Unveiling Creighton University Merit Scholarship Opportunities

For students aspiring to attend Creighton University, understanding the landscape of available financial aid, particularly merit-based scholarships, is crucial. Rather than paying the full sticker price for a college education, most students receive a financial aid package that eases the burden with scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study options, while the amount and type of aid may vary among students. Creighton University offers various avenues for students to alleviate the financial burden of higher education through scholarships and grants. This article delves into the merit-based scholarships offered by Creighton University, providing insights into eligibility criteria, application processes, and other essential details.

Understanding Financial Aid at Creighton

Creighton University's average financial aid offer for freshmen students is $24,071.00. Financial aid helps reduce the cost, or the full retail price of the college. The university provides a comprehensive financial aid package to ease the burden of tuition costs. This package often includes a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study options. It's important to recognize that scholarships and grants are true discounts, as they do not require repayment.

Grants and Scholarships: Institutional Support

Institutional scholarships and grants refer to financial aid provided directly by a college or university to support students in covering their educational expenses. These awards can be either merit-based or need-based and do not require repayment. Merit-based institutional scholarships reward students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievements, talents, or skills in specific areas. Such scholarships often take into account a student’s high school performance, standardized test scores, or extracurricular activities. On the other hand, need-based institutional grants are allocated to students who exhibit financial need. The amount awarded is usually determined by the student’s family’s financial circumstances and aims to cover the difference between the cost of attendance and the family’s capacity to pay. To assess eligibility for need-based grants, colleges and universities may use information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or other financial aid forms. Institutional scholarships and grants play a crucial role in assisting students, as they can considerably lower the cost of college and make higher education more attainable.

The following numbers apply to scholarships and grants largely offered by the school itself. 100% of incoming freshmen (1071 total) were awarded scholarships at Creighton University, averaging $23,260.00 a piece. This puts it the top 25th percentile among colleges and universities nationwide. In addition to scholarships, 12% of first-year students (128 total) got federal grant aid, averaging $6,073.00 per person.

Merit-Based Scholarships: Recognizing Academic Excellence

Creighton University awards need-based and non-need-based academic scholarships to students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences, Heider College of Business, and the College of Nursing. The dollar amount of these scholarships varies. All students are evaluated for merit scholarships when they apply to Creighton. You don’t need to fill out a separate application for general merit scholarships. To receive priority consideration for Creighton merit scholarships, submit your application and all required credentials to the Office of Admissions as soon as possible. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of December 1.

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Automatic Consideration

All students applying to Creighton University are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. This means there's no separate application required for general merit scholarships. The university evaluates applicants based on their academic achievements and other qualifications presented in their admission application.

Priority Consideration

To maximize your chances of receiving a merit scholarship, it's crucial to submit your application and all required credentials to the Office of Admissions as early as possible. Creighton operates on a rolling admission basis, with a priority deadline of December 1.

Notification Timeline

You’ll receive your scholarship decision along with your admissions decision, typically about 4-6 weeks after you complete your application. We begin reading applications in mid-October, so the first admissions and scholarship decisions are sent in early November.

Additional Undergraduate Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to Creighton Merit Scholarships, Creighton also offers other scholarship opportunities-scholarships that require students to satisfy specific criteria and submit additional required materials, including an Additional Scholarship Application. (in your local time zone).

The Ashton Welch History Fellows Program

The Ashton Welch History Fellows Program provides funding, mentoring, and supplemental programming to support undergraduate historical scholarship and career preparation, regardless of the long-term career plans of the recipients. Welch Fellows will receive $2,500 per year for up to four years ($10,000 total) for educational expenses. These expenses may include tuition, internship stipends, research funds, subsidies for Creighton study abroad programs, and other pre-approved activities.

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All eligible applicants are required to complete an interview. Applicants may elect to complete their interview virtually over Zoom, or sign up to attend an in-person interview on campus during select dates. Welch Fellows will have faculty mentors and will be invited to participate in special programming like meetings with visiting scholars and career preparation workshops.

Renewal requires:

Taking at least one history course in the first year at Creighton
Declaring a history major by the fall of the second year
Maintaining good academic standing and a minimum 2.75 GPA (in the major and overall)
Participating in special History Fellows programming

The Christina M. Hixson Scholarship in Business

The Christina M. Hixson Scholarship in Business awards $5,000 to academically motivated incoming freshmen business students from Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin or Wyoming.

G. Robert Muchemore Foundation Scholarship

A $32,000 renewable tuition award funded by the G. Robert Muchemore Foundation is available to graduates of Nebraska high schools entering as Creighton Freshmen. Financial need is considered when selecting recipients of these awards. Applicants must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1, 2025. Students whose academic qualifications place them in the top 3% of our incoming freshmen class are automatically considered for this award.

Renewal requires maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.30 and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. This award may not be used in conjunction with other Creighton merit scholarships, but may be combined with additional need-based opportunities.

Grace Keenan Endowment Scholarship

Creighton University offers $4,000 scholarships, given by the Grace Keenan Endowment to the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. The renewable scholarships will be awarded to incoming freshmen who intend to major or minor in visual or performing arts. All applicants are required to complete an audition or portfolio review. Applicants may elect to complete their audition or portfolio review virtually over Zoom, or sign up to attend an in-person audition or portfolio review on campus during select dates.

Renewal beyond sophomore year requires declaring a major or minor in art, music or theatre or a minor in dance.

Harper Nursing Scholars Program

The Harper Nursing Scholars Program is Creighton’s premier nationally competitive nursing scholarship and leadership program. Seven to eight Harper Scholars are chosen annually to receive a $40,000 annual education scholarship.

