Hofstra admits roughly two out of three applicants, and only about 32% of the students admitted for fall 2026 sent test scores. That means the ACT and SAT ranges above describe the students who chose to submit, not the whole class. Early Action is non-binding: apply by Nov 15 (Early Action I) or Dec 15 (Early Action II) and you hear back by Dec 15 or Jan 15.
🏆 Full-tuition Trustee Scholarship available (test scores required)
Average Net Price
$35,792/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
$10,000 to $35,000/yr
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
16 opportunities
5 automatic · 2 competitive · 9 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
Presidential: SAT 1300+ and 3.9+ weighted GPA (typical)
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional (scores needed for the top two awards)
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 15 • FAFSA: Nov 15
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Trustee Scholars Program (about 30 offers per year)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Hofstra (Read This First)
Test-optional for admission is not test-optional for the biggest money. The Presidential ($35,000 a year) and Trustee (full tuition) awards only go to students who send SAT or ACT scores. Students who apply test-optional usually land Provost or Dean’s instead.
Every Hofstra scholarship pays tuition only. None of it touches the roughly $20,850 housing and meal bill, so budget for that separately.
You get one scholarship tier, not a stack. Grants, talent awards and need-based aid can be added, but all Hofstra money combined can’t go above tuition.
The FAFSA date is earlier than you think. Hofstra asks new students to file by November 15 of senior year, the same day as Early Action I.
Stay full time every semester. Scholarships need 12+ credits and a 2.8 Hofstra GPA. Drop to part time during a semester and the scholarship goes away for that term.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Hofstra University is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 29-34; SAT: 1300-1450.
Average net price? About $35,792/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 Hofstra University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Hofstra 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 $1,700 to $4,100 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$82,960
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$62,110
Housing & meals (typical)
$20,850
Total billed cost
$82,960
Average federal net price: $35,792 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, Plus a Tuition Lock Option
Hofstra is private, so a family from Ohio pays the same tuition as a family from Long Island. There’s no out-of-state premium to waive. What Hofstra does offer is a voluntary four-year locked tuition rate for new students: $32,726 per semester instead of the standard $30,468, frozen for four years. You pay about $4,500 more up front in year one. Whether that comes out ahead depends on how fast tuition rises; by our math it only wins if increases run close to 5% a year. Ask Student Financial Services when the election window closes.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Hofstra University
What does a full year at Hofstra really cost?
Hofstra’s own 2026-27 estimate for a first-year living on campus is $86,924. That includes $62,110 in tuition and fees, $20,850 for housing and meals, and about $4,000 for books, transportation, personal costs and loan fees. The part that actually shows up on your bill is tuition, fees, housing and meals: about $82,960.
Can Hofstra scholarships be used for housing?
No. Academic scholarships and Hofstra grants are applied to tuition only. Federal aid, state aid, loans and outside scholarships are what families use to cover the housing and meal side.
Is the average net price of about $35,800 realistic?
It’s a federal average for students who received grant aid, so it’s a fair starting point. Hofstra says 99% of full-time first-years got aid in fall 2025, and the average Hofstra-funded grant or scholarship was $34,017 before any federal or state money. Your number depends heavily on which scholarship tier you land and whether you qualify for need-based aid. Run the Net Price Calculator before you fall in love.
Will our scholarship go up when tuition goes up?
Plan as if it won’t. Your award letter sets a dollar amount, so each tuition increase lands on your share of the bill. That’s the whole reason the locked tuition rate exists.
We live in New York. How does the TAP grant fit in?
TAP (New York’s state tuition grant) is tuition-only, and so are Hofstra’s scholarships. If TAP plus your Hofstra awards would go over tuition, Hofstra trims its own award. For most families that never happens. For a Trustee Scholar, whose tuition is already fully covered, TAP effectively replaces part of the Hofstra money instead of adding to it.
How much does living at home save?
Hofstra budgets $11,020 for room and board for students living with a parent, compared with $20,850 on campus, which puts the total estimate at $77,834. Plenty of Long Island families use the commuter route to make the math work.
Does Hofstra charge extra fees on top of tuition?
