Seton Hall’s own freshman profile shows a middle 50% of 1240–1390 SAT and 26–31 ACT with a 3.68 average GPA. Keep in mind those scores come from students who chose to send them. Seton Hall says it strongly encourages sending scores at 1200 SAT or 25 ACT and above, and students who apply test-optional get equal consideration for the automatic scholarships. One more thing families miss: Seton Hall counts demonstrated interest, so visits, open houses, and actually opening their emails all show up in the review.
No published cutoffs; grades and course rigor set the amount
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional through Fall 2029
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Jan 15 • FAFSA: Nov 1
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Seton Hall (Read This First)
Two money deadlines land before January. Pirates Pitch entries close in late October (October 21 this cycle), and the Bethany Scholarship goes first-come, first-served to freshmen whose FAFSA and admission application are in by November 15.
“Apply by January 15” means two forms. Most special scholarships have their own online application, and Seton Hall needs both that form and the admission application in hand by January 15.
Test-optional does not cover every award. The Women’s Guild pre-health scholarship requires a 3.8 GPA plus 1300 SAT or 28 ACT, and the Chicago Alumni award requires 1170 or 23.
Merit only pays tuition. The University Scholarship cannot touch housing or meals (about $19,200 a year), stops after 8 semesters, and does not apply to summer classes or study abroad through another school.
The award is locked in at admission. Seton Hall says the University Scholarship never increases later, while tuition generally rises about 3% a year. The gap your family covers grows a little every year.
Seton Hall does not meet full need. Its own financial aid page says so. Run the Net Cost Calculator before falling in love.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Seton Hall University is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 26–31; SAT: 1240–1390.
Average net price? About $31,446/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 Seton Hall University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Seton Hall University 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 $3,800 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$76,000
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$56,800
Housing & meals (typical)
$19,200
Total billed cost
$76,000
Average federal net price: $31,446 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 for Everyone (and How Families Actually Bring It Down)
Seton Hall is private, so New Jersey students and out-of-state students see the same sticker price. There is no reciprocity deal or out-of-state waiver to chase. The discounting happens through scholarships instead: the University Scholarship for everyone, the Father Corrigan award for select New Jersey students, and the Father Fahy award for select out-of-state students. New Jersey residents can also layer state money like the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) on top.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Seton Hall University
Why do New Jersey and out-of-state students pay the same tuition?
Because Seton Hall is a private university, there is no in-state discount. Full-time tuition is a flat rate of $26,920 per semester for 12 to 18 credits in 2026–27. Where you live changes which scholarships you can get, not the sticker price.
What is included in the housing and meals estimate?
The $19,200 figure is a standard double room in an on-campus hall ($6,550 per semester) plus the basic unlimited U meal plan ($3,050 per semester). A single runs $8,250 per semester, a discounted triple $5,810, and the top meal plan $3,595. Seton Hall also charges a one-time $380 new student fee.
Is the average net price really about $31,400?
That is the federal average for students living on campus after grants and scholarships, not counting loans. It is an average across all incomes, so your number could be far lower or higher. Seton Hall’s own Net Cost Calculator is the better first estimate for your family.
Will the cost go up after freshman year?
Almost certainly. Seton Hall’s bursar notes that tuition and fees generally rise about 3% a year, which on $53,840 of tuition is roughly $1,600 more each year. The University Scholarship stays the same dollar amount, so the gap your family pays widens a little every year. Budget for it now.
Does Seton Hall meet full financial need?
No. Seton Hall says plainly that it does not meet full need. It uses your FAFSA to decide work-study and whether loans are subsidized, but there can be a real gap between what the FAFSA says you need and what the award letter covers.
Can New Jersey students use state aid at Seton Hall?
Yes. New Jersey residents can receive the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) at Seton Hall, and students admitted to Seton Hall’s EOF program can receive the Educational Opportunity Fund grant. Both start with the FAFSA, and New Jersey also asks a few extra questions through HESAA after you file.
