Unlocking Opportunities: A Guide to Merit Scholarships at the University of Iowa

The University of Iowa offers a multitude of scholarship opportunities to attract and support outstanding undergraduate students. These scholarships recognize academic excellence and, in some cases, consider financial need. Merit-based scholarships are awarded based on a student's achievements and potential. Understanding the various merit scholarships available, their requirements, and application processes is crucial for prospective and current students.

Merit Scholarships for First-Year Students

Several merit scholarships specifically target incoming first-year students, rewarding academic achievements prior to enrollment.

Presidential Scholarship

The Presidential Scholarship is a prestigious award for incoming freshmen who demonstrate exceptional academic ability. To qualify, students must have an ACT score of 30 or higher (or an SAT score of 1330 or higher) and a cumulative high school GPA of 3.8 or better. Completing the Presidential Scholarship Application is also mandatory.

Old Gold Scholarship

The Old Gold Scholarship is available to first-year students at the University of Iowa, recognizing academic promise and potential contributions to the university community.

University of Iowa National Scholars Award

The University of Iowa National Scholars Award is designed for high-achieving non-resident and international first-year students. Eligibility requires a Regent Admission Index score of 290 or above. Nonresident undergraduate first-year students who submit a complete application for admission by February 2 are automatically considered for the National Scholars Award. The scholarship may be renewed for up to four years, or until the student receives their bachelor’s degree (whichever comes first), provided they maintain continuous full-time enrollment at the University of Iowa (fall and spring terms), and meet the scholarships standards for renewal.

Madeline P. Peterson Scholarship for American Indian Women

The Madeline P. Peterson Scholarship for American Indian Women supports incoming freshman women with a tribal affiliation. This scholarship can be renewed for three additional years, totaling eight semesters of support.

Merit Scholarships for Continuing and Transfer Students

The University of Iowa also offers merit scholarships for students beyond their first year, recognizing continued academic success and contributions to the university.

Carver Scholars Program

The Roy J. Carver Scholars Program supports full-time sophomore students who have overcome significant social and economic obstacles in their pursuit of education, or whose circumstances may not normally be taken into account by other financial aid programs. The Carver Scholars Program is also available to transfer students who will be full-time juniors at the University of Iowa who have worked to overcome obstacles in the pursuit of their education.

Next Generation Scholarship

The Next Generation Scholarship supports full-time junior and senior students pursuing a course of study or concentration relevant to retail.

Iowa Center for the Arts Scholarship

The Iowa Center for the Arts Scholarship is available to undergraduate students majoring within the School or Art and Art History at the University of Iowa.

Read also: Guide to UMN Merit Scholarships

Iowa Community College Need-Based Academic Award

Entering direct transfer students (from an Iowa community college) who submit a FAFSA by the deadline for maximum financial aid consideration, demonstrate financial need based on the FAFSA results, and show outstanding academic merit (Community College Transfer GPA) are automatically considered for the Iowa Community College Need-Based Academic Award. Eligible students must transfer a minimum of 24 earned hours and have not earned a prior bachelor's degree.

The award's value ranges from $100 to $1,500 per semester for up to two years. The award amount is carefully considered based on financial need (determined by FAFSA results) and merit (Community College Transfer GPA). The scholarship is awarded automatically when federal financial aid is awarded to eligible students by the Office of Student Financial. Students may receive this scholarship for up to four semesters of undergraduate enrollment or until a bachelor's degree is received (whichever comes first) by meeting all requirements.

Study Abroad Merit Scholarships

For students seeking international experiences, the University of Iowa offers several merit-based scholarships to support study abroad programs. These scholarships encourage students to broaden their horizons and gain a global perspective. Applicants for scholarships should review all requirements necessary prior to submission of applications, including eligibility (3.5 GPA), required components, deadlines, etc. Any incomplete applications or attempted submissions after the published deadlines will not be accepted. These scholarships do not apply to virtual programs.

To apply for any of the semester/academic year merit scholarships, applicants should complete ONE Semester Merit Scholarship Application along with any other requirement(s) listed specific to the scholarship. This process will result in the submission of ONE application, required essays, required reference letters, and grade reports.

To apply for any of the winter or summer merit scholarships, applicants should complete ONE Summer Merit Scholarship Application along with any other requirement(s) listed specific to the scholarship.

