The Presidential Scholarship Program

Villanova University seeks to attract academic, civic, and culture leaders who represent diverse intellectual, social, racial, and economic backgrounds, including those from families in which few or no members have attended college. Successful candidates are awarded this renewable scholarship, which covers full tuition for eight consecutive semesters.

Presidential Scholarship Committee

The Presidential Scholarship Committee is composed of the Deans of each of the undergraduate colleges (Arts and Sciences, School of Business, Engineering and Nursing) as well as the Director of the University Honors Program and the Assistant Vice President of Multicultural Affairs who serve as Co-Chairs. College selection committees for each of the colleges are appointed annually by their respective Dean.

Criteria (effective September 2008)

The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated academic achievement and active participation in their school and the broader civic community. Effective with the awarding for the 2009-10 academic year (i.e., those students who will enter as freshmen in the fall 2009 semester), students must be nominated by the chief academic officer of their high school (principal, president, headmaster) or an official school designee. Nominees will be expected to show evidence of superior academic performance as reflected by their high school course selection and grade point average, as well as a high level of achievement on the SAT or ACT. Candidates will be required to submit a resume and essay along with the nomination form. The average unweighted high school grade point average of candidates selected as finalists for the Presidential Scholarship in the Fall 2008 entering freshman class was 4.23 (on a 4.0 scale) and the average combined SAT score (Critical Reading and Math) was 1490 with ACT scores that were similar in competitiveness. A total of 28 Presidential Scholarships totaling $1,034,600 were offered to freshman candidates for the 2008-09 academic year.

Each year, a number of historically underrepresented students who have demonstrated leadership in their ability to make significant contributions to the academic and social cultures within their schools and communities are awarded Presidential Scholarships. In addition to tuition, the cost of textbooks, and room and board charges (up to the 19 meals-per-week plan) for eight consecutive semesters also will be included. A total of 6 scholarships totaling $277,794 were offered to freshman candidates for the 2008-09 academic year.
 

**Nomination forms are available here.**
 

Policies for Presidential Scholars

Recipients of the Presidential Scholarship are formally invited into the Honors Program and are expected to participate in the program to an extent appropriate to their course of study. Presidential Scholars receive academic advisement according to the policies established within their respective colleges. The Director of the Honors Program will advise Presidential Scholars regarding the Honors Program curriculum, and the Director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships will provide direction with respect to opportunities for developing strong candidacy for nationally competitive scholarships. Together, these academic advisers are responsible for the intellectual and cultural development of the Presidential Scholars. Students are informed that they must maintain current standing on the Dean's List as defined by their colleges (AR, SC, VSB, EG, and NU) and they must comport themselves in a manner that assures the continuance and enhancement of the University's high purposes and traditions. Scholarships are renewable annually so that a student failing to make Dean's List in any given semester is normally placed on probation for the following semester. The final decision regarding renewal of scholarships rests with the Chair of the Presidential Scholarship Committee.

There is also a Presidential Scholarship student committee that organizes cultural events and guest speakers throughout the school year.

Further Information

For more information regarding the Presidential Scholarship Program, visit the following web sites: Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and The Center for Multicultural Affairs. For more information regarding the Program’s particular commitment to enrolling Underrepresented Students, contact the Center for Multicultural Affairs at 610-519-4075.

• Villanova University Honors Program: The academic home of our Presidential Scholars.
• Office of Financial Assistance.