Centre is a small liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, with about 1,400 students. Two things shape the money conversation here. First, starting with students who entered in fall 2025, Centre promises to meet 100% of a domestic family’s calculated need. They call it the Centre Promise. Second, nearly every merit dollar comes from a full read of the application instead of a GPA and test score chart. You can’t look up your number in advance like you can at a big state school, but a strong essay and real involvement can actually move it.
🏆 Full tuition available (Lincoln Scholars Program & Grissom Scholars Program)
Average Net Price
$23,860/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
$15,000-$33,000/yr (+$5,000 with ED)
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
21 opportunities
9 automatic · 5 competitive · 7 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
No published cutoffs (holistic review)
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional (merit too)
Scores optional for automatic merit
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Dec 1 • FAFSA: Nov 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Lincoln Scholars Program & Grissom Scholars Program
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA & CSS Profile
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Centre College (Read This First)
Early Decision is worth $20,000, and it’s binding. ED admits get an extra $5,000 a year on top of merit. Run your numbers first with Centre’s Early Financial Aid Assessment before committing by Nov 1 (ED I) or Jan 15 (ED II).
The Lincoln Scholars deadline is Dec 1 for everything. The scholarship application and the full admission file both have to be in by then, no matter which admission plan you pick. Grissom (for first-gen students) is Jan 15.
“We meet 100% of need” includes a loan and a job. Centre’s package counts a $5,500 federal loan and up to $2,000 in work-study in year one. It also requires the CSS Profile on top of the FAFSA, due the same day as your admission plan.
Big outside scholarships can shrink Centre’s grant. Centre says outside awards of $1,000 or more may reduce the Centre grant. Ask before you count on that money twice.
Scholarships come with strings. Holders must live on campus (unless living at home with parents locally), stay full-time, and keep a renewal GPA between 2.0 and 2.8 depending on the award (3.2 for Lincoln).
Kentucky families: the $35,000 Governor’s Scholars award replaces general merit instead of stacking on it, and Centre asks Kentucky students to file the FAFSA before Jan 1 for state aid.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Centre College is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Centre College? Test-optional for merit and premier scholarships. Scores count only if you send them, and Centre superscores both the ACT and SAT.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 25-32; SAT: 1160-1450.
Average net price? About $23,860/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Centre College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in November 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Centre College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,500 to $3,700 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$73,990
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$58,250
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,740
Total billed cost
$73,990
Average federal net price: $23,860 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
One Price, No Matter Where You Live
Centre is private, so a family from Ohio pays the same sticker price as a family from Lexington. For 2026-27 that’s $57,500 tuition, a $750 student fee, $7,870 for housing and $7,870 for food, or $73,990 total. Centre also figures about $3,910 more for books, travel and personal spending that never shows up on the bill. The sticker price went up 5.2% from last year, so plan on some increase each year.
What Families Actually Paid, by Income
This is federal data for first-year students who received financial aid in 2023-24, after grants and scholarships. It came before the Centre Promise started, so families with need may do a bit better now.
Family Income
Average Net Price per Year
$0 to $30,000
$11,364
$30,001 to $48,000
$10,388
$48,001 to $75,000
$15,847
$75,001 to $110,000
$18,920
Over $110,000
$30,571
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Centre College
How much does Centre College cost per year?
The 2026-27 comprehensive fee is $73,990. That covers tuition ($57,500), the student fee ($750), a standard double room ($7,870) and a meal plan ($7,870). Books, travel and personal costs run about $3,910 more, and a single room adds $3,160 if one is available.
Do out-of-state students pay more at Centre?
No. Centre is private, so there’s no in-state discount and no out-of-state premium. Everyone starts from the same $73,990. The only state-based differences come from Kentucky’s own aid programs (KEES, CAP and the Kentucky Tuition Grant) and Centre’s guarantees for Kentucky Governor’s Scholars.
What does the Centre Promise actually cover?
