Purdue University was established in 1869 and is one of the land-grant universities in America. The purpose of land-grant universities was to focus on agriculture and engineering without abandoning the classics, which are science, humanities, liberal arts, etc. For universities that met certain criteria, the United States government would give them federal land.
Since its founding, Purdue University has grown to be a large state university in Indiana. Now, there are over 40,000 undergraduate students studying hundreds of different majors. In this article, we will help you to understand the financial aid of this university by discussing Purdue University scholarships and need-based aid.
Cost of Attendance
But first, let’s take a look at the cost of attending Purdue before any aid or scholarships. As a state university, the cost of attendance depends on your state residency. For Indiana residents per year, the tuition fee is approximately $10,000, room and board is $10,000, and the total cost of attendance is approximately $23,000, which includes the cost of attendance. If you are an out-of-state student, your total cost is approximately $41,000 per year.
An interesting thing that Purdue University has done is that it froze the tuition fees for years starting in 2012. The tuition fee will stay frozen until 2021 and can stay frozen if the circumstances allow it.
Raising tuition is typical for a university. Most universities raise around 3 -5 percent of the tuition each year, and if the tuition fee for a university is over $30,000, this increase is a large amount. However, Purdue University did not and will not raise the tuition fee for at least until 2021.
Purdue University Scholarships
This cost of attendance will be large sums of money for many families. However, there are Purdue University Scholarships to help you cover the cost. There are three main types, which are University-wide, College-Based, and Financial-Need Based.
1. University-Wide Merit Scholarships
These are scholarships that every student at Purdue University are eligible for. Also, they are awarded based on merit, which includes GPA, SAT/ACT, extracurricular achievements, leadership, etc. They have different tiers with different scholarship amounts.
Trustees Scholarships
These are the highest tier scholarships and award up to $16,000 a year for out-of-state and $10,000 a year for in-state students. You need 3.0 GPA for this scholarship to be renewable and also approximately 100 new students receive this scholarship. If you are an Indiana resident, this scholarship will cover all your tuition fees.
Presidential Scholarships
These are one-level below the Trustees scholarships. It awards up to $10,000 a year for out-of-states students and up to $8,000 for in-state students. More than 800 new students receive this award.
Marquis Scholarships
These scholarships are $4,000 a year scholarship for middle-income Indiana families. These are awarded based on merit and family situation. More than 400 of these awards are distributed.
2. College-Based Scholarships
Now, let’s talk about college-based scholarships. These are awarded through individual colleges to students who apply to their colleges. You would have to go to the college website to see the scholarships that these offer. Please note that most of these are merit-based, so you should get your GPA and SAT/ACT scores up to get the maximum amount.
3. Need-Based Scholarships
There are scholarships that are awarded based on your financial need. Although they aren’t specifically listed on the website, you can be eligible by filing FAFSA!
There are other scholarships other than those listed above. These include national merit scholarship, national Hispanic scholarships, etc. If you are interested in learning more, visit the Purdue University Types of Scholarships Page!
How to Apply for Purdue University Scholarships
You are automatically considered to receive most of these scholarships. To apply, you need to file the application for admissions. Then, for need-based scholarships, you need to file FAFSA. I highly recommend that you do both.
There is also a supplemental scholarship application to be considered for many scholarships. So, make sure to fill that out as well!
Grants
While scholarships were mostly based on merit, these grants are mostly based on need. Purdue University offers several types of grants to its incoming freshmen to help them lower the cost. We will cover one major type of grants, and that is the Boiler Grant.
The Boiler Grant is for Indiana Residents who are either eligible for Pell Grants or their parents AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) in FAFSFA is less than $70,000. If this is the case, then Boiler Grant will help you to cover the costs at Purdue. How? If the cost of attendance minus the combination of grants and scholarships exceeds your expected family contribution (calculated by FAFSA), Boiler Grant will cover the difference. So, you will only pay the expected family contribution.
If you have questions or would like to know more, visit the Boiler Grant Page!
There are other types of grants available, but keep in mind that they are mostly for Indiana residents. Take a look at the Grants Page.
How to Apply for Grants
To apply for grants, you need to fill out FAFSA, which becomes available on October 1. You can file FAFSA to Purdue University using the code 001825. I highly recommend applying as soon as possible because you will have a lot more to do in January!
Scholarships and Financial Aid Deadlines
Now, when should you fill out these application forms? To ensure that you are considered for the maximum amount of scholarship, fill out the application form by November 1, supplemental scholarship application by December 15, and FAFSA by December 15. If you do that by the deadline, you will be set to receive both Purdue University scholarships and grants.
For more information about the deadlines, visit the Scholarship Deadlines Page.
Financial Aid Estimator
If you want to know how much you will actually pay before applying to Purdue University, you can use the Financial Aid Estimator. This tool will ask you about your and your family’s financial situation and will give you a rough estimate of how much you will pay. Please keep in mind that this is a rough estimate, and your actual financial aid package will most likely differ.
I hope that this article on Purdue University scholarships and need-based aid was helpful. If you are from Indiana, I recommend that you go to Indiana Scholarships Category since you will have the best chances of lowering your tuition if you go to universities in your state. If you are not from Indiana, I recommend you to visit the Authority Scholarships Site to see scholarships that are in your state.
