Scholarship

Schools with the Best Transfer Scholarships

Schools with the Best Transfer Scholarships

Looking for Schools with the best transfer scholarships? Where to Find the Best College Transfer Scholarships Explore leading universities that offer sizable scholarships to help cover some of the costs as you adjust to your new city.

Moving to a new school presents students with the potential for growth in a new environment, but often also financial hardship. Thankfully, many schools understand the unique perspective transfer students bring to campus and offer attractive scholarship opportunities to help make the move more financially practical.

If you need to get away, want to select a different scholastic system, or want a clean slate, a school that provides a lot of financial backing could make the difference. In this post, we are going to look at some of the best colleges and universities that provide strong transfer scholarships, helping you realize that dream of receiving a degree in one of many appealing locations across the country.

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This list includes schools that span the spectrum, from famous and prestigious schools to those under-the-radar gems, but they all have one thing in common: they recognize the unique challenges faced by transfer students and have made a commitment to help those students achieve their academic goals by wrapping their financial aid packages. Sounds like it lays grounds for you to find new ways to channel a bit of extra income that might take the edge off while at the same time giving you a way to finally engage in the stuff you really wanted to do.

How Financial Aid Differs for Transfer Students

Seeking financial aid may look a lot different for transfer students than it does for incoming freshmen. Most colleges will automatically consider freshmen as they review financial aid applications for need-based aid and also in awarding merit scholarships, but few if any colleges will extend the same practice to transfer applicants.

For most incoming freshmen, these academic accomplishments, test scores, and household finances are considered part of the admissions process to create personalized financial aid packages. But transfer students – those who have some college credit – may have a different and often trickier road to financial aid.

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As a transfer student, financial challenges are the most significant hurdle to getting those scholarships, although they are not insurmountable. Recognizing the important perspectives and experiences transfer students add to their campuses, many universities have designed scholarship programs specifically with these students in mind.

Transfer students often must take things into their own hands instead of receiving automatic consideration, researching, and applying for often-thought-of scholarships for students who do cater to students in their circumstances. The progress is also time-consuming and can involve sending in more documents i.e. previous institution transcripts, and personal essays describing their academic path.

The route to financial aid may have a few extra bends and curves for transfer students coming to four-year colleges, but the payoff for ramping up the scholarship process can be even better. Dedication to the search and exploration of all available options can enable transfer students to find the flawed and/or overlooked resources to keep their dreams of higher education going and ensure they’re not drowning for decades under immense financial costs.

General Transfer Scholarship

Transfer students have several scholarship opportunities available to them, regardless of which state they live in or which university they plan to attend. Here are four notable scholarships exclusively for transfer students:

1. Tau Sigma Honor Society Scholarship

This honor society was created specifically to promote leadership and involvement among transfer students on their new campuses. Each year, Tau Sigma awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 to deserving transfer students across the country.

2. Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Students majoring in geography who are transferring from a community college to a four-year university may be eligible for the $1,500 Darrel Hess Scholarship. To qualify, you must have completed at least two geography courses intended for transfer.

3. Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

The prestigious Cooke Foundation provides substantial scholarships to high-achieving students transitioning from community college to a four-year degree program. A minimum 3.5 GPA is required for consideration.

Scholarships for Specific Universities

Many universities actively recruit high-achieving transfer students by offering generous, university-specific scholarship packages. Some schools even provide enough aid to cover the entire cost of tuition! The best way to find these opportunities is to check the financial aid websites of universities you’re interested in attending.

Here are just a couple of examples of university-based transfer scholarships:

1. Lebanon Valley College

This small college automatically considers all transfer applicants for academic scholarships worth up to $24,000 per year – no separate application is required. Your transfer admissions counselor will ensure you are reviewed for eligibility based on your previous college performance.

2. University of Tampa

Located in sunny Florida, UT awards transfer scholarships valued between $6,000 and $9,000 annually to students entering with a 3.0 GPA or higher. As a medium-sized private university with around 9,300 students from all 50 states and over 130 countries, UT offers distinguished faculty teaching across its 200 academic programs.

3. Augustana College (Rock Island, IL)

Transfer students are automatically considered for Augustana’s renewable merit-based scholarships worth between $13,000 and $20,000 annually. Minimum requirements are a 2.7 GPA and 15 transferable credits.

4. Bridgewater College (Bridgewater, VA)

This private college offers two scholarship programs for transfers:

– Achieving in a Community of Excellence (ACE) – $11,500 to $15,500 with a 3.0 GPA and 12 transfer credits.

5. Heidelberg University (Tiffin, OH)

Those with at least a 2.5 GPA and 15 transfer credits qualify for Heidelberg’s generous Transfer Academic Awards of $9,500 to $14,000 per year.