📅 Seton Hall Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
Late October: Pirates Pitch entries close (October 21 this cycle).
November 1: Seton Hall’s preferred FAFSA date.
November 15: FAFSA and admission application in for the first-come Bethany Scholarship.
January 15: Special scholarship forms due, and the FAFSA must be processed for Seton Hall’s need-based grant.
Mid-to-late spring: Father Corrigan, Father Fahy, and Catholic High School award notices go out.
Parent rule of thumb: Seton Hall’s money calendar runs earlier than its admission calendar. Treat November 15 as your real deadline.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Seton Hall University
Every admitted freshman is considered for the University Scholarship, worth $4,000 to $25,000 a year. There is no separate form and no published GPA or test-score chart. Seton Hall’s rule is simply that the stronger the academic record, the bigger the award, and the amount arrives with the admission letter. Seton Hall superscores the SAT and ACT, and test-optional applicants get equal 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
University Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Ongoing (automatic with the admission application; fall and spring entry) · 📢 Results: Award amount is included in your Seton Hall admission decision letter. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000–$25,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Incoming freshmen, including international freshmen.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Tuition only. It combines with other Seton Hall awards but cannot cover housing, meals, or fees, and it pays for a maximum of 8 semesters of full-time study. Summer classes and non-Seton Hall study abroad are excluded. Renewal: 2.0 cumulative GPA after freshman year, then 2.5 after each year that follows.
💡
Strategic Detail
Seton Hall publishes one range for this award, $4,000 to $25,000 per year, and no GPA or test-score chart. Its own wording is that the higher the academic profile, the higher the scholarship. The amount arrives with the admission decision and cannot be increased later.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every admitted freshman is considered. The largest amounts go to students with the strongest grades and the most rigorous course loads; test scores help only if the student chooses to send them.
Automatic
Father Corrigan Scholarship Award
📅 Deadline: Ongoing (automatic with the admission application) · 📢 Results: Mid-to-late spring of senior year of high school. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Tuition only. Layers on top of the University Scholarship. Renewal requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment.
💡
Strategic Detail
A competitive, renewable award for select New Jersey freshmen, based on high school grades and other factors. The amount varies and is not published. No separate form; notification comes in the mid-to-late spring of senior year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong New Jersey applicants Seton Hall especially wants to enroll. Think top grades and rigor within the in-state applicant pool.
Automatic
Father Fahy Scholarship Award
📅 Deadline: Ongoing (automatic with the admission application) · 📢 Results: Mid-to-late spring of senior year of high school. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Tuition only. Layers on top of the University Scholarship. Renewal requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment.
💡
Strategic Detail
A competitive, renewable award for select out-of-state freshmen, based on high school grades and other factors. The amount varies and is not published. No separate form; notification comes in the mid-to-late spring of senior year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong applicants from outside New Jersey. Seton Hall uses it to sharpen its price for out-of-state students it wants to land.
Automatic
Catholic High School Achievement Award
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Late spring of senior year. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pays $2,000 per year for up to four years (a total of $8,000) and stacks on top of University Scholarship and other Seton Hall awards within the tuition cap. To renew, you'll need at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 30 earned credits each academic year, Seton Hall is explicit about both bars, so map out your course load early.
💡
Strategic Detail
Competitive automatic award for select students from Catholic high schools who enroll full time. Priority is given to students whose admission application arrives by January 15. Renewable for three additional years (four years total / $8,000 total) as long as the student maintains a 2.5 GPA and earns at least 30 credits annually.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top-tier admits coming from Catholic high schools, Seton Hall's own description says recipients are selected from the top 5 to 10% of Catholic high school applicants each year, so think strongest GPAs, deep rigor, and standout extracurriculars within that subgroup.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling for fall and spring entry · 📢 Results: Communicated with your transfer admission decision. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000–$18,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.8+ GPA🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combinable with other Seton Hall awards (and with the NJ Stars II Match for transfers coming from the NJ Stars program). To renew, maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA while enrolled full time.