Yes, a few. Full-time undergrads pay a University Fee, a Technology Fee and an Activity Fee each semester, about $1,174 a year combined. These are already included in the $62,110 figure.
November 15: Early Action I and Hofstra’s recommended FAFSA date. Best timing for Trustee and Presidential review.
December 15: Early Action II. Still strong timing for merit.
Mid-January to March: Aid packages roll out to admitted students. Merit usually shows up with the admission decision.
February 1: NOAH program deadline (New York students only).
May 1: Enrollment decision date, and the deadline for the Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship.
Late June: Alumni scholarship applications due (legacy and military-family awards).
Parent rule of thumb: treat November 15 as your real deadline. Hofstra’s application, its FAFSA recommendation and its Trustee advice all point to that same day.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Hofstra University
Every admitted first-year is reviewed automatically. There’s no separate scholarship application. Hofstra uses a holistic review and publishes typical ranges rather than hard cutoffs. One big catch: the Presidential tier only goes to students who submit SAT or ACT scores. Hofstra superscores every test you send.
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.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Tuition Assistance Program
📅 Deadline: FAFSA and TAP application; final cutoff June 30 after the aid year ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$5,665/yr
✔ Stackable
NY resident for 12 months; NYS net taxable income $125,000 or less for dependent students; full time at an approved NY college; FAFSA plus a separate TAP application every year
✚
Stacking & Combining
New York's main need grant, $1,000 to $5,665 a year on a sliding income scale, and it travels to private NY colleges. Stacks with Pell and with the college's own aid. Two forms every year: the FAFSA and the TAP application.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Hofstra University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent NY page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Families under $125,000 who finished the separate TAP application after the FAFSA. The TAP form is its own step on the HESC site, and the students who show up with Pell but no TAP are almost always the ones who stopped at the FAFSA confirmation screen.
State AidApp Requiredstate residency
NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence
📅 Deadline: High school nomination; deadline set by the school ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$500–$1,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Nominated by the high school based on Regents exam scores; no application; must enroll the fall right after graduation; public or private NY college
✚
Stacking & Combining
$500 or $1,500 a year for four years, awarded by Regents scores and nominated by the high school. Small but automatic and renewable at a C average. Stacks with TAP, Excelsior, and college aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Hofstra University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent NY page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top Regents scorers whose high school submitted the nomination. There is nothing for a family to do except confirm with the guidance office that the nomination went in, and that is exactly the step nobody takes.
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
Presidential Scholars
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 · 📢 Results: Early Action notifications typically begin mid-December and mid-January; Regular Decision notifications begin around early February ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
$35,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Requires SAT or ACT score submission.
SAT or ACT scores required for this tier. Selection is holistic within the score-submitting pool; Hofstra publishes typical ranges, not hard cutoffs. Renewal requires full-time enrollment (12 or more credits) every semester and a 2.8 cumulative Hofstra GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Academic scholarships are tuition-only. Combined with other Hofstra aid, they cannot exceed tuition. Outside scholarships only reduce a Hofstra award if your total aid goes above tuition plus room and board.
💡
Strategic Detail
Hofstra's top automatic award: $35,000 per year, applied to tuition only. Hofstra offers this tier only to students who submit SAT or ACT scores, so a test-optional applicant will not be considered for it. There is no separate application; every admitted first-year is reviewed. Typical recipients had an SAT (or ACT equivalent) between 1300 and 1600 and a weighted GPA between 3.9 and 4.3. It renews for up to eight consecutive full-time semesters with a 2.8 Hofstra GPA, which is roughly $140,000 over four years. You receive one academic scholarship tier, but need-based grants, talent awards and outside scholarships can still be added.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
About 31% of admitted students are offered the Presidential. Typical recipients submitted scores in the 1300 to 1600 SAT range (or ACT equivalent) and had a weighted GPA of 3.9 to 4.3.
Automatic
Provost Scholars
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 · 📢 Results: Early Action notifications typically begin mid-December and mid-January; Regular Decision notifications begin around early February ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
$29,500–$34,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
Open to test-optional and score-submitting applicants. Holistic review; published ranges are typical, not cutoffs. Renewal requires full-time enrollment every semester and a 2.8 cumulative Hofstra GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Academic scholarships are tuition-only. Combined with other Hofstra aid, they cannot exceed tuition. Outside scholarships only reduce a Hofstra award if your total aid goes above tuition plus room and board.
