Scholarships & Grants

The following scholarships, which are offered without regard to family income, are awarded on a competitive basis to new students. The scholarships may be renewed each year. No special application is required other than auditions in music and the required creative writing portfolio.

Academic Scholarships

Academic merit scholarships ranging from $37,000 to $44,000 per academic year are available based upon an assessment of each admitted student’s academic achievement and potential for future growth.

Transfer Scholarships

Academic merit scholarships ranging from $37,000 to $43,000 per year are available to transfer students with outstanding academic achievement in their previous college work.

Community college transfer students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa will receive a $5,000 scholarship in addition to their merit award.

Transfer students with an associate degree will receive a $2,500 scholarship in addition to their academic merit scholarship.

Associate degree scholarships are only awarded to current community college students who matriculate to community college after high school graduation. Students who complete their associate degree as part of a dual enrollment program during their high school career are not eligible.

International Student Scholarships

Partial-tuition scholarships are awarded based on academic ability and commitment to building a global Susquehanna community.

Alumni Scholarships

$1,000 annual scholarships offered to admitted students who are children, stepchildren or grandchildren of Susquehanna alumni in addition to any other merit scholarship.

Janet Weis Writers Institute Scholarship

Ten $5,000 Janet Weis Scholarships are awarded to first-year creative writing majors based on the quality of their writing portfolio. The Bundy Scholarship may also be awarded if funding is available.

These awards are in addition to merit scholarships but may not exceed the total cost of tuition.

Both scholarships are renewable for up to four years with full-time enrollment as a creative writing major and a 3.2 GPA in the major.

Submit a 5- to 10-page portfolio within two weeks of applying, and no later than Feb. 15.

The Lawrence M. & Louise Kresge Isaacs Scholarship for Music

A $4,000 to $12,000 annual award to an exceptional music major (by audition).

Music Scholarships

Performance scholarships from $1,000 to $5,000 are awarded to outstanding music students (by audition).

Lutheran Summer Music Alumni Scholarship

Scholarships of $1,000 are awarded to Lutheran Summer Music alumni who are admitted and complete a music audition.

Ministerial Grants

Grants of $2,500 per year are awarded to dependent children of ordained Lutheran clergy.

All university scholarships can be renewed for eight regular academic terms. Scholarships are reviewed annually by the Scholarship Selection Committee.

In addition to meeting the grade point average (GPA) requirements for scholarship renewal, you must:

• Be a conscientious and responsible member of the Susquehanna community
• Enroll full-time at Susquehanna

For information regarding VA education benefits, please visit the Registrar’s Office page.

Yellow Ribbon Program

Susquehanna University is proud to be a part of the Yellow Ribbon GI Educational Enhancement Program, a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. For those who are eligible, tuition and fees will be covered by a combination of VA and Susquehanna University funds.

Students are eligible if they served an aggregate period of active duty of at least 36 months after Sept. 10, 2001; were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001; or are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

The Post 9/11 and Yellow Ribbon funding could result in an adjustment to the initial financial aid award package, depending on the amount of funding received, up to the entire amount of tuition and fees. If a student exhausts Post 9/11 and Yellow Ribbon funding while enrolled, we will reinstate the original scholarship. Need-based grant funding is reviewed annually after receipt of the FAFSA and can vary depending on income changes and/or household changes.

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)

Cadets of the Bison Battalion Army ROTC may receive scholarships through the military science program. Students receiving a full-tuition scholarship through the program are provided with free room (double only) and food.

Scholarships received from outside the university must be reported to Student Financial Services.

They will be incorporated into financial aid packages and will be used first to offset equal amounts of loans and/or work-study awards.

Find an Outside Scholarship:

• Scholarships360 offers free access to thousands of opportunities. Create a free profile, access personalized, vetted scholarship matches and track your applications with ease.
• Scholarshipexperts.com assists with outside scholarships.
• FASTWEB provides free help locating scholarships.
• The Central Scholarship Bureau provides scholarships to students from Maryland who have a GPA above 2.0 and a family income below $90,000 a year.
• MoneyGeek offers a comprehensive scholarship search tool, as well as searches specifically for black students, Hispanic students and Asian-American students.

Children of employees at nearly 600 participating U.S. colleges and universities may be eligible to receive a full tuition waiver at Susquehanna.

If you have a parent who is a full-time faculty or staff member at a four-year college or university, contact that school’s Human Resources Office for further eligibility information.

Susquehanna awards several Tuition Exchange awards each year, and selection is based on academic credentials.

International students are eligible to receive partial merit scholarship awards and are automatically considered when the application for admission is completed. It is very helpful and advantageous for applicants to submit their official SAT or ACT scores to maximize their scholarship award potential.

Applicants can receive up to a $45,000 (USD) merit scholarship. Sponsored students are not eligible to receive a merit scholarship award. Susquehanna University does not offer any need-based financial aid for international students.

In order to qualify for a student visa, the U.S. government’s Department of Homeland Security requires that students show that they can support themselves financially. Enrolling students must provide an official bank statement in addition to the International Student Financial Aid Application submitted with their application. If you are offered a merit scholarship, this amount can be lower. Please note that full scholarships are not available. If you are sponsored by your government, the financial guarantee letter will be accepted instead of the International Student Financial Aid Application.

Students requiring need-based financial aid can research their options on the NAFSA website.

Susquehanna University funded aid (scholarship and grant aid) is limited to a maximum of eight semesters for any individual student. 

Named Awards

These awards provide additional grant assistance through the generous contributions of alumni and friends of the university. Unless noted, these awards are made on the basis of financial need.

Many named awards are designed for students who demonstrate specific characteristics, such as intended major, geographic area, etc.

There is no separate application to be considered for these awards. Susquehanna’s student financial services staff reviews all need-based financial aid applications to determine eligibility.

Need-based awards may be exchanged dollar for dollar with named endowed scholarships.  

Students who visit campus are eligible for a $1,000 Visit Grant. That’s $4,000 over four years for first-year students. Opportunities to secure the Visit Grant include Admission Events, Summer Pre-College Programs and Daily Campus Visits offered through the Admission Office. If admitted, this grant will be automatically awarded in addition to any other merit or need-based financial aid for which you might qualify.

Fall 2026 First-Year Students: Visit campus between Jan. 6 and Nov. 22, 2025, to be eligible.

Spring 2025 First-Year & All Transfer Students: Attend an on-campus visit offered by the Admission Office, at any point during your college search to be eligible.

*Students who are awarded Tuition Exchange or Tuition Remission are not eligible.

The Federal Pell Grant Program

Annual maximum awards are provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid.

You automatically apply for a Pell Grant when you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Many students who do not qualify for Pell Grant funding do qualify to receive aid from other sources.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

This is a federal grant program administered by Susquehanna. Grants range from $500 to $4,000 per year for those students who demonstrate the most financial need.

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program

This is a federal grant program that provides grant funds to students enrolled in an eligible program of study at a participating school.  Recipients must teach full time for at least four years in a high-need field at a low-income school or education service agency.

Pennsylvania State Grants

Eligible Pennsylvania residents must also complete a State Grant Form and a High School Form. These documents are available on the state grant agency’s GrantUs portal.

Grants from Other States

Programs in the following states have grant programs for qualifying residents attending Pennsylvania colleges and universities. For information about required applications and filing:

• Delaware
• Massachusetts
• Vermont
• Washington, D.C.
• West Virginia

Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program

This program provides a waiver for tuition and mandatory fees charged by most postsecondary institutions located in Pennsylvania for youth who are or were in foster care. Please see the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program website for details or contact Katie Erdley in Susquehanna University’s Student Financial Services Office for more information.