💡
Strategic Detail
Automatic merit award for incoming transfer students. Range is $5,000 to $18,000 per year. Available in both fall and spring entry terms.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming transfers with a competitive college record. The higher the transfer GPA, the higher the award within the $5,000 to $18,000 range.
Data last verified Oct 4, 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 the automatic pieces fit together
Think of it as one base award plus possible add-ons. Everyone gets evaluated for the University Scholarship. Then select New Jersey students may get a Father Corrigan award on top, select out-of-state students a Father Fahy award, and top students from Catholic high schools a $2,000 Catholic High School Achievement Award. All of these pay tuition only, so housing and meals stay on your side of the ledger.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Seton Hall University)
Is there a GPA or test score chart for the University Scholarship?
No. Seton Hall publishes only the $4,000 to $25,000 range and says the award is based on high school grades “and other factors,” including course rigor. Families who see a tier chart for Seton Hall on another website are looking at someone’s guess.
When will we find out how much we got?
The University Scholarship comes with the admission decision. The Father Corrigan, Father Fahy, and Catholic High School awards are announced later, in the mid-to-late spring of senior year.
Do we need to send test scores to get merit money?
No. Test-optional applicants receive equal consideration for the automatic awards, and Seton Hall superscores if you do send scores. Seton Hall suggests sending them at 1200 SAT or 25 ACT and above.
What does it take to keep the University Scholarship?
Full-time enrollment and a 2.0 cumulative GPA after freshman year, then a 2.5 after each year after that. It covers up to 8 semesters and does not pay for summer classes or study abroad through another school.
Can we ask Seton Hall to raise the award after senior-year grades come in?
Seton Hall says the University Scholarship cannot be increased over time because it is set by your high school record at admission. Plan around the number in the letter.
What about transfer students?
Transfers with a 2.75 GPA or higher are considered automatically for a Transfer Scholarship of $5,000 to $18,000 a year, in fall or spring. Phi Theta Kappa members add $2,000 a year for two years, and NJ STARS II students get a Seton Hall match of up to $2,500.
Seton Hall does not run a big full-tuition or full-ride competition for general merit. Its biggest dollars come through the automatic University Scholarship. The competitive tier is a pair of special-application awards built around specific students: RISE for low-income and first-generation students, and Servant Leader for students with a real service record. If you see old websites listing a Seton Hall “Regent’s” or “Provost’s” full-tuition scholarship, those do not appear anywhere on Seton Hall’s current pages.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Seton Hall?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Seton Hall Parent Translation
University Scholarship
Base award
Everyone admitted is considered. Corrigan, Fahy, and Catholic High School awards layer on top of it.
Special-application awards
Usually yes
RISE, Servant Leader, MLK, debate, Pep Band and similar awards combine with merit, but most pay tuition only.
Need-based grants
Yes
Pell, New Jersey TAG, and Seton Hall’s own need-based grant all start with the FAFSA, and timing matters.
Women’s Guild (pre-health)
Yes
One of the few awards that can go toward total cost, not just tuition.
Army ROTC
Check the letter
Pays full tuition and mandatory fees plus a book allowance and stipend. Read the award letter to see how Seton Hall adjusts its own aid.
The honest takeaway: at Seton Hall, the size of your automatic award matters more than winning a competition. The competitive awards are worth chasing if your student fits them, but they are add-ons, not game-changers.
App Required
RISE Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Award decisions issued before the fall term once RISE selections are finalized. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the University Scholarship, Pell, TAG, and other aid. Students must stay active in RISE, including a required summer program before the first fall semester.
📄
How to Apply
File the FAFSA, apply for admission, and submit the RISE application. Seton Hall encourages applying by January 15, but keeps reviewing until the cohort is filled.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Seton Hall's scholarship page lists a RISE award of $6,000 per year for four years ($24,000 total) for low-income incoming fall freshmen admitted to the RISE program, with priority for Pell-eligible and first-generation students. The RISE program page itself now describes a federally funded TRiO support program and does not mention the dollar award, so confirm the award directly with RISE.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Low-income students, often first-generation and Pell-eligible, with strong academic records who want built-in tutoring, coaching, and career support.