💡
Strategic Detail
Provost awards run $29,500 to $34,000 per year, tuition only, and roughly 40% of admitted first-years receive one. This is one of the two tiers test-optional applicants can earn: Hofstra says more than 80% of admitted test-optional students are offered Provost or Dean's. No separate application. Typical recipients had a weighted GPA of 3.2 to 4.3 and, if they submitted, an SAT of 1150 to 1590 (or ACT equivalent). Renews for up to eight consecutive full-time semesters with a 2.8 Hofstra GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Hofstra's largest tier, offered to about 40% of admits. A solid B-plus to A-minus student with a strong transcript has a real shot, with or without test scores.
Automatic
Dean's Scholars
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 · 📢 Results: Early Action notifications typically begin mid-December and mid-January; Regular Decision notifications begin around early February ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000–$29,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
Open to test-optional and score-submitting applicants. Holistic review; published ranges are typical, not cutoffs. Renewal requires full-time enrollment every semester and a 2.8 cumulative Hofstra GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Academic scholarships are tuition-only. Combined with other Hofstra aid, they cannot exceed tuition. Outside scholarships only reduce a Hofstra award if your total aid goes above tuition plus room and board.
💡
Strategic Detail
Dean's awards run $10,000 to $29,000 per year, tuition only, and roughly 27% of admitted first-years receive one. Open to test-optional applicants. No separate application. Typical recipients had a weighted GPA of 2.7 to 4.3 and, if they submitted, an SAT of 1030 to 1560 (or ACT equivalent). Renews for up to eight consecutive full-time semesters with a 2.8 Hofstra GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: About 27% of admits. The wide GPA band is intentional: Hofstra is rewarding overall promise and fit, not just top-end numbers.
Automatic
Hofstra University Grant Programs
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 · 📢 Results: Early Action notifications typically begin mid-December and mid-January; Regular Decision notifications begin around early February ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Awarded through holistic review of the admission application alongside merit scholarships.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed to sit alongside other aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition; federal, state and outside aid can cover other costs.
💡
Strategic Detail
A top-up of up to $5,000 per year awarded through the same holistic admission review, often to students who do not land a higher scholarship tier. No separate application. Applied to tuition. Renews with full-time enrollment and a 2.0 Hofstra GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted first-years Hofstra wants on campus whose profile does not reach the higher tiers.
Automaticneed based
Hofstra University Assistance Grant
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 · 📢 Results: Need-based award notifications typically follow admission decisions once FAFSA results are processed ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Need-based; FAFSA required.
FAFSA filing is required. Awards are determined by demonstrated financial need within available funding.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Need-based money that layers on top of merit, within Hofstra's tuition cap on institutional aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
A limited need-based grant of up to $3,000 per year, set by your family's FAFSA results. Hofstra recommends new students file the FAFSA by November 15 of senior year, which is earlier than many families expect. Renews with a 2.0 Hofstra GPA and a new FAFSA each year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students whose FAFSA results show meaningful financial need beyond what Pell, state grants, and Hofstra's merit awards already cover. The award is calibrated to your family's demonstrated need, not your academic profile.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Students receive one academic scholarship tier. Hofstra grants, need-based aid and talent awards can be added, but total Hofstra aid is capped at tuition. Outside scholarships only reduce your Hofstra award if your total aid goes above tuition plus room and board.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Hofstra University)
Can test-optional students still get merit money?
Yes. Hofstra says more than 80% of admitted test-optional students are offered a Provost ($29,500 to $34,000) or Dean’s ($10,000 to $29,000) award. What they can’t get is the Presidential or the Trustee, which require scores.
Should my student send their scores?
Hofstra’s own guidance: send them if they fall in or above the admitted range of 1300 to 1450 SAT or 29 to 34 ACT, or if your student wants a shot at Presidential or Trustee. If scores sit well below that range, applying test-optional is usually the better play.
