to make the Elmhurst experience a more affordable one. About 85 percent of our entering students receive financial aid. In addition to awarding the scholarships described here, we work with students and their families to evaluate financial needs and get them the grants, loans and student employment that will help them meet the costs of the College. For more information on applying for financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid, (630) 617-3075.
Scholarships for Undocumented Students
A potential source of financial aid is private scholarships. There are a few private scholarships for undocumented students that do not require the student to be a US citizen or have a social security number in order to apply. Information about such scholarships can be found in the FastWeb scholarship search. Other good resources include the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational fund (MALDEF) (see especially the MALDEF List of Scholarships fro Undocumented Students and the MALDEF Scholarships), and the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund.
Some Things to Keep in Mind
We make our scholarship decisions at the time of admission, based on the credentials and supporting materials you submit when you apply.
Students eligible for two scholarships receive only the larger of the two. Phi Theta Kappa, Enrichment, UCC, Art, Theatre and Legacy scholarships valued at $2,000 are exceptions to this policy; these may be awarded in addition to other scholarships.
*UCC members and students eligible to receive the Enrichment Scholarship who receive an academic or music scholarship greater than one-third tuition will receive a $2,000 scholarship in addition to their academic scholarship.
Scholarships described here apply to students regularly admitted to Elmhurst as first-time bachelor's degree candidates enrolled full time.
Students who fall below the academic standard for renewal of a scholarship may regain the scholarship in a subsequent term by attaining the required cumulative grade point average.
This information is subject to change without notice.
Scholarships for Adult Students in Accelerated Majors Academic Year 2011-2012
Transfer scholarship requirements
Renewable scholarships are offered to a number of adult students each year entering accelerated programs. Scholarships are offered based on the grade point average attained in previous college-level work and on the number of semester hours of college credit earned. To be considered for a scholarship, students must enroll full-time (12 or more semester hours per term) and be seeking their first bachelor's degree. Part-time, readmit, non-degree and second degree students are not eligible for these scholarships. By completing an application for admission you are requesting consideration for a scholarship. Students while enrolled in an accelerated program, paying on a per credit hour basis, may receive scholarship money for Fall, Spring and Summer terms. *Note: Summer scholarship consideration extends only to students during the accelerated, cohort portion of their academic program. If the student chooses to pursue a second accelerated program in the future, the scholarship can only be used for the Fall and Spring terms of that second program, not the Summer term.
Elmhurst Excellence Scholarships
This scholarship is valued at $2,000 per term* and requires maintenance of a 3.25 grade-point average and full-time enrollment for renewal. To be considered for an Excellence Scholarship, students must have earned at least 45 semester hours of transferable college credit and a cumulative transfer grade-point average of 3.50 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.
Elmhurst Recognition Scholarships
This scholarship is valued at $1,000 per term* and requires the maintenance of a 2.75 grade-point average and full-time enrollment for renewal. To be considered for a Recognition Scholarship, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of a 2.80 to 3.24 on a 4.0 scale in previous college work and present credentials that merit consideration.
Enrichment Scholarships
These scholarships are offered to qualified students who are members of traditionally underrepresented groups at the College. The award is valued at one-third tuition and recipients must be enrolled on a full-time, degree seeking basis. The scholarship is renewable for up to two years, provided the recipient maintains full-time enrollment and a cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 or above.
United Church of Christ Scholarships
Elmhurst offers one-third tuition scholarships to students paying comprehensive tuition who belong to congregations of the United Church of Christ. These scholarships are renewable up to two years, provided that the recipient remains enrolled full time and in good standing at the College. To receive consideration, you must note that you are a member of a United Church of Christ congregation on your admission application and your pastor must submit a letter of nomination to the Director of Financial Aid.
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarships
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships are offered to students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa at the institution they are transferring from, and have earned a cumulative transfer grade-point average of 3.50 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application. Renewal of these scholarships requires full-time enrollment and the maintenance of the grade-point average needed for the academic scholarship awarded (Excellence or Recognition). The scholarship is valued at $1,000 and can be added to the Transfer Scholarship funds offered by the College. This scholarship cannot be used during the Summer term. Students must provide official college transcripts or a copy of their certificate confirming PTK membership at the time of application to be considered for this award.
Legacy Scholarships
Legacy scholarships are offered to students who have directly related (father, mother, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother) family members who have graduated from or are currently enrolled full time at Elmhurst College. The scholarship is valued at $1,000 and can be added to other scholarship funds offered by the College. This scholarship cannot be used during the Summer term. Students must identify their legacy relative on their Application for Admission in order to receive the award.
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Scholarship Search
Free Internet sites can be excellent sources of scholarship information. Fastweb is a private company that lists both obvious and obscure awards. After you register with Fastweb, you will receive periodic feedback. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission offers a similar service and a great deal of financial aid information. Other free scholarship search sites are www.scholarshipexperts.com and www.studentscholarships.org
External Scholarships
Elmhurst College receives information about outside scholarships from various sources. The following is a listing of some current outside scholarship opportunites.
| Organization/Web site | Application Deadline | |
| Yankton College Scholarship | 02/10/12 | |
| www.yanktoncollege.org | ||
| GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship | 02/17/12 | |
| http://www.facebook.com/GEReaganScholarships | ||
| Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship | 03/01/12 | |
| www.collegeillinois.org | ||
| Angeline Gale Memorial Scholarship | 03/01/12 | |
| www.aauw-il.org/naperville | ||
| Illinois News Broadcasters Association | 03/03/12 | |
| www.inba.net | ||
| Marianjoy Scholarship Program | 03/30/12 | |
| www.marianjoy.org | ||
| Fox Valley Branch American Public Works Association | 03/30/12 | |
| http://chicago.apwa.net | ||
| The Chicago Lighthouse Scholarship | 03/30/12 | |
| www.thechicagolighthouse.org | ||
| Army Nurse Corps Association | 03/31/12 | |
| http://e-anca.org | ||
| St. Charles Mother's Club | 04/01/12 | |
| www.stcharlesmothersclub.org | ||
| REACh Your Goals Scholarship | 04/01/12 | |
| scholarship application | ||
| Good Shepherd Hospital auxiliary scholarship | 04/30/12 | |
| www.advocatehealth.com/gshp/scholarships | ||
| B. Davis Scholarship | 05/28/12 | |
| http://www.studentawardsearch.com/scholarships.htm | ||
| PICU scholarship | 06/01/12 | |
| scholarship application | ||
| Abbott and Fenner Scholarship Program | 06/15/12 | |
| http://www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm | ||
| Big Sun Scholarship | 06/22/12 | |
| http://www.bigsunathletics.com | ||
| AES Engineering Scholarship | 10/05/12 | |
| http://www.aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm | ||
| SIT Study Abroad Scholarships | ongoing | |
| http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/721.htm | ||
| P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education | ongoing | |
| www.peointernational.org | ||
| Cappex Scholarship Resources | ongoing | |
| http://www.cappex.com/scholarships | ||
| Army ROTC | ongoing | |
| www.wheaton.edu/rotc | ||
| Air Force ROTC | ongoing | |
| www.afrotc.com/scholarships | ||