It meets 100% of your calculated need for domestic students who entered in fall 2025 or later. Centre figures what your family can pay from the FAFSA and CSS Profile, subtracts that from the full cost, and fills the gap with grants, a federal loan ($5,500 in year one) and work-study (up to $2,000). So “fully met” does not mean “free.” It means the gap is covered, partly with money your student earns or borrows.
What is the average net price at Centre?
The federal average is about $23,860 a year for first-year students who got grant or scholarship aid (2023-24 data). Families earning under $75,000 averaged roughly $10,000 to $16,000, while families over $110,000 averaged about $30,600.
Does Centre require the CSS Profile?
Yes, Centre now requires both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile for anyone who wants need-based aid. The CSS Profile digs deeper into family finances than the FAFSA does. File both by your admission plan’s deadline: Nov 1 for ED I, Nov 15 for EA, Jan 15 for ED II, or Feb 1 for Regular Decision.
Will our cost go up every year?
The sticker price will likely rise. It jumped 5.2% for 2026-27. Merit scholarships are fixed dollar amounts, and Centre doesn’t say they rise with tuition, so expect the gap to grow a little each year. Need-based aid is recalculated annually from new FAFSA and CSS Profile filings.
Junior year: Ask your counselor about a Centre Fellows nomination ($28,000 a year minimum, guaranteed).
Nov 1: Front and Centre money (ED I) plus the FAFSA and CSS Profile for ED I applicants.
Dec 1: Lincoln Scholars application, plus New Horizons, Language and arts scholarship applications for ED I and EA applicants.
Jan 15: Grissom Scholars application, plus Front and Centre money for ED II.
Feb 1: Last call. Bonner applications, special-interest applications for ED II and Regular Decision, and the latest you can apply and still be reviewed for merit.
Parent rule of thumb: if your student might go for Lincoln, treat Dec 1 as the real deadline for the whole application.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Centre College
Every admitted first-year student is considered for merit automatically through the Common App or Coalition application. There’s no separate form. Centre doesn’t publish GPA or test cutoffs; it reads the whole file. Test scores are optional for merit too, and if you send them, Centre superscores. Roughly half of all applicants get a merit award.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Faculty Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Apply for admission by Feb 1 under any plan. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
$33,000/yr
✔ Stackable
All admitted first-year applicants, including international students, are reviewed automatically.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One general merit tier per student. Stacks with the Front and Centre Scholarship (Early Decision), Legacy, and one special-interest award. Replaced, not added to, if the student wins Lincoln or Grissom.
💡
Strategic Detail
2026-27 amount. Renews each year with a 2.8 Centre GPA. Students who fall short can petition the Academic Standards Committee instead of losing it automatically. Requires full-time enrollment, and scholarship holders must live on campus unless living at home with parents locally.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Centre publishes no GPA or test cutoffs for any merit tier. The top tier goes to the strongest files in the pool: top grades in the hardest classes the high school offers, plus real involvement outside class. Roughly half of all applicants get some merit award. Enrolled students who sent ACT scores were mostly in the 25 to 32 range, but test-optional files get full merit consideration.
Automatic
Colonel Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Apply for admission by Feb 1 under any plan. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$30,000/yr
✔ Stackable
All admitted first-year applicants are reviewed automatically.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One general merit tier per student. Stacks with Front and Centre (Early Decision), Legacy, and one special-interest award.
💡
Strategic Detail
2026-27 amount. Renews each year with a 2.5 Centre GPA. Full-time enrollment and on-campus living (unless at home with parents locally) required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Very strong students who land just below the top tier. Centre does not say what separates the tiers, so the only way to see a number before applying is the Early Admission Assessment on Centre's Early Decision page, which returns an estimated merit award.
Automatic
Founders Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Apply for admission by Feb 1 under any plan. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
$28,000/yr
✔ Stackable
All admitted first-year applicants are reviewed automatically.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One general merit tier per student. Stacks with Front and Centre (Early Decision), Legacy, and one special-interest award.