6. Montana University System

The Montana University System offers an excellent scholarship opportunity called the 2 Plus 2 Honor Scholarship. This award allows students who graduate with an associate’s degree from any 2-year campus within the Montana University System or a Montana community college to have their undergraduate tuition waived for up to two years when they transfer to a 4-year university within the Montana system. Recipients can take advantage of this tuition waiver for up to four consecutive fall and spring semesters as they work toward completing their bachelor’s degree. It’s an enticing deal for Montana residents looking to begin their studies at a community college before transferring to a 4-year institution.

7. Johnson & Wales University

JWU provides renewable Transfer Scholarships worth up to $10,000 per year toward tuition. There’s no separate application – you’ll automatically be considered based on your academic transcripts when applying for admission.

8. Lycoming College

Students transferring to Lycoming with at least 24 credits and a minimum 3.0 GPA are automatically considered for the college’s Transfer Student Scholarships. These renewable awards range from $18,000 to $24,000 annually.

9. Minnesota State University Moorhead

After submitting your application, transfer students with a 3.0 GPA and 24 transferable credits are eligible for MSUM’s $500 to $1,000 Transfer Scholarships.

10. New Mexico Tech

Members of Phi Theta Kappa honor society can apply for NMT’s $6,000 renewable Transfer Scholarship if they have a 3.5 GPA and at least 45 transfer credits. No separate application is required.

11. Niagara University

Transfer students admitted as full-time students with a minimum 2.5 GPA are automatically considered for Niagara’s renewable Transfer Scholarships worth $8,000 to $15,000 annually for up to three years.

12. Northwood University

Northwood provides an array of transfer scholarships from $4,000 to $9,000 per year that can be renewed annually. Students with a 2.7+ GPA are considered through the admissions application, though funds are limited.

13. Grand Valley State University (Michigan)

The $2,000 renewable Award for Excellence Transfer Scholarship is available to Michigan community college students with at least a 2.5 GPA transferring to GVSU. No separate application is required.

14. University of Alabama

UA’s generous Community College Excellence Scholarship covers full tuition for transfers from any community college with a minimum 3.5 GPA. Students are automatically considered when applying.

15. University of Kentucky

Out-of-state students can receive the UK’s $4,000 Transfer Achievement Scholarship by having a 3.0+ GPA and at least 24 transfer credits. The award is offered automatically to qualified applicants.

16. University of Maryland

UMD awards several full and partial tuition Frederick Douglass Scholarships each year to transfer students with at least a 3.5 GPA who have an associate’s degree from a Maryland community college.

17. Florida International University

FIU’s competitive Transfer Academic Achievement Scholarship covers 50% of tuition and fees for students with a 4.0 GPA, 60+ transfer credits or an associate’s degree, two recommendation letters, and a strong essay.

18. Loyola University Chicago

Students are automatically considered for renewable Transfer Merit Scholarships worth $11,000-$19,000 annually when applying to Loyola based on their academic performance.

19. Mississippi State University

Those with at least 48 transfer credits and a 3.5+ GPA qualify for MSU’s $2,000 Compass Scholarship.

20 University of Miami

UM automatically considers transfer applicants with a 3.75+ GPA for its prestigious Presidential Transfer Scholarships worth $5,000-$16,000. Not all eligible students receive an award.

21. Wayne State University

A separate application is required for WSU’s $1,000 Pathway Award for transfers with a 3.0+ GPA and at least 24 credits.

22. Church of the Brethren Scholarship – Bridgewater College

Bridgewater College offers a special scholarship for students who are members of the Church of the Brethren denomination. The Church of the Brethren Scholarship provides $2,500 annually toward tuition costs for recipients who will be living on campus as residents. For commuter students, the scholarship is worth $1,500 per year. By applying for this renewable award, Church of the Brethren members can significantly reduce the cost of attending Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia each year until graduation.

Conclusion on Schools with the Best Transfer Scholarships

Certain colleges and universities go the extra mile for transfer students in the form of financial aid. The program: Schools such as the University of Alabama and the University of Maryland offer excellent opportunities through their Community College Excellence and Frederick Douglass scholarships, respectively, which provide full tuition for high-achieving transfers from two-year schools.

The University of Tampa pays from $6,000 to $9,000 a year, Renewable $19,000 Transfer Merit Scholarships (Loyola University Chicago), and 2 Plus 2 Honor Scholarship waives tuition for up to 2 years post-associates (Montana University System).

Smaller schools like Lebanon Valley College, Augustana College, and Bridgewater College stick it to the big dogs as well, with transfer scholarships that run anywhere from $11,500 to $24,000 per year. All of this and more can be found in the top transfer scholarships that are even renewable for several more years. For more tips, guides and opportunities, follow Meetgist!

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