Read also: Applying for Loyola Scholarships

IES Merit-Based David Porter Diversity Scholarship

The IES Merit-Based David Porter Diversity Scholarship supports students at institutions that are members or associate members of the IES college consortium. Applicants must be from a student group who have been traditionally under-represented on study abroad programs.

Bedell World Experience Asia Scholarship

The Bedell World Experience Asia Scholarship is available for an eligible undergraduate student wishing to study in a geographical area where Japanese, Chinese, or Korean is the primary language. This competitive, merit-based scholarship is designed for undergraduate students who are native residents of Iowa. In addition to the merit component, successful applicants will also show demonstrated financial need.

Drs. Michael L. and Darlene M. McNulty Scholarship

The Drs. Michael L. and Darlene M. McNulty Scholarship will provide competitive, merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students who study abroad in West Africa, preference Ghana.

James L. and Rubie S. Watson Study Abroad Scholarship

The James L. and Rubie S. Watson Study Abroad Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students who study abroad in one or more of the following countries and territories: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India. Students with diverse majors in a variety of disciplines are encouraged to apply for this scholarship.

Joel D. and Sandra Barkan Scholarship

The Joel D. and Sandra Barkan Scholarship will be awarded to students who study abroad in various non-Western European geographical areas (also excluding Australia and New Zealand). Eligible undergraduate, full-time, degree-seeking students may be pursuing study abroad in countries including sub-Saharan Africa, Asia (including Central Asia), Latin America, and the Middle East (including North Africa).

Naomi Gunderson Scholarship For Foreign Language Study Abroad

The Naomi Gunderson Scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate students who are committed to developing advanced language proficiency. Students must have completed at least one year of language study prior to the application deadline.

Richard J. Tyner Scholarship

The Richard J. Tyner Scholarship will provide competitive, merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences majoring in a world language, political science, international relations, or international studies, who are participating in a study abroad program or an international internship program through International Programs.

Stanley Merit-Based Scholarship

The Stanley Merit-Based Scholarship is a competitive, merit-based scholarship designed for undergraduate students who will study abroad.

Stuart A. Lundquist Memorial Fund Scholarship

This competitive, merit-based scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student who is pursing a major/minor in French (first preference) or English (second preference) and studying abroad in France for at least one semester.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to the scholarships awarded by the Office of Admissions, various colleges and departments within the University of Iowa administer their own scholarships for both incoming and continuing students. These scholarships may have specific eligibility requirements based on major, academic interests, or other criteria.

University-Wide Scholarships

The University of Iowa offers various scholarships each year to outstanding undergraduate students based on financial need, academic merit, or both.

*Automatch - If this term is noted under “Actions” below, students are automatically matched to be considered for these opportunities, if eligible, after completing their General Application and college or department level applications. College and department level applications are automatically made available to students after completing their General Application.

Examples of University-wide scholarships include:

Anne Stiles Bagan and Mark G.
B. L.
Bernard L.
H. Bruce M.
Carl J.
Charles R. & Princess H.
Chester A. Recipients of the Chester A.
Clifford M.
Dr. M.E. and Dr.
E. Lester & Frances M.
E.
Earl A.
Elizabeth L.
Elsie E.
Emmet J.

Application Process and Important Considerations

To be considered for scholarships that require financial need, students must have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Admitted and currently enrolled students can sign in using their Hawk ID and password to begin the scholarship application process.

First (if you haven't already), log-in to complete the General Application and then complete the desired Study Abroad scholarship application. To find all Study Abroad opportunities, use the Scopes (key word) "Study Abroad". The merit scholarship application is available on the Iowa Scholarship Portal.

It is crucial to note that first-year students who do not meet the February 2 regular admission deadline will not be considered for merit scholarships. Some scholarship applications are due well in advance of admission deadlines, so it is essential to apply early.

Some students may anticipate participating in intercollegiate athletics at the University of Iowa, which may impact their ability to receive institutional or private scholarships and grants.

Merit-based scholarships from the Office of Admissions do not stack. If a student meets the minimum requirements for multiple awards, they will automatically be awarded the scholarship with the highest dollar value. Receiving a merit scholarship may not disqualify students from also receiving need-based grants or loans offered through the UI Office of Student Financial Aid, depending upon the amount of demonstrated financial need. Please view the Scholarship and Grant Policies for information on awarding of the scholarships at the University of Iowa.

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