Scholarships
Scholarships are an attractive way to pay for college because you don’t need to pay them back. Considered to be gift aid, scholarship awards may range from a few hundred dollars to covering the full tuition bill.
Institutional Scholarships
Awarded by the Office of Admissions to prospective first-year students and transfers, these awards range from $1,000 to full tuition.
Notre Dame selects recipients based on academic achievement, participation in activities, and leadership roles. Scholarship recipients are expected to continue striving for excellence in these areas while enrolled at the University. The awards are renewable for four years or eight semesters, as long as the student is enrolled full time (scholarships for transfer students are limited to six semesters). All applicants for admission are automatically reviewed for an award. The award amounts DO NOT increase.
Institutional Scholarships and Grants have requirements that a student must have in order to keep their award from year to year. If the requirements are not met, a student's aid could be placed on probation or terminated.
Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are not eligible to receive institutional aid from Notre Dame, with the exception of Nursing students who are reviewed for institutional aid as part of the admissions process.
NAME |
AMOUNT |
ELIGIBILITY |
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS |
Academic Merit Scholarships |
$17,000-$25,000 |
3.0 grade point average and higher |
First-year college students |
Notre Dame Awards |
$10,000-$15,000 |
Strong academic records and programs |
First-year college students & transfer students |
Endowed Scholarships |
$1,000-$5,000 |
Varies by each scholarship (excluding athletic participation) |
First-year college students & transfer students |
Transfer Scholarships |
$10,000-$20,000 |
For students coming to Notre Dame with at least 30 credits |
Transfer students |
Presidential |
Up to Full Tuition |
The most qualified students (with 3.7 grade point average and SAT score of 1350 or higher) receiving academic merit scholarships may be invited to campus to compete for additional scholarship dollars. |
First-year college students |
Art Competition |
$2,500-$3000 |
Students with artistic talents may submit a portfolio. Winner receives $3,000. Second and third place awards are $2,500. |
First-year college students &transfer students |
Knott Scholarships |
Up to Full Tuition |
Marion Burk Knott scholarships are awarded to Catholic students residing within the Archdiocese of Baltimore who have the highest levels academic excellence and consistent display of leadership and service. |
First-year college students |
Notre Dame Scholarship |
$1,000-$2,000 |
The Notre Dame scholarships will be awarded by the Office of Financial Aid. This scholarship is open to returning Women's College students with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. The application is available in April each year. The deadline has passed for 2015–16. |
Returning Women's College students |
Notre Dame Book Store Scholarship |
Varies |
The Notre Dame Book Store Scholarship will be awarded by the Office of Financial Aid. This scholarship is open to any returning student in any program with a minimum 2.0 grade point average that also demonstrates financial need. The application is available in April each year. The deadline has passed for 2015–16. |
State Scholarships
Maryland Senatorial Scholarships
- Available to current high school seniors and full-time and part-time, degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students.
- The minimum annual award amount is $400 and the maximum award is $9,000.
- Financial need is required.
- Complete and file the FAFSA by March 1. Contact your senator in February for further instructions.
Maryland House of Delegates Scholarships
- Available to current high school seniors and full-time or part-time, degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students.
- The minimum annual award is $200.
- Financial need may be required.
- Complete and file the FAFSA by March 1. Contact your delegates in February for further instructions.
Both the student and parents/guardians must be Maryland residents in order to be eligible for financial assistance from the state. Go to mdelect.net to search for your delegate or senator.
Graduate Nursing Faculty Scholarship
- Available to registered nurses who are pursuing the graduate education necessary to be considered qualified nursing faculty at a Maryland higher education institution with the commitment of sponsorship and faculty mentoring from the Dean or Director of a School of Nursing.
- Equals the amount of tuition and mandatory fees not to exceed $13,000 per academic year ($6,500/semester, fall and spring) and will be prorated for part-time recipients. The award is renewable for a maximum amount of $26,000. Award recipients may request summer funding, as long as the total amount of funding for the academic year does not exceed $13,000. Summer funding requests must be in writing and be received by MD Office of Student Financial Assistance by April 1 of each year.Summer awards are subject to the availability of funds.
- Award is not based on financial need.
- Apply online at https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us.
Graduate and Professional Scholarship
- Available to degree-seeking graduate students pursuing a master’s degree in nursing and Pharmacy students
- The minimum award is $1,000 per year and the maximum award is $5,000 per year. Funds may not be available to award all eligible students.
- Financial need is required.
- Office of Financial Aid will award eligible students randomly.
Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program
Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
- Applicants must be the son, daughter, stepchild or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who died or suffered a serviced connected 100% permanent disability as a result of military service.
- Applicant must be a veteran who suffers a service-connected disability of 25% or greater as a result of military service and has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans education benefits.
- Applicants must be the son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks who died as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or the crash of the United Airlines Flight 93
- Applicant must be a POW/MIA of the Vietnam Conflict or his/her son, daughter or stepchild
- Applicant must be the son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a state or local public safety employee or volunteer who died on the line of duty or who was 100% disabled in the line of duty
- Applicant must be a state or local public safety employee or volunteer who was 100% disabled in the line of duty
- Son or daughter or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a school employee who, as a result of an act of violence either died in the line of duty or sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the school employee 100% disabled
NOTE: Applicants must be Maryland resident, with the exception of a spouse, son or daughter if a Maryland state or local public safety employee killed in the line of duty.
Award Amount: Equal to tuition and fees, not to exceed $10,900.
How to Apply: Applications are sent from the Office of Financial Aid via NDM email and are available online.
NOTE: Award is not based on financial need
Deadline: Applications must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid by July 15, 2015
External Scholarships
Office of Financial Aid promotes a variety of external scholarships to students. Students are responsible for reporting any outside scholarship money they win to the Office of Financial Aid. The information is posted on the website and it is updated annually.