Loyola University New Orleans Scholarships (2026–2027)

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Last Updated on November 1, 2026
What This Page Covers:
  • Tuition, housing, and average family net price
  • Automatic merit ranges and qualifier benchmarks
  • Flagship and hidden-gem awards
  • Honors and stacking strategy

📊 Admissions Snapshot

  • Acceptance Rate: ~93%
  • Middle 50% ACT: 20–26
  • Middle 50% SAT: 1030–1230
  • Average GPA: 3.57
🎷 What Makes Loyola New Orleans Different

Loyola is a small Jesuit university (about 4,300 students counting grad and law) on St. Charles Avenue, right across from Audubon Park in uptown New Orleans. It admits most applicants (about 93% in fall 2024), so getting in is rarely the hard part. The real question is what your student will pay, and Loyola keeps that number private until the admission letter arrives. One more thing that sets it apart: about one in five degrees here goes to music, theatre, film, and the arts, so a lot of the scholarship rules are written with performers in mind.

Comparing multiple schools? Try the Scholarship Tool to search by GPA, test scores, and state →

📌 Loyola University New Orleans at a Glance

🏆 Full tuition available (Ignatian Scholarship & Director's Award (Traditional Music Degrees))
Average Net Price
$26,291/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
Up to full tuition (set in admission letter)
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
10 opportunities
2 automatic · 3 competitive · 5 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
3.0+ GPA typical; tests optional
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional admission
Scores optional for automatic merit
Scores required for competitive awards
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Dec 1 • FAFSA: Feb 15
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Ignatian Scholarship & Director's Award (Traditional Music Degrees)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Loyola New Orleans (Read This First)

  • Test-optional doesn’t apply to the biggest award. The Ignatian Scholarship (tuition, fees, housing, and meals) requires a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT plus a 3.75 GPA, and the application is due Dec 1, 2026.
  • Louisiana students: upload your scores or lose TOPS on the award letter. Loyola can’t include TOPS without an ACT or SAT image (all subscores, full name, and birth date) in the applicant portal, even though admission is test-optional.
  • There is no merit chart. Loyola doesn’t publish its scholarship tiers. Your student’s number shows up in the admission letter, so use the net price calculator to estimate before you fall in love.
  • Feb 15, 2027 is the money deadline. Early Action (Nov 15) gets you an earlier admissions answer, but Feb 15 is the priority date for both merit and the FAFSA.
  • Music and Media majors get one award, not two. Loyola gives the higher of the talent scholarship or academic merit. It does not add them together.

FAQ

Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Loyola University New Orleans is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).

Do you need test scores for scholarships at Loyola University New Orleans? Test-optional for admission and automatic merit, and scores count if you send them. The Ignatian Scholarship and Honors require a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT, and Louisiana students need scores on file for TOPS.

What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 20–26; SAT: 1030–1230.

Average net price? About $26,291/year after aid.

Does this school use waivers/reciprocity? No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.

Sources:
Loyola New Orleans Scholarships: https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/scholarships
Loyola New Orleans Ignatian Scholars: https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/ignatian-scholars
Loyola New Orleans College of Music and Media Applicants: https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/how-apply/college-music-media-applicants
Loyola New Orleans Office of Scholarships and Grants: https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/office-scholarships-grants
CollegeScorecard / Admissions: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

💰 Cost of Attendance at Loyola University New Orleans: 2026–2027 Rates

Figures verified against official sources in November 2026.

📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Loyola University New Orleans 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 $1,400 to $3,500 more than the total below.

✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.

All students: billed cost per year
$69,208
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees $53,148
Housing & meals (typical) $16,060
Total billed cost $69,208

Average federal net price: $26,291 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.

📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options

Loyola charges every undergraduate the same price, whether your student lives in Metairie or Minneapolis. There is no in-state discount, no out-of-state premium, and no regional tuition exchange. Louisiana residents can add TOPS on top of Loyola's own aid, but only if ACT or SAT scores are uploaded to the Loyola applicant portal.
Louisiana Families: Stack State Money on Top

Loyola is private, so there’s no in-state discount. But Louisiana students can bring TOPS and the GO Grant with them. For 2026-2027, TOPS pays $5,718 (Opportunity), $6,118 (Performance), or $6,518 (Honors) a year at Loyola, and the TOPS Excellence award tops out at $8,500 at private colleges. See our Louisiana aid and grants guide for who qualifies.

FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Loyola University New Orleans

What does a year at Loyola cost before aid?
For 2026-2027, tuition and university fees are $53,148. A double room in Buddig or Francis Family Hall runs $9,560 and the 12-meal plan is $6,500, which brings the on-campus bill to $69,208. First-year students also pay a one-time $260 orientation fee, and books, travel, and personal costs come on top of that.

Why do out-of-state students pay the same as Louisiana students?
Loyola is a private university, so it has one price for everyone. That cuts both ways: out-of-state families don’t pay a premium, but Louisiana families don’t get a discount either. Their edge comes from state aid like TOPS.

What do families actually pay?
Federal data puts the average net price at about $26,291 a year after grants and scholarships. That’s a long way from the $69,208 sticker price, and most of the gap comes from need-based grants and merit scholarships combined.

Can my student use TOPS at Loyola?
Yes. TOPS works at Louisiana’s private colleges, but Loyola can’t put it on the award letter until it has your student’s ACT or SAT scores, and LOSFA also requires the FAFSA. Upload a clear image of the score report in the Loyola portal right after applying.

Is there a regional tuition discount like the Academic Common Market?
No. Programs like the Academic Common Market cover public universities. Loyola charges every undergraduate the same rate, so your savings come from merit, need-based grants, and (for Louisiana residents) TOPS.

How much does tuition go up each year?
Tuition and fees went from $51,664 in 2025-2026 to $53,148 in 2026-2027, about a 3% increase. Plan for something similar each year. Scholarship amounts usually stay fixed, so the gap your family covers tends to grow a little over four years.

Can we pay monthly instead of all at once?
Yes. Loyola offers monthly payment plans through its Student Financial Services office, which can spread each semester’s balance over several months instead of one lump sum.

Sources:
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/tuition-fees
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/scholarships
https://datausa.io/profile/university/loyola-university-new-orleans

📅 Loyola Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)

  • Dec 1, 2026: Ignatian Scholarship and University Honors Program applications due.
  • Dec 5, 2026 to Feb 20, 2027: On-campus audition days for Music and Media scholarships.
  • Jan 15, 2027: Social Justice Scholarship application due.
  • Feb 15, 2027: Priority date for automatic merit, the FAFSA, and the Catholic Identity Scholarship.
  • Mar 1, 2027: Ensemble Award application due.

Parent rule of thumb: if your student has the stats for Ignatian, Dec 1 is your real deadline. Everyone else should treat Feb 15 as the finish line.

Automatic Merit Scholarships at Loyola University New Orleans

Every first-year applicant is automatically considered for merit, all the way up to full tuition, with no extra form. The catch: Loyola keeps its tiers private. You’ll see the dollar amount in the admission letter, not on a chart. Test scores are optional, but if your student sends them, Loyola uses them.
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
Academic Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 15
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPAAutomatic consideration for every first-year applicant. Test scores are optional and count if submitted. Renewal GPA is not published; ask admissions what the award letter requires.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combines with Loyola need-based grants, TOPS, and federal aid. Music and Media majors receive either this award or the Rising Artist Award, whichever is higher, never both.
💡
Strategic Detail
Loyola says awards run up to and including full tuition and renew for four years (eight semesters). The dollar amount appears in the admission letter, not on a public chart, so the net price calculator is the best estimate before applying. International applicants are eligible, generally with a 3.0 or higher.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Loyola does not publish its tiers, so the clearest picture comes from its own Common Data Set: in fall 2024, 100 first-year students with no financial need received merit averaging $27,118. Loyola says past recipients usually applied with at least a 3.0 GPA. Families with need tend to see merit folded into a larger package, which is why the FAFSA matters as much as the GPA here.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Onlytransferphi theta kappa
Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: List PTK membership on the transfer application, or send proof by May 1 (fall admits).
✓ Renews
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠  Transfer students who are Phi Theta Kappa members.
🎓 TransferFor students transferring from a two-year community college with Phi Theta Kappa membership.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Loyola does not say how this combines with transfer merit, so ask before counting both.
💡
Strategic Detail
Second-degree students are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Community college students in Phi Theta Kappa who list their membership on the Loyola application. The award is automatic, but Loyola will not add it after the May 1 cutoff for fall admits (14 days after the decision for spring admits), so the only real way to miss it is forgetting to report it.
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.