Heider College of Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Scholarship

Heider College of Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Scholarship provides $2,500 academic scholarships recognizing students for exceptional service accomplishments and leadership potential.

Jesuit High School Recognition Award

Any incoming freshman who attends a Jesuit high school will receive a $1,000 Jesuit High School Recognition Award.

Joella Cohen Scholarship

Endowed by the estate of Joella Cohen, a 1948 Creighton graduate, this $6,000 renewable scholarship is available to incoming freshman enrolling in the College of Arts and Sciences with an intended major of Journalism or Graphic Design. Financial need is considered when selecting recipients of these awards. Applicants must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1, 2025.

Renewal requires maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.75, filing the FAFSA each year, and declaring a major in either Journalism or Graphic Design.

Leo Vincent Jacks Scholarship in Classical Languages

The Leo Vincent Jacks Scholarship in Classical Languages is a $2,000 renewable scholarship awarded to incoming freshmen who have an interest in the study of the ancient languages (Greek or Latin) and plan to pursue the Classical Languages Major at Creighton University.

Renewal requires:

Declaring and continuing a pursuit of the Classical Languages Major
Maintaining a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a 3.5 GPA in courses taken in the major
Participating in department life and activities, such as research, Eta Sigma Phi, and recruiting efforts

National Merit Scholarships

Creighton University is a sponsor of National Merit Scholarships. If you are a National Merit finalist and want to compete for a Creighton-sponsored award, select Creighton as your first-choice school and apply for admission.

Native American Merit Scholarships

Native American Merit Scholarships are $32,000 renewable tuition scholarships awarded to students who show a strong and continuous commitment to diversity through extracurricular activities and leadership.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Demonstrate proof of tribal enrollment
Minimum 3.3 high school GPA on a 4.0 scale at time of admission
Must be defined as Federal Pell Grant eligible
Must be a first-generation college student

Applicants must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1, 2025. Renewal requires maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.75 and filing the FAFSA each year. This award may not be used in conjunction with other Creighton merit scholarships, but may be combined with additional need-based opportunities.

Next Generation Leaders Program

As a Catholic, Jesuit university, Creighton recognizes that a student body with a wide range of experiences benefits and enriches the educational experiences of all students, faculty, and staff. The Next Generation Leaders Program includes elite opportunities for leaders seeking to positively impact the culture on Creighton’s campus and in their future careers. Next Generation Leaders receive a full-tuition scholarship together with programming as a four-year leadership program. Incoming first-year students receive awards based on their academic achievement, leadership, and service. Applications are open to domestic and international students, with a minimum 3.8 high school GPA on a 4.0 scale at the time of admission. Applicants may pursue a major in any college at the University.

Applicants must meet two of the three following criteria:

First generation
Exhibit financial need as determined by the results of the FAFSA
Exceptional leadership roles at the high school, local, regional or national level

Next Generation Leaders will be selected based on:

A commitment to academic, personal or community-based leadership, service and/or employment opportunities
A commitment to acknowledging and/or celebrating differences among individuals
A history of bringing together and/or serving individuals from different backgrounds
Demonstrated initiative and community leadership
Perseverance through challenging circumstances
Passion for a Jesuit education and the Jesuit values
Service to others

Selected candidates will receive:

Full tuition scholarship for four years (eight consecutive semesters)
Intentional programmatic support designed to enhance their leadership skills, understanding of, and commitment to social issues
Four-year leadership development and coaching
Purposeful connections with the Creighton University network on campus and throughout the Omaha area
Group service projects

Renewal requires maintaining standard academic progress, remaining in good standing according to student conduct policies, and regular participation in the Next Generation Leaders program requirements.

ROTC Scholarships

Creighton offers Army ROTC and has a partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omaha for Air Force ROTC. The Army and Air Force ROTC scholarships contribute towards tuition and fees, a book allowance, and a 10-month stipend. Recipients are selected by the Army ROTC and by the Air Force ROTC. Creighton will provide a full room and board supplement upon activation of the scholarship.

The Scott Scholarship

The Scott Scholarship provides full tuition, mandatory University fees, on-campus room and board fees covered through scholarship dollars for four years (eight consecutive semesters), sponsored by the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation and Creighton University. Students who receive this scholarship will also be enrolled in our premier four-year leadership development program as a Scott Scholar.

Eligibility Requirements:

Be a first-time University student or immediate high school graduate
Minimum 3.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale at time of admission
Minimum 28 ACT or 1300 SAT
US Citizen
Intend to pursue a business degree and work in the business field

Scholarships for International Undergraduate Students

Like all undergraduate students, international applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. Additionally, all international students who apply to Creighton before March 1 are automatically considered for Matteo Ricci, S.J. Awards, which vary in amount. We’re looking for students who achieve in the classroom, students with extraordinary talent, students who give back to their communities and students who embody Jesuit ideals.

Need-Based Aid for International Students

No, Creighton does not offer need-based financial aid to international students. While we offer as much as we can in merit aid, full tuition and cost of attendance scholarships are not available. Students should not apply unless they can realistically pay the costs associated with attending Creighton.

Additional Tips for Scholarship Seekers

Complete the FAFSA: To be considered for need-based scholarships, a student must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and apply to Creighton. Creighton does not require the CSS Profile.
Explore External Scholarship Databases: Utilize online scholarship search engines and databases to identify external funding opportunities that align with your profile.
Craft a Compelling Application: When required, dedicate time and effort to create a well-written and persuasive scholarship application, highlighting your achievements, experiences, and aspirations.

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