🧭 The Short Version: How Money Works at Providence
Providence College is the only college in the country run by the Dominican Friars, and its sticker price is steep: about $88,000 a year once tuition, fees, housing, and food are added up. Very few families pay that. PC says 84% of first-year students get some form of aid. The money comes through two separate pipelines that run on different rules.
Merit is decided by the admission office when your student is admitted. Grades and course rigor drive it, and no financial aid forms are needed.
Need-based aid runs on the CSS Profile and FAFSA. This is also where the full-tuition Providence Opportunity awards (MLK, Cristo Rey, Posse) and the Club of New York scholarship live.
If there’s any chance your family qualifies for need-based help, file both forms. Skipping them takes your student out of the running for the biggest awards on this page.
🏆 Full-ride and full-tuition awards available (Roddy, MLK, Posse and more)
Average Net Price
$48,523/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
About $25,000/yr average
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
14 opportunities
2 automatic · 7 competitive · 5 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
Near 3.8 unweighted GPA + toughest courses available
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 1 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Roddy and Stride (full ride); MLK, Cristo Rey, Posse, Club of New York (full tuition)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA & CSS Profile
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Providence College (Read This First)
Your application deadline is your scholarship deadline. Merit and the Opportunity awards are decided from the admission application itself: Nov 1 for Early Action or Early Decision I, Jan 15 for Early Decision II or Regular Decision. There’s no separate scholarship form to fall back on later.
Aid form deadlines don’t line up with application deadlines. Early Action applications are due Nov 1, but the FAFSA and CSS Profile for Early Action are due Nov 15. Regular Decision forms are due Feb 1. Put both sets of dates on the calendar.
Keeping merit is tougher than at most schools. After the first year, your student needs at least a 3.00 GPA every semester to keep an academic scholarship, not just a cumulative average.
Outside scholarships can shrink PC’s aid. PC treats outside money (including ROTC and tuition benefits) as need-based. If it pushes total aid past your need, PC cuts loans first, then work-study, then its own grants.
The CSS Profile digs deeper than the FAFSA. PC’s formula counts home equity and family-owned businesses, so your PC aid offer can look different from schools that use the FAFSA alone.
SAT is superscored, ACT is not. PC combines your best SAT sections across test dates but won’t build a new ACT composite (it will look at your highest ACT section scores).
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Providence College is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 29-33; SAT: 1310-1420.
Average net price? About $48,523/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 Providence College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Providence 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 $1,800 to $4,400 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$88,170
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$68,480
Housing & meals (typical)
$19,690
Total billed cost
$88,170
Average federal net price: $48,523 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.
What the Bill Doesn’t Show Up Front
Providence charges every student the same price no matter which state they come from, so there’s no out-of-state premium to fight and no regional tuition deal to chase. The real surprises are the add-ons:
Laundry fee: $150 a year for students living on campus.
Student health insurance: $2,066 a year, but you can waive it with proof of other coverage. Most families on an employer plan can skip this.
Nursing: a $1,350 program fee every year. Health Sciences: an $850 fee in the first year.
Housing after freshman year ranges from $11,060 for a traditional hall to $17,210 for a three-bedroom apartment, so budget for a jump in years three and four.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Providence College
Do out-of-state students pay more at Providence College?
No. PC is private, so a student from Rhode Island and a student from California see the same tuition. The thing that changes your price is aid: merit, need-based grants, and the Opportunity scholarships.
Why does one PC page say $67,470 and another say $68,480?
PC’s admission page lists $67,470 as “tuition and fees,” but the bursar’s bill shows that’s tuition alone. Add the $500 technology fee and the $510 activity fee and the real number is $68,480. Use the bursar figure when you budget.
What do first-year students pay for housing and food?
Freshmen must live in a traditional residence hall ($11,060) and carry the Anytime Dining plan ($8,630), for $19,690 total. Upperclassmen get more choices, and some of them cost more.
What do families actually pay after aid?
The federal average net price is about $48,500 a year for students who receive grants or scholarships. PC also says its average first-year need-based grant is $35,125. Your number depends heavily on income and on whether your student earns merit, so run PC’s Net Price Calculator before you rule the school in or out.
Do I need the CSS Profile for Providence?
Only if you want PC’s own need-based money. The CSS Profile lets PC look at things the FAFSA doesn’t, like home equity and family businesses. If you only want federal aid, the FAFSA is enough. If you only want merit, you don’t need either form.