App Required
Servant Leader Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Typically awarded in the fall of the freshman year. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,400/yr
✔ Stackable
Incoming freshmen and transfers.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the University Scholarship and other Seton Hall aid. Renewable.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the online Servant Leader Scholarship form plus the admission application by January 15.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Awards vary; Seton Hall says the average is $2,400 per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a competitive academic record and a long, specific track record of service and leadership they can document.
Data last verified Oct 4, 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.
❓ Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Seton Hall offer any full-tuition scholarships?
Not as a general merit award on its current scholarship pages. The only full-tuition option listed is Army ROTC, which covers tuition and mandatory fees in exchange for a service commitment.
What is the RISE Scholarship?
Seton Hall’s scholarship page lists RISE at $6,000 a year for four years ($24,000 total) for low-income incoming fall freshmen, with priority for Pell-eligible and first-generation students. Students attend a required summer program and get tutoring, coaching, and career support. The RISE program page now describes a federally funded support program without mentioning the dollar award, so confirm the award with RISE directly.
How does the Servant Leader Scholarship work?
Seton Hall says awards vary but average $2,400 a year. It is open to incoming freshmen and transfers, and both the scholarship form and the admission application must arrive by January 15.
Can these stack with the University Scholarship?
Yes. Both combine with the University Scholarship and other Seton Hall aid, but keep in mind most Seton Hall awards only pay tuition.
What should my student prepare?
These are essay-driven and reward specifics: real numbers, real roles, real results. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder help organize achievements before January 15.
🧠 Parent Strategy: Seton Hall’s “Two Rounds” of Money
Seton Hall money comes in two rounds, and most families only play the first one.
Before January 15: scan the list below and submit every special scholarship form your student fits. Each one needs its own form plus the admission application on file.
After admission: log into PirateNet, open Blackbaud Award Management (BAM), and complete the General Application. It points students to donor and department scholarships they match.
Every year: refile the FAFSA so it is processed by January 15. Several of these awards, plus Seton Hall’s need-based grant, depend on it.
Screenshot every confirmation page.
Parent translation: the automatic award is the floor, not the ceiling. The $2,000 to $8,000 awards below are how families close the gap.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards families find late or not at all. Some are automatic if you check the right boxes on time, and some need a short application. Many are built for a specific pipeline, like Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey Upward Bound, or the Tri-County Scholarship Fund, which makes the odds much better for students who fit.
App Required
Pirates Pitch Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Oct 21 (2026 cycle; entries open in late August) ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Up to 10 finalists winners/yrHigh school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the University Scholarship and other Seton Hall aid. The one-time cash prizes are separate from the scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Submit a written idea (350 words or less) or an unlisted YouTube pitch of up to three minutes before the October deadline. Finalists are invited to give a five-minute live pitch.
✎ Essays🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
A Shark Tank style contest run by the Stillman School of Business. Finalists pitch in person in late November. Scholarship values by place: 1st $10,000 ($2,500 a year), 2nd $6,000 ($1,500 a year), every other finalist $4,000 ($1,000 a year), plus cash prizes for the top spots. Scholarships apply only if the student is admitted and enrolls.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with an original product or service idea, or a business they already run, who can explain the problem, the customer, the competition, and how it makes money.
Automatic
Bethany Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 (FAFSA and admission application; first-come, first-served) ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other Seton Hall aid. Renewal requires Satisfactory Academic Progress and a new FAFSA every year.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,000 per year for four years ($8,000 total) for incoming fall freshmen with financial need and a strong academic record. Awarded while funds last. Tuition only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families who file the FAFSA and submit the admission application early. Timing matters as much as need.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Seton Hall University Need-Based Grant
📅 Deadline: FAFSA processed by Jan 15 (every year) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and federal or state grants. Eligibility and amount are reviewed every year.
