Scholarships

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

Academic Awards

Your application for admission 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.

Hope Is Test-Optional for Fall 2025 Applicants

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 the following academic awards.

Learn more about costs & financial aid

Scholarship Criteria

(for first-year students entering Fall 2024)

	Amount	GPA Only	GPA with Test Scores
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.
Trustee Scholarship	$24,000/year	Test Score Required	3.95+ GPA with 34+ ACT, 1490+ SAT, or 103+ CLT
Presidential Scholarship	$15,000/year and up	3.95+ GPA	3.8+ GPA with 28+ ACT, 1300+ SAT, or 86+ CLT
Distinguished Scholar Award	$13,000/year	3.8+ GPA	3.6+ GPA with 26+ ACT, 1230+ SAT, or 81+ CLT
Alumni Honors Scholarship	$11,000/year	3.6+ GPA	3.4+ GPA with 24+ ACT, 1160+ SAT, or 76+ CLT
Anchor Award	$7,500/year	3.4+ GPA	3.2+ GPA and 22+ ACT, 1100+ SAT, or 72+ CLT

Outside scholarships information

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 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. Most awards are $3,000 per year, renewable for four years. Most 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, including:

Applications for the Distinguished Artist Awards in Creative Writing must be received by midnight, February 16, 2025. Scholarship recipients will be notified in March 2025.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.6 GPA at Hope and declare a creative writing major or minor.

To apply for a Distinguished Artist Award in Creative Writing, you’ll also need to submit a completed application for admission to Hope College.

Scholarship Coordinator

Michelle VanDenend
616.395.7620
english@hope.edu

For more information, please visit the Department of English website.

Dance

To apply for the DAA in Dance, you will need to submit the application, including:

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?”

For more information, please visit the Department of Dance website.

Applications and video auditions for the Distinguished Artist Award in Dance must be received by midnight, March 2, 2025. Scholarship recipients will be notified later in March 2025.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.6 GPA at Hope.

To apply for a Distinguished Artist Award in Dance, you’ll also need to submit a completed application for admission to Hope College.

Scholarship Coordinator

Larissa Brooks
616.395.7700
dance@hope.edu

For more information, please visit the Department of Dance website.

Music

Apply for the DAA in music by completing the application and attending an audition date.

For those who desire to audition on January 20, applications are due January 14, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. For those who desire to audition on February 14 or 15, applications must be submitted no later than February 9, 2025 by 11:59 p.m.

Auditions for the Distinguished Artist Awards in Music will be held on the dates below:

Monday, January 20, 2025 (noon–5 p.m.)
Friday, February 14, 2025 (noon–5 p.m.)
Saturday, February 15, 2025 (8 a.m.–5 p.m.)

To keep the scholarship, students need to maintain a 2.6 GPA in addition to enrollment in applied lessons and ensemble.

To apply for a Distinguished Artist Award in Music, you’ll also need to submit a completed application for admission to Hope College.

Scholarship Coordinator

Julie Carns
616.395.7650
music@hope.edu

For more information, please visit the Department of Music website.

Theatre

Apply for the DAA in theatre by completing the application.

The deadline for submitting the application and resume is February 16, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. for our Theatre Audition Day on February 21. Scholarship recipients will be notified in March 2025.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.6 GPA at Hope and major or minor in theatre.

To be awarded a Distinguished Artist Award in Theatre, you’ll also need to submit a completed application for admission to Hope College.

Scholarship Coordinator

Prof. Michelle Bombe
616.395.7600
bombe@hope.edu

For more information, please visit the Department of Theatre website.

Visual Arts

You can apply for the DAA in the Visual Arts by submitting the application, including your portfolio of digital slides/images.

Applications for the Distinguished Artist Award in Visual Arts are due February 16, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. Scholarship recipients will be notified in March 2025.

To keep this scholarship, you’ll need to maintain a 2.6 GPA and declare a major or minor in an Art & Art History Department program.

To apply for a Distinguished Artist Award in the Visual Arts, you’ll also need to submit a completed application for admission to Hope College.

Scholarship Coordinator

Nicole Wetzel
616.395.7500
art@hope.edu

For more information, please visit the Department of Art & Art History website.