💡
Strategic Detail
2026-27 amount. Renews each year with a 2.25 Centre GPA. Full-time enrollment and on-campus living (unless at home with parents locally) required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in the heart of Centre's admitted pool. Because awards come from a full read of the application, course rigor, the essay and activities move the number, not GPA alone. This is the same amount Centre guarantees to Centre Fellows nominees.
Automatic
Centre Award
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Apply for admission by Feb 1 under any plan. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$24,000/yr
✔ Stackable
All admitted first-year applicants are reviewed automatically.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One general merit tier per student. Stacks with Front and Centre (Early Decision), Legacy, and one special-interest award.
💡
Strategic Detail
2026-27 amount. Renews each year with a 2.0 Centre GPA. Full-time enrollment and on-campus living (unless at home with parents locally) required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with good grades in a solid college-prep schedule who are not at the very top of the pool. A 2.0 Centre GPA keeps it, the lowest renewal bar Centre has.
Automatic
Alumni Award
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Apply for admission by Feb 1 under any plan. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$15,000/yr
✔ Stackable
All admitted first-year applicants are reviewed automatically.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One general merit tier per student. Stacks with Front and Centre (Early Decision), Legacy, and one special-interest award.
💡
Strategic Detail
2026-27 amount. Renews each year with a 2.0 Centre GPA. Full-time enrollment and on-campus living (unless at home with parents locally) required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
The floor of Centre's merit ladder, for admitted students who earn merit but fall below the higher tiers. About half of applicants get no merit at all, so landing here still matters; for families with need, the Centre Promise fills in behind it.
Automaticearly decision
Front and Centre Scholarship (Early Decision)
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 · 📢 Results: With the ED admission decision (by Dec 1 for ED I, by Feb 15 for ED II). ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Early Decision (binding) admits only.
Students admitted under a binding Early Decision plan.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added on top of any general merit tier. Centre says some restrictions apply when combining it with premier (Lincoln, Grissom) and special-talent awards, so ask before counting both.
💡
Strategic Detail
$20,000 over four years. Renews with continued enrollment. Centre states that ED applicants receive the same merit and need-based aid they would have received under EA or RD, plus this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Every student admitted through Early Decision I or II. There is no stats test, but ED is binding, so it only makes sense when Centre is the clear first choice and the family has run the cost numbers first. Nearly 40% of Centre's incoming class enrolls through ED.
Automatickentucky program
Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Awarded on admission. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$35,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program completers.
Completers of the Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program.
💡
Strategic Detail
$140,000 over four years. Replaces general merit instead of adding to it, and it is worth more than every general tier. Premier and special-interest scholarships are still open to GSP Scholars.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every student who completed Kentucky's Governor's Scholars Program, the five-week summer program for rising high school seniors that Centre hosts on its campus. The competitive part happens in junior year, when high schools nominate students for GSP.
Automatickentucky program
Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts / Entrepreneurs Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Awarded on admission. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$30,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Kentucky GSA or GSE completers.
Completers of Kentucky's Governor's School for the Arts or Governor's School for Entrepreneurs.
💡
Strategic Detail
$120,000 over four years. This is a guaranteed minimum, not an add-on: if the application earns the $33,000 Faculty Scholarship, that is what the student receives.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who completed Kentucky's Governor's School for the Arts or Governor's School for Entrepreneurs summer programs. Getting into those programs in high school is the hard part; after that, the $30,000 floor is automatic.
Automaticlegacy
Centre Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application. List the Centre alum (parent or grandparent) on the admission application. · 📢 Results: Sent with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Children or grandchildren of Centre alumni.
Children or grandchildren of Centre alumni.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Centre does not spell out how Legacy combines with other awards. Confirm it appears on the award letter alongside merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable each year with no GPA requirement listed. Requires full-time enrollment.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted children and grandchildren of Centre alumni. The only step is making sure the alum connection is on the application, which families forget more often than you would think.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Students get one general merit tier. Front and Centre (Early Decision), Legacy and one special-interest award can sit on top of it. The Kentucky guarantees replace the general tier instead of adding to it. Centre’s Early Decision page describes merit as $20,000 to $40,000, while its scholarship page lists tiers from $15,000 to $33,000. We use the scholarship page’s tier amounts.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (Centre College)
How does Centre decide which merit tier my student gets?
