Scholarships

Each fall, the University Undergraduate Scholarship Program grants financial awards to outstanding students entering VCU. Recipients are selected based on merit in the area of academic achievement. Leadership, community service and artistic talent (when applicable) also may be considered. To be eligible for scholarship renewal, students must complete at least 28 credit hours on a full-time basis over the fall and spring semesters and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or better.

Scholarships are awarded to fall semester applicants only. The majority of scholarships are awarded each fall to freshman applicants, though a limited number of scholarships are awarded each fall to transfer applicants. Students who wish to be considered for a scholarship must submit an essay. We strongly encourage scholarship applicants to apply online. We also encourage all applicants seeking scholarship consideration to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

How to apply

Step one

Scholarship applicants should write a one- to two-page essay on one of the following topics:

1. Compose Page 87 of your autobiography. In this essay, you should be creative, considering where your life story would be at this point.
2. Describe the most challenging obstacle you’ve faced and what you did to overcome it. What did you learn from the experience?

Step two

Submit the essay along with the Application for Undergraduate Admission to be considered for a scholarship; VCU requires no other scholarship application, with the exception of the Sica Scholarship , which requires additional application materials.

Types of scholarships

Merit-based scholarships range from $500 to $9,200 and are awarded only during the fall semester. Merit-based scholarships cover in-state costs only. Some of these awards are four-year scholarships, renewable for up to three consecutive years provided the appropriate GPA is maintained. Students who apply by the scholarship application deadline will be notified by the beginning of April if they are to receive a scholarship offer. Each fall, all outstanding freshmen applicants as well as a limited number of Virginia community college transfer student applicants who have earned a minimum of 45 semester credit hours are considered for scholarship awards.

In addition to these scholarships, individual schools and departments at VCU offer scholarships to incoming freshmen. Visit the VCU Office of Financial Aid’s Scholarships page for more information about these types of scholarships, as well as information about outside sources of scholarship aid. Contact the VCU school to which you are applying or into which you have been admitted for more specific scholarship application information.

University undergraduate scholarships

Dianne Nunnally Hoppes Scholarship Fund ¹

Is equal to the cost of in-state tuition, fees, room, board and books (awarded every four years to one student).

Presidential ²

Is equal to the cost of in-state tuition, fees, room and board.

Provost

Is equal to the cost of in-state tuition and fees.

Deans’

Is equal to the cost of one-half in-state tuition and fees.

Alcoa Foundation Community Scholarship ³

Is equal to the cost of in-state tuition and fees.

VCCS Transfer Scholarship ⁴

Is equal to the cost of one-half in-state tuition and fees.

Sica Scholarship ⁵

$1,500 – Download information

¹ Room and board allowance: room is equivalent to the cost of a room in West Grace Street Student Housing and board is equivalent to the 200 Block Plus $300 Dining Dollars meal plan. The award for books is $1,000 per semester.
² Room and board allowance: room is equivalent to the cost of a room in West Grace Street Student Housing and board is equivalent to the 200 Block Plus $300 Dining Dollars meal plan.
³ Freshmen from Richmond and the surrounding counties majoring in business, engineering and technology areas of study are eligible to be considered for this scholarship.
⁴ Applicants with a minimum of 45 credit hours at a Virginia community college who transfer to VCU are eligible to be considered for this scholarship. A limited number of these scholarships are available. Students who have attended institutions other than Virginia community colleges are not eligible to be considered for this award.
⁵ Freshmen entering from Richmond Public Schools who are single mothers are eligible to be considered for this scholarship. One award is made annually. Additional application materials are required. Download the PDF application .

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Typical scores of merit scholarship recipients –
Fall 2012

Presidential scholarships

High school GPA

SAT*

* SAT scores based on the best critical reading and math scores from separate testings.

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Provost scholarships

High school GPA

SAT*

* SAT scores based on the best critical reading and math scores from separate testings.

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Deans’ scholarships

High school GPA

SAT*

* SAT scores based on the best critical reading and math scores from separate testings.

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Athletic scholarships

Scholarship aid is available for each of VCU’s intercollegiate athletic teams. If you’re interested in obtaining information about athletic scholarships, write to the athletic department or have your current coach contact VCU on your behalf.

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