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Washington College Academic Tuition Scholarships

At Washington College, this pin is worth $50,000

This pin is worth at least $50,000

Washington College recognizes and rewards exemplary academic achievement. More than 50% of all Washington College students qualify for a tuition merit-based scholarship at the time of their admission to the College. On average, these tuition scholarships range in amount from $5,000 - $15,000 per year.

In most cases, eligibility for a merit-based tuition scholarship is determined by high school GPA and SAT-I or ACT scores. However, students who are, at the time of admission, members of the National Honor Society, the National Society of High School Scholars, or the Cum Laude Society are guaranteed a merit-based academic tuition scholarship of at least $12,500 per year. Based upon their high school GPA and test scores, NHS and CLS members may qualify for awards greater than $12,500.

To be a contender for merit-based tuition awards we recommend the following:

  1. Pursue a challenging course schedule. We assign weighted values to AP, IB, Honors and Advanced courses. Without exception, the students who receive our largest scholarships have taken the toughest classes. Be realistic with your selections but avoid the path of least resistance!
  2. Seek letters of recommendation from those teachers who can attest to your best efforts and success. Let them help tell your story!
  3. Be sure to schedule an admissions interview/campus visit. Do not pass up the opportunity to meet and inform the individual who will be reviewing your credentials!

All recipients of merit-based tuition scholarships are designated as Washington Scholars.

Merit-based tuition scholarships and tuition grants are awarded by the Washington College Scholarship Committee to full-time accepted undergraduate applicants without regard to financial need. In all cases, it is advantageous to complete the requirements for admission in advance of the February 15 application deadline. Unless otherwise noted, annual renewal requires full-time enrollment and a cumulative grade point average between 3.0 and 4.0. For additional information about the academic tuition scholarship and tuition grant opportunities described below, contact the Admissions Office.

Merit-based tuition scholarships are fixed in amount and awarded at the time of admission. Students who are not offered a merit-based tuition scholarship at the time of admission are eligible to be considered for the normal array of College awards and prizes offered to eligible undergraduate students and may be eligible to receive need-based financial aid.

All merit-based tuition scholarship recipients are required to meet the renewal criteria stipulated in their award letters. Failure to meet the renewal criteria may result in the reduction or removal of the scholarship.

Hodson Trust Scholarships

Admitted applicants of exceptionally high academic standing are designated as Hodson Trust Scholars. Typically, this designation accurs after May 1. Renewal criteria for the merit-based academic tuition scholarship awarded to Hodson Trust Scholars includes both full-time enrollment and a cumulative grade point average in the range of 3.00 to 4.00. Hodson Trust Scholarships are made possible by grants from the Hodson Trust.

Hodson Trust Scholarships for Children of Former Beneficial Employees

Children of former full-time Beneficial employees, with two or more years of service with Beneficial Corporation and its subsidiaries immediately prior to June 30, 1998 are potential candidates for these full-tuition scholarships.

To qualify, students must satisfy all three of the following conditions:

  1. Submit a letter requesting scholarship consideration prior to or concurrent with the submission of their application for admission. The letter must include a notarized statement from his or her parent indicating such parent’s relationship to the applicant, as well as such parent’s employment history with Beneficial prior to June 30, 1998.
  2. Present a three-year weighted grade point average of 3.50 or better (on a 4.00 scale).
  3. Present a SAT CR+M score of 1150 or better or an ACT Composite score of 25 or better.

Students who are determined to be eligible for the full-tuition Hodson Trust Scholarship for Children of Former Beneficial Employees will receive their scholarship award letters at the time of admission. The scholarships will be renewed annually provided that the recipient maintains continuous full-time enrollment status and a cumulative Washington College grade point average of 3.00 or better.

Washington College Academic Tuition Scholarships

These four-year tuition scholarships are also awarded to full-time students who have been high achievers in a rigorous program of secondary-school studies. Annual awards range in amount from $5,000 to $13,750.

All National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society members who are admitted to Washington College are awarded a Washington College Academic Tuition Scholarship of at least $12,500 annually for up to four years. Some NHS and CLS members qualify for additional awards that increase their total Academic Tuition Scholarship from $12,500 per year to $13,500 - $16,500 per year. To qualify, students must be NHS or CLS members prior to March 1 their senior year.