Does Hofstra superscore?
Yes. Hofstra superscores all SAT and ACT scores you submit.
Can my student get Presidential and Provost together?
No. It’s one tier per student. A Hofstra Grant of up to $5,000 or a need-based Assistance Grant of up to $3,000 can sit on top, but the total from Hofstra can’t go over tuition.
What does it take to keep the scholarship?
Full-time enrollment (12+ credits) every semester and a 2.8 cumulative Hofstra GPA. Hofstra grants only need a 2.0. Awards last up to eight consecutive semesters, and unused semesters can’t be saved for later.
What if my student loses it?
You can appeal to the Provost Committee on Scholarship Review. Appeals for fall renewal are due July 10 and for spring renewal by January 10. They look at academic history and any extenuating circumstances.
Is the Presidential worth applying Early Action for?
Yes. Hofstra recommends Early Action I (Nov 15) or II (Dec 15) for the strongest scholarship review. Regular decision is rolling, and there’s no reason to wait if the application is ready.
Hofstra’s flagship award is the Trustee Scholarship: four years of full tuition for about 30 students a year. It’s unusual because there’s no essay contest or finalist weekend. Hofstra picks Trustee Scholars from the regular admission pool. You just have to apply early and send test scores, because students who apply test-optional aren’t considered.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Hofstra?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Hofstra Parent Translation
Academic Scholarship Tiers
One only
Your student gets Presidential, Provost or Dean’s, never two.
Trustee Scholarship
Replaces
Full tuition takes the place of the academic tier. Federal aid and outside money can still go toward housing.
Talent Awards (Music, Fine Arts)
Yes
Can sit on top of an academic award, as long as total Hofstra aid stays under tuition.
Need-Based Aid (Pell, Assistance Grant, TAP)
Usually
Pell can go toward any cost. TAP is tuition-only, so Hofstra may trim its own award if tuition is already covered.
Outside Scholarships
Yes
Hofstra only adjusts your award if total aid goes over tuition plus room and board. Report them to Student Financial Services.
Athletic Scholarships
Only with approval
NCAA rules mean athletes need the coach’s and Financial Aid’s sign-off before combining athletic aid with other Hofstra money.
The other competitive door is talent. Students heading into music or fine arts can earn audition- or portfolio-based awards on top of their academic scholarship. Hofstra doesn’t publish the amounts, so treat the audition as a real opportunity, not a formality.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Trustee Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition scholarship
✘ Not stackable
⚠ SAT or ACT scores required; not available to international students.
👥 ~About 30 offers per year winners/yrSAT or ACT scores required. Not available to international students. Renewable for four years with continued full-time enrollment and the academic standards in the award letter.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Replaces other Hofstra tuition scholarships. Tuition-only aid such as TAP is adjusted so total tuition aid does not exceed tuition. Federal aid and outside scholarships can be applied to room, board and other costs.
💡
Strategic Detail
Hofstra's top award: four years of full tuition for roughly 30 of the strongest admitted students. You must submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered, and it is not open to international students. There is no separate application. Recent recipients averaged a 1540 SAT (or ACT equivalent), a 4.27 weighted GPA and top 10% class rank. Recipients are invited into the Rabinowitz Honors College and nominated to the President's Advisory Council. Because it already covers tuition, it replaces other Hofstra tuition scholarships, and tuition-only aid such as New York's TAP grant can reduce the Hofstra portion instead of adding to it. Federal aid and outside scholarships can still go toward housing and other costs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: About 30 offers a year. Recent recipients averaged a 1540 SAT or ACT equivalent, a 4.27 weighted GPA, and top 10% class rank, plus real leadership and community involvement.
App Requiredmajortalent
Talent Scholarships (Music & Fine Arts)
📅 Deadline: Schedule as early as possible · 📢 Results: Talent scholarship offers typically follow the audition or portfolio review ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Restricted to incoming music or fine arts majors; audition or portfolio review required.