Does PC’s need-based aid last all four years?
Yes, as long as your student stays in good academic standing, you refile the FAFSA and CSS Profile every year, and your financial situation stays similar. The amount is recalculated each year, so a raise or a sibling graduating can change it.
Is there a discount for siblings?
Yes. When two family members attend PC as undergraduates at the same time, the younger one’s tuition drops by $1,000 through the Family Grant.
Does PC use IDOC for tax documents?
No. PC uses its own secure “Student Forms” portal and will reach out if it needs tax paperwork. Don’t send anything until you’re asked.
Nov 1: Early Action and Early Decision I applications due. Merit and Opportunity awards are judged from this application. ED I aid forms are also due.
Nov 15: FAFSA and CSS Profile due for Early Action applicants.
Jan 15: Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications due, plus ED II aid forms.
Feb 1: FAFSA and CSS Profile due for Regular Decision.
Apr 1: Priority date for fall transfer applicants who want the St. Rose of Lima scholarship.
Parent rule of thumb: the day your student hits “submit” on the Common App is the day PC starts deciding their merit money. Make sure the transcript and senior-year schedule tell the full story.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Providence College
Providence doesn’t publish a merit chart with GPA and test score cutoffs. Every admitted student is reviewed automatically, and the decision rests on two things: how hard your student’s classes were and the grades they earned in them. Awards average about $25,000 a year. PC’s financial aid page says roughly 30% of admitted students get one, while its admission page says more than half, so plan on something in between. Test scores are optional, and students who skip them still get full merit consideration.
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 Tuition Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Early Action / Early Decision I: Nov 1; Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Merit and aid decisions arrive with the admission packet — EA by Jan 1, EDI by Dec 1, EDII by Mar 1, RD by Apr 1. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPARenewal: a 2.75 cumulative GPA after the first year, then at least a 3.00 GPA every semester after that, plus full-time enrollment (12+ credits each semester).
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with the MLK Scholarship and need-based aid, but PC caps merit plus MLK at full tuition.
💡
Strategic Detail
Providence's main merit award, and the one most admitted families are hoping for. PC does not publish tiers or a range. It says awards average about $25,000 per year and go to roughly 30% of admitted students (PC's admission tuition page says more than 50%, so the real share likely falls somewhere in that window). There is no separate application, and no FAFSA or CSS Profile is needed. The review looks only at academics: how demanding your student's schedule was and the grades earned in it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who took the toughest classes their high school offered and kept close to an A average, around a 3.8 unweighted on PC's recalculated scale. PC calls that the minimum to be competitive, not a guarantee.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Onlytransfer
St. Rose of Lima Transfer Tuition Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apr 1 · 📢 Results: Merit notification arrives two to four weeks after the transfer application is complete. ✓ Renews
$23,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Fall-entry transfer students only, after a full year of college coursework.
🏫 3.5+ GPA🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with need-based aid. PC does not publish how it combines with other institutional awards, so confirm with Financial Aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
PC's merit award for transfer students: $23,000 per year for students entering in the fall who earned at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA in a rigorous, full-time liberal arts course load. Your student must finish a full year of college before transferring, and a 3.5 is the floor to be competitive, not a guarantee. It renews each year of uninterrupted study but does not run past the graduation date set at enrollment.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Fall transfer students with at least a full year of college coursework, a 3.5+ cumulative GPA, and a demanding full-time liberal arts schedule.
Data last verified Oct 12, 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: To keep a PC academic scholarship, your student needs a 2.75 cumulative GPA after freshman year, then at least a 3.00 GPA every semester after that, while staying full-time (12+ credits). One rough semester can put the award at risk, so it’s worth talking about this before move-in day.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Providence College)
Is there a GPA or test score cutoff for the Academic Tuition Scholarship?
Not an official one. PC says typical recipients took the toughest courses their school offered and held close to an A average, about a 3.8 unweighted on PC’s recalculated scale. PC is clear that this is the minimum to be competitive, not a guarantee.
How much is the Academic Tuition Scholarship worth?
PC doesn’t publish tiers. It says awards average about $25,000 per year and renew for four years if your student keeps up the GPA requirements.
Do we need to file the FAFSA or CSS Profile to get merit?
No. Merit is decided by the admission office at the time of admission. You only need the aid forms for need-based money, the Opportunity scholarships, and the Club of New York award.
Will sending test scores help with merit?