Washington College Academic Tuition Scholarships for Phi Theta Kappa Members

Academic Tuition Scholarships of at least $10,000 per year are awarded to all full-time transfer students who have been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. A cumulative GPA of 3.0-4.0 and full-time enrollment are required for renewal. Some PTK members qualify for additional awards that increase their total Academic Tuition Scholarship from $10,000 per year to $11,500 - $15,000 per year.

Sophie Kerr Gift in English literature

These four-year $1,500 tuition scholarships are awarded annually to entering students who intend to major in English and who show outstanding promise in the field of English or American literature. Scholarship finalists are selected by members of the English Department.

Quill & Compass Scholarships

The Quill and Compass Scholarships are a new program for students interested in exploring history, political science, and American studies here at one of the most historic colleges in the nation. Recipients will have opportunities to sail the Chesapeake Bay on an 18th-century schooner, learn the arts of leadership as practiced by the great figures of American history, participate in a new summer program at the University of Oxford, and walk in the footsteps of Civil War soldiers. You will be able to study in small seminars with leading scholars, conduct original research under the one-on-one guidance of a faculty mentor, or hear firsthand tales of Civil Rights-era politics from a famous U.S. senator.

For more information on how to apply for the Quill and Compass program, please visit http://quillandcompass.washcoll.edu.

The Hodson Foundation Tuition Scholarships

The Hodson Foundation Tuition Scholarships are given to entering students from ethnic backgrounds that are traditionally under-represented in higher education. Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic and personal achievement.

Washington College Academic Tuition Scholarships for International Students

Tuition Grants are awarded to entering international full-time students on the basis of scholastic and extracurricular achievement and overall promise for success in a collegiate environment. Awards generally range in amount from $7,500 to $20,000; a cumulative grade point average of 2.0-4.0 is required for renewal.

Kent County Vincent Hynson '87 Scholarship

In Fall 2006, Baird Tipson, President of Washington College, announced the creation of a new scholarship fund named in honor of late alumnus the Reverend Vincent Hynson '87, who passed away in August 2004. A scholarship is offered to an entering freshman who is a graduate of a secondary school in Kent County, who meets all admissions qualifications, demonstrates financial need, and whose achievements and aspirations most closely emulate the values of Vincent Hynson. The scholarship ensures that full direct cost financial need is met after family contribution and federal and state sources are considered. The recipient must apply for and accept all federal and state need-based aid, including grants and student loans. In addition, the recipient must maintain full-time enrollment and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better in order to continue the scholarship throughout all four years.

To be considered for the Vincent Hynson Scholarship, students must have a completed application on file in the Washington College Admissions Office no later than February 28. They are also required to complete the FAFSA prior to March 1 and submit the Vincent Hynson Scholarship Essay to the Washington College Admissions Office no later than February 28. The scholarship essay should address the importance of service to one’s community and speak to how the scholarship candidate has and will continue to emulate the exemplary service provided by Rev. Hynson to his community.

For additional information regarding the Vincent Hynson Scholarship, contact Kevin Coveney, VP for Admissions, at 410-778-7700.

The Kent County Vincent Hynson '87 Scholarship honors the memory of a Washington College graduate who led an exemplary life as a teacher, coach, pastor and leader in the Kent County community. Hynson, a graduate of Kent County High School, attended Washington College as a non-traditional student, receiving a degree in history in 1987.

Hodson Trust Star Scholarship
(For Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts)

The Hodson Trust and Washington College wish to recognize and award annual undergraduate and graduate scholarships to eligible veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts. Washington College will award up to a total of three scholarships a year for a period of five years beginning with academic year 2007/08.

The undergraduate and graduate scholarships will meet 100 percent of Washington College's published annual tuition, room, board, books, and mandatory student fees not otherwise met by federal, state and outside assistance.

Candidates for the Hodson Trust Star Scholarship must:

For more information about the Hodson Trust Star Scholarship and the scholarship application process, contact the Office of Admissions at:

You may contact the Financial Aid office by phone at 410-778-7214 or by e-mail at fa_office@washcoll.edu.

300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782