Scholarship requirements
Minimum CLAS scholarship requirements
- Must be able to demonstrate academic promise and accomplishments.
- Need Based awards require a minimum 3.50 UI and cumulative GPA.
- Merit Based awards require a minimum 3.75 UI and cumulative GPA.
- Must be enrolled primarily in a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree granting program and seeking your first undergraduate degree.
- Must be enrolled as a CLAS undergraduate in fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.
- Must continue as a CLAS undergraduate in 2024-2025.
- Many scholarships require that applicants have filed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
- For continuing students, the FAFSA filed for the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 academic year will be used in the selection process.
- Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid to find out more information about scholarships and completing the FAFSA.
Types of scholarships
Financial Need-Based Scholarships
Completion of the FAFSA is required for consideration of all financial need-based scholarships.
For currently enrolled undergraduate students in any College of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree granting program.
| SCHOLARSHIP | ELIGIBILITY |
|---|---|
| Christofer and Laurie Christiansen Scholarship Fund | Financial need-based |
| Mary Goodykoontz Barnes Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Nadyne Harris Scholarships | Financial need-based |
| Ralph K. and Maxine J. Hibbs Scholarships | Financial need-based |
| Margaret Foster Hoff Memorial Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Alexander Kern Scholarships | Financial need-based |
| Faith M. Knowler Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Edward Prichett Scholarship Fund | Financial need-based |
| Myrna Lee Sprengeler Memorial Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Mary Campbell Tow Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Manuel Paul and Abraham Chinitz Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship Fund | Financial need-based |
| Jeffery Keith Jones Memorial Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Rains Family Scholarship Fund | Financial need-based, Junior or Senior |
| Henry G. Ullerich Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | Financial need-based, Iowa Resident |
| Shallman Family Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Helen Reich Scholarship Fund | Financial need-based |
| F.C. Denkmann Scholarship Fund | Financial need-based |
| R. L. Hulbary Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Winifred S. Scott Scholarship | Financial need-based |
| Peter and Marie Bousfield Memorial Scholarship | Financial need-based |
For currently enrolled undergraduate students with specific eligibility criteria or in a specific College of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree granting program.
| SCHOLARSHIP | ELIGIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|
| Betty and Paul Abel Scholarship | All CLAS majors. Must be a Junior or Senior (60+ earned hours) and identify as a first generation college student |
| Edward B. Buchanan, Jr. and Mary Louise Buchanan Scholarship | Must be an Iowa resident, Junior or Senior (60+ earned hours), and be a major in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, or Mathematics |
| Jackie L. Christopher Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Mathematics or Computer Science |
| Roger H. and Marilyn J. Coleman Scholarship | Must be a Junior or Senior (60+ earned hours), have a major in one of the following departments: Communication Studies or Journalism & Mass Communication, with preference to students from the following counties in Illinois: Knox, Warren, Henry, or Mercer |
| James and Syndy Conger Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Asian & Slavic Languages & Literature, Classical Languages, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish |
| Robert Froese Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Mathematics, Biology, Communications Science & Disorders, Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Health & Human Physiology, Psychology, and/or Statistics & Actuarial Science |
| David W. Koehser Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Economics, Political Science, or History |
| Morris & Lenore Mandelbaum Family Fund Scholarship | Must have graduated from a Des Moines high school |
| Mary Pelechek Scholarship Fund | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Music or the Fine Arts. Applicants of Bohemian (Czech) descent given preference |
| Adelaide Boerner Trickey Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Music or Psychology Rotates on a two-year basis between the School of Music and the Department of Psychology (see scholarship information for dates) |
| Richard S. and Helene D. Trump Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Annually alternates between German and School of Art, Art History, and Design |
| Rainbow Science Scholarship Fund | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Mathematics, Biology, Communications Science & Disorders, Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Health & Human Physiology, Psychology, and/or Statistics & Actuarial Science |
| Max von Schrader Classics Scholarship | Must have a major in the following department: Classics |
| Kenneth J. and Sharon L. (Reisch) Erickson Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Mathematics, Biology, Communications Science & Disorders, Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Health & Human Physiology, Psychology, and/or Statistics & Actuarial Science |
| Velma E. Stuit Scholarships | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics |
Merit scholarships
For currently enrolled undergraduate students in a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree granting program.
| SCHOLARSHIP | ELIGIBILITY |
|---|---|
| Marion L. Elmquist Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | All CLAS majors, must be a Junior (third year) student. |
| Bill and John Fenton Scholarships | All CLAS majors |
| Faley Family First Generation Scholarship | All CLAS majors. Must be an Iowa resident, have graduated from an Iowa High School, and identify as a first generation college student. |
| Lennis J. Holm Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Annually rotates among English-Nonfiction Writing (2023-24), Theatre Arts--Playwriting (2024-25), Cinema--Screenwriting (2025-26). |
| Dr. Merlyn Arthur Lewis and Jeanette Lewis Scholarship | All CLAS majors. Must be a first year student with a major in CLAS. (0-30 overall hours earned) |
| Dr. Obiagele Lake Pan-African Empowerment Scholarship | Must have 75+ hours with course work focusing on African, African-American or Afro-Caribbean studies (students should have taken at least four courses in one of these three areas between their freshman and junior years). |
| Hubert H. and Hugh M. Schultz Scholarship Fund | All CLAS majors |
| Richard J. Odem Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Mathematics, Statistics, or Economics |
| George S. Schaeffer Scholarships | Must be an Iowa resident. Must have a major in one of the following departments: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Health and Human Physiology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics & Astronomy, Psychology, Communication Sciences and Disorders, or Statistics & Actuarial Science |
| Dr. George Schulz-Behrend Fund | Major in German |
| Barbara G. and Professor Ralph I. Stephens Art Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Art and Art History |
| Esther Walls Scholarship | Major in the fine arts, social sciences, or humanities |
| Maureen Medberry Snell Award | All CLAS majors |
| Hogan Family Scholarship | Must have a major in one of the following departments: Available to English majors in 2024–25 and History majors in 2025-26. |
| Mark W. Coffey Scholarship Fund | Must have a major in Mathematics or Physics. Preference given to Iowa residents. |
Undergraduate Honors and Research Scholarships
For currently enrolled undergraduate students in a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree granting program.
| SCHOLARSHIP | ELIGIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|
| Stevens Phi Beta Kappa Scholarship | Must be a junior with a natural science major with at least two semesters of study remaining. Application deadline: spring 2024. |
| Claire and Carl Stuart Study Abroad Scholarship Fund | Study Abroad funding for Iowa Residents in their Junior year of study. (Winterim India) |
| Carol A. Snodgrass Scholarship | Study Abroad funding for CLAS students traveling to Spain and/or Latin America. |
| John and Elsie Mae Ferentz Undergraduate Research Fund | CLAS students pursuing research projects. Application by email please see website for further information. |
| The Dewey Stuit Fund for Undergraduate Research | Students, faculty members, and academic units may request funding for projects that will advance the extracurricular research, scholarship, and creative work of undergraduate students. Departments also are expected to contribute funds to support the student’s or students’ research or creative work. |