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Academic Scholarship & Fellowship Programs  
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Professor Rachel Roberts

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Does Washington University offer any honorary, merit, or athletic scholarships?
Washington University offers numerous merit-based academic scholarships. Athletic scholarships are not offered since all of Washington University’s athletic programs are in Division III of the NCAA (which does not allow athletic-specific scholarships). Still, many of our athletes apply for our academic scholarships and they are, of course, eligible to apply for need-based financial assistance. Follow this link for information about academic scholarships at Washington University.

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What academic (merit) scholarships are available and which ones can I apply for?
Follow this link for information about Academic Scholarship & Fellowship Programs at Washington University.

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Can I apply for more than one academic scholarship?
You should apply for one academic scholarship within the school that is your first choice. For example, in the College of Arts & Sciences, there are four scholarships offered in various areas of study (for example, physical sciences and mathematics, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and biological sciences and chemistry), but you may apply for only one of them.

You may apply for several scholarships in addition to the school-based scholarships. These are the Entrepreneurial Scholars Program, the John B. Ervin Scholars Program, the Friends of Music Scholars Program, and the Annika Rodriguez Scholars Program. If you like, you may apply for more than one of these scholarships and for a school-based scholarship.

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If I plan to double major across schools, can I apply for academic scholarships in both those areas?
When applying for admission, you must choose one school to be your primary, first-choice school. You should apply for an academic scholarship in that school even if you are planning to double major across two schools. For example, suppose you plan to major in Spanish in the College of Arts & Sciences, but also want to double major in international business in the Olin Business School. You may choose to rank the College of Arts & Sciences as the first-choice school and the Olin Business School as your second choice, but should only apply for the appropriate academic scholarship (in this case, the Mylonas Scholarship in Humanities) offered by the College of Arts & Sciences.

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Is the deadline a “received by” or “postmarked by” deadline?
The deadline for scholarships is a “received by” deadline.

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What’s the best academic scholarship for me?
It is important to review carefully all academic scholarships and their application requirements. To decide which scholarship is best for you, consider where you can best showcase your talents and strengths. Even if you have equal interest in two or more different fields, you should pick only one school-based scholarship for which to apply.

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What is the typical profile of academic scholarship winners? How competitive are scholarships?
Our academic scholarships are both selective and competitive. Students who have outstanding academic records, score in the upper ranges on the SAT I and/or ACT, and have demonstrated interest in the area of the scholarship are encouraged to apply.

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If I’m undecided about what I will study, how do I decide which academic scholarship to apply for?
If you are undecided, you should choose an area that you feel best suits your interests at this time. You may also choose to apply to those academic scholarships open to all applicants.

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If I receive a scholarship in one academic area and want to change my major later, will I lose the scholarship?
If you receive an academic scholarship in one area and change your major after you enroll at Washington University, you will keep your scholarship as you move to the new major or even new school at Washington University.

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Can I be considered for an academic scholarship automatically based on my grades or standardized test scores?
To be considered for any Washington University academic scholarship, you must complete a scholarship application in addition to your admissions application. Students are not automatically considered for academic scholarships based on standardized test scores or grades.

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Can international students apply for academic scholarships?
Yes. International students are welcome to apply for all the academic scholarships except the John B. Ervin Scholarship.

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I already sent an official transcript for my admissions application. Do I have to send other copies for the academic scholarship application?
No. If you have submitted the transcript required to apply for undergraduate admission, you will not need to submit an additional transcript.

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Can I use the same essay for the academic scholarship application as for my admissions application?
Yes. If the topic is relevant, you may choose to submit an additional copy of the same essay you used for your admissions application.

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Can I use the same teacher recommendation for the scholarship as for admissions?
Yes. You may have your teacher make copies of the recommendation and send one in for the admissions application. You should ask your teacher to additionally complete the scholarship recommendation form. Then have your teacher give you a sealed envelope with a copy of the recommendation to include with each scholarship application.

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If I am eligible for financial aid based on need and also receive a scholarship, will the scholarship affect my aid package?
Our goal is to make a Washington University education affordable for every admitted student. Student Financial Services will work with each family’s individual circumstances. It is possible that an academic scholarship will be supplemented by financial aid awards, including need-based grants, student loans, and/or a part-time work-study job.

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For the Friends of Music scholarship, do I have to play one piece that lasts 20 minutes or can it be several pieces that add up to 20 minutes? Is there a preferred genre?
The CD you submit for the music scholarship can be up to 20 minutes in length (or shorter) and consist of one piece or a number of pieces. There is no preferred genre.

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For the academic scholarships in the College of Architecture and the College of Art, may I submit my portfolio on CD/DVD instead of slides? If I send a slide portfolio, will I get it back?
You may submit either a slide or a digital portfolio, consisting of 12-15 pieces of recent work, which may include drawings, two- and three-dimensional pieces, or photographs.

  • Slide Portfolio
    • Submit good quality 35mm slides in a plastic slide sleeve. Each slide must be labeled with your name and Social Security Number or Applicant ID number. If you provide a self-addressed stamped mailer with the proper postage for your slide portfolio, we will send it back to you after May 1.
  • Digital Portfolio
    • Submit images in a simple, non-timed PowerPoint presentation. Also include all of the work in the presentation, in a separate folder, as jpegs saved at 72 dpi resolution and at a size of 600 pixels in the longest direction. Write your name and Social Security Number or Applicant ID number on the CD/DVD–do not use a stick-on label. Remember to include an accompanying inventory/contact sheet showing thumbnails of all work on the CD/DVD. The inventory sheet must include your name and Social Security Number or Applicant ID number. If you prefer, you may include additional information such as title of work, medium, dimensions, and date completed.
  • If you provide a self-addressed stamped mailer with the proper postage, we will send it back to you after May 1

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Can I apply for an academic scholarship after I am admitted to or enroll at Washington University?
No. The only time you can apply for an academic scholarship is while you are applying to Washington University as a freshman.

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If I am awarded an academic scholarship, what grade point average will I need to maintain?
Scholarships are renewable annually as long as scholarship recipients are making satisfactory progress toward a bachelor’s degree.

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