Fairmont State extends scholarship deadline and offers additional financial aid opportunities for new incoming students

Jun 07, 2024Academics, College of Business and Aviation, College of Education-Health & Human Performance, College of Liberal Arts, College of Nursing, College of Science and Technology

Students on laptops in class

With the recent FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) delays across the United States, Fairmont State University has identified a need to adjust the deadline for institutional scholarship applications and offer additional financial aid to new incoming students. The original scholarship application deadline of April 1 has been extended to August 1, 2024. This will allow those experiencing FAFSA delays more time to apply for the many scholarship opportunities offered at Fairmont State.

“This extension provides students with additional time to finalize their enrollment decisions and ensures they can benefit from our scholarship offerings,” said Interim Vice President of Student Success Alicia Kalka.

In addition to the deadline extension, any student with a high school or transfer GPA of 3.0 or higher admitted to Fairmont State will automatically qualify for one of the prestigious Traditions or Success Scholarships, with no application necessary. The Traditions and Success scholarships do not require an ACT or SAT score for students to qualify, and are available for new in-state, out-of-state and transfer students.

The Traditions scholarship model includes five tiers:

In-State Traditions Scholarship Tiers

Victory Bell Scholarship – Students with a 4.0 GPA receive $3,000 per year
Columns Scholarship – Students with a 3.75 GPA receive $2,000 per year
Kestrel Scholarship – Students with a 3.5 GPA receive $1,500 per year
College on the Hill Scholarship – Students with a 3.25 GPA receive $1,000 per year
Maroon & White Scholarship – Students with a 3.0 GPA receive $500 annually

Out-of-State Traditions Scholarship Tiers

Victory Bell Scholarship – Students with a 4.0 GPA receive $6,000 per year
Columns Scholarship – Students with a 3.75 GPA receive $4,000 per year
Kestrel Scholarship – Students with a 3.5 GPA receive $3,000 per year
College on the Hill Scholarship – Students with a 3.25 GPA receive $2,000 per year
Maroon & White Scholarship – Students with a 3.0 GPA receive $1,000 per year

For transfer students, the Success Scholarship will be offered to those transferring with a GPA of 3.0 or more.

The Transfer Success Scholarship model is divided into two tiers:

In-State Transfer Success Scholarship Tiers

Transfer students with a 3.0 GPA receive $1,000 per year
Transfer students with a 3.5 GPA receive $2,000 per year

Metro (Undergraduate Student from PA, OH, KY, MD, DC, and VA) Transfer Success Scholarship Tiers

Metro students with a 3.0 GPA receive $2,000 per year
Metro students with a 3.5 GPA receive $4,000 per year

Out-of-State Transfer Success Scholarship Tiers

Out-of-state transfer students with a 3.0 GPA receive $3,000 per year
Out-of-state students with a 3.5 GPA receive $6,000 per year

The Traditions and Success Scholarships model was introduced when the Office of Student Success and academic leaders realized that many hard-working students were not eligible for scholarships because they could not meet testing requirements. Students would spend their entire high school careers working towards a stellar GPA but would miss out on scholarship opportunities because of one low test score. Likewise, transfer students who maintained high GPAs before transferring would also miss out on scholarship opportunities due to their ACT or SAT scores.

“By prioritizing GPA as the critical metric for scholarship eligibility, we aim to support students who have demonstrated consistent academic performance and potential for success at Fairmont State University,” said Kalka. “We believe that this extension and adjustment to our scholarship criteria will positively impact our prospective students and further align with our mission to provide quality education that is both accessible and equitable. This decision is a testament to our commitment to our student’s success and our dedication to providing them with the best possible opportunities.”

Fairmont State is a great place to learn. Keeping it a great place to learn extends beyond the classroom, by providing accessible and affordable education to those who want to pursue a college degree. To learn more about the in-state Traditions Scholarships click here, for the out-of-state Traditions Scholarships click here. For more information on the Transfer Success Scholarship click here. To learn more about all of Fairmont State’s institutional scholarships and apply before the August 1 deadline, visit the general scholarship page.