Southwestern University announces that beginning in fall 2022, first year students who apply to and are admitted by the Office of Admission will be automatically awarded scholarships based on their class rank in high school or their recalculated grade point average (GPA)—whichever is higher. Recalculated GPA is defined as grades earned in core high school courses, namely English language arts, math, science, social studies, and foreign language. All incoming students, including international, homeschooled, test optional, in state, and out of state students, will be automatically awarded the funds as part of their financial aid package. The funds can be used to offset SU tuition and fees.

“We believe this is an important step in making a world class liberal arts education more accessible and affordable to students from all backgrounds,” says Vice President for Strategic Recruitment and Enrollment Tom Delahunt.

SU’s scholarship plan is laid out in an easy to follow grid that articulates how much money a student can expect to receive as an initial part of their award package. For example, students who are in the top 5% of their graduating class or have earned a recalculated GPA of 3.95 or above will receive between $27,000 and $33,000 in scholarships.

The scholarship, which will be renewable for up to eight semesters, is only the first layer of an incoming student’s financial aid package; remaining scholarships and other assistance will be awarded based on a holistic review of merit, financial need, and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). So in addition to SU’s automatic scholarships, most Southwestern students will also be offered grants, further scholarships, loans, and/or work study opportunities from federal and state agencies, outside organizations, and/or Southwestern itself.

Combining multiple awards can amount to a significant discount in Southwestern’s sticker price, making a four year degree from Texas’s top ranking and most selective private liberal arts institution potentially less expensive than an education from a public state university.

“We recognize that higher education seems out of reach for so many students,” Delahunt shares. “But Southwestern is committed to putting a distinguished college experience well within the reach of a diverse, inclusive range of students—while making the financial aid process easier to understand for students and their families.”