High Point University Scholarships: A Comprehensive Guide

High Point University (HPU) is committed to providing an extraordinary education to its students, fostering both careers and character within an inspiring environment. Recognizing the importance of financial aid in making this education accessible, HPU offers a wide array of scholarships and financial assistance programs. With a remarkable 99% of graduates being employed or enrolled in graduate school within 180 days of graduation, HPU stands as a Premier Life Skills University dedicated to preparing students for a lifetime of success.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Every student accepted for admission at High Point University is automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. These scholarships are generally renewable, provided the student maintains a designated minimum grade point average (GPA).

Maintaining Eligibility

Required Cumulative GPA: Students receiving merit aid must maintain specific GPA levels to retain their awards.
Full-time Enrollment: Students must be enrolled full-time to receive institutionally funded aid, including merit awards. An exception is made in the last semester before graduation if a student needs less than full-time hours to complete their degree, in which case the merit aid will be prorated.
Maximum Number of Semesters: Entering freshmen have a maximum eligibility of 8 semesters of full-time enrollment, provided they maintain the required cumulative GPA.
Summer Attendance: Students may use one of their 8 semesters of eligibility during the summer term, with the amount received based on actual charges.
GPA Below Requirement: Students who fail to meet the minimum GPA requirement will lose eligibility for merit aid until their GPA is raised to the required level. They may submit a written appeal for a probationary term based on extenuating circumstances, allowing them to continue receiving aid for one semester to raise their GPA. A student can appeal only twice.

Scout Awards

Students who have received either the Boy Scout Eagle Award or the Girl Scout Gold Award are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship per school year. A copy of the scout award must be submitted to the student's Financial Planning Counselor.

Need-Based Financial Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as High Point University’s official application for need-based financial aid. While not required for merit scholarships, the FAFSA is essential for consideration for institutional need-based aid.

Federal Pell Grant Program

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students to promote access to post-secondary education. Awards vary depending on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated from the FAFSA. The closer to zero the EFC, the larger the possible award. Pell Grant is paid by the semester, one-half of the annual award for fall term and one-half for spring term.

Read also: Job Skills for Students

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

A federal grant program for undergraduate students with exceptional need, awards can range from $500 to $1,000 per year.

TEACH Grant Program

The TEACH grant program provides additional funding to students who are interested in careers in Teaching. This is a grant which requires certain conditions to be met to avoid repayment. Department of Education provides up to $4,000 per scheduled award year ($16,000 total for undergraduates; $8,000 for a master’s degree program) for full time students. At HPU full time status is 12 credits for undergraduates and 6 credits for master’s and each term must be full-time for the year. You must have a cumulative GPA of a least 3.25 at time of disbursement. You must receive initial, subsequent and exit counseling. You must sign an Agreement to Serve (ATS) every year before the grant can be disbursed. The ATS specifies the conditions under which the grant will be awarded and the teaching service requirements listed above.

North Carolina Residency Determination

Applicants must complete the FAFSA, listing at least one qualifying private North Carolina institution. The RDS will ask students (and parent(s) or spouse as applicable) to provide their social security number as an identifier to be able to verify information with federal and state agencies to determine residency status. You will also be asked to provide residence information, federal and state tax return information, vehicle registration and driver’s license information. Once you start the RDS interview you will have 25 days to complete the interview, otherwise it will be canceled and you will have to start again. Once the interview is complete the system will immediately let you know whether or not you have NC residency status. You will also receive a Residency Certification Number (RCN) that is a unique 10 digit identifier that serves as proof that you have completed residency determination.

Loan Programs

A loan is financial assistance that enables students and parents to borrow money from the federal government or private lenders. These loans must be repaid. Borrowers are responsible for signing a Master Promissory Note for each loan program, which is a binding, legal document through which the borrower agrees to repay the loan.

Federal Direct Loans

A federal student loan, made through the William D. Department of Education at participating schools. Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans and Direct Consolidation Loans are types of Direct Loans. Subsidized Direct loans are loans based on financial need for which the federal government pays the interest that accrues while the borrower is in an in-school, grace, or deferment status. Unsubsidized Direct loans are loans for which the borrower is fully responsible for paying the interest regardless of the loan status. Interest on unsubsidized loans accrues from the date of disbursement and continues throughout the life of the loan. Repayment for these two loans begins after graduation or when the student drops below half-time. Students can accept or decline their federal direct loans online through the Student Financial Services section of the Student Financial Services Portal. (Instructions for accepting or declinging student loans can be found in SFS Self Service Guide.) In order to receive funding from the Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan program, you must complete Entrance Counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) . These requirements must be completed before funds will be released from the federal loan center.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans

