About the Scholarship:
Columbia College offers generous scholarships based on academic merit and other varying factors. Scholarships are awarded to both U.S. and international students.
New freshman scholarships
Competitive scholarships:
Awarded during Scholarship Day to new incoming freshmen. Students must be admitted with a minimum 3.0 High School GPA to compete. Fall semester start only.
| Scholarship name | Award amount(s) | Four-year value |
|---|---|---|
| Presidential Scholarship | $24,320 – Full tuition (annually) | $97,280 |
| Provost Scholarship | $18,240 – 75% tuition (annually) | $72,960 |
| Diversity Excellence Award | Varies | Varies |
| First Generation Achievement Award | Varies | Varies |
| Outstanding Leadership & Service Award | Varies | Varies |
Merit scholarships:
Available to students currently in high school or admitted to Columbia College with fewer than 24 transfer credits completed after high school graduation. Freshman scholarships are renewable up to three additional years.
Merit Scholarships are determined by academic achievement. Students should submit their transcripts and a test score and will be reviewed for the highest possible scholarship. If no test score available, then we’ll consider GPA alone.
| Scholarship name | Annual award amount(s) | Four-year value |
|---|---|---|
| CC Excellence | $12,000 | $48,000 |
| CC Distinction | $10,000 | $40,000 |
| CC Achievement | $8,000 | $32,000 |
| CC Recognition | $6,000 | $24,000 |
| Navy & Silver Award | $2,000 | $8,000 |
Please note: Federal financial aid and state aid will be applied to your student account before institutional aid. Institutional aid may not exceed the cost of tuition.
Columbia College aims to provide financial aid packages that meets the needs of our students. For information regarding additional funding opportunities, please contact your enrollment counselor.
All Columbia College scholarships and grants are awarded based on availability of funds.
New transfer scholarships
New transfers are students coming to Columbia College after having successfully completed at least 24 college credits.
Transfer academic merit scholarships are determined based on a cumulative GPA of all college transfer credit. Transfer scholarships are renewable for two years with the potential for third-year renewal upon appeal.
| Scholarship name | Cumulative transfer GPA requirements | Annual award amount(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Collegiate Excellence | 3.75 or higher | $10,000 |
| Collegiate Achievement | 3.00 or higher | $8,000 |
| Collegiate Recognition | 2.50 or higher | $6,000 |
| Collegiate Navy & Silver Award | Up to 2.5 | $2,000 |
Please note: Federal financial aid & state aid will be applied to your student account before institutional aid. Institutional aid may not exceed the cost of tuition.
Columbia College aims to provide financial aid packages that meets the needs of our students. For information regarding additional funding opportunities, please contact your enrollment counselor.
All Columbia College scholarships and grants are awarded based on availability of funds.
Additional Columbia College aid
Students may also be available for additional awards dependent on affiliation, location, talent or other factors. Eligibility for each award varies. Please note: institutional aid is stackable but may not exceed the cost of tuition. Renewability years vary based on freshman/transfer status upon admission.
| Award/Scholarship | Annual award amount(s) | Four-year value |
|---|---|---|
| A+ Recognition Award | $1,500 | $6,000 |
| Alumni Legacy Grant | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| Disciples of Christ (DOC) Award | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| Music/Art Talent Award | $1,000 – 2,000 | $4,000 – 8,000 |
| Out-of-State Award | $2,800 | $11,200 |
| Two-in-Family | $500 | $2,000 |
| Ivy Grant | Varies based on need | Varies based on need |
Federal financial aid & state aid will be applied to your student account before institutional aid. Institutional aid may not exceed the cost of tuition.
Athletic Aid
This scholarship is selectively awarded by the Athletic Department to a student participating in one of the college’s 17 NAIA athletic programs and eSports. The value of the award can be up to cost of tuition and room and board. The scholarship is renewable through the Athletic Department but is signed as a one-year agreement. Columbia College competes in NAIA Division I in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s cross-country, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s volleyball, women’s softball, and men’s baseball. In addition, Columbia College also participates in NAIA recognized men’s lacrosse and women’s bowling. If you are interested in becoming a Cougar athlete, visit the Columbia Cougars website & complete a “Become a CC Cougar” interest form. Athletes are eligible for academic merit aid. If eligible, athletes may qualify to receive need-based aid, as well.
Federal financial aid & state aid will be applied to your student account before institutional aid and athletic aid. Institutional aid may not exceed the cost of tuition.
Need-based aid
Need-based aid is institutional aid awarded based on a student’s financial need. The Ivy Grant amount based on a student’s calculated financial need, and can only be applied toward tuition. In order to be considered for this grant, a student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This along with any other Columbia College scholarships and awards, will be used to determine if the student has any unmet need remaining. The Ivy Grant will not be awarded until a holistic scholarship review is complete and all other stackable aid applied.
Federal & state financial aid
Federal and state financial aid may also be available to students. In order to consider eligibility for this aid, a student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As noted in each scholarship section, federal financial aid & state aid will be applied to your student account before institutional aid.