Only if they make your student look stronger. PC is test-optional for both admission and merit, and students who don’t send scores get full consideration. If you do send them, PC superscores the SAT but not the ACT.
Can merit be combined with other PC awards?
It can be paired with need-based aid. If your student also wins the MLK Scholarship, PC caps the combined merit and MLK total at full tuition, and need-based aid can help with the rest.
Can transfer students get merit at Providence?
Yes. The St. Rose of Lima Transfer Scholarship pays $23,000 a year to fall transfers with at least a 3.5 college GPA in a rigorous full-time course load. Your student has to finish a full year of college first, and PC strongly suggests applying by April 1.
At Providence, “competitive” usually doesn’t mean another essay. The biggest awards here, including the Roddy full ride and the full-tuition MLK, Cristo Rey, and Posse scholarships, have no separate application. The admission office and selection committees pick winners straight from the Common App. The exceptions are Fine Arts (audition or portfolio), Feinstein (declare the Public and Community Service Studies major), and Posse (nomination through the Posse Foundation). That makes the regular application, and filing the FAFSA and CSS Profile on time, the whole ballgame.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at PC?
Aid Combination
Stacks?
PC Parent Translation
Academic merit + MLK
Yes, up to a cap
The two together can’t go past full tuition. Need-based aid can then help with housing and food.
Cristo Rey or Posse + need-based aid
Yes
Full tuition, plus PC meets the student’s full demonstrated need. This is one of the strongest packages PC offers.
Roddy + anything
Not needed
The Roddy already covers tuition, fees, housing, and food. Other PC aid is capped so the total doesn’t go past that.
Fine Arts or Feinstein + academic merit
Ask
PC doesn’t publish the rule. Ask Admission or Financial Aid in writing and check your award letter.
Outside scholarships / ROTC
Partly
PC counts outside money against your need. If it pushes you over, PC trims loans first, then work-study, then its own grants.
The Providence Opportunity awards (MLK, Cristo Rey, Posse) come with more than money. Recipients join a cohort with dedicated advising, mentoring, and regular meetings. PC says the program is open to everyone but is especially valuable for first-generation students and anyone who wants a built-in support network.
Full RideAutomaticgeographic
Roddy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Action / Early Decision I: Nov 1; Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Merit and aid decisions arrive with the admission packet — EA by Jan 1, EDI by Dec 1, EDII by Mar 1, RD by Apr 1. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full cost-of-attendance scholarship (tuition, fees, room, board)
✘ Not stackable
⚠ First-year students living in the U.S. who plan to attend medical, dental, or optometry school.
👥 ~One award per year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Because the Roddy can reach the full cost of attendance, Providence caps additional institutional aid so that total funding does not exceed tuition, housing, and food costs.
💡
Strategic Detail
PC's top award: one scholarship a year covering tuition, fees, housing, and food. It goes to a first-year student living in the United States who plans to attend medical, dental, or optometry school and has an outstanding high school record. No separate application; the admission office identifies candidates during the merit review.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One student per year with a truly exceptional academic record and a clear plan for medical, dental, or optometry school.
Full TuitionAutomaticgeographicneed based
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Action / Early Decision I: Nov 1; Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Scholarship decisions are made by committee and communicated after admission. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Tuition scholarship (can pair with merit to reach full tuition)
✔ Stackable
⚠ First-year students living in the U.S.; demonstrated financial need is a key factor.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Recipients can also receive merit scholarships, but merit plus MLK cannot go past full tuition. Need-based aid can then cover remaining costs.
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of the Providence Opportunity program and running since 1968, with more than 600 graduates. Every admitted first-year student living in the U.S. is considered automatically. Financial need is a key factor, and the committee also looks for leadership, persistence, and involvement in activities, service, or a job. Recipients get the scholarship plus advising, mentoring, and cohort meetings, and PC meets their full demonstrated financial need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted first-year students with real financial need who show leadership at school, at home, at work, or in their community.
Full TuitionAutomaticpipelineneed based
Cristo Rey Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Action / Early Decision I: Nov 1; Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Merit and aid decisions arrive with the admission packet — EA by Jan 1, EDI by Dec 1, EDII by Mar 1, RD by Apr 1. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Full-tuition scholarship plus commitment to meet full demonstrated need
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Graduates of Cristo Rey Network high schools only.
