Scholarship Procedures

Review all of the scholarship criteria prior to submitting the application. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Veterans Programs at 814-863-0465 or ovp@psu.edu. 

A. Eligibility Criteria for All Scholarships Administered by OVP:

Students must meet the academic requirements and military affiliation requirements as outlined in the scholarship guidelines in order to receive a scholarship award. The military affiliation of all scholarship recipients will be verified by the Office of Veterans Programs prior to the scholarship award.

B. Application Deadline:

The Office of Veterans Programs will accept applications for scholarships until May 1, 2024 at midnight. Applications must be submitted no later than midnight on May 1, 2024. Applications received after the May 1 deadline will not be considered by the scholarship committee.

C. Financial Aid Information:

In addition to completing the OVP scholarship application, applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for determination of financial need for each academic year. This application can be obtained from the Office of Student Aid or the student aid representative at any Penn State campus. The application can also be obtained at the following website: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA application is critical in the scholarship review process. Scholarships will not be reviewed or awarded unless a current FAFSA has been submitted.

All scholarships are competitive in nature. Penn State uses the results of the FAFSA to determine demonstrated financial need. Students who have an expected family contribution lower than Penn State's cost of attendance demonstrate some degree of financial need. Although all students demonstrating need are considered for need-based scholarships, donors intend that students with substantial financial need will be given first consideration.

D. Scholarship Application Criteria:

Students must meet all of the criteria set forth in the scholarship guidelines in order to be eligible for a specific scholarship. Guidelines for the scholarship criteria are clearly indicated by the donor. Descriptions and guidelines for scholarships available through OVP are included below.

Scholarship applications submitted during the spring semester are awarded for the fall and spring semesters of the following academic year. That is, award amounts are distributed by placing half in the student's account in the fall semester and half in the student's account in the spring semester. Awards are not given in one lump sum for any one semester. Awards are not given for summer sessions.

On the application form, students must indicate the scholarship(s) for which they are applying. It is not necessary to submit a separate application for each scholarship.

E. Notification to Scholarship Award Recipients:

Students awarded scholarships will be notified by the Office of Veterans Programs after the scholarship committee has met, and prior to the fall semester. Scholarship awardees are asked to write a "Thank You" letter to the scholarship donor.