Additional Scholarships
A scholarship is a form of financial aid that does not need to be repaid. Scholarship eligibility may be need-based (as determined by the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or merit-based. You're encouraged to apply for scholarships as part of your financial aid plan.
We're pleased to award $9 million in scholarships annually to students enrolled full-time at BU. Priority consideration is given to grades and extracurricular activities. Scholarships are available in many academic programs of study as well as in the arts and athletics. Awards are also offered to students who reside in certain communities or who meet other special criteria. Students submit an online application to apply for all scholarships at Bloomsburg University, which are awarded by various departments based on specific criteria determined by the donors. Our online scholarship application is available for incoming, as well as current students. The application will match the applicant to as many Bloomsburg University scholarships as they're eligible for.
Examples of items students are evaluated on include GPA, SAT/ACT score, major, extracurricular activities, and hometown. Some scholarships have financial need criteria, and we recommend that you submit your completed FAFSA as early as possible each year.
Complete list of BU Scholarships
- First-year and transfer students: Most scholarships are awarded by the Admissions office. Students who apply prior to January 15 are given priority consideration. Students who are awarded a scholarship will receive an award notification, and the scholarship will be posted to the student's financial aid record.
- Current students: Applications are available after January 1 and the deadline to apply is March 1.
The BU Emergency Scholarship is available to provide funding for qualified students who are confronted with an emergency financial need that, if not met, could result in an inability to complete classes. Please note: poor use of financial aid funding, credit card debt, enrollment in summer/winter, or receiving a small amount of grants does not constitute an emergency. This scholarship is for true emergencies only and is not meant as a supplement to your financial aid package. Deadline varies based on funding availability.
To be considered for this scholarship, your emergency situation should fall into one of these categories:
- Exhausted all financial aid resources (including student and parent loans) and an outstanding balance still remains on your account.
- Confronted with an unexpected personal crisis causing the inability to meet college financial obligations (examples: change in family income/support, loss of a job, death of an immediate family member, pending eviction or home foreclosure, burglary, or fire). For loss of income, you must also submit a Special Condition form to have your financial need reviewed.
Eligibility Requirements
- GPA 2.0 or greater
- Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress
- Complete a FAFSA
- Complete a Pennsylvania State Grant application (If a PA resident)
- Accept your Federal Direct Student Loans
- Apply for additional funding such as Federal Direct Plus Loan or Private Alternative Educational Loan.
Various scholarships are available through the PASSHE Foundation.
The Ready to Succeed Scholarship (RTSS) is administered by PHEAA. With the exception of financial need, students must meet all other Pennsylvania State Grant eligibility requirements with three additions:
- Demonstration of outstanding academic achievement by attaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 as of the time that the student’s school checks academic progress for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program (Spring for Bloomsburg University).
- Completion of at least one academic year—defined as having earned at least 24 credits or its equivalent—by the time that the student’s school checks academic progress for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program (Spring for Bloomsburg University).
- Proof of total annual family income not in excess of $110,000.
There is no separate student application for the RTSS program. Students will be nominated for award eligibility by approved, participating institutions. In order to be eligible, students must have completed the FAFSA and Pennsylvania State Grant forms. If any additional information is needed, the student will be contacted by PHEAA.
Students may receive up to three years of full-time RTSS awards. This can occur in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Grant award counter, meaning that a student eligible to receive up to four years of Pennsylvania State Grant funding may also receive up to three years of RTSS funding. The receipt of a RTSS award does not impact Pennsylvania State Grant eligibility. This means that a student who has exhausted the RTSS counter, but not the Pennsylvania State Grant counter, may still receive Pennsylvania State Grant funding so long as s/he meets Pennsylvania State Grant eligibility requirements. However, students who have exhausted their Pennsylvania State Grant counter are not eligible to receive RTSS funds. It should be noted that receipt of a bachelor’s degree automatically ends a student’s RTSS eligibility, even if their RTSS counter has not been fully exhausted.
The maximum combined annual award amount for RTSS and Pennsylvania State Grant is $2,000 for a full-time student. If that student receives more than $1,500 in Pennsylvania State Grant funds, they will not receive any RTSS funds. If, however, that full time student only receives $1,500 in Pennsylvania State Grant funding, they may be eligible to receive up to $500 in RTSS funds.
Learn more about our "Marching Into Success Band Scholarships" for new students attending one of the Commonwealth University of PA Campuses who also wish to participate in marching / concert bands
The Army ROTC Scholarship is available on a competitive basis for two-year, three-year, and four-year periods. It pays tuition and fees and offers a semester stipend for materials and books (approximately $300), plus a monthly allowance for the duration of the scholarship. For more information, call the Army ROTC Office on the Bloomsburg campus, 570-389-2123, or contact the Army ROTC Instructor Group at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, at 570-577-1013/1246.
The Air Force ROTC program also offers financial aid opportunities. For more details, contact the Air Force ROTC Office on the Bloomsburg campus 570-389-2196 or in Wilkes-Barre 1-800-945-5378, ext. 4860.
Your high school guidance office personnel are often very knowledgeable about scholarships though local sources such as service and fraternal clubs, industry, religious organizations, teachers' associations, foundation, PTAs and more. We encourage you to explore the myriad of scholarship opportunities available from your high school, as well as religious, civic, and community organizations.
Already received a scholarship? Congratulations! Make sure to let us know and submit your scholarship checks and award letters to the:
Student Billing Office
336 Arts & Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815