It’s a full read of the application: grades, how hard the schedule was, the essay, activities and recommendations. There’s no chart. If you want a number before applying, Centre’s Early Admission Assessment (on its Early Decision page) will give you an estimated merit award.
Does applying Early Decision get more merit at Centre?
Your student gets the same merit they’d get under any plan, plus the Front and Centre Scholarship: $5,000 a year, or $20,000 over four years. The catch is that ED is binding.
Do we need test scores for Centre merit scholarships?
No. Centre is permanently test-optional, and students who don’t send scores get full consideration for merit and premier scholarships. If you do send scores, Centre combines the best section scores from different test dates.
Can Centre merit scholarships be stacked?
Only one general tier (Faculty, Colonel, Founders, Centre Award or Alumni Award). On top of that, students can add Front and Centre if admitted ED, Legacy if a parent or grandparent went to Centre, and one special-interest award. Winning Lincoln or Grissom replaces the general tier.
What GPA does my student need to keep a Centre merit scholarship?
It depends on the tier: 2.8 for Faculty, 2.5 for Colonel, 2.25 for Founders, and 2.0 for the Centre Award and Alumni Award. Students who slip below can petition the Academic Standards Committee instead of losing the award automatically.
We live in Kentucky. Is there anything extra?
Yes. Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program completers get $35,000 a year, which beats every general tier. Governor’s School for the Arts and Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs completers get at least $30,000 a year. Kentucky students may also qualify for KEES, the College Access Program grant and the Kentucky Tuition Grant, which show up as state aid cards on this page. Centre notes it may have to reduce those state grants when a student receives other scholarship money.
Is there a legacy scholarship at Centre?
Yes, $3,000 a year for children and grandchildren of Centre alumni. Just make sure the connection is listed on the admission application.
Centre’s two premier scholarships, Lincoln Scholars and Grissom Scholars, each cover tuition, fees, room and board for 10 students a year. Lincoln is open to everyone, including international and gap-year students. Grissom is for first-generation students with limited financial resources. Your student can apply to both, but Centre will only make them a finalist for one.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Centre?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Centre Parent Translation
General Merit Tiers
N/A
Students get one tier, from $15,000 to $33,000 a year.
Lincoln / Grissom
Replaces
These cover the full bill on their own, so the general tier goes away.
Front and Centre (ED)
Yes
$5,000 a year on top of merit. Centre says some limits apply with premier and special-talent awards.
Bonner / New Horizons
Usually replaces
Both are worth $33,000 a year, the same as the top tier. Check the award letter to see how they combine.
Language / Arts Awards
Yes
Up to $5,000 a year on top of general merit (not on top of Lincoln or Grissom).
Centre Promise (need-based)
Yes
Merit counts first, then need-based aid fills the rest of your calculated need.
Here’s the honest math: 20 premier spots in a class of around 370 to 400 students is a long shot, so treat Lincoln and Grissom as the reach and general merit plus the Centre Promise as the plan. The upside is that the applications are free, test scores aren’t required, and Lincoln is open to students from anywhere.
Full RideApp Required
Lincoln Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Finalists notified early February; 10 recipients named by mid-March. ✓ Renews (3.2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full tuition, fees, room and board plus three funded summer experiences
✘ Not stackable
👥 ~10 winners/yrOpen to all first-year applicants, including international and gap-year students.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the admission application (any plan) with every material in by Dec 1, plus the separate Lincoln Scholars application by Dec 1. Optional nominations from a counselor, teacher, employer or community leader are welcome through Dec 8. About 30 finalists are invited to a virtual selection process with optional campus visit days in late February or early March.
🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Includes individual mentoring, academic-year seminars, and three fully funded summer experiences. Renewal requires a 3.2 GPA and program participation. Students may apply to both Lincoln and Grissom, but Centre will make them a finalist for only one.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students whose record shows they have already started changing something, such as a service project, a business, or a cause they led, paired with top grades in the hardest courses available. Test scores are not required. Domestic, international and gap-year students are all eligible, and about 30 finalists compete for 10 spots.
Full RideApp Requiredfirst genfinancial need
Grissom Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: March ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full scholarship (tuition, fees, room and board) plus $5,000 enrichment funds
✘ Not stackable
⚠ First-generation students with limited financial resources.
👥 ~10 winners/yrFirst-generation domestic students (or U.S. citizens in high school abroad) with limited financial resources.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the admission application and the separate Grissom Scholars application by Jan 15. The FAFSA and letters of recommendation must be in at the time of the admission application. Optional nominations are welcome through Jan 15 (priority Dec 15).
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Valued at more than $250,000 over four years. Includes $5,000 for study abroad, research or internships and up to $1,500 in first-year travel reimbursement. Became a full scholarship starting with the fall 2024 cohort. Renewal is based on GPA and program participation. International students on a student visa are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-generation students (no parent or guardian finished a four-year degree; siblings do not count) with limited financial resources, top grades in challenging classes, and real responsibility outside school, whether that is a job, family duties, or leadership. Ten are selected each year.
Full TuitionApp Requirednomination
Posse Scholars (Centre College)
📅 Deadline: Nomination only, through a school or community partner in a Posse program, early in senior year. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Full-tuition leadership scholarship
✔ Stackable
⚠ Posse Foundation nomination required.
Nomination by a Posse partner school or community organization required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers tuition only. Housing and food are not part of the Posse award; for students with calculated need, the Centre Promise is built to cover what remains.
📄
How to Apply
Students cannot apply directly. A high school counselor or community organization nominates the student to the Posse Foundation, which runs several rounds of group and individual interviews before Centre selects its cohort.
🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Centre has partnered with Posse Boston since 2005. Scholars arrive with a cohort of about 10 and a campus mentor.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Public high school students with standout leadership who are nominated by their school or a community organization. Centre has recruited both a Boston Posse and a national (virtual) Posse.
App Requiredfinancial needservice
Bonner Program
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$33,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Domestic students with high financial need and a service record.
Domestic students. Bonner Scholars: SAI of $15,000 or less. Bonner Leaders: Federal Work-Study eligible.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Bonner Program application by Feb 1 along with the admission application and FAFSA.
💡
Strategic Detail
Need-based program funded by the Bonner Foundation. Typically replaces general merit rather than adding to it; confirm on the award letter. U.S. citizenship is not required, but international students on a student visa are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who already volunteer regularly and want service at the center of college, not on the side. Bonner Scholars need a Student Aid Index of $15,000 or less; Bonner Leaders must qualify for Federal Work-Study.
App Requireddiversity leadership
New Horizons Program Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$33,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Domestic students; separate candidate form.
Domestic students interested in diversity, equity and inclusion leadership.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the New Horizons candidate form by Dec 1 (Early Decision I or Early Action) or Feb 1 (Early Decision II or Regular Decision).
💡
Strategic Detail
Typically replaces general merit rather than adding to it; confirm on the award letter. U.S. citizenship is not required, but international students on a student visa are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a track record of bringing different groups of people together, such as leading a cultural club, organizing community conversations, or mentoring younger students, who want to keep doing that work in college.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
What’s the difference between Lincoln Scholars and Grissom Scholars?
Both cover tuition, fees, room and board for four years. Lincoln is open to all first-year applicants and looks for students who want to change the world, with three funded summer experiences built in. Grissom is for first-generation students with limited financial resources and adds $5,000 in enrichment money plus up to $1,500 in first-year travel reimbursement.
When are the Lincoln and Grissom deadlines?