👥 ~Limited winners/yrRequires audition (music) or portfolio review (fine arts). Contact the Hofstra Department of Music or Department of Fine Arts directly to schedule. Pursuing a music or fine arts major or active program participation is expected.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with an academic scholarship. Total Hofstra institutional aid is still capped at tuition; outside aid can cover other costs.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for first-year admission and note your interest in music or fine arts. Schedule the audition or portfolio review through the department as early in the cycle as you can.
🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Limited awards for incoming students based on a music audition or a fine arts portfolio review. Hofstra does not publish amounts. Auditions and reviews are scheduled through the Department of Music or the Department of Fine Arts.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with audition-level skill in music or portfolio-quality work in fine arts who plan to major or actively participate in those programs at Hofstra. The award honors demonstrated ability -- bring your strongest piece or portfolio.
Data last verified Oct 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
How do we apply for the Trustee Scholarship?
There’s no separate application. Apply to Hofstra by Early Action I (Nov 15) or Early Action II (Dec 15) and submit SAT or ACT scores. Hofstra reviews the strongest admitted students and makes about 30 offers.
What does a Trustee Scholar look like on paper?
Recent recipients averaged a 1540 SAT (or ACT equivalent), a 4.27 weighted GPA and top 10% class rank, along with leadership and community involvement.
Does Trustee cover housing?
No. It’s full tuition for four years. Housing and meals run about $20,850 a year, which families cover with federal aid, outside scholarships or savings.
Can international students get Trustee?
Not at this time. Hofstra lists the Trustee Scholarship as unavailable to international students.
What else comes with being a Trustee Scholar?
An invitation to the Rabinowitz Honors College and a nomination to the President’s Advisory Council.
How do music and fine arts talent awards work?
Your student indicates interest in music or fine arts, then schedules an audition or portfolio review through the department. Dates are posted each year and fill up, so book early.
Hofstra’s big scholarships are automatic, which lulls families into thinking there’s nothing else to do. But a separate set of awards runs through Alumni Affairs, needs its own application, and is due in late June, after most families have stopped paying attention.
Check your family tree: a Hofstra grad parent or grandparent, a veteran, a Girl Scout Gold Award, or a record of LGBTQ+ activism all open doors.
File the FAFSA by November 15. Several of these awards weigh financial need.
In spring, pull the current applications from Hofstra’s alumni scholarships page.
Gather the extras early: recommendation letters, a DD214 for military-family awards, and the FERPA release form.
Email everything as one package before the June deadline and save the confirmation.
Parent translation: these aren’t huge checks, but they renew, and most families never apply.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards aren’t automatic. Most need a separate application, and many are tied to a family connection or a specific activity. Hofstra doesn’t publish amounts for most of them, but several renew every year without reapplying.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
LGBTQ+ Activism Scholarships
📅 Deadline: No fixed deadline published; contact the LGBTQ+ Scholarship Committee for the current cycle Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra does not publish how this combines with merit aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition.
📄
How to Apply
In addition to the admission application, submit the LGBTQ+ Activism Scholarship application with an essay on past, current or future activism (or your view on an LGBTQ+ issue), plus any supporting letters or documentation.
Selection criteria: Focus on depth of activism, leadership impact, and continued engagement with LGBTQ+ causes.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Hofstra's LGBTQ+ Activism Scholarship rewards a record, or strong potential, of activism in support of the LGBTQ+ community. It is open to any applicant, and the committee specifically encourages straight allies. The amount depends on academic ability; high achievers can receive up to full tuition plus summer stipends. Recipients choose a faculty mentor.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong students with documented activism: school clubs, community organizing, pride events, published writing or letters from people who saw the work.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Sternfeld and Alumni Organization Endowed Scholarships (Children of Alumni)
📅 Deadline: Late June (June 26, 2026 for the 2026-27 cycle) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren of Hofstra alumni.
🎓 All UndergradOpen to new and current undergraduates who are direct descendants of Hofstra alumni. Awarded on financial need, academics and/or extracurricular involvement.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra does not publish how this combines with merit aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition.