💡
Strategic Detail
Seton Hall's own need-based grant for full-time undergraduates. The amount varies and funding is not guaranteed from year to year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families with demonstrated financial need whose FAFSA is processed on time each year.
Automatic
Seton Hall Hometown Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.6+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with Pell, TAG, and other Seton Hall aid. Renewal requires staying Pell-eligible.
💡
Strategic Detail
$4,000 per year for four years ($16,000 total) for Pell-eligible students who live in or attend high school in Essex or Passaic County, New Jersey, for at least one year, with a 3.6 unweighted GPA. Seton Hall says that combined with maximum Pell and NJ TAG, it makes tuition nearly free.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High‑GPA Pell‑eligible students with at least one year of residency or schooling in eligible Essex or Passaic County communities.
App Required
Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$6,500–$8,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combines with other Seton Hall aid. Renewal requires a 2.5 GPA and active participation in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Association.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Seton Hall admission application and a separate online Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship application by January 15, including required essays and recommendations focused on academic achievement, leadership, social justice, and service to underserved communities.
Selection criteria: Holistic review of academic record, leadership, service, and commitment to social justice and diversity.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Ranges from $6,500 to $8,500 per year for freshmen with outstanding records who have overcome economic or educational hardship and have served underserved communities.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen with strong academics who have overcome economic or educational hardship and demonstrated leadership and sustained work with socioeconomically or educationally underserved communities.
App Required
Women’s Guild Scholarship (Pre-Health)
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~28 ACT✎ ~1300 SATIncoming freshmen and transfers. Requires 3.8 GPA plus 1300 SAT or 28 ACT, with 650 on either SAT section.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combines with other Seton Hall aid. Renewal requires staying in the required major, full-time enrollment, a 3.0 GPA, and continued health-field involvement (volunteering, research, or shadowing).
📄
How to Apply
Submit the online Women's Guild Scholarship form plus the admission application by January 15.
Selection criteria: Focus on academic strength and seriousness of commitment to a health‑profession pathway.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
One of the few Seton Hall awards that requires test scores. Unlike most Seton Hall scholarships, it can be used toward the total cost of education, not only tuition.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-stat pre-health students with real exposure to their chosen field, ideally volunteer or shadowing experience they can describe.
App Required
Forensics, Speech and Debate Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Fall semester. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000–$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Incoming freshmen and transfers.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Range is $2,000–$8,000 per year and stacks with University Scholarship and other Seton Hall aid. Catch: you have to actually compete on the Brownson Speech & Debate Team to keep it.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Forensics, Speech & Debate Scholarship application online by January 15 along with your Seton Hall admission application. Expect to demonstrate both academic achievement and public-speaking/debate ability, this is talent-evaluated, not just academics.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awards $2,000 to $8,000 per year. Renewable contingent on active participation on the Brownson Speech and Debate Team and maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen and transfers with a proven track record in speech, debate, or forensics who commit to joining Seton Hall's Brownson Speech and Debate Team. Strong academics plus competition history is the sweet spot.
App Required
Joseph & Carmen Unanue Endowed Scholarship (Latino Institute)
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews
$3,000–$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Scholarship can be combined with other awards and applied to tuition and fees; recipients must continue meeting GPA, financial aid filing, and participation requirements.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Unanue Endowed Scholarship online application by January 15, including a one-page essay on appreciation and interest in Latino culture and history, and file the FAFSA each year.
Selection criteria: Selection based on academic record, financial need, and depth of appreciation and engagement with Latino culture and history.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Recipients must attend at least two Unanue Latino Institute events per year (volunteering in at least one), meet with the Institute Director once per semester, complete at least one Latino Studies course by senior spring, and file the FAFSA annually.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen and international freshmen with at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA, demonstrated financial need, and clear appreciation and engagement with Latino culture and history.