Lincoln is Dec 1, and the full admission application has to be in by then too. Finalists hear in early February, and 10 winners are named by mid-March. Grissom is Jan 15, with the FAFSA and recommendation letters due at the same time. Grissom applicants hear in March.
Does my student need test scores for Lincoln Scholars?
No. Centre says test scores aren’t required for Lincoln. Selection weighs grades in challenging classes, leadership, character and what the student has actually done.
How does the Posse scholarship work at Centre?
Students can’t apply directly. A high school or community organization nominates them to the Posse Foundation, which runs interviews before Centre picks its group. Posse covers full tuition; for students with need, the Centre Promise is designed to cover the rest.
Who should apply for the Bonner Program or New Horizons?
Bonner fits students who already do a lot of community service and have high financial need (a Student Aid Index of $15,000 or less for Bonner Scholars), and it’s due Feb 1. New Horizons fits students who have led efforts to bring different groups together, and it’s due Dec 1 or Feb 1 depending on admission plan. Both are worth $33,000 a year and are for domestic students.
Can international students win these scholarships?
Lincoln Scholars, yes. Grissom, Bonner and New Horizons are limited to domestic students (U.S. citizenship isn’t required, but students on a student visa aren’t eligible).
What happened to the Brown Fellows Program?
Brown Fellows is winding down and no longer accepts new applicants, so Lincoln and Grissom are now Centre’s two premier programs.
Some of Centre’s best money never gets advertised. Here’s where to look:
Junior year: ask the school counselor whether they nominate students for Centre Fellows. It guarantees at least $28,000 a year before senior year even starts.
Endowed scholarships: Centre’s catalog lists hundreds of named scholarships (for certain counties, majors, interests and need). Students don’t apply for these; Centre folds them into aid packages, so filing the FAFSA and CSS Profile on time is how you get in the pool.
Later years: a few named awards, like the Leslie B. Combs Achievement Awards, give preference to juniors and seniors who didn’t arrive with a merit scholarship.
Study abroad: several endowed funds help students on need-based aid pay for a semester abroad.
Parent translation: report outside scholarships to Centre. Awards of $1,000 or less normally don’t change the Centre grant, but bigger ones may reduce it.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These aren’t the headline awards, but they can add thousands a year. Most need a separate application, an audition, a portfolio or a counselor nomination, and several stack on top of general merit.
Automaticfinancial need
Centre Promise (Need-Based Grant)
📅 Deadline: Nov 1 · 📢 Results: Early December (ED I), late January (EA), late February (ED II), late March (RD). ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ FAFSA plus CSS Profile calculated need.
U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens. International students are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of merit: merit counts first, then Promise funds fill the remaining calculated need. A federal loan and work-study are part of meeting that need.
💡
Strategic Detail
Started with students entering fall 2025. Eligibility runs four years, with a fifth year by appeal only. Need is recalculated each year from the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Federal loan amounts in the package step up to $6,500 sophomore year and $7,500 junior and senior years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted domestic student with calculated need, which Centre says is about two-thirds of admits. The catch: meeting full need includes a $5,500 federal loan and up to $2,000 in work-study in year one, so the grant fills what is left after those.
App Requirednomination
Centre Fellows Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Counselor nomination during junior year of high school. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$28,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Requires a counselor nomination in junior year.
🏫 3.5+ GPADomestic high school juniors with a 3.5+ unweighted GPA, nominated by their counselor.
📄
How to Apply
The high school counselor submits a Centre Fellows nomination during the student's junior year; Centre's admission office approves each nomination. The student then applies for admission as usual.
💡
Strategic Detail
Most families never hear about this one because it runs through counselors. Ask the counselor in the spring of junior year whether they nominate for Centre Fellows.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High school juniors with at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA in the toughest courses their school offers, nominated by their school counselor. It locks in at least $28,000 a year before senior year starts, with no obligation to attend, and Fellows can still win a bigger award that replaces it.
📅 Deadline: No separate application for incoming first-generation students. Non-Renewable
$5,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ First-generation students.
