Merit-Based Scholarships: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Scholarship information listed here is specific to eligible students entering as first-time freshman starting Fall 2024.

Northern Kentucky University offers merit-based scholarships to new, incoming freshman students. Degree-seeking students who reside outside of the state of Kentucky can be considered for the merit scholarships below.

Merit Scholarship Qualifications

Scholarships are awarded to admitted degree-seeking students who meet the eligibility criteria. Test scores have been removed as a required element for most scholarship awards. However, some students must still provide test scores for admission but those test scores will not be used to determine merit scholarship awards.

There is one exception: the NKU Presidential Scholarship requires the submission of test scores and is reserved for students who achieve at least a 3.75 high school (HS) GPA and have 34 Composite score on the ACT or 1490 on the SAT.

To be considered for merit-based scholarships, students must:

All admissions application materials must be received before or on January 16, 2024 at apply.nku.edu for priority consideration.
Submit the $40 application fee (The fee is currently being waived. Visit this link for more information).
Submit the high school transcript(s)
Submit any ACT or SAT* scores

The chart below allows you to use your high school GPA and standardized test scores (ACT or SAT) to estimate your merit scholarship eligibility. Students may receive a scholarship amount ranging from $500 up to full-tuition+$6,000 Housing Stipend. Scholarship awards are subject to availability.

Tri-State Merit Scholarships

Degree-seeking residents of the following counties can be considered for the merit scholarships below.

Indiana counties: Dearborn, Franklin, Jefferson, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland

Ohio counties: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Hamilton, Highland, or Warren

Scholarship Title	Eligibility Criteria	Amount	Renewal Criteria
Presidential Scholarship	3.75+ weighted HS GPA and 34+ ACT/1490 SAT*	Full Tuition + $6,000 Housing Stipend (for students living on-campus in NKU housing)	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1^st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Earn a 2.75+ cumulative GPA by end of first year Must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA after second year through fourth year Earn 24 credit hours each academic year Must meet a NKU service requirement
Founders Scholarship	3.95+ weighted HS GPA	$3,000	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1^st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Earn a 2.75+ cumulative GPA by the end of first year Must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA after second year through fourth year Earn 24 credit hours each academic year
Excellence Scholarship	3.70-3.94 weighted HS GPA	$2,000	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1^st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Earn a 2.50+ cumulative GPA by the end of first year Must maintain a 2.75+ cumulative GPA after second year through fourth year Earn 24 credit hours each academic year
Commonwealth Scholarship	3.00-3.69 weighted HS GPA	$1,000	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1^st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Earn a 2.50+ cumulative GPA by the end of first year Must maintain a 2.75+ cumulative GPA after second year through fourth year Earn 24 credit hours each academic year

SAT Combined Critical reading and mathematics scores of 1490 or higher.

Non-resident Merit Scholarships and EDGE Awards

Degree-seeking students residing outside of Kentucky (excluding Indiana Rate counties and international regions) may be considered for the merit scholarships below:

Scholarship Title	Eligibility Criteria	Amount	Renewal Criteria
Presidential Scholarship	3.75+ weighted HS GPA 34+ ACT or 1490 SAT* Resident of any Domestic U.S. region	Full Tuition + $6,000 Housing Stipend (for students living on-campus in NKU housing)	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Earn a 2.75+ cumulative GPA by end of first year Must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA after second year through fourth year Earn 24 credit hours each academic year Must meet a NKU service requirement
Metro EDGE Award	2.50+ weighted HS GPA Resident of an Ohio metro area county - Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Hamilton, Highland, or Warren	$8,256	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Maintain good academic standing Maintain continuous enrollment (enrollment in fall and spring semester with a minimum of 12 credit hours)
Out of State EDGE Award	2.50+ weighted HS GPA Resident of a U.S. region outside of Kentucky and the Indiana Rate/Ohio metro counties*	$7,256	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Maintain good academic standing Maintain continuous enrollment (enrollment in fall and spring semester with a minimum of 12 credit hours)
International EDGE Award	2.50+ weighted HS GPA Resident of an international region outside of the U.S.	$5,000	Eligibility Timeline (Whichever comes first): up to 3 years OR 1st degree OR Up to 180 credit hours Maintain good academic standing Maintain continuous enrollment (enrollment in fall and spring semester with a minimum of 12 credit hours)

*Or, SAT Combined Critical reading and mathematics scores of 1490 or higher.

**Indiana Rate counties: Dearborn, Franklin, Jefferson, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland

***Ohio Metro area counties: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Hamilton, Highland, or Warren

Students will receive only one tuition paying scholarship/waiver. Students must review and meet the renewal criteria each year in order to receive the scholarship for the next academic year. The renewal criteria can be found at Institutional Scholarship Renewal Requirements.

NOTE: If a student is offered a merit based scholarship, they will be required to officially accept the scholarship by May 1st in order to receive it.

NOTE: The tables above do not include additional awards for students with honors, artistic, musical or theatre talent.

Honors students should review information provided by the NKU Honors College.

For artistic, music, and theatre awards, please review the scholarship information from NKU School for the Arts.

To maximize your opportunity for other monetary awards, domestic students are encouraged to complete

the 2024-2025 FAFSA at fafsa.gov.

Merit-Based Scholarships (Out-Of-State)

Merit Scholarship Qualifications

The Office of Student Financial Assistance

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