App Required
Tri-County Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
$3,000 per year, renewable with satisfactory academic progress. Applies to tuition and fees, not room, board, or books. Students majoring in Human Development, Culture, and Media can also apply for the separate CHDCM/Tri-County Spendable Scholarship Fund.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Tri-County Scholarship application online by January 15 along with your Seton Hall admission application, the FAFSA, and a letter of recommendation from the Tri-County Scholarship fund verifying you're a scholarship recipient in good standing.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Competitive scholarship for current Tri-County Scholarship fund recipients in NJ. Renewable if the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. Additional CHDCM-major bonus available.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
New Jersey high school students who are already current recipients of a Tri-County Scholarship fund award, with at least a 3.0 unweighted HS GPA. Pell-eligible students are preferred.
App Required
CHDCM/Tri-County Spendable Scholarship Fund
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combines with other awards and applies to tuition and fees, not room, board, or books. Renewable with satisfactory academic progress.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the online CHDCM/TCSF application, the admission application, the FAFSA, and a letter from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund confirming good standing, all by January 15.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
A variable, renewable award for New Jersey freshmen who already hold a high school scholarship from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund and declare a major in the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media. Requires a 3.0 unweighted GPA and FAFSA-demonstrated need, with preference for Pell-eligible students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Tri-County Scholarship Fund students headed into communication, education, or other CHDCM majors.
App Required
Upward Bound Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
$3,000 annually, renewable, stacks with other Seton Hall aid. Applies to tuition and fees but NOT to room/board or books.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Upward Bound Scholarship application online by January 15 along with your Seton Hall admission application and a letter of recommendation from an Upward Bound staff member, preferably your program director.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable $3,000 award for NJ Upward Bound participants. Must be Pell-eligible. Tuition and fees only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: NJ residents currently enrolled in a New Jersey Upward Bound program who are Pell Grant-eligible and have strong academic records. This is a targeted pipeline award, fit matters more than competing against the general applicant pool.
Automatic
Joseph W. Cardinal Tobin Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 · 📢 Results: Late spring of senior year. ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~1 per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
$2,500 annually, tuition-only, stackable with University Scholarship and other Seton Hall awards within the tuition cap. Renewal depends on satisfactory academic progress.
💡
Strategic Detail
One award per year. Tuition-only and combinable with other Seton Hall aid up to the tuition cap. Recipient is chosen by the admissions office based on financial need and academic performance.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Exactly one student per year, a Pell-eligible, first-generation incoming freshman from a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Newark with strong academics. Created to commemorate the Imposition of the Pallium of Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark.
App Required
New Jersey Firefighters Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
$3,000 per year, renewable for up to four years, and combinable with University Scholarship and other Seton Hall aid.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the NJ Firefighters Scholarship application online by January 15 along with your Seton Hall admission application. You'll need to verify FMBA membership for the parent firefighter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable $3,000 award for dependent children of career New Jersey firefighters who are FMBA members. Fall-entry freshmen only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen who are dependent children of career New Jersey firefighters who are FMBA (NJ State Firefighters' Mutual Benevolent Association) members. A genuinely narrow pipeline award.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Pep Band Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradIncoming freshmen and transfers starting in the fall.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other Seton Hall aid. Renewal requires a 2.5 GPA and staying active in the Pep Band.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the online Pep Band Scholarship form plus the admission application by January 15.
Selection criteria: Selection based on musical ability, instrumentation needs of the band, academic standing, and commitment to participation.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded based on what instruments the ensemble needs, along with academics and musical talent.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid students who play an instrument the band is short on and commit to rehearsals and game appearances.
App Required
Chicago Alumni Memorial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15 Non-Renewable
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~23 ACT✎ ~1170 SATIncoming freshmen and transfers.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Worth up to $1,000 and is NOT renewable, it's a one-shot, fairly small ride on top of bigger Seton Hall aid. Useful if you check the Illinois box and want every dollar.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Chicago Alumni Memorial Scholarship application online by January 15, alongside your Seton Hall admission application and the FAFSA (financial need is a factor).