How to read this: Since Loyola doesn’t post a chart, the best yardstick is its own Common Data Set. In fall 2024, first-year students with no financial need who got merit received an average of $27,118. Loyola says past recipients usually applied with at least a 3.0 GPA.

Automatic Merit FAQs (Loyola University New Orleans)

How much automatic merit will my student get?
Loyola doesn’t say ahead of time. Awards range up to full tuition, and the amount arrives with the admission letter. The net price calculator is the best way to estimate before you apply.

Do we need to send ACT or SAT scores for merit?
No. Loyola is test-optional for admission and automatic merit. If your student’s scores help, send them, because Loyola does consider them. Two exceptions: the Ignatian Scholarship requires a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT, and Louisiana students need scores on file for TOPS.

When should my student apply to get the most merit?
By Feb 15, 2027. That’s the priority date for scholarships and financial aid. Early Action (Nov 15) gets an earlier admission decision, but it isn’t required for merit.

Is the merit scholarship renewable?
Yes. Loyola’s academic scholarships renew for four years (eight semesters). Loyola doesn’t post the renewal GPA publicly, so read the award letter carefully and ask admissions what your student needs to keep it.

Can merit stack with TOPS?
Yes. TOPS is state money paid on top of Loyola’s own aid. For 2026-2027, TOPS is worth $5,718 to $6,518 a year at Loyola, with TOPS Excellence up to $8,500 at private colleges. Just make sure your test scores are uploaded so it shows up on the award letter.

What if my student is a music, theatre, or film major?
Music and Media applicants are reviewed for both academic merit and talent, but Loyola gives the higher of the two, not both. That one combined offer is called the Rising Artist Award, and you’ll find it under Hidden Gems below.

Are there automatic awards for transfer students?
Yes. Transfer students get merit based on their college GPA, and Phi Theta Kappa members from community colleges automatically receive $3,000 a year. Report PTK membership on the application (or by May 1 for fall admits) so it isn’t missed.

Can international students get merit?
Yes. Loyola offers merit up to full tuition for international applicants, generally with at least a 3.0 GPA. International students aren’t eligible for federal need-based aid, so merit carries more weight for them.

Sources:
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/scholarships
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/how-apply/first-year-students/first-year-applicants
https://academicaffairs2.loyno.edu/sites/default/files/cds_loyola_university_no_24-25_a-j.pdf

🏆 Flagship Scholarships (Competitive Scholarships)

Loyola’s competitive money comes down to two big awards and one smaller one. The Ignatian Scholarship covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals for about 10 students a year. The Director’s Award covers full tuition for top performers in traditional music degrees. The Catholic Identity Scholarship is a one-year award for students living out their faith. Each one needs its own application or audition, and the deadlines are earlier than most families expect.

✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Loyola?

Aid Type Stacks with Merit? Loyola Parent Translation
Automatic Academic Merit N/A One award, set in the admission letter. There’s no chart to check ahead of time.
Ignatian Scholarship Replaces it It covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals, so there’s nothing left for a merit award to pay.
Music and Media Talent Awards No Loyola gives the higher of talent or academic merit. It won’t add them together.
TOPS and GO Grant (Louisiana) Yes State money sits on top of Loyola’s aid. TOPS needs test scores on file at Loyola.
Need-Based Loyola Grants Usually Loyola sets merit first, then builds need-based aid around it from the FAFSA.
Outside Scholarships Usually If outside money pushes your student over their need, Loyola normally trims loans or work-study before grants.