Domestic first-generation students (no parent or guardian with a four-year degree).
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added in addition to the regular financial aid package. It is not applied to the tuition bill.
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by a $10 million gift from J. David and Marlene Grissom. Pairs well with Centre's study abroad culture, since it can pay the extras a need-based package may not.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming domestic first-generation students. Centre's First-Gen Guarantee places every one of them in Grissom, Kessler or Thrive, so this money is the floor, not a contest.
App Required
Language Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Students with a strong background in Chinese, French, German, Latin or Spanish.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with general merit. Only one Language Scholarship per student, even if you apply in more than one language.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Language Scholarship application for one target language (Chinese, French, German, Latin or Spanish) by your plan's special-interest deadline.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $5,000 a year. Open to domestic and international students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with several years of Chinese, French, German, Latin or Spanish who want to keep going in college. No major or minor required, and native speakers can apply in their own language.
App Requiredtalent
Performing Arts Scholarship (Music or Theatre)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition required.
Audition required; music and theatre participation expected each year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with general merit, but not with Lincoln or Grissom. Only one Performing Arts award per student, even if you apply in both music and theatre.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Performing Arts application and audition. Instrumental and voice applicants perform two contrasting pieces (12 minutes max); composers send scores or recordings of two original works.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $5,000 a year. Open to domestic and international students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Musicians, singers, actors and theatre techs who will keep performing in college. Music winners must stay in an ensemble and take lessons or a music class each semester; theatre winners take three required theatre courses and stay active in productions. No major required.
App Requiredtalent
Studio Arts Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Portfolio required.
Portfolio required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with general merit.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Studio Arts application with a portfolio. Any medium counts, including drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass, photography and film.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $5,000 a year. Open to domestic and international students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a serious portfolio who plan to keep taking studio art or art history. No major or minor required, and any medium counts, from drawing and ceramics to glass, photography and film.
Automaticstate residencymajor
Austin E. Knowlton Memorial Scholarship (Ohio STEM)
📅 Deadline: No separate application. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Ohio residents planning a STEM major.
Ohio residents interested in mathematics or a STEM major.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Centre does not say how it combines with general merit. Confirm on the award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renews while the student stays in good standing; no GPA minimum listed. Funded by the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Ohio students interested in math or a STEM major. There is no application; Centre awards it from the admission file, so make the STEM interest obvious in the application and activities.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Money the college does not control. Federal programs, city promise funds, foundations, and employers. The college may help you apply, but someone else writes the check, and these almost always stack with the college's own awards.
Outside MoneyAutomatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlymilitary
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
📅 Deadline: No Centre deadline published. Start the VA paperwork early. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$13,671/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility.
🎓 All Undergrad100% Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Works alongside the GI Bill tuition payment. The VA pays housing and book allowances separately.
💡
Strategic Detail
Centre's 2026-27 example: the GI Bill private-school cap ($30,908) plus Centre's $13,671 and the VA's matching $13,671 covers the full $58,250 tuition and fees.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Veterans and eligible dependents at the 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit level. Centre funds every student who qualifies, so there is no cap on spots.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What is the Centre Fellows Scholarship and how do you get it?
It’s a guaranteed minimum of $28,000 a year for high school juniors with at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA in tough classes. The school counselor has to nominate the student, and Centre approves the nomination. There’s no obligation to attend, and Fellows can still win a bigger award.
Can my student get both a merit scholarship and an arts or language scholarship?
Yes. Language, Performing Arts (music or theatre) and Studio Arts awards are worth up to $5,000 a year and can sit on top of general merit, but not on top of Lincoln or Grissom. Students can win only one Performing Arts award and one Language award.
When are the special-interest scholarship deadlines?
Dec 1 for students applying Early Decision I or Early Action, and Feb 1 for Early Decision II or Regular Decision.
What do first-generation students get at Centre?
