Types of Scholarships & Aid

Made Available to Students From All Economic Backgrounds

The value of a Denison education is made available to students from all economic backgrounds through generous financial aid packages from the university, which include Denison scholarships and Denison grants, as well as federal and state grants. Funds from each of these programs do not have to be repaid.

In addition to your scholarships and grants, many students use a combination of federal loans, private loans and a limited number of loans from a special Denison fund to finance their education. Loans are to be repaid. Denison works diligently to put together the best possible financial aid packages for its students — and our extremely low default rate of less than 2% is proof that our students are thriving in their professions and able to repay the loans they take.

For domestic students, your completed FAFSA application (which needs to be filled out each year that you are enrolled at Denison) and CSS Profile comprise your application for need-based financial aid. International students complete the Denison Certification of Finances one time when applying to Denison for admission.

Scholarships

Scholarships have been funded through loyal Denison alumni and friends as a means of recognizing the special part that the university, professors, and friends have played in their lives and success. The scholarships often are named for these alumni or their loved ones. Scholarship recipients are encouraged to thank our alumni donors each year.

Merit Scholarships

Denison annually offers several merit scholarships to first-year students, and scholarships generally range from $5,000 to full tuition. Students who wish to be considered for merit-based scholarships must submit a completed application for admission by the deadline for their chosen admission round, unless otherwise noted.

All of Denison’s merit scholarships and awards are given for four years (eight semesters). Merit scholarships require recipients to maintain a 2.0 GPA, unless otherwise stipulated in the donor agreement. The Offices of Financial Aid, Registrar, and Provost work together to track student eligibility and to notify students of their standing.

Merit Scholarships
Scholarship	Qualifications
Alumni Awards	Based on superior academic achievement.
American Home Foundation Scholarship	Based on superior academic achievement in central Ohio and exceptional promise in the STEM fields.
Arts Scholarships	Based on exceptional talent in the performing or fine arts and academic achievement. There are additional elements required to be considered for an arts scholarship. Read more about how to apply for an arts scholarship.
Austin E. Knowlton Scholarship	Based on superior academic achievement in Ohio and exceptional promise in the STEM fields.
Canning Scholarship	Based on exceptional promise at a Big Shoulders Fund partner school.
Carl Jakust Memorial Scholarship	Based on demonstrated financial need and superior academic and extracurricular achievement at Cass Technical High School (Detroit).
Michele Myers Fellowship in the Arts	Based on superior academic achievement and demonstrated talent in visual art, performing art, or creative writing.
Reese Scholars	Based on superior academic achievement and financial need, to eliminate the student loan expectation in selected students’ financial aid packages.
Silverstein Scholars	Based on superior academic achievement and financial need, to eliminate the student loan expectation in selected students’ financial aid packages.
S-Stem Scholarship	Based on exceptional academic achievement and financial need in STEM fields. Read more about S-Stem.

Grants

Grants are gifts that support the education of students. Students may qualify for federal and state government grants. Additionally, Denison provides need-based grants to students as a part of our commitment to meet 100% of a student’s demonstrated need. Learn more about applying for financial aid.

Federal Pell Grant

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree.

For More information on the Federal Pell Grant ↪

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.

For more information on the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) ↪

Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG)

This need-based, state of Ohio grant, is determined by the FAFSA and the state of Ohio. Award amounts are determined by the state of Ohio and a student’s enrollment status. The student and/or parent must have lived in Ohio for at least 12 months.

For more information on the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG) ↪

Denison Grant

This grant is awarded by Denison and is based on financial need. Amounts are determined on a yearly basis. Students must be enrolled full-time (12 or more hours) to receive this grant.

Loans

Students and their families often take out loans to help cover the costs of education. Loans are available through the federal government at a low cost. Loans also are available through financial institutions, and from a special fund provided by Denison alumni. If loans are necessary to fund your education, Denison’s financial aid team will work with you to secure you the best loans and rates and help you understand your responsibilities for repayment.

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans

Subsidized and unsubsidized loans are federal student loans for eligible students to help cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school.

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans ↪

Federal Parent PLUS Loan

PLUS loans are federal loans that graduate or professional degree students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay education expenses.

Federal Parent PLUS Loan ↪

Private/Alternative Loans

These loans are nonfederal loans, made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, or a school. Private loans can be in the student’s name and a cosigner is usually required or they can be in the parent’s name. Students have many choices of lenders and may apply for these loans via their lending institution’s website or loan application. The lender will perform a credit check and will require a school certification. Loan decisions can take up to 2-4 weeks. Loan amounts are limited to the total school’s yearly Cost of Attendance minus any other aid the student receives for the academic year.

Students should always apply for all scholarships, grants, work-study and federal loan programs offered by Denison before borrowing from an alternative loan program and should only be used when all options are exhausted.

For more information:

Denison Scholar Loan

Denison institutional loan program is made possible by generous donations to the university from alumni. Denison Scholar Loans are limited and are made at the discretion of the Office of Financial Aid. The student must have a FAFSA on file to be considered.

Denison Scholar Loans are subsidized, meaning no interest accrues while the student is enrolled. These loans have an interest rate of 6%, a 10-year repayment plan, and has a 9-month grace period after a student graduates or ceases to be enrolled. Loans may be pre-paid without penalty.

On-Campus Student Employment

Student employment opportunities are available to all students. Once enrolled, current student employment listings are available through Handshake. Many students work at Denison in offices and departments across campus. These students learn skills and knowledge that help them move into their professions after graduation. Students are responsible for managing their student employment experience, from researching opportunities, applying ,and interviewing.

Federal Work-Study

Need-based work awards are funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Students eligible for Federal Work-Study can earn up to $2,500 per academic year. For more information, visit the Department of Education’s website on Federal Work-Study.

Federal Work-Study ↪

Additional Grants & Funding Sources

Through the generous contributions of alumni, Denison is able to offer financial support for students, including grants, for a variety of both on- and off-campus experiences and needs.

Career & Grad School
Academic
Off-Campus Study for Credit
Off-Campus Non-Credit Experiences
The Horizon Fund
- The Horizon Fund was established in 2009 by 161 members of the Denison Class of 1959 as they celebrated their 50th anniversary reunion. The Fund is a permanent endowment to help support important opportunities for students. It is not the intent of the Horizon fund to provide grants that cover expenses associated with Denison coursework or senior projects but rather to support enrichment opportunities for the academic and/or co-curricular interests of students.
  
  Independent initiatives and creative projects are of particular interest to the governing Board. Applications for funding associated with academic and/or professional development conference registration and travel, service learning experiences, and field study will also be considered.
  
  For more information on The Horizon Fund and to apply, please visit: mydenison » campus resources » student development

For more information, students, staff and faculty may log in to MyDenison and search for Grants & Funding Sources