Scholarships

We are privileged to reward students for high school achievement, both in the classroom and on the stage.

Academic Awards

Your Common Application or Hope College Application also serves as your application for academic scholarships at Hope. Academic scholarships are based on your cumulative GPA, SAT, ACT, or CLT scores, and course selection (based on what’s available at your school). Be sure to submit any new academic information for consideration by February 1 of your senior year.

How We Calculate Your Award

Don’t hesitate to send your test scores! You’ll always receive the highest award for which you are eligible, whether it be based on your GPA only or with your test scores.

We will superscore applicant test score submissions, including individual subject tests taken through the ACT, and you may qualify for one of these academic awards:

Scholarship Criteria

(for first-year students entering Fall 2021)

	Amount	GPA Only	GPA with Test Scores
Trustee Scholarship	$24,000/year	A faculty committee selects 30 of Hope’s top Presidential Scholars (see below) for this prestigious award.
National Merit Scholarship	$24,000/year	If you’re a National Merit Finalist and name Hope as your first choice, you’ll automatically qualify for this award.
Presidential Scholarship	$13,000/year and up	3.95+ GPA	3.8+ GPA with 28+ ACT, 1300+ SAT, or 86+ CLT
Distinguished Scholar Award	$11,000/year and up	3.8+ GPA	3.6+ GPA with 26+ ACT, 1230+ SAT, or 81+ CLT
Alumni Honors Scholarship	$10,000/year	3.6+ GPA	3.4+ GPA with 24+ ACT, 1160+ SAT, or 76+ CLT
Anchor Award	$5,000/year	3.4+ GPA	3.2+ GPA and 22+ ACT, 1100+ SAT, or 72+ CLT

Each of these scholarships is guaranteed through your sophomore year and renewable for your two remaining years if you maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (Presidential and higher awards) or cumulative GPA of 2.75 (Distinguished Scholar Award and lower).

Distinguished Artist Awards

Hope also honors talented artists in the areas of creative writing, dance, music, theater and the visual arts. You’ll need to audition or submit a portfolio. Each award is $3,000 per year, renewable for four years. Distinguished Artist Awards (DAAs) can be combined with an academic scholarship.

Request DAA Information

Creative Writing

Apply for the DAA in creative writing by submitting:

The application form, including:

Applications for the Distinguished Artist Awards in Creative Writing are due Monday, January 4, 2021.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.6 GPA at Hope and enroll in at least one creative writing class each year.

Scholarship Coordinator

Alison Lechner
616.395.7590
lechner@hope.edu

More information

Dance

Due to COVID-19, all dance DAA auditions will be conducted via online submission. You will need to submit the required paperwork along with a 3–4 minute video of yourself demonstrating ballet, jazz, tap and modern. Please include the following items:

Head shot (hair in bun)
A letter of recommendation from a current dance instructor
A one-page essay answering the question: “What is it about the dance program at Hope that interests and excites you?”

Audition submission deadline is February 12, 2021.

All auditioners will be notified in early March.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.6 GPA, enroll in a minimum of two dance classes per semester, and participate in dance programming.

Scholarship Coordinator

Stephanie Brumels
616.395.7700
brumelss@hope.edu

More information

Music

Apply for the DAA in music by completing the application form (available in October) and attending an on-campus audition. We encourage you to audition in-person, but if that’s not possible, you may submit a pre-recorded audition.

Audition dates are:

Monday, January 18, 2021
Friday, February 12, 2021
Saturday February 13, 2021

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to be involved with the Department of Music.

Scholarship Coordinator

Kathy Waterstone
616.395.7650
waterstone@hope.edu

More information

Theatre

Apply for the DAA in theatre by submitting the application form (available in October) and auditioning on a DAA Scholarship Day. These full-day events include:

An audition
A tour of the department
An interview with faculty
A workshop with current students
Attendance at an evening performance

This year’s auditions are on Friday, November 15, 2019 and Friday, February 14, 2020. If you’re unable to attend, you may submit an audition video.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to major or minor in theatre.

Scholarship Coordinator

Prof. Michelle Bombe
616.395.7600
bombe@hope.edu

More information

Visual Arts

You can apply for the DAA in the Visual Arts by submitting:

The application form, including your portfolio of digital slides/images

Applications for the Distinguished Artist Award are due Monday, January 31, 2021.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.60 GPA and enroll in at least one studio art or art history course per semester.

Scholarship Coordinator

Kristin Underhill
616.395.7500
underhill@hope.edu

More information