Penn State Scholarships

First-year students and continuing students looking for federal student aid opportunities should also strongly consider applying for Penn State scholarships. Federal student aid and scholarships are two highly recommended funding sources for students enrolled at Penn State or other Pennsylvania schools. 

Bold.org offers students an easy way to find student aid for their college careers. Make a profile today with Bold.org to find Penn State scholarships and hundreds of other financial aid opportunities for undergraduate and continuing students. 

Check out our scholarship blog for advice on college finances that first-year students may find especially helpful. In addition, use the scholarship search function to browse our entire database of scholarships for the student aid opportunities that best fit your needs.

Federal student aid programs can help students pay a large chunk of their college expenses. Students should fill out the FAFSA, or free application for federal student aid, to see how much federal student aid they can get for college. Since this is a free application, all students should submit the FAFSA no matter how low or high their family income is. 

All students are eligible to apply for the FAFSA. Students can talk to their high school guidance counselors or the student aid office about the FAFSA and other federal student aid options.

Read about what the FAFSA is here for more information. 

Scholarships also have a free application process. The advantage of applying to scholarships is that students can apply to as many scholarships as they like, as often as they want to. Scholarships are a more flexible form of student aid to help you afford college tuition.

First-year students especially should take advantage of these opportunities and fill out the FAFSA. Knowing how much funding you will receive as a freshman can help first-year students plan ahead. High school seniors and first-year students should also apply for as many scholarships as possible to increase their budget for college.

Undergraduate and graduate students should apply for financial aid and scholarships as well. It’s always a good idea to continue applying for scholarships, as new scholarships are posted on Bold.org and other websites daily. New opportunities will continue to appear as you continue your education. 

Students enrolled at Penn State should strongly consider speaking with someone from their student aid office to discuss what types of student aid they may be eligible to apply for. Many first-year students at Penn State will be offered financial aid based on their financial need. Students should check with the student aid office to see how much of their tuition will be covered.

Penn State is a four-year university located in University Park, Pennsylvania. With an undergraduate class of 39,321 students, Penn State is a relatively large university. Some of the most popular majors at Penn State are information science, business, biology, psychology, and computer systems security. 

Like most colleges, Penn State offers a financial aid program to students in need of assistance. Filling out the FAFSA qualifies students for federal student aid and student aid packages funded by Penn State. Many students with demonstrated financial need will receive federal student aid as well as aid from Penn State. 

Any students enrolled at Penn State may also be eligible for Penn State scholarships. Scholarships come from all kinds of donors and sources. Individuals and families can fund scholarships, as can large companies or corporations. 

Many universities also offer scholarships to attending students with outstanding academic performances. It’s common for undergraduate students with good grades to receive Dean’s scholarships or similar student aid awards. 

Does Penn State offer any scholarships?

Penn State does offer scholarships to students enrolled in Penn State programs. First-year students and transfer students will have priority for some scholarships to help students adjust to life at Penn State. 

The Discover Penn State award is a scholarship that will provide funding for up to four years. Eligible students include first-year students and transfer students who are residents of Delaware, Maryland, and Ohio. New Jersey, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Applicants must be enrolled in one of Penn State’s 19 Commonwealth Campuses. 

The Provost’s Award is another Penn State scholarship open to first-year students. Like the Discover Penn State Award, this scholarship will also provide gift aid over four years. This scholarship does not limit applicants based on their location, as students from any state or region may apply.

Penn State Scholarships

1. Gary Robert Schloss Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is for African American high school students from low-income backgrounds who plan to study in Pennsylvania. Applicants should apply by April 25, 2023, to have a chance of winning this student aid opportunity. 

1. Susan Leslie Wood Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Undergraduate students and graduate students alike can apply for this scholarship before April 15, 2023. Applicants must be studying in Pennsylvania with an intended future career in nursing.

Students who want to attend Penn State can also check out these out-of-state scholarships. Applicants who aren't originally from Pennsylvania may be able to find funding here for their Penn State tuition.

Does Penn State give full merit scholarships?