Department of Education to parents of dependent undergraduate students for which the borrower is fully responsible for paying the interest regardless of the loan status. PLUS stands for Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students. They are low-interest loans for credit-worthy parents of undergraduate students. PLEASE NOTE that you must re-apply for a PLUS loan for each academic year. Also the PLUS loan application includes a credit check that is only good for 180 days. So please wait to apply for a PLUS loan until 180 days before the academic term starts. Since the applicant’s credit is run for each PLUS application, we would advise applying once for the full academic year.

Private Alternative Loans

If your financial assistance package does not cover your expenses, you have the option of applying for an alternative or private (nonfederal) student loan. Some private lenders offer credit-based loan programs to creditworthy students and/or students with creditworthy cosigners. If students decide to use private alternative loans, they must apply for these loans in enough time for them to use the funds to pay the High Point University charges by the due date. Private alternative loan lenders will require a creditworthy cosigner. This can be a parent, another adult relative, or other person who meets the lender’s requirements for the loan. A cosigner will be responsible for the loan if the student does not pay it back. The Office of Student Financial Planning will assist families in understanding and pursuing this lending avenue but cannot be responsible for the actual application. Below are several common private lending options utilized by High Point University students and families.

ROTC Housing Scholarship

ROTC Cadets that receive a full tuition and fees scholarship through the ROTC program may be eligible for this scholarship that will provide additional funding up to the cost of Tier 1 housing and board minus all other institutional, federal, state, private and military grant/scholarship aid the student receives for the Fall and/or Spring term(s). To be eligible for this scholarship a student must have a completed FAFSA on file with our office and complete and return the ROTC Housing Scholarship Application.

United Methodist Scholarships and Loans

High Point University is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. A number of scholarship and loan programs are available to students who are members of a United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation provides $1,000 matching scholarships to United Methodist students through their United Methodist Dollars for Scholars program (UMDFS). Students are also invited to complete the UMHEF General Named Endowed scholarship application. With this one application, students apply for 130+ different UMHEF scholarships provided by endowed funds. UMHEF staff will match students with the highest value award for which they qualify each year.

Golden LEAF Scholarship Program

This program is dedicated to helping students from rural communities in North Carolina attend college. Visit CFNC.org/ to fill out the application form or call 866-866-CFNC for assistance. Students awarded Golden LEAF Scholarships are also eligible to participate in the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative (subject to funding availability). The Golden LEAF Foundation provides funding to pay interns $15/hour for up to 400 hours of work.

Read also: Eligibility for National Awards

External Scholarship Resources

There are a number of helpful scholarship search links for outside scholarships. However, you should not limit your scholarship search to these sites. Local clubs, foundations, and religious institutions (i.e. churches, synagogues, etc.) are excellent sources of scholarships, and you should pursue every opportunity for funding. Most of these organizations require either the student or parent to be a member of the organization before scholarships can be awarded, but not all of them have this requirement. Please make sure you pursue the opportunities available to you. However, please be sure these organizations do not charge you a fee for applying, as this is the hallmark of a scholarship scam! If you receive a scholarship from any source outside the University, you are required to notify the Office of Student Financial Planning so that these funds can be incorporated into your financial aid package. The scholarship check should be made payable to High Point University and should have the Recipient’s Name and HPU Student ID in the “For” section of the check.

North Carolina Forgivable Education Loan for Service (FELS)

Recipients must sign a promissory note agreeing to repay the loan by working in an approved position in North Carolina in their approved field of study. One loan will be forgiven for one year of full-time employment in a qualified position OR one loan will be forgiven for two years of part-time employment in a qualified position. Applications and all additional information are available online at www.CFNC.org/FELS. Please note that the application opens the first business day in January and the deadline is March 1st each year.

Prestigious Scholarship Programs

Presidential Scholars Program

The Presidential Scholars Program recognizes incoming freshmen that demonstrate outstanding achievement, good citizenship, strong leadership and exceptional scholarship during high school. Through interviews and events, students receive the opportunity to gain additional fellowships and scholarships. All interviews will be conducted on the High Point University campus. Your High Point University Undergraduate Admissions Application serves as your Presidential Scholars or High Point Scholars Application - there is no separate application that you need to submit in order to be considered. To be considered for our Presidential Scholars Program or High Point Scholars, you may choose whether or not to submit official SAT or ACT scores from the College Board. If you do choose to submit standardized test scores, High Point University super scores the SAT and ACT. If a student has taken multiple versions of either test, the highest sub-scores within each test will be considered in totaling the final score for consideration.

