Elon University is an excellent university located in Elon, North Carolina, and there are approximately 6,000 undergraduate students that are currently attending this university. In addition to a small student body, Elon offers great extracurricular activities for its incoming students.
If you are into sports, you might be interested in joining Elon’s sports teams since they are in Division I, which is the highest division for collegiate sports, and they can afford to pay for your college expenses if you are good enough.
In this article, we will be discussing the various Elon University scholarships and need-based aid so that you can cover the cost of attendance!
4 Types of Elon University Scholarships
There are many scholarships that Elon University offers. The four scholarships that we will be discussing are Merit Scholarships, Talent Scholarships, Scholarships for Specific Majors, and Special Types of Scholarships.
The scholarship amount ranges anywhere from $500 – full tuition. It is possible to cover the tuition or even more using a combination of these scholarships. So, let’s take a look!
1. Merit Scholarships
The merit scholarships at Elon University are given to the entering freshmen who show much potential to succeed in a university. This is measured by college entrance exams (ACT/SAT), GPA. recommendation letters, extracurriculars, etc.
The most common merit scholarship is the Presidential Scholarship, which awards $6,000 each year to approximately the top 1/4 of the entering freshmen. This means that you will need to have an excellent academic profile to receive this scholarship.
Another big merit scholarship is the Elon Engaged Learning Scholarship, which awards $4,500 each year and an additional $2,000 one-time award.
As an entering freshman, you do not need to submit a scholarship application to be eligible for these awards. All you have to do is to submit the application to Elon University, and the scholarship and admission committee will award you with these scholarships if you are eligible.
2. Talent Scholarships
If you have a talent in specific areas, you definitely should apply for this scholarship offered at Elon University. Unfortunately, Elon University does not award students with any type of talent. The two specific types are music, performing arts, and athletics.
If you have a special talent in music, you are eligible for scholarships that range in $250 – $9,000 annually. The biggest scholarship is a $9,000 annual scholarship, which is awarded to the top student through evaluation of performance, portfolio, albums, etc.
The next two top students are awarded $4,000 and a $3,000 annual scholarship. Smaller scholarships are awarded to students who engage in athletic bands and choir.
If you have a special talent in performing arts, you are eligible for scholarships that range in $1,000 – $6,000 per year. Please note that you have to be either music theatre or theatre arts major to be eligible.
If you have a special talent in athletics, you are eligible for athletic scholarships! The scholarship website of Elon University does not state the specific amount that it can cover. So the best way to find out is to ask the coach of the specific sports that you are interested in and also to apply!
You do have to do a separate application and/or contact people of interest to be eligible for these scholarships. If you want to know who to contact, go to the Elon University’s Talent Scholarships Page.
3. Scholarships for Specific Majors
Now, let’s see the major-specific scholarships that Elon University offers. As stated above in talent scholarships, major Elon University Scholarships cover areas related to music, music theatre, and theatre arts. Additionally, it offers scholarships for Engineering and Education majors (more specifically, people who want to go into teaching).
A. Engineering Scholarships
The way that the Elon Engineering program works is that it is a 3-2 program, in which the students study three years at Elon getting their general education and core sciences out of the way and studying at another university for two years solely focusing on engineering courses.
If you are interested in enrolling in this 3-2 engineering program, there are scholarships that you are eligible for! If you are interested, I highly recommend contacting Elon University admissions to see the next steps of the application.
B. Teaching Scholarships
If you are interested in majoring in education or just want to teach after getting your bachelor’s degree, there is a special scholarship for you! The scholarship name is The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program. Please note that you do need to be from North Carolina to be eligible.
If you teach special education or STEM after you graduate, you can get $8,250 a year loan-forgiveness award! So, if you are a future teacher, who is a North Carolina resident, definitely consider applying to this program!
