Scholarships are awarded to students on the basis of demonstrated financial need, academic excellence, or other achievements. Scholarships do not have to be repaid.
WashU Merit-based Scholarships
WashU offers academic scholarships awarded solely on academic achievement and an outstanding promise for excellence at WashU. A range of scholarships up to the full cost of tuition are provided by each undergraduate academic division. Our Signature Scholar Programs offers multiple full-tuition and half-tuition scholarship opportunities.
WashU Need-based Scholarships
WashU offers need-based scholarships based on the information you provided on your financial assistance applications. If awarded, this scholarship will show up on your financial assistance offer and will be subtracted from what you owe to the university. See Expected Family Contribution for more information.
Outside scholarships
Outside scholarships are scholarships that are awarded from nongovernmental sources outside of WashU. Examples are scholarships awarded by corporations, foundations, civic or religious organizations, etc.
It is the policy of Washington University that receipt of an outside scholarship will not automatically result in a reduction of a student’s need-based or academic scholarship.
Federal and state government grants and certain other entitlement grants (i.e., state scholarships and grants, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, veterans benefits, and employer tuition benefits) may not be subject to this policy. If these items are not included in the student’s original scholarship, they may produce a corresponding reduction in the Washington University scholarship since these programs have specific restraints. Student Financial Services also may have to adjust other components of a student’s financial assistance offer such as Federal Work-Study jobs and federally subsidized loans, to comply with federal regulations.
In rare cases, the university is compelled to reduce a student’s Washington University scholarship. These infrequent situations include:
- When the student has been awarded a federal or state grant as part of the financial assistance offer and the total of these grants – along with a Washington University scholarship and outside scholarships – would exceed that student’s annual cost of attendance.
- Student Financial Services also may have to adjust other components of a student’s financial assistance offer, such as Federal Work-Study and federally subsidized loans, to comply with federal regulations.
Please note: The federal government requires you to report any outside scholarships to Student Financial Services. You may do this by providing our office with a copy of your outside scholarship award letter or certificate.
Resources
submit a check
To submit a scholarship check, please send to our office:
Washington University in St. Louis
Student Financial Services
MSC: 1041-105-20
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
RaiseMe Micro-Scholarships
Washington University has partnered with RaiseMe to offer micro-scholarships that recognize your everyday achievements and allow you to start earning money for college beginning in 9th grade. You can earn up to $10,000 per year ($40,000 total), which will be part of your total scholarship or financial assistance offer. You may receive even more in your scholarship or financial aid award once we review your application, but the money you earn from WashU with RaiseMe is the minimum guaranteed amount you will receive from WashU.
Common Questions about RaiseMe
RaiseMe micro-scholarships at WashU are available for incoming first-year students who reside within the U.S. and who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL) or who attend a high school with 70% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Students must complete the FAFSA and demonstrate eligibility for need-based financial assistance. International, transfer, and returning students are not eligible.
- Get an “A” in a core course
- Maintain a high GPA
- Participate in an extracurricular activity
- Hold a leadership role in an extracurricular activity
- Take an AP or IB course
RaiseMe is entirely free for high school students and educators.
Students who are in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 and attend high school in the United States.
Yes! We partnered with RaiseMe to allow you to earn scholarships to WashU earlier in high school and help you see how you can be a competitive candidate at WashU. When WashU awards student scholarships on RaiseMe, we are guaranteeing these scholarships will be included in your merit or financial assistance package after you are admitted.
You can fill in your high school portfolio retroactively with achievements going back to the start of 9th grade, and will be eligible to earn scholarships as if you have been using RaiseMe since 9th grade. The more complete your portfolio is, the more opportunities you have to earn micro-scholarships.
Please note: WashU micro-scholarships are locked in and cannot be changed after November 15th of your senior year.
No. Micro-scholarships are not transferable between different colleges. You can only use the scholarships that you earn from one school towards the cost of attending that same college — not to any other school.
The final total of scholarships earned on RaiseMe represent a guaranteed minimum amount of scholarship or grant aid you will receive in your financial assistance package to attend our institution. If you receive a larger scholarship based upon other factors (like your final college application and FAFSA) through the admission application process, then that package will include the amount that you have earned on RaiseMe.