Merit-Based Aid

Marist awards merit scholarships, ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 a year, to its most academically competitive applicants. When you apply for admission to Marist, you are automatically considered for merit scholarships; there is no additional application.  Awards are renewable, provided the student maintains a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.850 during their four years of full-time undergraduate studies.  (Note: Students can receive only one merit-based award from Marist). They include the following:

Academic Merit Scholarships

Academic-based merit scholarships are available to students who have demonstrated superior academic performance during their entire high school career. There are no set of “numbers” (GPA, class rank) that guarantee a scholarship or scholarship amount. Students who have taken a rigorous program of study during their high school career including their senior year – will be considered for these awards. The scholarship committee recalculates the student’s GPA using the core subject areas which include English, Math, History/Social Studies, Science and Foreign Language. All scholarships are renewable for four years provided students meet the necessary GPA requirements. 

Scholarships (Effective Fall 2023):

Academic Merit Scholarships	Amount Awardable
Presidential Scholarship	$20,000 to $25,000
Marist College Scholarship	$10,000 to $15,000

 
Merit scholarships are made at the discretion of the scholarship committee. General eligibility requirements listed do not guarantee admission or academic merit scholarship.

Students will automatically be considered for a Merit Scholarship upon acceptance to Marist College. No more than one merit scholarship will be awarded to each student.

All Merit Scholarships are renewable at the allocation awarded upon acceptance. Scholarships are awarded for the fall and spring terms only. After the second semester of the first-year, eligibility is contingent upon the recipient meeting the specified 2.85 cumulative GPA requirement.

Financial need is not required to be eligible for merit scholarships.

Marist has always treasured our alumni as people who are making an impact around the world in their careers, in their communities, and with their families. Now, you have the opportunity to impact the next generation of Red Foxes.

Effective Fall 2021, all children of alumni who enroll full-time at Marist will receive a $5,000 scholarship  for each year for up to four years of their undergraduate experience at Marist.

Marist College offers Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) scholarships to transfer students who are members of the official honor society at their local community college in the annual award amount of $5,000.  If you are admitted to the College, you will need to show proof of your membership from your Chapter Advisor in order to receive the scholarship. All PTK scholarship recipients are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.85 (B-) as full-time students (12 or more credits per semester) to remain eligible for award renewal each semester. (Effective Spring 2023)

The Music Program cultivates music literacy, musicianship, individual creativity, and engaged citizenship through challenging learning experiences, diverse performance opportunities, and a commitment to providing music to both the campus community and many local organizations. In keeping with the Marist mission, the Music Program encourages students to share their love of music with those in need, creating a lifelong opportunity for creative expression and commitment to the community.

$2,500.00 awards are available based on talent and technical merit.

Incoming students may audition for instrumental or vocal scholarships prior to their admission to Marist College. For the 2021-2022 academic year, students should submit audio or visual recordings in lieu of a live audition. Please note, an offer of the scholarship award does not constitute an offer of admission to the college. 

Please contact the Music Office if travel distance is a prohibiting factor in scheduling an audition.

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Incoming first-years accepted to Marist College may apply for a theatre scholarship. All students must complete the application requirements to be eligible for a scholarship award. Several renewable scholarships are available each year.

$2,500.00 renewable awards are available.

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Marist College sponsors NCAA Scholarships for 21 of Marist's 23 men's and women's Division I programs. Awarding these scholarships is in accordance with NCAA, Marist College, and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regulations. As per NCAA Division I rules, these athletic awards are one-year renewable scholarships (NCAA Bylaw 15.3.3).

For details, please contact the respective head coach.

The Brother James Kearney Scholarship for the Blind (formerly, the Lavelle Fund College Scholarship Program) aims to help make quality undergraduate and graduate education affordable for U.S. residents who are legally blind, have financially need, and attending any of 11 selected private colleges in New York State and Northeastern New Jersey. The program is currently authorized to admit new students through June 30, 2024. For additional information please contact the Office of Student Financial Services or visit Bro James Kearney Scholarship for the Blind.

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Marist College participates in the Dollars for Scholars Program which is conducted by the Citizens Scholarship Foundation of America (CSFA) and will match up to $500 per recipient. The scholarship awards are raised by community volunteers through the Dollars for Scholars chapters. Marist College has committed a maximum of $10,000 to matching scholarships.  Once exhausted, we are unable to match any further requests. Scholarships will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

To locate a local Dollars For Scholars chapter near you visit: www.scholarshipamerica.org or ScholarshipAmerica 

The Long Reach Scholarship at Marist is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in studying history. This scholarship is designed to give majors with a passion for history the opportunity and freedom to pursue exciting undergraduate research and apply it to their future careers. All incoming first-year students with an interest in history are eligible for one of four scholarship opportunities, and we encourage all who fit this criteria to apply and make a difference with their history degree from Marist.

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The Otto Sussman Trust offers financial awards to eligible undergraduate students at Marist College who, due to unforeseen financial hardship, require financial assistance in order to complete their degrees in their final year of study.  Students must be residents of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Oklahoma, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater.  Interested students should reach out to the Office of Student Financial Services, as any application must be completed in coordination with a financial aid Administrator.  

The Student Financial Services Office may be reached at (845) 575-3230 or by email to studentfinancialservices@marist.edu.

More Information >

• Application   
• Recommendation Form 

The Jonah and Joan Sherman Scholarship for Volunteer Outreach was founded in 2010 by Bruce Sherman and Amy Sherman to honor their parents and their legacy as caring neighbors and citizens of the world.  During their 55-year marriage, the Shermans embraced volunteerism and became synonymous with its highest purposes.  Time and again, they selflessly shared their time and talents locally and around the world so countless people could lead more functional, productive, and hopeful lives. 

