Academic Merit Scholarship
Award
$8,000 total in-state
$8,000 total out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.0+
Eligibility: Academically talented students will automatically be offered these merit scholarships at the time of admission.
These scholarships for first-time students are automatically renewable for a total of 4 years (8 semesters). Eligible students are required to maintain full-time consecutive undergraduate enrollment in fall and spring semesters and maintain specific GPA requirements noted below. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for freshman merit or transfer merit scholarships.
Distinguished Merit Scholarship
Award
$16,000 total in-state
$16,000 total out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.9+
Eligibility: Academically talented students will automatically be offered these merit scholarships at the time of admission.
These scholarships for first-time students are automatically renewable for a total of 4 years (8 semesters). Eligible students are required to maintain full-time consecutive undergraduate enrollment in fall and spring semesters and maintain specific GPA requirements noted below. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for freshman merit or transfer merit scholarships.
EIU Cost Match (single-tier)
EIU will match the out-of-pocket cost of attendance of any regionally accredited public university in the United States (outside Illinois). EIU will cover the out-of-pocket cost not covered by other federal, state, institutional and private awards, including Federal Pell Grant, State of Illinois MAP Program (MAP), Federal Loans, and other awards.
Eligibility: To qualify, you must:
* Submit the Financial Aid Award letter from a qualifying institution
* Be a resident of Illinois, with at least one parent (listed on your FAFSA) also an Illinois resident
* Have a minimum 3.3 GPA
* Be admitted to EIU as an incoming first-year student full-time (12 or more credit hours by the published census date each semester)
* Have your EIU financial aid packaged and completed by June 1
* Meet AIM HIGH Grant requirements
How to apply: ["Submit Financial Aid Award letter from qualifying institution via MyEIU", "Be an Illinois resident (at least one parent listed on FAFSA an Illinois resident)", "Minimum 3.3 GPA", "Be admitted to EIU as incoming first-year full-time (12+ hours)", "Have EIU financial aid packaged and completed by June 1", "Complete FAFSA"]
📋 Follow renewal criteria as outlined on the program page.
Source ↗
EIU Promise (single-tier last-dollar)
EIU Promise is a "last-dollar scholarship," meaning that it fully covers tuition AND fees remaining after other scholarships and awards have been applied (FOR UP TO 15 CREDIT HOURS PER SEMESTER).
The full cost of tuition and required fees up to 15 credit hours per semester, including textbook rental fees.
Eligibility: To qualify, you must:
* Be a resident of Illinois, with at least one parent (listed on your FAFSA) also an Illinois resident
* Have a family adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less annually
* Be admitted to EIU as a full-time incoming first-time or transfer student (maximum of 15 credit hours)
* Have your financial aid packaged and completed by June 1 of the year you intend to enroll
* Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
* Meet AIM HIGH Grant requirements
* Meet renewal criteria after your first year
* Not have tuition and fees met by other gift aid
How to apply: ["Be a resident of Illinois, with at least one parent also an Illinois resident", "family adjusted gross income $80,000 or less", "be admitted as a full-time incoming first-time or transfer student (max 15 credit hours)", "have financial aid packaged and completed by June 1", "file FAFSA (required to initially qualify)", "minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale"]
📋 Meet renewal criteria after your first year; requirements detailed on program page.
Source ↗
High Achieving Merit Scholarship
Award
$12,000 total in-state
$12,000 total out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.6+
Eligibility: Academically talented students will automatically be offered these merit scholarships at the time of admission.
These scholarships for first-time students are automatically renewable for a total of 4 years (8 semesters). Eligible students are required to maintain full-time consecutive undergraduate enrollment in fall and spring semesters and maintain specific GPA requirements noted below. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for freshman merit or transfer merit scholarships.
Local Scholars (single-tier last-dollar)
EIU Local Scholars is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning that it covers any tuition or fees remaining after other scholarships and awards have been applied.
The full cost of tuition and required fees up to 15 credit hours per semester, including textbook rental fees.
Eligibility: You will qualify for Local Scholars if you meet all of these requirements:
* Your family's annual income is $100,000 or less
* You reside in an Illinois county that is within a 50-mile radius of EIU: Bond, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Montgomery, Moultrie, Piatt, Richland, Shelby or Vermilion
* You are a current high school student
* You have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, as shown on official transcripts sent by June 1
* You are admitted to EIU as a full-time incoming first-year student
* You have your EIU financial aid packaged and completed by June 1 of the year you intend to enroll
* You meet all other AIM HIGH Grant requirements
How to apply: ["family adjusted gross income $100,000 or less", "reside in eligible Illinois county (within 50-mile radius)", "current high school student", "minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (transcripts sent by June 1)", "admitted as a full-time incoming first-year student", "financial aid packaged and completed by June 1", "no separate application required (complete FAFSA and be admitted by June 1)"]
📋 Meet renewal criteria as detailed on program page.
Source ↗
Award
$5,000 total in-state
$5,000 total out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.5+
Eligibility: Academically talented students entering Eastern Illinois University will automatically be offered the Transfer Academic Excellence Scholarship at the time of application to the university.
You must have **at least 15 credit hours** transferred from an accredited college or university. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for first-year merit or transfer merit scholarships but may qualify for other scholarships.
Award
$3,000 total in-state
$3,000 total out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.0+
Eligibility: Academically talented students entering Eastern Illinois University will automatically be offered the Transfer Academic Excellence Scholarship at the time of application to the university.
You must have **at least 15 credit hours** transferred from an accredited college or university. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for first-year merit or transfer merit scholarships but may qualify for other scholarships.