💡
Strategic Detail
One-year award up to $1,000 for Illinois residents who meet the academic floor and demonstrate financial need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Illinois-resident incoming freshmen and transfers with at least a 3.0 GPA and a 1170 SAT or 23 ACT, preference for those who demonstrate financial need on the FAFSA.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
NJ Stars II Scholarship Match
📅 Deadline: Rolling for fall and spring transfer entry. ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Seton Hall matches up to $2,500 on top of New Jersey's NJ STARS II grant, so you can pick up roughly $5,000 combined per year from the two sources, stacked on the regular Transfer Scholarship.
💡
Strategic Detail
Seton Hall matches the state-funded NJ STARS II grant up to $2,500 per year for eligible incoming transfers. Stacks on top of the Transfer Scholarship.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: NJ STARS program graduates transferring into Seton Hall who are already receiving the NJ STARS II state grant, a tight, automatic match for the state pipeline.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling. ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
$2,000 per year, renewable for one additional year (so $4,000 total). Stacks with the regular Transfer Scholarship and other Seton Hall aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Renewable for one additional year. Automatic award; proof of Phi Theta Kappa membership required with admission application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Community-college transfer students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, straightforward award if you've earned the membership.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Army ROTC Scholarships
📅 Deadline: National high school boards typically Oct–Jan; campus‑based awards are rolling after enrollment. ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Army ROTC tuition or room-and-board scholarship with book allowance and stipend
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
ROTC scholarships may cover full tuition and fees or a room‑and‑board option, plus about $1,200 per year for books and a monthly stipend; Seton Hall coordinates institutional aid so total funding does not exceed cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the national Army ROTC scholarship process and list Seton Hall, or compete for campus‑based ROTC scholarships via the Seton Hall ROTC unit; complete fitness, medical, and academic requirements.
Selection criteria: National and campus ROTC selection standards emphasizing academics, physical fitness, leadership, and officer potential.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Seton Hall’s ROTC page highlights tuition and room‑and‑board scholarship options plus the standard book allowance and stipend; federal ROTC criteria apply.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with solid academics, leadership, and fitness who are selected by Army ROTC national or campus boards and commit to commissioning as Army officers, including many nursing majors at Seton Hall.
Data last verified Oct 4, 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
Which of these don’t need a separate application?
The Bethany Scholarship, Hometown Scholarship, Cardinal Tobin Scholarship, NJ STARS II Match, Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, and Seton Hall’s need-based grant are all automatic if the timing and eligibility line up. Most run through the FAFSA, so file early.
What is the Seton Hall Hometown Scholarship?
It pays $4,000 a year ($16,000 total) to Pell-eligible students who live in or attend high school in Essex or Passaic County for at least a year and have a 3.6 unweighted GPA. The admission application and FAFSA must be in by January 15. Seton Hall says that with maximum Pell and New Jersey TAG, tuition becomes nearly free.
How does Pirates Pitch work?
High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a 3.0 GPA submit a business idea in 350 words or a short video. Finalists pitch live in November. First place earns a $10,000 Seton Hall scholarship ($2,500 a year), second place $6,000, and every other finalist $4,000, plus cash prizes at the top.
Is the Women’s Guild award test-optional?
No. Pre-health students need a 3.8 GPA plus 1300 SAT or 28 ACT, with 650 on either SAT section. It pays $4,000 to $5,000 a year and can go toward total cost, which is rare at Seton Hall.
Can current Seton Hall students still find scholarships?
Yes. Enrolled students apply through BAM in PirateNet, starting with the General Application, which matches them to donor and department awards.
Seton Hall has a University Honors Program, not a separate Honors College. It is a smaller, discussion-heavy track built around four interdisciplinary colloquia that move from the ancient world to today, followed by upper-level seminars and a senior honors thesis. Students apply separately, and seats are limited.
Typical admit: 3.5+ GPA with a 660+ SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score and/or a 27+ ACT
Deadline: February 15 for fall entry (applying earlier is welcome)
Commitment: applying does not commit your student to Seton Hall
Straight talk on Honors money: Seton Hall does not attach a separate scholarship to the Honors Program. An Honors student’s merit money comes from the same automatic University Scholarship everyone receives. The closest thing to an “honors scholarship” lives in the Buccino Leadership Institute, shown below.