Here’s the honest math: the Ignatian is worth roughly $69,000 a year at today’s prices, but it only goes to a handful of students who clear both a 3.75 GPA and a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT. If your student is close to those numbers, the Dec 1 application is the single most valuable thing they can do for their Loyola bill.

Full RideApp Required
Ignatian Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full tuition and fees plus on-campus housing and meal plan allowance
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1360 SAT👥 ~About 10 per year (2025 cohort) winners/yrMinimum 3.75 GPA (weighted or unweighted) AND a minimum 30 ACT or 1360 SAT composite. Test scores are required for this award even though Loyola is test-optional for admission.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Loyola application with a sixth-semester transcript and test scores, then complete the Ignatian application and essay in the admissions portal by Dec 1. The Ignatian application also serves as the Honors application.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Loyola's most prestigious merit award. Recipients are automatically admitted to the University Honors Program and take part in specialized service opportunities.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who already clear a 3.75 GPA and a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT, and then write a strong essay about service and purpose. The 2025 class had 10 new Ignatian Scholars, so this is a small cohort pulled from a narrow pool. A test-optional applicant cannot qualify, because the minimum score is part of the eligibility rule.
Full TuitionApp Requiredmajoraudition
Director's Award (Traditional Music Degrees)
📅 Deadline: Spring 2027 Director's Award deadline (date not yet posted)
Non-Renewable
Full Tuition
Full tuition music talent scholarship
✘ Not stackable
⚠  Traditional music degree applicants; audition required.
Audition required. Loyola gives Music and Media students the higher of their talent or academic award, not both.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Loyola, choose a traditional music degree, and complete the audition and interview by the spring Director's Award deadline. On-campus audition days for fall 2027 applicants are Dec 5, 2026, Jan 16, 2027, and Feb 20, 2027, with Zoom days for some instruments.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Loyola describes this as a full tuition scholarship for traditional music degree applicants. Renewal terms are not published, so ask the School of Music and Theatre Professions how the award carries forward.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Classical and jazz performers headed for a traditional music degree who audition early and play at a conservatory level. Because Loyola does not stack talent and merit money, this award takes the place of academic merit rather than adding to it.
App Requiredreligious identity
Catholic Identity Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 15
Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠  Students who actively live out their Catholic faith.
For incoming students who demonstrate a true devotion to living out their Catholic faith.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Loyola does not publish how this combines with academic merit, so confirm with your admissions counselor.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Loyola application with a sixth-semester transcript and one letter of recommendation, then submit the Catholic Identity Scholarship application with a required essay or video response by Feb 15. Extra recommendation letters are optional but strongly encouraged.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Award amount is not published. This is a one-year scholarship.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Practicing Catholic students who can show their faith in action, such as parish ministry, retreat leadership, or service, in an essay or short video. It pays for freshman year only, so treat it as a one-time bonus rather than part of the four-year math.
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 does the Ignatian Scholarship cover?
Four years of full tuition and fees, plus an on-campus housing and meal plan allowance. Ignatian Scholars are also admitted straight into the University Honors Program and take part in special service opportunities.

Who can apply for the Ignatian Scholarship?
Students with at least a 3.75 GPA (weighted or unweighted) and at least a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT. Your student submits the Ignatian application and essay through the admissions portal by Dec 1, 2026, along with a sixth-semester transcript and test scores.

How many students win the Ignatian?
It’s a small group. Loyola’s 2025 cohort had 10 new Ignatian Scholars.

What is the Director’s Award?
A full tuition talent scholarship for students applying to a traditional music degree. It’s decided by audition, so your student needs to apply and audition by the spring Director’s Award deadline. On-campus audition days are Dec 5, 2026, Jan 16, 2027, and Feb 20, 2027.