4. Special Types of Scholarships
Now, let’s discuss the scholarships that are unique from most Elon University scholarships. These are fellows scholarships, the Odyssey program, and ROTC scholarships. One of these scholarships is full-ride, which means it covers full tuition, room, and board!
A. Fellows Scholarships
The fellow scholarships at Elon University are unique to the university. As a fellow, you will learn from a different perspective than a student from a traditional education experience. To incentivize students to join the program, they offer scholarships ranging from $5,000 – $13,000 each year.
There is a separate application that you need to fill out by January 10, and you are required to attend a weekend interview session in March to be selected. It is a lot of work, but I highly recommend you apply not only because of the monetary benefits but also education benefits as well.
B. Odyssey Program
The Odyssey Program is for students who have high academic achievements who are from difficult circumstances. The examples include first-generation college students, students who have experienced hardships but succeeded, eligible for Pell grant, brings diversity, etc.
If you are selected, there are numerous merit-based awards by Elon University whose highest amount is $22,500. If you fall into one of the categories above, definitely consider applying to this program because it will cover most of the tuition, if not all, or even more than tuition, if stacked with other scholarships.
C. ROTC Scholarships
The ROTC scholarship is the scholarship at Elon University that awards the most. The military covers the tuition and books, and Elon University covers room and board. Therefore, you can study at no cost to you if you are in the ROTC program and selected for this scholarship.
How to Apply to Elon University Scholarships
Since there are so many scholarships at Elon University, there’s no one method to apply for these scholarships. They are all different, but here is a basic outline for Elon’s merit-based awards
The best way that you know how to apply for a specific scholarship that you are interested in is to visit the Elon University Scholarship Page and to contact either the admissions or the contact details listed for the interested in.
If you are applying to merit scholarships, you do not need to submit a separate application. However, if you are applying for other types of scholarships, you need to either contact the people of interest and/or submit a separate application.
Elon University Need-Based Aid
The above information discussed the scholarships, and now, we will be discussing the need-based aid. This type of aid is based on need and not academic achievements. Please keep in mind that international Students are not eligible for need-based aid.
After you fill out the FAFSA and College Board’s CSS Profile, they will calculate the Expected Family Contribution, which is a rough estimation of the expected amount that your family can pay for college tuition. This number is based on the financial information that you provide.
Elon University will get the Expected Family Contribution and calculate your need based on this formula: Your Need = Cost of Attending Elon (After Scholarships) – Expected Family Contribution. The need-based aid tries to cover the need that you have. However, Elon does not guarantee that it will meet the need of every student.
There are three types of need-based aid offered by Elon University, which are federal aid, state aid, and Elon University aid. You can receive a combination of all these aids or you might receive none. Let’s take a in-depth tour at the financial aid programs.
1. Federal Aid Program
Federal Aid Program is provided by the USA government. This type of aid is awarded by filling out the FAFSA. If you fill the FAFSA out, you can become eligible for different types of federal aid programs including Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study Program, Stafford Loan, etc.
2. State Aid Program
You can be eligible for state aid programs that are through your state. Since students come all over the United States, you will need to search your state for the available state aid program. You can search “Your State + state aid program” on google for more information.
Some state aid program requires only FAFSA while some require FAFSA and CSS Profile. So, search for the state aid program in your state and see the requirements.
3. Elon University Aid Programs
Elon University provides need-based aids for students who filled out FAFSA and CSS Profile and have demonstrated need. However, it does not guarantee that it will meet all the needs, so students might be given the aid that fills a certain part of their total need.
How to Apply to Elon University Need-Based Aid
As previously mentioned, you will need to fill out the FAFSA to be eligible for Federal Grant. Additionally, you will need to fill out the CSS Profile to be eligible for state aid and Elon aid. For more information, visit the Elon Need-Based Aid Page.
I hope that this article on Elon University Scholarships was helpful to you. The combination of these scholarships will cover most of the tuition at Elon. If you are interested, I highly recommend going to North Carolina Scholarships and Authority Scholarships Website for more information.