Leadership and Honors-Level Scholarships
App Required
Buccino Scholar (Gerald P. Buccino '63 Endowed Scholarship)
📅 Deadline: Selected during the first year in the Buccino Leadership Institute (see BAM) ✓ Renews (3.75 GPA, 4 yrs)
$7,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~1 per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Seton Hall does not publish how this interacts with other awards; check the award letter. Renewal requires a 3.75 cumulative GPA every semester.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted to Seton Hall, apply to the Buccino Leadership Institute as an incoming freshman, then earn selection during the first year.
💡
Strategic Detail
$28,000 over four years, paid as $3,500 per semester, to one member of each Buccino Leadership Institute first-year class. Comes with one-on-one coaching and mentoring.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
The first-year Buccino Leadership Institute student whose engagement, integrity, communication, and servant leadership stand out most to the Institute's instructors.
Data last verified Oct 4, 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.
The Buccino Leadership Institute
A competitive four-year leadership program open to admitted incoming freshmen (and rising sophomores). Students get professional coaching and team projects, and finish with a leadership certificate on their transcript. Each year one first-year member is named the Buccino Scholar: $28,000 over four years, paid at $3,500 a semester, as long as the student keeps a 3.75 GPA.
Honors Program FAQs (Seton Hall University)
Is Honors admission automatic?
No. Students submit a separate Honors Program application by February 15, and admission is competitive.
Can my student apply to Honors without test scores?
Yes. Seton Hall says students can apply test-optional to the honors and leadership programs, and those applications are reviewed holistically along with the extra program materials.
Does the Honors Program come with a scholarship?
Not a dedicated one. Honors students receive the same automatic University Scholarship as everyone else, sized by their high school record.
Is Buccino the same thing as Honors?
No. Buccino is a separate leadership program with its own application after admission to Seton Hall. It is the program tied to the $28,000 Buccino Scholar award.
Seton Hall is a mid-sized Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, about a train ride from Manhattan. That location shapes its best programs. The majors that stand out are the ones that put students in front of New York and New Jersey employers early: business, sport management, nursing and health sciences, diplomacy, and communication.
Nationally Known Program: Sport Management at the Stillman School of Business: Seton Hall was among the first schools to offer an undergraduate business degree in sport management, and the major is a real business degree, not a hospitality track. Students complete two required co-ops, and the program leans hard on its access to pro sports organizations in the New York area.
Stillman School of Business: AACSB-accredited, with majors across finance, accounting, management, and marketing, plus hands-on centers like the Pirates Pitch entrepreneurship contest.
School of Diplomacy and International Relations: a stand-alone school focused entirely on global affairs, which is unusual at the undergraduate level.
Nursing and Health Sciences: the College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences train on a separate Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus. Seton Hall’s Joint BS/MD pathway is the one program that still requires test scores.
Communication and Media: housed in the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media.
Buccino Leadership Institute: a four-year leadership certificate that runs alongside any major.
🔗 Official Seton Hall University Links
Use Seton Hall’s own pages below to confirm deadlines, award amounts, and costs. When anything on this page and Seton Hall’s site disagree, Seton Hall’s site wins.
Seton Hall is a school where the sticker price scares people off too early. Almost every freshman gets a University Scholarship, the New Jersey and out-of-state add-ons sweeten it for the students Seton Hall wants most, and local Pell-eligible families in Essex and Passaic County can get close to free tuition. The catch is that nearly all of it pays tuition only, the amount is set the day your student is admitted, and Seton Hall does not meet full need.
So the playbook is simple. File the FAFSA by November 1, get the application in by November 15, send every special scholarship form your student qualifies for by January 15, and then run the real award letter against roughly $19,200 a year in housing and meals plus about 3% yearly tuition increases. If business, sport management, nursing, or diplomacy is the plan, Seton Hall’s New York-area connections are a real reason to do that math carefully rather than walk away from the sticker.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
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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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