👥 ~One award per Cristo Rey Network high school each year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Cristo Rey scholars receive full tuition PLUS the college's commitment to meet full demonstrated need through grants, work-study, and loans as needed. Total institutional funding will not exceed cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
PC awards one full-tuition scholarship to a graduate of each Cristo Rey Network high school, and the recipient also has their full demonstrated financial need met. Scholars get the same cohort advising and support as MLK recipients. No separate application; the admission office decides at the end of Regular Decision.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One admitted senior from each Cristo Rey Network high school, chosen on academics and personal qualities.
Full TuitionAutomatic⚠ Transfer Onlypipelinetransfer
Cristo Rey Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apr 1 ✓ Renews
Full Tuition
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Cristo Rey Network graduates applying as fall transfer students.
👥 ~Five awards per year for students enrolling in the fall. winners/yr🎓 Transfer
💡
Strategic Detail
Cristo Rey Network graduates who start college somewhere else can still get a full-tuition Cristo Rey Scholarship by transferring to PC. Five are available each year for fall entry. PC does not publish separate renewal terms for the transfer version, so confirm them in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Cristo Rey Network graduates with a strong college record who transfer to PC for the fall semester.
Full TuitionApp Requiredgeographicpipelineidentity
Posse Scholarship (New Orleans / Louisiana)
📅 Deadline: Follows Posse Foundation New Orleans nomination and interview timelines plus Providence's first-year admission deadlines. · 📢 Results: Selection is announced through the Posse Foundation and Providence College after the final interview round. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Full-tuition leadership scholarship (cohort-based, Posse Foundation)
✔ Stackable
⚠ Louisiana students nominated through the Posse Foundation's New Orleans chapter.
👥 ~Ten Posse scholarships per year for Louisiana students entering in the fall semester. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Full tuition plus full demonstrated need met through PC's need-based aid.
📄
How to Apply
Get nominated to the Posse Foundation's New Orleans chapter (usually by a high school or community organization), then complete Posse's multi-round selection process. Scholars matched with Providence then complete PC's application.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
PC partners with the Posse Foundation's New Orleans chapter. Each entering class includes ten Louisiana students selected through Posse, who receive full tuition, have their full demonstrated financial need met, and get cohort mentoring from PC faculty and Posse staff. The route in is Posse's nomination and interview process, not PC's own scholarship review.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Ten Louisiana high school seniors per year selected through Posse's New Orleans chapter and matched with Providence.
App Requiredmajortalent
Fine Arts Tuition Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Action / Early Decision I: Nov 1; Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Notification typically accompanies admission and program-placement decisions. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$25,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires an eligible arts major plus an audition or portfolio.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
PC does not publish how this combines with the Academic Tuition Scholarship. Ask the Fine Arts liaison in the Office of Admission.
📄
How to Apply
List an eligible arts major on the Common App, then submit the audition (Theatre, Music) or portfolio (Art, Art History, or Music Technology) through SlideRoom. Music also offers in-person audition days during the admission season.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
$25,000 per year for students who show strong potential in the arts and major in Theatre, Music, Music Education, Music Technology & Production, Studio Art, or Art History. It requires an audition or portfolio uploaded through SlideRoom with the Common App. The named versions are the Nagle (Theatre), McAllister (Art), and Sister Gail Himrod (Music). PC's fine arts page still lists $22,000 while its newer merit page lists $25,000, so confirm the figure in your award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Performers and artists with strong auditions or portfolios who are committed to one of the eligible arts majors and have a solid academic record.
Automaticmajor
Feinstein Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Action / Early Decision I: Nov 1; Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Notification arrives with or shortly after the admission and major-placement decision. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Must declare the Public and Community Service Studies major.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
PC does not publish how this combines with academic merit. Confirm with Financial Aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $10,000 per year for a small group of admitted students who declare the Public and Community Service Studies major, which runs through PC's Feinstein Institute for Public Service. Faculty in the department choose recipients based on a real record of community service and a strong high school record. There is no separate application, but the major has to be on the application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with years of genuine community involvement (not a one-time service day) plus solid grades, who actually want to major in Public and Community Service Studies.
Data last verified Oct 12, 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 is the Roddy Scholarship and who gets it?
The Roddy is PC’s single biggest award: one per year, covering tuition, fees, housing, and food. It goes to a first-year student living in the U.S. who plans on medical, dental, or optometry school and has an outstanding high school record. There’s no application, so make the pre-health goal clear in the Common App.
Do you need financial need to win the MLK Scholarship?