📄
How to Apply
Email the application, high school transcript, two recommendation letters, a one- to two-page typed statement and a FERPA release to Alumni Affairs. File the FAFSA if applying on need.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
One application covers three alumni-funded awards: the Adelaide H. Sternfeld Alumni Organization Endowed Scholarship, the Hofstra University Alumni Organization Endowed Scholarship, and the Class of 1951 Continuing the Tradition Scholarship (preference to grandchildren of the Class of 1951). Incoming first-years can apply. Amounts depend on funds and the number of recipients, and decisions come in late summer. Recipients do not need to reapply in later years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent who graduated from Hofstra, with need, strong academics or meaningful activities.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Veterans Alumni Chapter and Florence M. Glaser Endowed Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Late June (June 26, 2026 for the 2026-27 cycle) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honorably discharged veterans and their children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren.
🎓 All UndergradOpen to new and current students. Selection is based on economic need or scholastic achievement or potential.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra does not publish how this combines with merit aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition.
📄
How to Apply
Email the application, a transcript, honorable discharge documents, a 200-word minimum essay and a FERPA release to Alumni Affairs. All items must arrive together.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Two alumni-funded awards with one application, for veterans and for students whose parent, grandparent or great-grandparent served and was honorably discharged. New students can apply. Recipients renew automatically while they meet the requirements.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students from military families who can document the veteran's honorable discharge and show need or strong academics.
App Required
Stephen B. Carlin/Walter W. Rudolph Endowed Memorial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Late June (June 26, 2026 for the 2026-27 cycle) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Veterans and direct descendants of honorably discharged U.S. military veterans; must already be admitted.
Admitted high school seniors can apply. Strongest fit: descendants of in-country Vietnam veterans, or veterans (or their descendants) with in-country service in Afghanistan or Iraq since 1991. Descendants of other honorably discharged veterans qualify with outstanding academic, co-curricular and community involvement and/or need.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra does not publish how this combines with merit aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, email the application, an unofficial transcript, the veteran's Form DD214, a one-page personal statement and a FERPA release to Alumni Affairs.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Established in 1986 in memory of two Hofstra alumni killed in Vietnam. Awarded by Financial Aid on the committee's recommendation. You are notified only if selected. Prior recipients are reconsidered automatically.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted seniors from military families with a DD214 in hand and a strong record of school and community involvement.
App Required
Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship
📅 Deadline: May 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Girl Scout Gold Award recipients (earned within three years of applying).
✎ ~23 ACT✎ ~1140 SATFirst-years must rank in the top 10% of their class with at least an 1140 SAT or 23 ACT. Transfers need 24+ credits and a 3.5 GPA. Preference to Long Island recipients.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra does not publish how this combines with merit aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition.
📄
How to Apply
Mail a copy of the Gold Award certificate and a letter from the Girl Scouts confirming the award date to the Director of Undergraduate Admission, Bernon Hall, by May 1.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
For incoming students who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award within three years of applying. The amount varies and renews each year if renewal criteria are met. Funding is limited, so early submissions get priority.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Gold Award recipients in the top 10% of their class with an 1140+ SAT or 23+ ACT, with Long Island Scouts getting preference.
App Required
New Opportunities at Hofstra (NOAH)
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ New York residents only: TAP-eligible, economically disadvantaged, and attending a state-designated high-needs school district.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
The NOAH package is assembled from Hofstra funds plus federal and state grants and loans, based on FAFSA need, and can change year to year.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Hofstra admission application and the FAFSA before February 1, with two recommendation letters, transcripts and a personal essay. Hofstra sends a NOAH financial statement form, and invited candidates interview with the selection committee.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing academic promise, financial need, and commitment to NOAH’s academic and support programs.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
NOAH is Hofstra's opportunity program: a special admission pathway with academic, financial and social support. Aid packages are built from Hofstra, federal and state funds based on FAFSA need, and Hofstra says they typically cover a significant portion of costs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Motivated first-year students from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds who show academic promise, financial need, and a strong commitment to participating in NOAH support programming.
Automatic
Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair Award
📅 Deadline: Notify Hofstra Financial Aid of your intent to enroll (no fixed date published) ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ 11th and 12th grade gold and silver medalists in the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair.
