Known as the second oldest institution in the United States, the College of William & Mary is a research university that is one of the eight “Public Ivies.” You probably know the Ivy League, which is composed of elite national universities of United States, and the “Public Ivies” are public universities that offer Ivy League experience at a price of a public university.
The academic rigor of “Public Ivies” rival with the best Ivy League Institution and even the top-notch professors are attracted to College of William & Mary because of its superb education and its cutting-edge research technology.
Located in the traditional town of Williamsburg, the College of W & M offers liberal arts education that challenges even the talented students to do their best. In addition to its quality education, William & Mary offers great scholarships to their incoming students.
Types of Scholarships Offered at W&M
Most scholarships offered at the College of William and Mary are merit-based, and they are awarded to the top students in the incoming freshmen class. Also, the admissions application plays an important role in the scholarship process, so make sure to submit your admissions application before the required deadline.
1. Merit-Based Scholarships
Three merit scholarships are offered by the College of William & Mary, but this post will also include other scholarships that are given out by College of W & M. If you have any questions, please visit the college homepage for specific details.
A. William & Mary Scholars
This scholarship program is an automatic scholarship that does not require a separate application in addition to your admissions application. After applying, the Wiliam & Mary Scholarship Committee will look over your application and pick out students who demonstrate the one or all of the following qualities:
- Have Overcome Unusual Hardship or Trial
- Be a Member of Underrepresented Groups
- Be a First One in Your Family to Attend College
Scholarship Value: Full In-State* Tuition + Mandatory Fees
*College of William & Mary charges different tuition fees for Virginia Residents and Non-Residents. For Virginia Residents, this scholarship will be a full-ride scholarship that covers all your tuition and fees; however, for Non-Residents, this award will be a partial scholarship in which you still have to pay the remaining tuition amount.
Also, the W & M Scholars are encouraged to attend a program called WMSURE, and this program supports the Scholars by doing the following:
- Helping Scholars with Research
- Introduce Scholars to W & M Faculty and Staff
- Workshops for Successful College Career
- Funding for Scholar’s Research Projects
- Supporting Scholars to Graduate School
Even though the W & M Scholars are not required to go to these meetings, they are highly encouraged since it is very helpful to undergraduate students.
For further information, visit William & Mary Scholars.
B. William & Mary Monroe Scholars
Listed as one of the most prestigious scholarships offered by William & Mary, the Monroe Scholars Program is an automatic scholarship that only requires the admissions application. Interestingly, this scholarship program is available to incoming freshmen and to rising sophomores of William & Mary.
Since this post is centered around undergraduate scholarships, the freshmen application requirements will be discussed; however, if you are a rising sophomore at William & Mary, you can check your benefits as well.
For more information, view New Sophomore Monroe Scholars.
For incoming freshmen, the Monroe Scholars Program have the following eligibility requirements:
- Be Ranked in the Top Percentage of Your High School Graduating Class
- Scored Top 5% Nationally in Your Standardized Tests
- Be Involved in Community Service*
*There are more requirements concerning the character and a few more concerning academics and learning, so make sure to check the scholarship website for specific details.
Scholarship Benefits:
- Summer Research Stipend
- Special Housing Option
- Lectures and Discussions Designed for Monroe Scholars
- Priority Course Registration
Interestingly, there is no mention of tuition fees or mandatory fees, so I am assuming that this scholarship does not cover any of the financial burdens. However, you will get a research stipend and some special privileges that full-ride scholarships cannot provide.
For incoming freshmen that do not get this scholarship, you can apply for this scholarship at the end of your freshmen year if you have kept a high grade for all your classes.
For further information, visit William & Mary Monroe Scholars.
C. William & Mary 1693 Scholars Program
Unlike Monroe Scholars Program which offers only research grants, the 1693 Scholars Program provides so much more! Since this is a high-value scholarship, the 1693 Scholarships are highly competitive, and the applicant must meet the following requirements to be considered:
- Successfully Challenged Themselves with the Hardest Available Curriculum
- Ranked in the Top 1% of the High School Graduating Class
- Scored Above 1500 on SAT OR Above 33 on the ACT
Because of its demanding requirements, the 1693 Scholars Program has outstanding benefits to its scholarship recipients:
- Full In-State Tuition
- Room & Board + Mandatory Fees
- Opportunity to Work with Famous Faculty Mentors
- Special Opportunities to Meet Famous People
- Research Stipend
- Priority in Course Selection
This scholarship is an automatic scholarship which requires no separate application except your admissions application. These scholarships are three merit scholarships offered by the College of William & Mary, but it does not stop there! More scholarships sponsored by W&M are listed on the website as well.
For more information, please view the William & Mary 1693 Scholars Program.
In addition to these merit-based scholarships, there are more scholarships listed in W&M Scholarships Opportunities.
Conclusion: Outside Scholarship?
Receiving a scholarship from external sources might lower the scholarship received by William & Mary, so, if you do receive an external scholarship, the applicant needs to contact the Office of Financial Aid to report the amount of money received.
To see the outside scholarship form, please visit William & Mary Scholarships.
For more helpful scholarship guides, please view Authority Scholarships!