Financial need is a key factor. The committee also looks for leadership in any form (activities, service, a job, family responsibilities), persistence, and strong personal qualities. Every admitted U.S. first-year is considered, and recipients have their full demonstrated need met. File the FAFSA and CSS Profile on time or your student can’t be fully considered.
How does the Cristo Rey Scholarship work?
PC gives one full-tuition scholarship to a graduate of each Cristo Rey Network high school, decided at the end of Regular Decision, and meets the recipient’s full demonstrated need. Five more are set aside each year for Cristo Rey graduates who transfer in for the fall.
Can students outside Louisiana get the Posse Scholarship at PC?
No. PC partners only with the Posse Foundation’s New Orleans chapter and takes ten Louisiana students per class. Students elsewhere should focus on MLK, merit, and need-based aid.
Which majors qualify for the Fine Arts Tuition Scholarship?
Theatre, Music, Music Education, Music Technology & Production, Studio Art, and Art History. Your student needs to list one of them on the Common App and submit an audition or portfolio through SlideRoom. PC’s merit page lists the award at $25,000 a year, while its fine arts page still says $22,000, so confirm the amount in writing.
What’s the Feinstein Scholarship?
Up to $10,000 a year for students who declare the Public and Community Service Studies major and have a real record of community service. Faculty in the department make the picks.
🧠 Parent Strategy: File the Forms Even If You Think You Won’t Qualify
Almost every hidden gem at Providence works the same way: there’s no application to find, and the money is handed out by matching students from the FAFSA and CSS Profile. That means the families who skip the forms because “we probably make too much” quietly take themselves out of the running.
File the FAFSA (school code 003406) and CSS Profile (school code 3693) by your admission round’s deadline.
Use the CSS Profile’s extra sections to explain anything unusual: medical bills, a business loss, a family member you support.
If you live in the New York City area, say so clearly. The Club of New York scholarship depends on it.
Watch for emails from PC’s Student Forms portal and answer any document requests quickly.
Parent translation: at PC, the aid forms are the scholarship application.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards don’t get much attention, but some of them are worth a full ride or full tuition. Most are tied to where your student lives, their high school, family circumstances, or financial need.
Full TuitionAutomaticneed basedpipeline
Providence College Club of New York Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Matches Providence admission and aid deadlines for the entering class. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition scholarship
✔ Stackable
⚠ High school students in the greater New York City area (named NY, CT, and NJ counties). Financial aid forms required.
👥 ~One student per entering class. winners/yrEligible areas: New York (Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk); Connecticut (Fairfield County); New Jersey (Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Mercer, Union, Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon).
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers full tuition; PC's need-based aid can help with housing, food, and other costs.
💡
Strategic Detail
A four-year, full-tuition scholarship for one student from the greater New York City area. PC weighs financial need, strong grades, real leadership in activities, and a genuine interest in Providence. There is no separate application, but your student must file PC's financial aid forms on time to be considered.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A strong student from the New York metro area with documented financial need, real leadership outside the classroom, and clear interest in PC.
Full RideAutomaticpipelinegeographic
Ronald and Janet Stride Family Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Preference to graduates of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn, NY.
👥 ~One incoming student when selected; six recipients since the award began. winners/yr
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by alumnus Ron Stride and his wife Janet, this covers the full cost of tuition, room, board, and fees for four years for an incoming student. Preference goes to graduates of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn. PC does not publish an application process.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: An incoming student, usually a Bishop Loughlin graduate, selected by the college.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Providence College Grant
📅 Deadline: FAFSA and CSS Profile due by admission round: ED I Nov 1; EA Nov 15; ED II Jan 15; RD Feb 1. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combined with federal, state, and other aid to meet as much need as possible. The amount is recalculated each year from updated financial information.
💡
Strategic Detail
PC's main need-based grant. PC uses the CSS Profile and its own Institutional Methodology, which looks deeper than the FAFSA and counts home equity and family-owned businesses. PC lists the average first-year need-based grant at $35,125. It renews all four years as long as your student stays in good academic standing, refiles the FAFSA and CSS Profile each year, and still shows similar need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students whose families show financial need under PC's CSS Profile review.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Endowed Scholarships
📅 Deadline: FAFSA and CSS Profile due by admission round: ED I Nov 1; EA Nov 15; ED II Jan 15; RD Feb 1. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Endowed funds are part of the need-based package, so they typically make up part of your aid rather than adding on top of it.
