Scholarships and Grants

Application:  Students must complete the Presidential Scholarship application in addition to all admission application materials by December 1.

Eligibility:  Only students who have been selected for the President’s Scholarship.

Amount:  Full tuition, renewable for an additional three years of undergraduate study.

Number: Five Regent’s Scholars are selected from the 125 President’s Scholars after an on-campus competitive faculty interview process.

Awarding:  Students are notified within two weeks after the interview process in late winter.  Please Note:  The Regent’s Scholarship will replace the previously awarded President’s or Harstad Founder’s Scholarship.

Application: Students must complete the Presidential Scholarship application in addition to all admission application materials by December 1.

Eligibility: Only students who have been selected for the President’s Scholarship.

Amount: New first year students entering PLU in 2023-24 receive $40,000 per year renewable for an additional three years of undergraduate study, fall and spring semesters only.

Number:  Ten Harstad Founder’s Scholars are selected from the 125 President’s Scholars after an on-campus competitive faculty interview process.

Awarding:  Students are notified within two weeks after the interview process in late winter.  Please Note:  The Harstad Founder’s Scholarship will replace the previously awarded President’s Scholarship.

Application:  Students must complete the Presidential Scholarship application in addition to all admission application materials by December 1.

Eligibility: High school seniors who have demonstrated significant leadership and service, and have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.8 (weighted), or scored 1310 or higher on the SAT (math and evidence-based reading and writing only), or scored 28 or higher on the ACT.

Amount: $34,000 per year, renewable for an additional three years of undergraduate study.

Number:  125 President’s Scholars are selected each year, from an applicant pool of  over 600.

Awarding:  Students selected for the President’s Scholarship will be notified in mid-January, and invited to a faculty interview in late winter to compete for the Harstad Founders’ and Regents’ Scholarships.  Please Note:  The President’s Scholarship will replace any PLU academic scholarship previously awarded.

Eligibility: Awarded to freshmen and transfer students who have demonstrated strong academic success. Requires full-time enrollment (12-17 credits per semester).

Amount: Varies, awarded for fall and spring semesters only.

Comments or Conditions: No application required. Renewable for up to three years of undergraduate study for first year students, an additional two years of undergraduate study for transfer student, fall and spring semesters only.

Eligibility: Continuing PLU students who are nominated by faculty within their academic major based on outstanding academic performance. Requires full-time enrollment (12-17 credits per semester).

Amount: Varies, awarded for fall and spring semesters only.

Comments or Conditions:  Nominations are made in the spring for the next academic year.  Non-renewable unless student is re-nominated.

Eligibility: National Merit finalist, as determined by results of the PSAT-NMSQT (preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) competition.

Amount: Winners of a PLU-sponsored National Merit Scholarship will receive scholarship and grant assistance (from all sources) that ranges from one-half to full tuition per year and is renewable for up to three additional years of undergraduate study.

Comments or Conditions: Finalists must list PLU as their first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Eligibility: All transfer students who are active members of Phi Theta Kappa at the time of application.

Amount: $1000 per year (renewable for undergraduate study only)

Number: Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit. Requires full-time enrollment (12-17 credits per semester), awarded for fall and spring semesters only.

Awarding: Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships may be awarded in addition to an Academic Merit Awards described below.  PTK scholarships may not be added to Provost’s Scholarships.

Application: Students must indicate PTK membership on the PLU application for admission. No other application is required.

Artistic Achievement Awards

https://www.plu.edu/professional-studies/arts-scholarships/

Eligibility: Students with a 3.00+ GPA and demonstrated leadership or active involvement in a multi-ethnic context. Requires full-time enrollment (12-17 credits per semester).

Amount: Up to $2,000 per year, awarded for fall and spring semesters only.

Comments or Conditions: Requires application; deadline March 22. Applications available through the Center for Diversity, Justice, and Sustainability or thewashboard.org. Requires reapplication to be renewed each year.

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduates.

Amount: Up to full tuition, on campus room/meals.

Comments or Conditions: Must file FAFSA for on-campus living costs to be covered. Call PLU’s ROTC office for further information, 253-535-8740.

Eligibility: Awarded to full-time students. Based on academic achievement and financial need. Q Club is a group of more than 2,000 friends and alumni committed to making PLU accessible to deserving students.

Amount: Varies, depends on FAFSA calculated need. Awarded for fall and spring semesters only.

Comments or Conditions: No separate application required. FAFSA required each year.

Eligibility: Full-time students demonstrating financial need.

Amount: Varies, depends on FAFSA calculated need.  Awarded for fall and spring semesters.

Comments or Conditions: No separate application required. Based on financial need, FAFSA required each year.

Eligibility: Washington State residents who are Washington College Bound Scholarship eligible and graduated from a Washington State high school with a  cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better. Requires filing the FAFSA or WASFA each year to re-establish eligibility annually and is limited to up to eight semesters for fall and spring semesters only.

Amount: Varies, depending on the amount of the PLU annual tuition not yet covered by already awarded federal, state and PLU scholarships and grants.

Comments or Conditions: Student must be a College Bound Scholarship recipient for the semester this award is awarded.

Eligibility: Students receiving scholarships from any Dollars for Scholars chapter. Requires full-time enrollment (12 or more credits per semester).