Is the Catholic Identity Scholarship renewable?
No. It covers freshman year only. Your student applies by Feb 15, 2027 with an essay or short video and at least one letter of recommendation.

What should my student prepare for these applications?
A strong essay about service and purpose matters most for Ignatian and Catholic Identity, and a polished audition matters most for the Director’s Award. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder can help organize what your student has done.

Does Loyola offer National Merit, QuestBridge, or Stamps packages?
Not that we can find. Loyola’s scholarship pages don’t list a National Merit, QuestBridge, or Stamps package. Its top merit award is the Ignatian Scholarship.

Sources:
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/scholarships
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/ignatian-scholars
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/how-apply/college-music-media-applicants
https://www.loyno.edu/frequently-asked-questions-0

🧠 Parent Strategy: Loyola’s “Two Doors” Rule

At Loyola, the merit letter is only half the story. Need-based aid moves more money here than merit does. In fall 2024, 454 first-year students got need-based grant aid averaging $41,620, compared with 100 no-need students whose merit averaged $27,118. So your student should walk through both doors:

  1. File the FAFSA by Feb 15, 2027 using Loyola’s school code 002016, even if you think you won’t qualify.
  2. After admission, log into Scholarship Universe through Loyola’s Single Sign On and apply for the internal endowed scholarships.
  3. If your student plays an instrument or sings, look at the Ensemble Award (Mar 1) even if they aren’t a music major.
  4. Screenshot every confirmation page after submitting.

Parent translation: skip the FAFSA and you’re only seeing the smaller half of what Loyola gives out.

💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships

These awards aren’t automatic, but they can make a real dent. Some depend on the FAFSA, some on an audition, and some on a separate application inside the admissions portal or Scholarship Universe.