💡
Strategic Detail
More than 450 need-based endowed scholarships funded by alumni and friends. You never apply for these directly. The Office of Financial Aid matches eligible students to funds based on each donor's criteria and notifies recipients.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with financial need whose background, hometown, major, or activities match a donor's criteria.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyfamily
Family Grant
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Two or more immediate family members enrolled as PC undergraduates at the same time.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applies on top of other PC aid as a tuition reduction.
💡
Strategic Detail
When two or more immediate family members attend PC's undergraduate program at the same time, the younger student's tuition drops by $1,000. If the younger sibling already has PC money covering full tuition, the $1,000 shifts to the older sibling, as long as that sibling isn't on a full-tuition award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families with siblings at PC during the same year.
Full TuitionApp Required
Army ROTC — National Scholarship
📅 Deadline: National board reviews in three rounds each year (fall, mid-January, early March); applications open mid-June after junior year. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition or room-and-board scholarship with book allowance and monthly stipend
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
PC treats ROTC money as an outside resource, so it may adjust its own aid if total aid would exceed need. Loans and work-study are reduced first.
📄
How to Apply
Create a GoArmy account and start the national scholarship application after junior year, list Providence College as a school choice, complete the fitness assessment and interview, and enroll in Army ROTC at PC if awarded.
Selection criteria: National ROTC board evaluates academics, leadership, physical fitness, and officer potential.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
PC hosts the Patriot Battalion, so your student trains on campus instead of commuting to another school. A national Army ROTC scholarship pays either full tuition and fees or a housing-and-food option, plus a book allowance and monthly stipend, in exchange for a service commitment after graduation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High school seniors with at least a 2.5 GPA, strong leadership and fitness, and a real interest in serving as an Army officer.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Army ROTC — Campus-Based Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Rolling after matriculation and enrollment in Army ROTC ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
PC treats ROTC money as an outside resource, so it may adjust its own aid if total aid would exceed need. Loans and work-study are reduced first.
📄
How to Apply
Enroll at PC, join Army ROTC, and compete for campus-based scholarships through the Patriot Battalion.
Selection criteria: Selection based on college GPA, physical fitness scores, participation, and leadership performance in ROTC.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Cadets already in PC's Patriot Battalion can compete for 2-, 3-, or 4-year campus-based Army ROTC scholarships. Availability varies by year and Army funding, so talk to the battalion's enrollment officer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Enrolled cadets who stand out academically, physically, and as leaders in the battalion.
Data last verified Oct 12, 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
Who qualifies for the Providence College Club of New York Scholarship?
One student each year from the greater New York area gets four years of full tuition. Eligible areas are the five NYC boroughs plus Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk; Fairfield County, Connecticut; and thirteen New Jersey counties (Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Mercer, Union, Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon). Need, grades, leadership, and real interest in PC all count. There’s no separate application, but the aid forms are required.
What is the Stride Family Scholarship?
A full ride (tuition, room, board, and fees for four years) funded by alumnus Ron Stride and his wife, Janet. Preference goes to graduates of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn. PC doesn’t publish an application, so Loughlin families should ask their counselor and PC’s Financial Aid office how students are chosen.
How do I apply for PC’s endowed scholarships?
You don’t. PC has more than 450 need-based endowed scholarships, and the Financial Aid office matches students to them using the information on the FAFSA and CSS Profile. These usually make up part of your need-based package rather than adding extra money on top.
Is there a discount if two of my kids attend PC?
Yes. The Family Grant cuts the younger sibling’s tuition by $1,000 while both are enrolled. If the younger one already has full-tuition money from PC, the grant moves to the older sibling.
Does PC have Army ROTC?
Yes, and it’s based right on campus. PC hosts the Patriot Battalion, which also trains cadets from Brown, Bryant, Rhode Island College, and UMass Dartmouth. National Army ROTC scholarships for high school seniors are reviewed in three rounds each year (fall, mid-January, and early March), and cadets already at PC can compete for campus-based awards.
Will outside scholarships stack on top of my PC aid?
Not always. PC counts outside scholarships against your financial need. If the total goes over, PC reduces loans first, then work-study, and only then its own grants. Report any outside award to Financial Aid as soon as you get it.
Providence has an Honors Program (not a separate honors college), and it has been running for more than 60 years. The good news for parents: there’s no separate application. PC invites students into the program when they’re admitted, based on the same things that drive merit: course rigor, GPA, the essay, recommendations, and test scores if your student sent them.
