EIU Pine Honors College

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INCOMING FRESHMAN HONORS STUDENTS

Apply for the Presidential Scholarship by Friday, January 12, 2024, at eiu.academicworks.com.

Incoming freshmen with a 3.75 high school GPA (on a 4.0 scale) OR a 3.5 GPA and an ACT composite of 26+ (or SAT of 1230+) 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 freshmen, the Pine Honors College offers three different competitive scholarships awarded over four years:

full-ride Pemberton Presidential Scholarship (*AY23-24 amount - $94,000 over four years)

full-tuition Presidential Scholarship (*AY23-24 amount - $54,000)

Honors Award for Incoming Freshmen (*AY23-24 amount - $14,000, in addition to the automatic Merit Scholarship, worth up to $18,000, for a total of $32,000)

*This amount may be adjusted for AY24-25 to reflect changes in university costs.

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 Scholarship 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 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 4.0 scale)

OR

3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and an ACT composite of 26+ (or SAT of 1230+)

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

Deadline: Friday, January 12, 2024. Only fully completed applications are considered. See below for information about what constitutes a complete application.

2023-2024 Class of Presidential Scholars

Front Row: Laila Bennett, Emma Garner, Abbie Fitzmaurice, Kensi Kensel, Eliza Raja, Aubrey Kaufman, Daniel Fournier, Grace Glass, and Caroline Bouc

Back Row: Dean England, Nicholas Shamhart, Joseph Stoddard, Jacob Reeley, Carter Davis, Olivia Bennett, Madalynn Bloome, Jalyne Long, Makalah Simpson, and Megan Fox

Not Pictured: Megan Heise

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 certain you qualify for the Presidential Scholarship. (Please review the 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 certain your most recent transcript has been sent to EIU. This transcript must reflect the minimum required GPA.

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. Your response must be within the word range noted for each question.

4)   Check your email for important notifications about your application. Finalists will be contacted in late January 2024 to schedule campus interviews in February 2024. 

The Honors Award

The Honors Award for Incoming Freshmen is a $3500 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 are the same as the eligibility requirements for the Presidential Scholarship:

3.75 GPA (on a 4.00 scale)

OR

3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and an ACT composite of 26+ (or SAT of 1230+)

Apply for this scholarship at AcademicWorks.

Deadline: March 15, 2024. Only fully completed applications are considered.

Please note: This application will become available on January 13, 2024 (the day after the Presidential Scholarship application closes). If you 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 3.4 and remain in good academic and disciplinary standing with Eastern Illinois University and the Pine Honors College.