Every incoming domestic first-gen student is guaranteed a spot in Grissom, Kessler or Thrive. Thrive includes $5,000 in enrichment money for things like study abroad, internships and research, on top of the regular aid package.
Are there scholarships for students from Ohio?
Yes. The Austin E. Knowlton Memorial Scholarship gives $5,000 to Ohio students interested in math or a STEM major. There’s no application; Centre awards it from the admission file.
Does Centre take the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon?
Yes, and Centre funds every student who qualifies. Centre’s 2026-27 example shows the GI Bill plus Centre’s $13,671 Yellow Ribbon grant and the VA’s matching $13,671 covering the full $58,250 tuition and fees.
No. Centre doesn’t have an honors college or honors program, and that’s not a knock against it. At a big university, honors is how strong students get small classes, close faculty attention and special opportunities. At Centre, that’s the whole school: about 1,400 students and a 10-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
What Fills the “Honors” Role at Centre
Premier scholarships: Lincoln and Grissom Scholars get mentoring, seminars, funded summers or enrichment money, and a cohort of 10.
Study abroad: 84% of Centre students study abroad at least once, and Centre guarantees every student a study abroad or study away opportunity.
Phi Beta Kappa: Centre has a chapter of the nation’s best-known academic honor society and initiates its top students each spring.
Honors at Centre: FAQs
Does Centre College have an honors program?
No. There’s no separate honors college or honors application. Top students are recognized through the Lincoln and Grissom programs, general merit tiers and Phi Beta Kappa.
If my student is choosing between an honors college at a state school and Centre, what should we compare?
Compare the bottom line after aid, not the label. An honors college can give a big school a small-college feel. Centre is a small college. Look at the final cost after merit and the Centre Promise, class sizes, and how easy it is to study abroad or get research spots in your student’s major.
Are there extra scholarships for top students at Centre?
Yes, but they come through the merit tiers (up to $33,000 a year), the Kentucky guarantees and the premier programs rather than an honors program.
Centre was chartered by the Kentucky legislature in 1819 and sits in Danville, a small town about 35 miles south of Lexington. With about 1,400 students and a 10-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, it’s the kind of place where professors know who you are. What it’s best known for is sending students out into the world, literally. Most students study abroad at least once, and Centre’s study abroad program has been ranked among the top five in the country.
Most Popular Major: Economics is Centre’s single biggest major by number of graduates, ahead of biology, business and psychology. For families who want a liberal arts college but worry about a practical degree, this is the one that answers that worry.
Pre-Health Sciences: Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Chemistry are big draws for students headed to medical, dental or graduate school.
Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience: Together these make up one of the largest groups of graduates, and Behavioral Neuroscience is a standout major for a school this size.
International Studies and Politics: A natural fit for a campus where studying abroad is the norm. Centre has twice hosted a national vice presidential debate, in 2000 and 2012.
Computer Science and Data Science: A smaller program by graduate count, and Centre also offers a Data Science major for students who like math and coding together.
One fun bit of history: Abraham Lincoln’s first law partner, John Todd Stuart, was a Centre graduate. That’s the story behind the Lincoln Scholars Program and the Lincoln statue on campus.
🔗 Official Centre College Links
Use Centre’s own pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules and costs before your student applies. Some of Centre’s older pages still show past years, so when numbers disagree, the current-year course catalog is the most reliable source for costs and aid policy.
Centre is a small Kentucky college that plays a bigger game than its size suggests. The sticker price is high, but the deal underneath is pretty clear: one merit tier for most admitted students, an extra $5,000 a year if you commit Early Decision, and the Centre Promise to cover the rest of your calculated need. Just remember that “covered” includes a loan and a campus job.
The families who do best here plan early. They ask about a Centre Fellows nomination in junior year, decide on Lincoln by Dec 1, get the FAFSA and CSS Profile in by their admission deadline, and look closely at the award letter before saying yes. If your student wants small classes, a 10-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, and a real shot at studying abroad, Centre is worth putting on the list and running the numbers.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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