Scholarships for Incoming Students

Puget Sound offers scholarships to incoming undergraduates for academic merit and performance excellence in music, theatre, art, and forensics, National Merit designation, achievement in the humanities, mathematics, sciences, and for interest in religious activities.  The majority of these scholarships are renewable for three additional years of full-time undergraduate study.  

Prospective students who submit admission applications by February 1 are given priority consideration for these scholarships. 

Academic Scholarships
Scholarship Applications
Talent Scholarships

Academic Scholarships

Incoming students are eligible for one of the following scholarships based on their admission application, academic performance in high school, and standardized test scores.  No separate scholarship application is required.

$12,000 - Trustee Scholarships
  $9,000 - President's Scholarships
  $3,000 - Dean's Scholarships

National Merit Scholarships

Incoming freshmen students who are National Merit Finalists and list the University of Puget Sound as their first choice college with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation are eligible to receive a $1,000 to $2,000 scholarship, depending on their level of financial need.  This scholarship is awarded to National Merit Finalists in addition to other academic scholarships they may receive.   

Lillis Family Foundation Scholarships

The Lillis Family Foundation Scholarship, a full tuition and room and board scholarship, will be awarded to two entering freshmen who have demonstrated exceptional performance in high school. Successful candidates will show promise of excellence throughout their undergraduate years at Puget Sound, and will exhibit the potential to become competitive candidates for undergraduate and post-graduate fellowships and scholarships, such as the Rhodes Scholarship, the Truman Scholarship, or the Watson Fellowship.

Application for the Lillis Scholarship is by invitation.  Potential candidates for the scholarship must apply for admission to the university by February 1.  After reviewing the applicant pool, the Committee on Admission will invite 25 freshmen candidates to submit a Lillis Scholarship application.  The scholarship application will be due February 29.  Recipients will be selected by a faculty committee and notified of their selection by March 15. 

Named Scholarships

The University of Puget Sound is fortunate to have a number of named scholarships established by the financial commitments of alumni, parents, and friends.  These named scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen based on their admission application.  Students will be considered for all named scholarships in which they meet the specific selection criteria established by the donor.  Selection criteria may include academic merit, intended major, leadership ability, and financial need.  No separate scholarship application is required.

Scholarships Requiring Applications 

The following scholarships require a separate scholarship application.  You may need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and download the applications.

Application deadline is February 25.

California Sealbearer's Scholarship
$2,000 per year
Awarded to incoming freshmen from California who are members of the California Scholarship Federation (CSF) and are eligible for a CSF Gold Seal on their high school diploma.  

Catharine Gould Chism Scholarships 
$5,000 per year
Awarded to incoming freshmen who have demonstrated  leadership abilities and intent to major in the arts or humanities. Eligible majors include art, classics, English, foreign language, history, music, philosophy, theatre arts, and religion.

Charles Garnet Trimble Scholarships
$6,000 per year
Awarded to incoming freshmen who demonstrate a strong interest in the study of Asia and undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.

Leonard Howarth Scholarships 
$4,000 per year
Awarded to incoming freshmen and transfer students interested in majoring in biology, chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, pre-engineering, or physics. 

Religious Leadership Awards 
$3,000 per year
Awarded to students interested in lifelong religious leadership, including both ordained and lay ministry, professional work in faith community music leadership, and the range of missionary service and outreach activities.

Walter Price Leadership/Community Service Scholarships
$3,000 per year
Awarded to incoming freshmen and transfer students on the basis of leadership abilities and community service involvement.

Talent Scholarships

Applicants must demonstrate talent in art, forensics, music, or theatre. Recipients are expected to share their talents through performance or other forms of demonstration.  Auditions and/or scholarship applications are required.

Art Scholarships
$2,500 per year
Awarded to students who plan to major in the visual arts or arts history.  Priority consideration given to applications received before February 1.

Forensics Scholarships 
$1,000 - $3,000 per year
Recipients will compete in intercollegiate speech and debate events.  Application deadline is February 15.

Music Scholarships 
$1,000 - $10,000 per year
Recipients are expected to take an active role in musical activities and participate either in a University performing music group or as an accompanist. 

Theatre Scholarships
$1,500 per year
Recipients will serve as crew or cast members for fall and spring productions. Students are not required to major in theatre.  Application deadline is February 15.