👥 ~Four awards winners/yrMust enroll as a full-time first-year undergraduate.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra says this is in addition to any merit and need-based aid, up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Four $1,000 awards for gold and silver medal winners in the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair. Renewable for three more years if renewal criteria are met.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Long Island students who medaled gold or silver in the Math Fair in 11th or 12th grade.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Booster Alumni Endowed Spirit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Late June (June 26, 2026 for the 2026-27 cycle) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Sophomores, juniors and seniors who have been in a Hofstra spirit group for at least one year.
🏫 2.7+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hofstra does not publish how this combines with merit aid. Total Hofstra institutional aid cannot exceed tuition.
📄
How to Apply
Send one package to Alumni Affairs: application, transcript, two or three recommendation letters, two typed essays and a FERPA release.
Selection criteria: Selection based on level and quality of spirit participation and maintenance of required GPA.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
An alumni-funded scholarship for students in Hofstra's spirit groups: cheerleading, kickline and dance, pep band, twirling corps or mascots. Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors with at least one year in a group and a 2.7 GPA. Amounts are not published. Current recipients renew automatically while they meet the requirements.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Active spirit group members with a 2.7 or better GPA who can show real involvement and school spirit.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ Upperclassmen Onlypipelinemajor specific
Amsterdam Exchange Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Late February (for full-year or semester scholarship in the following academic year) Non-Renewable
Full Tuition
full tuition scholarship for Amsterdam exchange term
✔ Stackable
⚠ Full‑tuition study‑abroad scholarships for selected Hofstra undergrads participating in the University of Amsterdam exchange; limited spots and typically tied to certain majors/programs
🏫 3.4+ GPA👥 ~Six full-tuition scholarships per year; three reserved for Zarb School of Business majors. winners/yr🎓 UpperclassmenRecommended for Hofstra students with junior standing (60 or more credits) and a 3.4 GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Scholarship covers Hofstra tuition for the Amsterdam exchange term; students remain responsible for travel and living expenses and may use other aid for those costs, subject to cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply and be accepted to the University of Amsterdam exchange program through Hofstra’s Study Abroad/Provost’s Office, then complete the Amsterdam Scholarship Exchange application by the late February deadline.
Selection criteria: Selection based on academic performance, strength of application, relevance of Amsterdam study to academic goals, and, for some awards, Zarb major status.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs awards six full-tuition scholarships for a semester or full year; three are reserved for Zarb School of Business students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High-achieving juniors and seniors accepted to the Amsterdam exchange, with at least a 3.4 GPA; three of six awards typically go to Zarb School of Business majors.
Data last verified Oct 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
Can incoming freshmen apply for the alumni scholarships?
Yes for three of them: the Sternfeld and Alumni Organization awards for children of alumni, the Veterans Alumni and Glaser awards, and the Carlin/Rudolph award for military families. The Booster Spirit Scholarship is for sophomores and up.
How much are these worth?
Hofstra mostly doesn’t say. Committees set amounts each year based on available funds and the number of recipients. The exceptions: the LGBTQ+ Activism Scholarship can reach full tuition for high achievers, and the Long Island Math Fair Award is $1,000 a year.
Is there one general scholarship application?
Not for first-years. Hofstra reviews freshmen automatically, and the alumni awards each have their own form. After the first year, current students can fill out an online scholarship application in the student portal.
What is NOAH, and who qualifies?
New Opportunities at Hofstra is a special admission and support program for New York residents who are TAP-eligible, economically disadvantaged and attending a state-designated high-needs school district. The application and FAFSA are due February 1, and finalists interview.
Does my student need to be LGBTQ+ to apply for the LGBTQ+ Activism Scholarship?
No. It’s open to anyone with a record or strong potential of LGBTQ+ activism, and the committee specifically encourages allies to apply.
How do athletic scholarships work?
Through the team coach, not Financial Aid. Remember that athletic aid needs approval before it can be combined with other Hofstra money.
The Stuart and Nancy Rabinowitz Honors College works with every major on campus. Think of it as a small-college community inside a bigger university: small discussion classes, faculty mentors, and trips into New York City for theater and museums. Getting in is simpler than at most schools. Your student checks a box on the Hofstra application. There’s no separate essay, and admission counselors flag strong candidates even if the box gets missed.