Amount: Varies. Up to $1,000 per student.

Comments or Conditions: The university matches Dollars for Scholars chapter awards, dollar for dollar, up to $1,000 per student, based on financial need. Dollars for Scholars is a program of Scholarship America. FAFSA required each year.

Eligibility: Students with a Pell eligible EFC from the applicable aid year FAFSA.

Amount: Ranges from $384 – $3698 per semester (2023-24) for full time enrollment, prorated for less than full-time enrollment.  Enrollment status is established on the census date (10th day of the term, after the course add/drop period ends ).

Comments or Conditions: Based on financial need (Expected Family Contribution). FAFSA required each year.

Amount: At least $100 based on full-time enrollment, varies with need.

Eligibility: Students between half-time and full-time enrollment receive 50% of full-time award; students less than half-time receive 25% of full-time award.

Comments or Conditions: Based on financial need, priority given to students with Pell Grant eligibility. FAFSA required each year.

Eligibility: At least half-time WA residents meeting Washington Student Achievement Council need criteria.

Amount: Subject to state funding.

Comments or Conditions: Based on financial need. FAFSA required each year.  Undocumented students may apply using the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA). Terms & Conditions of the grant can be found on our website.

Eligibility: At least half-time WA residents eligible for funding under the Washington College Grant program.

Amount: Maximum of $11,995 for full time students, when combined with the Washington College Grant, set by Washington Student Achievement Council.

Comments or Conditions: Based on financial need, FAFSA required each year. Application to participate was made while student was enrolled in a Washington middle school.

Eligibility: Undergraduates students who are residents of WA state, majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering, mathematics, or health care programs of study whose family income is at or below 125% of the Washington median family income. A minimum cumulative GPA is also required. Separate application is required at www.waopportunityscholarship.org.

Amount: $2,500 per year for the first two years of study, $5,000 and $7,500 per year for  the third and fourth years.

Comments or Conditions: FAFSA required each year to establish income eligibility.

Eligibility: Dependent students whose parent(s) attended PLU (PLC) for at least one year.

Amount: $1000 per year for four years.

Comments or Conditions: No application required, renewed annually.

Eligibility: Dependent children of ordained ministers who are actively serving a Christian congregation full–time.

Amount: $1,000 per year for four years.

Comments or Conditions: No application required, renewed annually.

Eligibility: Students who have been confirmed in a Lutheran church that has established a Partner Congregation relationship with PLU.

Amount:  $1,500 per year for four years.

Eligibility: International students.

Amount: Varies, but is available for up to four years of undergraduate study and 2 years of graduate study.

Comments or Conditions: Must be full-time. Awarded automatically and renewed annually to students who maintain good academic standing.

Eligibility: Students receiving scholarships of $100 or more from any Christian church congregation.

Amount: $100-$1,000 per year.

Comments or Conditions: Awarded by Office of Student Financial Services. Matches a church scholarship, dollar for dollar, up to $1,000 (minimum of $100) per/year. To receive matching funds, a PLUMS application form is required and must be received by August 15 each year. In addition, PLU must receive all PLUMS payments by October 1 each year.

SAGE Scholars program

PLU is a participating school in the SAGE Scholar Tuition Rewards program.  The exact amount of funding and how those funds are labeled will depend on the level of tuition rewards points earned at the time the student begins their enrollment at the university, and whether PLU can offer a higher amount using its own scholarship guidelines than is required by the SAGE agreement.  Students are offered the award that will result in the higher dollar value, not the sum of both.  For instance, if the student has been awarded an annual $20,000 PLU academic scholarship, but has only $10,000 in tuition rewards points, the university’s “matching” requirement will already have been met (and exceeded) by the $20,000 academic scholarship;  thus, there will be no additional award offered, labeled as a “SAGE Scholar Tuition Reward”.

Eligibility: Tuition remission is a university employee benefit that covers 90% of tuition or up to 75% of tuition for their dependent undergraduate. The application is made with Human Resources. Recipients of tuition remission who are also awarded PLU merit or PLU need-based gift awards will have the sum of their tuition remission and PLU gift aid capped at the full cost of tuition. This full tuition cap also applies to students bringing a tuition exchange benefit to PLU from another university.

Eligibility: At PLU, graduate students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families as a full time teacher in a high-need field. Prior to receipt of this grant, student must complete the TEACH Grant Entrance Counseling AND sign the Agreement To Serve document.

Amount: $4,000 per year, $2,000 per semester

Comments or Conditions: Recipients of the TEACH Grant must teach as a highly-qualified teacher for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which the TEACH Grant was received.  Failure to complete this service will result in all TEACH Grants received to be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Direct Loan, with interest charged from the date the grant(s) was disbursed. TEACH Grants that are converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan are repaid to the U.S. Department of Education. Recipients whose grant is converted to a loan will be given a six month grace period prior to entering repayment.

A scholarship search site that doesn’t require you to login or register.  Scholarships can be filtered by your state, student type, academic area, degree type, and other extra curricula activities. Additional information is provided on writing scholarship essays and thank you letters,  and other saving tips.

Search their database for scholarships that might apply to you. Or sign-up for their newsletter and receive information right to your e-mail.

The College Board’s online Scholarship Search. After a brief questionnaire, the site brings up a listing of scholarships for which you might be eligible.