Automaticfinancial need
Loyola Need-Based Grant
📅 Deadline: Feb 15
✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠  Requires FAFSA-calculated financial need.
Need is calculated from the FAFSA after merit scholarships are applied. Refile the FAFSA each year to keep it.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Packaged after merit is set. If outside scholarships push your student over need, Loyola normally trims loans or work-study before grants.
💡
Strategic Detail
Some aid runs out, so Loyola encourages filing the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens. International students are not eligible for federal need-based aid.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Families who file the FAFSA early. In fall 2024, 454 first-year students received need-based grant aid from all sources, Loyola's included, averaging $41,620, while only 100 no-need students received merit averaging $27,118. For most families at Loyola, need-based money moves more dollars than merit.
App Requiredmajoraudition
Rising Artist Award (College of Music and Media)
📅 Deadline: Complete your audition or portfolio by Feb 20, 2027 (last on-campus date)
Non-Renewable
Varies
✘ Not stackable
⚠  Music and Media majors; audition, interview, or portfolio required.
Talent and merit scholarships do not stack. Students eligible for both receive the higher award.
📄
How to Apply
Pick a Music and Media major on the Loyola application, then complete the audition, interview, or portfolio for that major. On-campus dates for fall 2027 applicants are Dec 5, 2026, Jan 16, 2027, and Feb 20, 2027, with Zoom dates Dec 12, Jan 23, and Feb 27 for some programs.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Loyola evaluates every Music and Media applicant for academic merit and artistic achievement and sends one combined offer with the admission letter. Amounts and renewal terms are not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Music, theatre, film, design, and music industry applicants whose audition, interview, or portfolio scores well with faculty. Loyola gives the higher of this award or academic merit, never both, so a strong student with modest talent scores often ends up on the academic award instead.
App Requiredaudition
Ensemble Award (Non-Music Majors)
📅 Deadline: Mar 1
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠  Non-music majors who audition and join an ensemble.
Renewable for four years as long as the student plays in one major ensemble each semester.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Loyola's no-stacking rule is written for Music and Media majors. Confirm in writing that this award sits on top of your academic merit.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Ensemble Award application and an in-person or video audition that meets the repertoire requirements for your instrument or voice type by Mar 1.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Only for classical and jazz musicians joining ensembles in Loyola's School of Music.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong high school band, orchestra, choir, or jazz players who want to major in something else. Your student commits to one major classical or jazz ensemble every semester, and leaving the ensemble ends the award.
App Requiredmajorservice
Social Justice Scholarship (Sociology)
📅 Deadline: Jan 15
✓ Renews (2.75 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠  Sociology majors or minors; 45 service hours per semester.
Requires a Sociology major or minor, 45 hours of community service each semester, and a 2.75 GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Loyola does not publish how this combines with academic merit, so confirm with your admissions counselor.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the separate Social Justice Scholarship application by Jan 15. Recipients major or minor in Sociology.
💡
Strategic Detail
Administered by the Department of Sociology. Amount is not published. Only available to incoming first-year students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-year students already doing community work who are willing to major or minor in sociology and log 45 service hours every semester. The monthly dinners and shared readings make it feel like a small cohort, and the 2.75 GPA renewal bar is friendlier than most.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Loyola Endowed Scholarships (Scholarship Universe)
📅 Deadline: Rolling; apply over the summer before the Aug 1 fall tuition deadline
Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradOpen to admitted, incoming, and current students. Each endowed award sets its own criteria.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Subject to Loyola's over-award rules, which normally trim loans or work-study before grants.
📄
How to Apply
Log in through Loyola's Single Sign On, build a Scholarship Universe profile, upload a resume, transcript, and recommendation letters, and apply to the internal endowed scholarships that match.
💡
Strategic Detail
The same platform also matches students with vetted external scholarships. Individual award names, amounts, and criteria are listed inside the portal, not on Loyola's public site. Most donor awards are applied for year by year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted and current students who finish a full Scholarship Universe profile and actually apply. Loyola's scholarship office recommends doing it over the summer, before the August 1 tuition deadline, which is exactly when most families have stopped thinking about scholarships.
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 Rising Artist Award?
It’s the single scholarship Loyola gives Music and Media majors after reviewing both their audition (or portfolio) and their grades. Your student gets the higher of the talent or academic number, not both, and the offer arrives with the admission letter.

Can a non-music major get music money?
Yes. The Ensemble Award pays $3,000 a year to non-music majors who audition and play in one major classical or jazz ensemble each semester. The application is due Mar 1, 2027, and it renews for four years as long as your student stays in the ensemble.

Who is the Social Justice Scholarship for?
First-year students willing to major or minor in sociology, complete 45 hours of community service each semester, and keep a 2.75 GPA. Scholars also meet monthly for dinner and discussion. The application is due Jan 15, 2027.

What is Scholarship Universe?
It’s Loyola’s scholarship portal. Admitted and current students build one profile and apply for Loyola’s internal endowed scholarships in one place, and it also matches them with outside scholarships. Loyola’s scholarship office suggests applying over the summer, before the August 1 tuition deadline.

Will outside scholarships reduce my student’s Loyola aid?
Only if they push your student over their financial need. When that happens, Loyola says it normally reduces loans or work-study first, before touching grants.

Can current Loyola students still find money?
Yes. Scholarship Universe is open to current students, and returning students should refile the FAFSA by May 1 each year to stay in line for need-based aid.

Sources:
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/scholarships
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/office-scholarships-grants
https://www.loyno.edu/frequently-asked-questions-0
https://academicaffairs2.loyno.edu/sites/default/files/cds_loyola_university_no_24-25_a-j.pdf

University Honors Program at Loyola New Orleans

Loyola runs a University Honors Program, not a separate honors college. It’s an interdisciplinary track open to students in any major, with close faculty contact, personal advising, research and creative projects, and a built-in group of friends. Admission isn’t automatic, and unlike the rest of Loyola, it isn’t test-optional.

