Salem University (SU) is committed to making college education as affordable as possible by providing scholarships. Scholarship awards are granted based on a review of applications by the Scholarship Committee. Scholarships are awarded for one full-time semester at a time on a funds-available basis and may be renewed based on the student’s performance.

Award amounts may not exceed the cost of attendance adjusted for other financial aid, and may only be awarded to students in good financial standing and good academic standing.

New Student Success Grant

Salem University is pleased to announce our New Student Success Grant! New students enrolling in our 100% online or on campus associate and/or bachelor’s degree programs at Salem University who are residents of Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Virginia are now eligible for our New Student Success Grant. This opportunity will reduce your cost of attendance to just $425 per credit!

West Virginia Promise Scholarship

The Promise Scholarship is a merit-based program that allows West Virginia students to receive a scholarship covering tuition and mandatory fees. Funds may only be used toward an associate or baccalaureate degree program at eligible West Virginia institutions.

Undergraduate Scholarships

President’s Honor Scholarship

Requirements:

  • The Salem Presidential Scholarships must be applied for each year if you wish to have your merits considered for selection of this scholarship.
  • Students may apply after the completion of their second semester in which they have earned a 4.0 cumulative GPA.
  • The application, essay, letter of recommendation from a faculty member and a copy of their transcripts must be submitted to scholarships@salemu.edu no later than the due date.
  • The Scholarship Committee may ask for a face-to-face or virtual meeting.
  • Good financial standings with the university.
  • Must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester.
    • For a full list of terms and conditions, review the application terms and conditions section.

Due Date:
All required documents must be submitted to scholarships@salemu.edu no later than 12:00am (Midnight) EST on Friday, May 31, 2024.

Estimated Scholarship Amount:
Up to $2000 per academic semester may be awarded after all grades are posted, not to exceed 10 total semesters.

Next Steps:
Scholarships will be reviewed by the Scholarship Committee and awarded no later than June 15th. Please note, the Salem University Scholarship Committee must remain within its set budget, and therefore, may run out of funding. It is recommended that you ensure your application showcases your academic drive and excellence.

International Scholarships

We are proud of our diverse student group and would like to help encourage international students to come study in the United States.

  • 15% of the student’s tuition
  • Adjusted per credit hour (just like Pell)
  • Only stackable with academic scholarships for incoming students. Current students enrolled prior to the 23-24 school year are grandfathered in and can stack with other Salem scholarships.
  • Student must be an international student attending on an F-1 Visa, not DACA or work Visa.

Graduate Scholarships

Alumni Scholarship

Students who complete baccalaureate degrees at Salem may apply for an Alumni Scholarship to pursue graduate studies at Salem.

  • Funding is available as a one-time scholarship of $2,000.00
  • Scholarships are available to all bachelor degree completers who enter a Master’s degree program within the first month of bachelor degree completion.
  • Contact Diana Martin for scholarship applications.

Athletic Scholarships

  • Scholarships are assigned by coaches. Approved by Athletic Leadership (Alex and Kathryn). Reviewed by VP of FA. Awarded by FAA.
  • Only stackable with academic scholarships for incoming students. Current students enrolled prior to the 23-24 school year are grandfathered in and can stack with other Salem scholarships.

External Scholarships

Scholarships are an important resource for funding your education. Every student has a different story and financial situation; scholarships help recipients reduce their loan debt, out-of-pocket cost or allow them to obtain their degree when otherwise they may be unable to do so.  Your funding sources are limited only by the number of scholarships you apply for. Be sure to apply for as many scholarships, including external / private scholarships, as you can – it is recommended that each college student apply for 10–12 scholarships yearly.

Be careful of scamming – never pay for scholarship applications, never provide your social security number. If you win a scholarship and the foundation needs your information, they will send documentation directly to the university.

How to prepare for a scholarship search:

  • It’s important to give yourself plenty of time to search for a scholarship, complete and edit the application, essay, and ask for letters of recommendation. It’s recommended to create a second, more professional email address just for scholarships.
  • Write a generic essay as your base, then customize it for each scholarship.
  • Generally, essays should have an introduction, one to three paragraphs regarding the topic and a conclusion.
  • Find someone to proofread your application and essays before submitting.
  • Stay organized, track which scholarships you are working on, the deadlines, when you submitted your application, and if the application website has a password.

Top national scholarships websites:

Scholly by Sallie
https://www.fastweb.com/
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
https://www.scholarships.com/
http://www.niche.com/
http://www.nursingscholarship.us/
https://www.petersons.com/
https://www.unigo.com/

If you have questions about scholarships, please contact the Salem University Financial Aid office.
financialaid@salemu.edu | 844.462.9128