Are you an incoming freshman or transfer student coming to Eastern next Fall semester? Check out our Merit Scholarship matrixes to see how much you could qualify for!
Current EIU students can check their PAWS account for information and eligibility requirements for the Commitment to Excellence Scholarship. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for freshman merit or transfer scholarships.
NOTE: Test scores and transcripts can be updated through June 1 to qualify for the scholarship or qualify for a higher amount. Students must be admitted by June 1 in order to qualify for the merit scholarship.
Renewal Criteria: Student must maintain the following cumulative GPA at Eastern Illinois University, with continuous full-time enrollment of 12+ hours.
NOTE: Test scores and transcripts can be updated through June 1 to either qualify or go up a scholarship level.
Renewal Criteria: Student must maintain the following cumulative GPA at Eastern Illinois University, with continuous full-time enrollment of 12+ hours.
If you are an Illinois resident and you have a minimum of a 3.3/4.0 GPA, you will receive an additional $500 per year over 4 years.
To qualify, you must:
No separate application is required. When you are admitted to EIU, you will automatically be offered the highest Merit Scholarship you qualify for based on your GPA, along with the bonus $500 per year if you are an Illinois resident. The scholarship is automatically renewable for a total of 4 years (8 semesters Fall and Spring).
Yes, but the scholarship and bonus for transfer students are different. See the section below, Transfer Merit Scholarship Bonus FAQ, for more information.
For most students, yes. You can be eligible for the program for up to eight continuous semesters (Fall and Spring) at EIU, as long as you meet the renewal criteria. The program is dependent upon continued state appropriation of associated funds.
To remain qualified after your first year, you must:
Yes, to qualify for the merit scholarship bonus, you must submit a FAFSA at fafsa.gov. You can submit your FAFSA starting October 1 of the year before you intend to take classes at EIU. We recommend you file your FAFSA as soon as possible, and make sure to include EIU’s school code (001674) on your FAFSA so we receive your information. EIU’s priority deadline is December 15.
In addition to the qualifications listed above, to receive financial aid from the EIU Merit Scholarship Bonus program, you must also meet the state’s AIM HIGH Grant eligible student requirements. You must:
People in Household | Max Income |
---|---|
1 | $72,360 |
2 | $97,440 |
3 | $122,520 |
4 | $147,600 |
5 | $172,680 |
6 | $197,760 |
7 | $222,840 |
8 | $247,920 |
9+ | $25,080 added for each additional person |
In Spring 2018, the Higher Education Working Group — a bipartisan group of Illinois legislators interested in finding common-ground and viable solutions — proposed and passed a new merit-based grant program. That program — the AIM HIGH Grant — was signed into law in August 2018. The EIU Merit Scholarship Bonus is dependent on that grant and on state appropriation annually, although the Merit Scholarships themselves are funded by EIU.
You must be registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours by the published census date policy each semester. Full-time enrollment is assumed until census date.
If you are an Illinois resident and you have a minimum of a 3.3/4.0 GPA, you will receive an additional $500 per year over 2 years.
To qualify, you must:
No separate application is required. When you are admitted to EIU, you will automatically be offered the highest Merit Scholarship you qualify for based on your GPA, along with the bonus $500 per year if you are an Illinois resident. The scholarship is automatically renewable for a total of 2 years (4 semesters Fall and Spring).
For most students, yes. You can be eligible for the program for up to four continuous semesters (Fall and Spring) at EIU, as long as you meet the renewal criteria. The program is dependent upon continued state appropriation of associated funds.
To remain qualified after your first year, you must:
Yes, to qualify for the merit scholarship bonus, you must submit a FAFSA at fafsa.gov starting October 1 of the year before you intend to take classes at EIU. We recommend you file your FAFSA as soon as possible, and make sure to include EIU’s school code (001674) on your FAFSA so we receive your information. EIU’s priority deadline is December 15.
In addition to the qualifications listed above, to receive financial aid from the EIU Merit Scholarship Bonus program, you must also meet the state’s AIM HIGH Grant eligible student requirements. You must:
People in Household | Max Income |
---|---|
1 | $72,360 |
2 | $97,440 |
3 | $122,520 |
4 | $147,600 |
5 | $172,680 |
6 | $197,760 |
7 | $222,840 |
8 | $247,920 |
9+ | $25,080 added for each additional person |
You must be registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours by the published census date each semester. Full-time enrollment is assumed until census date.
In Spring 2018, the Higher Education Working Group — a bipartisan group of Illinois legislators interested in finding common-ground and viable solutions — proposed and passed a new merit-based grant program. That program, the AIM HIGH Grant, was signed into law in August 2018. The EIU Merit Scholarship Bonus is dependent on that grant and on state appropriation annually, although the Merit Scholarships themselves are funded by EIU.