Penn State does not offer merit scholarships that guarantee to cover your entire tuition. Penn State students should strongly consider applying for the Provost’s Award and Discover Penn State Award.

In addition, filling out the FAFSA in combination with applying for scholarships may be able to cover most of your tuition in some cases.

While full merit scholarships are somewhat rare, Bold.org has a regularly updated list of merit scholarships Penn State students can apply for. Merit scholarships are a form of student aid that awards money based on outstanding academic performance. Only the top candidates with the best grades will be considered to win student aid through merit scholarships.

Most merit scholarships will require students to have a higher GPA to apply. Penn State students should make sure to maintain their grades to increase the number of scholarships they are eligible to apply for. 

Not all scholarships will be awarded solely based on academic merit. Students can apply for sports scholarships, no-essay scholarships, and other types of scholarships as well. 

In addition, not all scholarships will have a GPA restriction. Students with a lower GPA can still find many financial aid opportunities.

What GPA do you need to get a scholarship to Penn State?

The average high school GPA at Penn State is 3.58. While GPA is not the only factor determining who will receive a student aid scholarship, students with an average or above average GPA may have a better chance. 

Some scholarships are merit scholarships and will be heavily influenced by your academic performance. In those cases, students may need an above-average GPA to be considered. Read this article on what GPA you need to get a full scholarship for more information. 

Other scholarships may select winners based on demonstrated financial need or other criteria, in which case an average or below-average GPA may be accepted. 

Can you get scholarships through FAFSA?

Yes, students can receive student aid through the FAFSA. The FAFSA application helps the U.S. Department of Education determine which students are eligible for need-based federal financial aid. 

There are several different types of federal student aid, including federal grants, work-study programs, loans, and scholarships. Students who fill out the FAFSA may be awarded any of these forms of student aid from the government. 

Frequently asked questions 

Does Penn State accept everyone? 

Penn State does not accept all of the students that apply. With a 56% acceptance rate, Penn State accepts around half of the total applicants each year. Students will need to be average or above average in their high school classes to be accepted to Penn State. 

Your high school GPA is required to apply, while the SAT and ACT test scores will be considered, but only if students choose to submit them. It is not required to submit SAT and ACT test scores. 

To get an idea of whether you may be accepted or not, the typical SAT range that is acceptable at Penn State is 1160 points to 1360 points. For the ACT, students who score between 25 points and 30 points will likely have a good chance of being accepted. 

Naturally, acceptance will depend on many other factors as well, such as your high school GPA, extracurricular activities, academic interests, and college application essays. Penn State uses the Common Application, which allows students to submit an application containing all of this information in one place.

How much is Penn State tuition per year?

The net price of a year at Penn State is $26,000, slightly more expensive than the national average of $15,523 for a year at college. Students can apply for federal student aid and various scholarships to help pay for their yearly tuition. 

In addition, Penn State offers aid to first-year students and continuing students. 65% of the student body at Penn State receives aid, meaning that there is a high chance you will be offered student aid if you attend.

What is the easiest scholarship to win?

The easiest scholarships to win will differ from student to student. To increase their chances of winning a scholarship, students should apply to opportunities that appeal to their strengths. Strong art students will have an easier time winning arts scholarships than general academic scholarships, for example. 

The easiest scholarships to win are the ones where students can easily demonstrate that they are the strongest candidate out of all the applicants. Apply to a wide range of scholarships, but also be on the lookout for opportunities uniquely suited to your interests and talents. Take a look at this list of easy scholarships to apply for. 

In terms of the time commitment of applying to scholarships, no-essay scholarships are the easiest to apply to. As the name suggests, no-essay scholarships do not require students to write a personal statement to apply. 

Writing the essay is often the most time-consuming part of applying for a scholarship. Removing that area of the application means students will spend significantly less time applying for each scholarship, making the process more efficient.

While there may be more competition for no-essay scholarships because they are so easy to apply to, students should consider applying to any of the no-essay scholarships on this list. 

Read more about how to apply for scholarships on our scholarship blog