  • Who qualifies as a first-year: admitted students with a 3.75+ GPA and a 30+ ACT or 1360+ SAT
  • Deadline: Dec 1, 2026 (last cycle Loyola extended it to Dec 15, but don’t count on that)
  • Staying in: keep a 3.3 GPA at Loyola
  • Housing: Honors students are placed in the Honors Themed Living Community

Honors Scholarships

This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.

Where’s the honors money? Loyola doesn’t publish a separate honors scholarship. The honors money is the Ignatian Scholarship: the Ignatian application doubles as the Honors application, and every Ignatian Scholar is admitted to the program automatically. If your student qualifies for Honors, they qualify to apply for Ignatian, so file that one application by Dec 1, 2026 and you’re in the running for both.
Missed Honors as a Freshman? There’s a Second Door
  • Current Loyola students: a 3.3 GPA or higher, then contact the Honors Program directly.
  • Transfer students: a 3.3 GPA or higher from your current school, after being admitted to Loyola.

University Honors Program FAQs (Loyola New Orleans)

Is Honors admission automatic?
No, with one exception: Ignatian Scholars get in automatically. Everyone else applies through the admissions portal by the Dec 1 deadline.

Can a test-optional applicant get into Honors?
Not as an incoming freshman. The first-year requirement includes a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT. Students who skip the test can still join later through the 3.3 GPA route as current students.

Does the Honors Program come with a scholarship?
Loyola doesn’t list one. The program’s value is in smaller classes, faculty mentoring, research, and Honors housing. The big honors-linked money is the Ignatian Scholarship.

Do Honors students live together?
Yes. Residential Life places accepted Honors students in the Honors Themed Living Community, though your student still applies for housing the normal way.

What GPA does my student need to stay in?
A 3.3 at Loyola.

Sources:
https://www.loyno.edu/academics/ways-learn/university-honors-program
https://academicaffairs.loyno.edu/honors/frequently-asked-questions
https://www.loyno.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/scholarships

⭐ College Specialty

Loyola is a Jesuit university, and you’ll feel that in the core classes and the emphasis on service. But the thing that really sets it apart is that it’s a music and media school hiding inside a small liberal arts university. About one in five bachelor’s degrees here goes to the visual and performing arts, which is unusual for a school this size, and New Orleans is about as good a classroom for that as it gets.

Nationally Known Program:
College of Music and Media covers performance, music industry, film, design, and mass communication. It offers jazz studies, music industry and music business degrees, and a Hip Hop and R&B bachelor’s degree you won’t find at many colleges. The School of Music and Theatre Professions partners with the French Quarter Festival, which puts students close to one of the city’s biggest music events.
  • Business: The College of Business turns out about 17% of Loyola’s graduates, and many students pair it with music through the music business track.
  • Psychology and Social Sciences: Together these account for about a quarter of degrees, including sociology, which runs the Social Justice Scholarship program.
  • Mass Communication and Film: A popular path for students headed into media, advertising, or filmmaking. Loyola’s student ad team placed second in its region at a national competition in 2026.
  • Nursing and Health: The College of Nursing and Health offers a smaller but steady route into health careers.
  • College of Law: Loyola’s law school is graduate-only, but it’s part of what makes the campus feel like a full university rather than a small college.

One change on the horizon: Loyola athletics moves from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference starting July 1, 2027. If your student is being recruited, ask coaches how that shift affects their sport.

✅ Wrapping It Up

Big picture? Loyola New Orleans is easy to get into and hard to price ahead of time. The sticker is about $69,000 a year with housing and meals, but almost nobody pays that. The average family pays closer to $26,000 once merit and need-based grants are in, and need-based aid does more of the heavy lifting here than merit does.

The play is simple. If your student has a 3.75 and a 30 ACT or 1360 SAT, the Ignatian application by Dec 1 is worth more than everything else on this page combined. If your student is a performer, the audition decides the money, so book an early date. And everyone should file the FAFSA by Feb 15 and, if you’re in Louisiana, upload those test scores so TOPS lands on the award letter.

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Leo Dimilo
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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