Unlocking Full-Ride and Full-Tuition Scholarships at PLU

When it comes to securing full-ride scholarships, they are quite rare at most colleges and universities. A full-ride scholarship covers all expenses related to attending school – tuition, student fees, housing, food, and more. The reality is that only a small number of students receive full-ride scholarships. At PLU, full-ride scholarships are limited to the potential 4-year Army ROTC Scholarship.

However, PLU offers several full-tuition scholarships that can significantly reduce your financial burden. Last year, 100% of our incoming students received financial aid, making PLU the #1 school in Washington and #9 in the U.S. for financial aid by LendEDU.

253 PLU Bound Scholarship

To qualify for the 253 PLU Bound Scholarship:

• You must be eligible for the College Bound Scholarship.
• Attend a high school in Washington state.
• Have a weighted cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher (PLU will weight your GPA if your high school does not).
• Enter PLU as a first-year student (including Running Start students with advanced standing).

The 253 PLU Bound Scholarship covers full tuition for four years at PLU, supported by a combination of PLU, federal, state, and College Bound scholarships and grants. It also includes a $1,000 per year Supporting Success Scholarship and a $1,500 per year Housing Grant (if you live on campus). Additional financial aid, such as work-study and loans, can be applied to room, meals, and other expenses.

Regents’ Scholarship (Presidential Scholarships)

Each year, top academic and leadership students are encouraged to apply for our Presidential Scholarships by the December deadline. The first award is the President’s Scholarship ($34,000 per year), with approximately 120 recipients. President’s Scholars are invited to Scholarship Weekend in February to interview for the Harstad Founder’s ($40,000 per year) and Regents’ (full tuition per year) Scholarships. Ten students receive the Harstad Founder’s, and five receive the Regents’.

Yellow Ribbon Scholarship®

PLU partners with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to offer full-tuition Yellow Ribbon Scholarships to qualified veterans or their dependents. With a strong history of supporting the military community, PLU is committed to providing greater access to private higher education through this program.

Other Scholarships

PLU has many more scholarships to offer – in fact, the average PLU student receives $37,036 in scholarships per year, which covers over 70% of our tuition! 

Have Questions? We’re Here to Help!

Feel free to contact us with any questions about scholarships and financial aid at PLU. We’re here to help you navigate your options for paying for college!

This post was originally published in July 2023 by Brady Daly, Associate Director of Admission, and has been updated with current information.