How selective: about 13.5% of admitted students are invited each year, and roughly 100 enroll.
What it adds: at least six honors courses, including a four-semester Honors version of PC’s Western Civilization core, plus small interdisciplinary seminars.
Missed the invite? Students can apply to join at the end of freshman year.
Honors Scholarships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Straight talk: Providence doesn’t currently attach a separate scholarship to the Honors Program. The students who get Honors invitations are usually the same students earning PC’s academic tuition scholarships, so the money and the invitation tend to arrive together, but they’re separate decisions. You may still find older websites claiming PC offers half, three-quarter, and full-tuition Honors scholarships. Those aren’t on PC’s current pages, so don’t count on them.
What Honors Students Actually Get
Small classes: core requirements taught in focused honors sections.
Spring break abroad: recent trips have gone to France, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Peru, and more.
Career help: travel money for PC’s alumni job-shadow program, plus a peer mentor in the first year.
Track record: 95% of first-year honors students return for sophomore year, and 11 Honors alumni won Fulbright grants in the last five years.
Honors Program FAQs (Providence College)
How do you get into the Honors Program at Providence College?
You don’t apply separately. PC invites students when they’re admitted, based on the strength of their courses, grades, essay, recommendations, and test scores if submitted. Students who aren’t invited can apply at the end of their first year.
Does the Honors Program come with a scholarship?
Not a separate one. Honors students often also receive PC’s academic tuition scholarship because both decisions look at the same record, but the invitation itself isn’t tied to money.
Do honors students live in separate housing?
No. Honors students live with everyone else and take part in all the same campus activities, plus honors-only events like dinners, lectures, and trips.
How much extra work is Honors?
Your student needs at least six honors courses, which mostly replace core classes they’d take anyway. The difference is depth: more reading, more discussion, and smaller groups.
Providence is a mid-sized Catholic college of about 4,600 undergraduates on a campus in the city of Providence. It’s a liberal arts school at heart, but most students arrive with a career plan, and the numbers show it: business is by far the biggest draw, and the new nursing and health sciences programs have grown fast.
Nationally Known Program: School of Business: Close to half of all PC majors are in the School of Business, with accounting, finance, and marketing as the big pathways. If your student is business-minded, they’ll be surrounded by classmates and alumni headed in the same direction.
Nursing and Health Sciences: PC’s newest school, with its own building that opened in January 2025. The nursing program was the first new bachelor’s nursing program approved in Rhode Island in a decade and is working toward national (CCNE) accreditation in 2026, so ask about its status when you visit. Nursing seats are limited, and undeclared students can’t switch in later.
Western Civilization (“Civ”): Every PC student takes this two-year core sequence covering history, literature, philosophy, and theology. It’s the signature PC experience, for better or worse depending on your student.
Public and Community Service Studies: Run through the Feinstein Institute for Public Service, this major turns service into a field of study, and it comes with its own scholarship.
Pre-health and sciences: Biology and the pre-med track are strong enough that PC’s biggest single award, the Roddy, is reserved for future doctors, dentists, and optometrists.
Education: PC trains teachers through its School of Education and Social Work. Students need to pass a basic skills exam by the end of sophomore year to stay in the program.
🔗 Official Providence College Links
Use Providence College’s official pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules, costs, and admission data. When anything on this page and PC’s site disagree, go with PC.
Here’s the honest picture of Providence College. The sticker price is high, and PC won’t hand out merit just for a test score. What it rewards is four years of taking hard classes and doing well in them. Students who do that have a real shot at about $25,000 a year without filling out a single extra form.
Where Providence really stands out is for families who’d assume a private Catholic college is out of reach. The MLK, Cristo Rey, and Posse scholarships pay full tuition and meet full need, the Club of New York and Stride awards reward students from specific neighborhoods and high schools, and more than 450 endowed funds get matched to students automatically. Nearly all of that runs on the FAFSA and CSS Profile, so the most important thing you can do is file both, on time, even if you think you won’t qualify.
If your student is headed toward business, nursing, or a pre-health track, and wants a close-knit campus with a strong sense of tradition, Providence is worth running through the Net Price Calculator before you cross it off the list.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
Leo is the founder of CollegeReadyParent. He went through the college money maze with his own daughter and built this site so middle-income and first-generation families can get straight answers for free, with no paywall and no sales pitch.
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