The scholarship’s purpose is to promote effective volunteerism by recognizing and financially aiding Marist students who follow in the footsteps of Jonah and Joan Sherman.  We are grateful to the Sherman Family for creating this opportunity to reinforce such important values and to help Marist students achieve their educational goals. This focus is unique among the College’s scholarships, but valuing community and serving others are long-standing dimensions of Marist’s mission. 

Criteria for the Scholarship

The criteria for The Jonah and Joan Sherman Scholarship for Volunteer Initiative are as follows:

1. The Sherman Scholarship will be open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are participating in or leading volunteer activities.  Activities may or may not be campus-based or sponsored by a Marist organization.  They can be conducted locally, nationally, or internationally. Candidates should be in good academic standing.

2. The scholarship will be awarded to the individual who gives evidence of:

• Leadership qualities
• Volunteer activity
• Social conscience
• Self-direction
• Entrepreneurial spirit

3. This is a merit-based scholarship; while financial need is not a criterion, candidates may explain how the scholarship will be of particular benefit to them.

4. The scholarship may be renewed at least once. However, a past recipient must re-submit for competitive consideration.

5.  Applicants must complete a Marist College Scholarship application form.  The required essay component should address the following questions:

(1) What is the nature of your volunteer activity or work?  Briefly explain the purpose of the activity in which you are involved and your role.

(2) Why are you doing this work?  

(3) What do you feel you have given to others?

(4) What have you taken away from this experience?

(5) How do you see this experience impacting your life after Marist? 

6. Two letters of recommendation are required for this scholarship. Each should speak to the applicant’s worthiness to be recognized for volunteer leadership and entrepreneurial initiative. One letter should come from a mentor or the leader of the organization with which you have been involved. The second letter should be from a Marist faculty member. Please use the attached Recommendation Form. E-mail or send it to the two people you are asking to give you a reference and ask them to send it back to the Office of Student Financial Services as indicated on the form.

7. The Sherman Scholar will be asked to speak at a forum, sponsored by an organization such as the Praxis Project for Public Citizenship or Student Government, which focuses campus attention on the need for and the impact of volunteer outreach on society.  Sponsorship and timing for the forum will be determined annually.

Jonah and Joan Sherman

This scholarship is especially meaningful to the Marist community because of a long and fruitful association with the Shermans.  Mr. Sherman served on the Marist College Board of Trustees for more than 25 years and was an officer.  Together Jonah and Joan led the establishment of Marist’s highly-successful Center for Lifetime Study, which annually provides intellectual opportunities, cultural exploration, and academic enrichment for more than 500 individuals 55 and older.  Marist’s archive in the James A. Cannavino Library is also home to The Jonah Sherman Collection, which documents the business and commercial history of Poughkeepsie.

Jonah and Joan Sherman were involved with many local non-profit organizations and volunteer initiatives in their home community of Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County, New York, beginning with the Catharine Street Community Center.   Over a period of 13 years, they volunteered in Central Europe, Asia, and Africa with the International Executive Services Corp, United Jewish World Service, and United Way International to advance economic self-sufficiency in small communities, education and prevention of HIV/AIDS and the development of volunteerism.  

Students graduating from Marist Brothers high schools in the United States or abroad, are eligible to receive the Marist Brothers Scholarship, effective Fall 2018. This $5,000 (USD) scholarship will be applied annually to tuition at Marist College for four years, provided that students attend full-time (at least 12 credits per semester) and remain in good academic standing. The Marist Brothers Scholarship is in addition to any other merit-based scholarship (up to $25,000) awarded to accepted undergraduate students.

Marist Endowed Scholarships and Outside Scholarships

Marist Endowed Scholarships and Outside Scholarships are great potential resources to help off-set educational expenses. Traditional and adult undergraduate students are invited to apply for Endowed Scholarship opportunities each spring for awards in the following academic year. A FAFSA on file for the upcoming academic year is required to be considered for any need-based endowed scholarships. 

2025-2026 Endowed scholarship applications will be available as follows:

Incoming First-Year Students: Apply between January 20, 2025- March 31, 2025

Returning Students: Apply between February 15, 2025 - March 31, 2025

Please refer to the following chart for additional information

Student Type	Eligibility	Notification
Incoming First-Year Students	To be considered for need-based Endowed Scholarships, an applicant should complete both the CSS Profile and FAFSA.	Award decisions will be emailed by late April to students who apply by the priority deadline.
Returning Students	A FAFSA must be filed every academic year for need-based Endowed Scholarships.  Students do not need to reapply, scholarship(s) are automatically renewed provided all eligibility requirements are met.	If awarded, the scholarship will be listed in the award notification emailed in June. Only students who are awarded will be notified.
Adult Students	A FAFSA must be filed every academic year for need-based Endowed Scholarships.	The Office of Student Financial Services will notify eligible students directly.

 

For a full list of scholarships and eligibility criteria, please click here.

Outside Scholarships offered by external organizations are also available year-round.

ScholarshipUniverse Application Portal

Marist utilizes ScholarshipUniverse, a scholarship matching platform, to help students maximize their opportunities for both types of awards. 

How does ScholarshipUniverse work?

 

From the Dashboard menu:

Answer questions to match to eligible scholarship opportunities

Apply online to scholarship opportunities through a personalized portal

Track your application status

 

Endowed scholarships are denoted by                      

Outside scholarships are denoted by   

Don’t Miss Out!

Students with a Marist email account, log in here to view your scholarship dashboard in Scholarship Universe, and begin searching for relevant funding sources.  If you need assistance with your login credentials, please click here.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to offer feedback on your platform experience.