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John Carroll University / Student Enrollment and Financial Services / Financing a JCU Education / New First-Year Student Scholarships – SEFS

We pride ourselves on ensuring that a JCU education is accessible and affordable for all students and families, regardless of their economic backgrounds. Every year, we distribute numerous scholarship awards to incoming first-year students. We encourage you to read through the information below to learn more about awards for which you may be eligible.

Merit Scholarships

In and out of the classroom, JCU students accomplish a great deal and leave their mark on our campus and in the community. Our merit scholarships are designed to recognize and celebrate what students have accomplished throughout high school in hopes that they will share those talents with us.

When you submit your application for admission, you’ll automatically be considered for merit scholarships. No separate application is required for you to be considered for the Magis, Presidential, University, and Ignatian Awards.

Listed scholarship values automatically renew each year for a total of four years, so long as academic and conduct standards are maintained. You’ll be notified of your merit scholarship at the time of admission. Merit awards are determined based on academic performance, rigor of high school curriculum, and standardized test scores (if submitted).

Merit Scholarship Information

Legacy Grant

The Legacy Grant is available exclusively to first-year and transfer legacy students enrolling at JCU in fall 2025. Eligible legacy students will automatically qualify to receive this $1,000 grant that will renew annually.

Eligible legacy students include those students who have had a parent, step-parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or sibling graduate from JCU at the time of enrolling. Applicants should indicate their legacy connection(s), along with their year(s) of graduation, on their application for admission. 

Academic, Alumni, Regional, and Special Interest Scholarship Opportunities

Eligible students will be considered for scholarship opportunities at JCU beyond the Merit Scholarship, Legacy Grant, and Catholic Commitment Award. A few of these awards require a separate application, which will be available in your myJCU Gateway portal. You can view the full list of available scholarship opportunities for incoming first-year students by clicking here.

We also encourage students to submit the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will become available in December, to determine their eligibility for additional financial aid, including grants, loans, and scholarships.

Outside Scholarships

Be sure to research and apply for outside scholarships, which can help you gain additional support for your John Carroll educational experience. All legitimate scholarship searches should be free and should not ask for any credit card or bank information. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a scholarship offer or search, please do not hesitate to contact Student Enrollment and Financial Services or the Better Business Bureau.

Explore a list of reputable scholarship search engines our students have found helpful.

More information regarding the total cost of attendance can be found here.

Please Note

Students awarded a JCU Faculty and Staff Tuition Grant or a Tuition Exchange Grant via FACHEX, TEP, or CIC-TEP will have all previously earned merit scholarships and grants replaced by the tuition grant.  ROTC Scholarship recipients will also replace any previously earned merit scholarships and grants with these awards.