EIU Pine Honors College

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INCOMING FRESHMAN HONORS STUDENTS

Apply for the Presidential Scholarship by Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at eiu.academicworks.com

Students who have a GPA of 3.75 or are in the top 10 % of their graduating class are eligible to apply for these awards.

Note: You must be admitted to EIU before you can submit any scholarship applications. We do NOT require a letter of recommendation.

For exceptionally strong incoming freshman students, the Pine Honors College offers three different competitive scholarships awarded over four years:

full-ride Pemberton Presidential Scholarship (worth $94,000 over four years)

full-tuition Presidential Scholarship (worth $54,000)

Honors Award for Incoming Freshmen (worth $14,000, in addition to the automatic Merit Scholarship, worth up to $18,000, for a total of $32,000)

Please note: Applicants for the Pemberton Presidential and the Presidential Scholarship are also considered as applicants for the Honors Award. You do not need to complete an additional application for the Honors Award.

Successful applicants will be offered only one of these three scholarships.

More Scholarships 

(In addition, the following scholarships are open to incoming Honors freshmen: President Doudna Memorial, Dorothy Davis Bunge, Rachael Richardson, Sandra and Jack Pine, Margaret Schmidt, and John Whisnand. Please see here for more information.)

All Honors Scholarships

Full Ride: The Pemberton Presidential Scholarship

The most prestigious of Honors College scholarships, the Pemberton Presidential Scholarships covers on-campus room and board (approximately $10,000 per year) and up to $13,500 per year towards tuition and fees for four years. Each freshman Honors College class will include up to five Pemberton Presidential Scholars. This particular scholarship cannot be combined with the the Honors Award or the automatic Merit Scholarship that students would otherwise receive from EIU. 

Full Tuition: The Presidential Scholarship

The Presidential Scholarship is up to $13,500 per year towards tuition and fees for four years. Each freshman Honors College class will include up to fifteen Presidential Scholars. This particular scholarship cannot be combined with the Honors Award or the Merit Scholarship.

Please note: If you have already applied for the Presidential Scholarship, you will automatically be considered for the Honors Incoming Freshman Award and do not need to complete a separate Honors Award application.

Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility requirements for the Pemberton Presidential and the Presidential Scholarship:

3.75 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) or ranking in the top 10% of the graduating class

Apply for this scholarship at AcademicWorks: eiu.academicworks.com and search for "Presidential"

Deadline: (EXTENDED to Tuesday, January 17, 2023). Only fully completed applications are considered. See below for information about what constitutes a complete application.

The 2018-2019 class of Presidential Scholars

(Dean England, Katie Webb, Tess Patterson, Delainey File, Anna Hemrich, Abigail Smith, Michal Treadway, Jackson Melvin, Jurnee Evans, Elizabeth Hicks, Jennifer Wisner, Shae Page, Francesco Romano. Not pictured - Makayla McPhedran, Katie Smith, Jason Tabit, Anakin Weston.)

Who is the ideal EIU Presidential Scholar?

Eastern Illinois University seeks to build a diverse class of Presidential Scholars who exemplify the best qualities of the excellent students who are part of the Pine Honors College. Presidential Scholars come from all majors and areas of academic interest.

Presidential Scholars demonstrate outstanding qualities, including but not limited to: true uniqueness, intellectual rigor, a passion for problem-solving, brash creativity, visionary leadership, an open-minded attitude, and curiosity, grit, and determination in the face of obstacles. In short, we want the best ambassadors for the values we uphold in the Honors College.

For your reference, please see our Pine Honors College Mission:

Our Mission

The Sandra and Jack Pine Honors College is a center for academic excellence and leadership in the university that encourages academically talented students to develop their potential through completion of suitable coursework in small classes taught by excellent faculty. Dedicated to nurturing students intellectually so they are equipped upon graduation to pursue their interests, the Pine Honors College also encourages undergraduate research and creative activity, community service opportunities, study abroad experiences, and professional internships. This provision of an integrated academic experience contributes to Eastern Illinois University's acclaim as a university accomplished in teaching and research that is focused on its graduates' success.

What constitutes a complete Presidential Scholarship application?

1)   Make sure that you qualify for the Presidential Scholarship. See minimum eligibility requirements, above. The minimum GPA set is exact. For example, a 3.745 GPA on your transcript does not count as a 3.75 GPA.

2)   At the time of your application, make sure that your latest transcript has been sent to EIU. Make sure that this transcript reflects the minimum required GPA of 3.75.

3)   Answer all questions. Do not leave answers blank. Write thoughtful, well-edited answers, and keep in mind that your reviewers will consider your answers carefully.

4)   Stay within the maximum word length (300 words) for your two essay answers. The two essays ask for you to reflect on obstacles you have overcome and what you most want to get out of your learning experiences in college.

5)   Write with care and remember to proofread and polish your short answers and essays.

6)   Check your email for important notifications about your application. Finalists will be contacted in late January 2023 to schedule campus interviews in February 2023. 

The Honors Award

The Honors Award for Incoming Freshmen is a $3000 scholarship renewable for four years. This scholarship will be combined with other EIU academic merit scholarships (but not the Presidential Scholarship above).

The eligibility requirements for the Honors Award:

3.75 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) OR ranking in the top 10% of the graduating class

Apply for this scholarship at AcademicWorks.

Deadline: March 15, 2022. Only fully completed applications are considered.

Please note: If you have already applied for the Presidential Scholarship, you will automatically be considered for the Honors Incoming Freshman Award and do not need to complete a separate Honors Award application.

Application Review

In evaluating applications, we consider high school transcripts as well as extracurricular and volunteer activities. In your application, especially in the brief essay responses, we are looking for evidence of academic excellence, grit, determination, leadership potential, civic responsibility, intellectual maturity, diversity of experience, and ambition to make the most of college. The financial need of academically eligible students may also be considered. All applications are reviewed by the Honors Council.

Requirements to Retain Awards

To retain their awards, all Honors scholarship recipients are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40, and to remain in good academic and judicial standing with Eastern Illinois University and the Pine Honors College.