HPU Honors Scholar Program

The HPU Honors Scholar Program offers an education you can embody, one that responds to your interests and passions. We believe students should apply their course work to real-world issues. They should have the time and space to tinker with ideas and materials, to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Discipline-Specific Fellowships

High Point University offers nine discipline-specific Fellowships to top incoming students who demonstrate high achievement and potential for future success. Students invited to join each program are offered a scholarship in addition to any other academic award.

Athletic and Fine Arts Scholarships

Athletic Scholarships

The High Point University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics grants talent-based scholarships in all varsity sports in compliance with NCAA Division I regulations and guidelines.

ROTC Scholarships

High Point University is a member institution of Air Force ROTC Detachment 605 and the Army ROTC Aggie Battalion. Air Force award three or four-year ROTC scholarships, which cover the cost of tuition and books, plus $100 per month for personal expenses.

Fine Arts Scholarships

Audition-based awards offered by the Theatre, Dance, and Music Departments to entering music majors. Awarded to wind, drum line, color guard, and majorette students to participate in the university marching band. Preference will be given to students who have band experience, and show a strong interest in school spirit via performance in the HPU Marching Panthers. These awards require an interview, and students should contact the Marching Band for additional information.

Bonner Leader Program and shift_ed Partnership

High Point University values an inclusive community. Through the Bonner Leader Program, students across all of these scholarships join a community of like-minded scholars. The Bonner Leaders are HPU’s true servant leaders. They are the bridge that joins HPU students to the non-profits and social innovation projects of the Greater High Point area. Bonner Leaders help other students learn to serve well. All Bonners leave HPU with strong mentors, a dense network of community support, and real applicable job skills.

High Point University (HPU) is pleased to partner with shifted to support at least two (and up to five) students in each entering class from the Guilford County Schools with full tuition, fee, and book scholarships. These scholarships are open to all students who meet shifted’s criteria; preference is given to students living in High Point, North Carolina who are a part of the first generation in their family to go to a four year college. This scholarship opportunity is expected to be highly competitive and will include full tuition, fees and books during the academic year. Students are highly encouraged to live on campus and state and federal need based assistance will be explored, after filing a FAFSA to help cover these costs. Scholarships will be adjusted to not exceed full tuition, fees and books for those living off campus. The awards will be renewable for an additional three years provided that all academic renewal requirements are met and a clear social record is maintained.

High Point University will also award up to five Choice Scholarships through shifted that are valued at up to $3,500 per year for 4 years to qualifying students. As a part of the application process, on or before February 15th applicants will be required complete the online application for admission to High Point University and complete the Bonner Leader application below. All recipients of the shifted scholarships automatically become members of the HPU Bonner Leaders Program. The Bonner Program is a four-year cohort-model program that brings in about 15 freshman each year who are dedicated to achieving an education that will prepare them to make a difference in our world. It is recommended that students applying for this shift_ed Scholarship apply for admission under the Early Action program with a deadline for submitting the above admission documents of November 15th.

Additional Information

Cost of Attendance

Total tuition, fees, Tier 1 housing, food, and state dining tax before factoring university scholarships, grants, and fellowships is $71,429 for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters.

Contact Information

Do you have a question about joining the HPU family? Please contact your family’s admissions counselor if you have questions.

Other Fees

Student Health Insurance - Student must show proof of health insurance or enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan. International students will be assessed an additional fee of $1,500 for the academic year. Students attending on a part-time basis will pay $1,405 per semester credit hour plus $2,973 in fees per semester if they are taking up to and including 11 semester credits. Students who enroll in 12 or more semester credits will pay the same tuition and general fees as a full-time degree-seeking student. There will be an additional investment for students choosing an upgraded housing option. 98% of the freshmen are in Tier 1 and Tier 2 housing. For more information about individual residence halls, please visit our Residence Life page. Single occupancy room in Finch and McEwen; Double occupancy room in University Center II and R.G. Single occupancy room in the R.G. All HPU students are required to reside on campus until they have reached senior status, unless they commute from their parent’s permanent address. If students live off campus during their senior year, their residence cannot be within a one mile radius of campus. If you would like more information on the off-campus housing contract please visit www.highpoint.edu/studentlife/off-campus-housing-contract.

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