Entering class: about 250 students, with 37% from outside New York
Typical profile: average high school GPA 4.18, top 10% of class for 70% of students
Test scores: not required. If submitted, Hofstra recommends 1340+ SAT or 29+ ACT (the class averages 1408 SAT / 31 ACT)
Outcomes: 90% return for sophomore year; 72% graduate in four years
Honors College Scholarships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Straight talk on money: Hofstra doesn’t attach a separate scholarship to the Honors College. The money comes from the regular merit tiers, and the top of that ladder, the Trustee Scholarship, comes with an automatic Honors invitation. So the Honors path and the scholarship path really run through the same door: a strong, early application with test scores if they help.
Missed It the First Time? There’s a Second Door
Current students with a 3.6+ Hofstra GPA get an invitation letter from the dean.
Current students with a 3.4+ can apply any time.
Transfer students with a 3.5+ are invited, and prior honors work may count.
Honors College FAQs (Hofstra University)
Is there a separate Honors application?
No. Your student checks the Honors box on the Hofstra or Common App application, or contacts Admission and asks to be considered. Decisions use the same application: grades, rigor, recommendations, essay and activities.
Does my student need test scores for Honors?
No. Test-optional students are fully considered. Hofstra looks for students who did well in honors, AP or IB classes with an average near or above an A-minus.
Does Honors come with a scholarship?
Not by itself. Honors students earn the same Presidential, Provost or Dean’s awards as everyone else, and Trustee Scholars are automatically invited.
Is Honors only for liberal arts majors?
No. It’s built to fit any major, from business and engineering to communication and nursing. After the shared first-year “Culture and Expression” program, students earn honors credit through seminars and honors options in regular courses.
Can my student join later if they aren’t admitted as a freshman?
Yes. A 3.6 Hofstra GPA brings an invitation, and a 3.4 lets them apply.
Hofstra is a private university in Hempstead on Long Island, close enough to New York City that internships, cultural trips and city jobs are part of normal student life. It also has something most universities its size don’t: a law school and a medical school on the same campus. That shapes what undergrads can do, especially students headed toward health care, business or media.
Nationally Known Program: The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication is Hofstra’s calling card. Its student-run radio station, WRHU, has won five Marconi Awards for College Radio Station of the Year, and students cover major sporting and news events in real time. Families with a future journalist, broadcaster, filmmaker or PR major should put Hofstra on the list.
Health Care Pipelines: The Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies trains students alongside one of New York’s largest health systems. There’s also a direct-entry PA program and a 4+4 BS/BA-to-MD pathway with the Zucker School of Medicine. Both of those require test scores.
Frank G. Zarb School of Business: Hofstra’s biggest professional school, with finance, accounting and marketing students tapping into the New York job market. It also has exchange partners in Amsterdam, France, Germany, South Korea, Spain and the UK.
Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science: Engineering and computer science students have recently earned national recognition in design challenges and cybersecurity competitions.
Government and Policy: The Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs is a natural fit for students eyeing law school, which Hofstra also has on campus.
A Rising Scholar Track: Hofstra celebrated its first Rhodes Scholar in late 2025, and its students regularly earn Gilman and State Department language scholarships.
🔗 Official Hofstra University Links
Use Hofstra’s official pages below to confirm deadlines, scholarship terms, costs and testing rules. When anything on this page and Hofstra’s site disagree, Hofstra’s site wins.
Here’s Hofstra in one breath: an $82,000 sticker price, but almost nobody pays it, because nearly every first-year walks in with a five-figure scholarship they never had to apply for. The real decisions happen before senior fall is over. Send test scores if they’re strong, because that’s the only way into the Presidential and Trustee conversation. Apply Early Action, and file the FAFSA by November 15.
After that, the money moves into quieter corners. Look at alumni and military-family scholarships due in June, Long Island and Girl Scout awards, and NOAH for New York students who qualify. Then make one honest call on whether the locked tuition rate fits your family. If your student is drawn to media, health care or business with New York City in reach, Hofstra can make sense. Just make sure you know which tier you’re likely to land before you count on the number.
Hofstra's best money is decided by November 15.
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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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