Marist College officially became Marist University on January 29, 2025. If you see “Marist College” on an older brochure, ranking, or a sibling’s award letter, it is the same campus on the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York, with the same scholarship programs.
What a typical admit looks like: Marist’s most recent entering class had a middle-50% high school average of about 89 to 96 on a 100-point scale, and the students who sent SAT scores landed between 1210 and 1330. One detail matters a lot here. Marist recalculates your student’s GPA using only core classes (English, math, science, history or social studies, and a foreign language), so the grade in AP Biology counts and the grade in an easy elective does not.
Murray Endowed (full tuition) plus a few leadership and history awards
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Marist (Read This First)
Test-optional really means test-optional, even for money. Marist says every applicant is considered for merit whether or not they send SAT or ACT scores. Only send scores if they help the overall picture.
One merit award, and the number is locked at admission. Students get either the Presidential or the Marist Scholarship, never both, and the amount does not go up later. There are no published GPA or score cutoffs.
File the FAFSA even if you expect only merit. Many of Marist’s endowed scholarships for new students are handed out quietly to students who have a FAFSA on file. There is no separate application for them.
You probably do not need the CSS Profile. Marist only requires it for international students. U.S. families just need the FAFSA (and New York families should file TAP).
Early Decision I is binding, and aid shows up after you commit. ED I award notices go out in late December and the deposit is due February 15. Run Marist’s Net Price Calculator before you sign the ED agreement.
The biggest awards are not on the merit grid. The full-tuition and leadership awards are chosen by Marist from admitted students. A good word from your school counselor to Marist’s admission office can matter.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Marist University is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: 1210-1330.
Average net price? About $41,544/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 Marist University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Marist 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 $1,400 to $3,600 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$71,830
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$51,700
Housing & meals (typical)
$20,130
Total billed cost
$71,830
Average federal net price: $41,544 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Marist is a private university, so there is no in-state or out-of-state price. Every undergraduate pays the same tuition no matter where they live, which means there are no residency waivers or regional exchange discounts to chase. New York residents can still layer state aid such as TAP on top of Marist's own awards.
What Is Actually in Marist’s First-Year Budget?
Marist’s official 2026-27 estimate for a first-year student living on campus is $76,865. About $72,030 of that shows up on the Marist bill: tuition ($50,760), the activity fee ($420), the health services fee ($520), a one-time orientation fee ($200), a first-year residence hall ($12,430), and the required meal plan ($7,700). The other $4,835 is Marist’s estimate for things you pay on your own: books ($2,425), travel ($1,120), personal costs ($1,200), and federal loan fees ($90).
Our table above rolls the activity and health fees into tuition ($51,700) and leaves out the one-time orientation fee.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Marist University
Does Marist charge more for out-of-state students?
No. Marist is private, so a student from Texas pays the same tuition as a student from Poughkeepsie. That also means there are no out-of-state waivers or regional tuition exchanges to look for. The only way the price drops is through scholarships and financial aid.
What do families really pay at Marist after aid?
According to the federal College Scorecard, the average is about $41,544 a year after grants and scholarships. That average hides a big spread by income: families earning under $30,000 paid around $26,000, while families earning over $110,000 paid around $45,600. Marist’s Net Price Calculator will give you a much better estimate for your own family.
Do we need to fill out the CSS Profile for Marist?
Not if your student is a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. Marist uses the FAFSA (school code 002765) for need-based aid and only asks international students for the CSS Profile.
When is the FAFSA due for Marist?
It depends on how your student applies. The priority date is November 15 for Early Decision I and Early Action applicants and February 15 for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants. Filing late can delay your aid package, and some need-based money runs out.
Can New York families use state aid at Marist?
Yes. New York residents should file the TAP application (Marist’s TAP code is 0440) after the FAFSA. Students from lower-income households should also look at Marist’s Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), which has its own supplemental application due with the admission application.
What if my student starts in Florence or Dublin?
Marist’s First-Year Abroad students are billed at the Poughkeepsie campus rate, so scholarships and financial aid travel with them. Florence and Dublin have their own cost pages for the non-billed extras like airfare.
Are there costs that are easy to miss?
A few. Credits above 16 in a semester cost $940 each. Students without their own health coverage pay an estimated $3,200 for Marist’s plan. Students in the Learning Support Program pay a $3,085 fee each semester, although Marist has several endowed scholarships set aside to help with that fee.
November 15: Early Decision I and Early Action application deadline, and the FAFSA priority date for those applicants. Merit is reviewed with the admission file, so this is your real scholarship deadline.
Late December to January: Award notices arrive for ED I (late December) and Early Action (January) students who filed the FAFSA.
February 15: Early Decision II and Regular Decision deadline, plus the FAFSA priority date for those applicants. Also the ED I deposit deadline.
Mid to late April: Music auditions close and theatre scholarship applications get best consideration.
May 1: Deposit deadline for Early Action and Regular Decision.
Parent rule of thumb: Marist’s catalog says merit is awarded partly based on the money available, so applying by November 15 puts your student in line before the pool shrinks.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Marist University
Every admitted first-year student is reviewed for merit automatically. There is no separate application, and test scores are optional for merit too. One thing to understand up front: “automatic” at Marist means automatic consideration, not a guaranteed amount. A committee decides who gets the Presidential, who gets the Marist Scholarship, and how much, and Marist does not publish cutoffs.
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 Marist 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 Marist 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 Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews (2.85 GPA, 4 yrs)
$22,000–$30,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Open to admitted first-year students entering directly from high school. Financial need plays no role, and test scores are optional for merit consideration. Marist awards only one merit scholarship per student, so a student receives either the Presidential or the Marist Scholarship, never both.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This replaces the Marist Scholarship rather than adding to it, because Marist allows one merit award per student. Smaller Marist awards such as the Alumni Children Scholarship and the Marist Brothers Scholarship are described in Marist's catalog as coming on top of merit, and outside scholarships and need-based aid can also sit alongside it.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Presidential Scholarship is Marist's top academic merit award for students entering in fall 2026, worth $22,000 to $30,000 per year. There is no separate application: every admitted first-year student is reviewed automatically. Marist does not publish GPA or test-score cutoffs and states that no set of numbers guarantees an award or an amount, so think of it as committee-reviewed rather than guaranteed. The amount is set at admission and renews at that same amount for four years. New students get their first term as a grace period, and a lost award can be reinstated once the cumulative GPA climbs back to 2.85.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
The most academically competitive admits: students with top grades in a demanding core curriculum (English, math, science, history or social studies, and a foreign language) carried through senior year. For context, the middle 50% of recently admitted students averaged roughly 89 to 96 on a 100-point scale, so Presidential money generally lands at the upper end of that range.
Automatic
Marist Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nov 15 ✓ Renews (2.85 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000–$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Open to admitted first-year students entering directly from high school. Financial need plays no role, and test scores are optional for merit consideration. One Marist merit scholarship per student: this or the Presidential, never both.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This replaces the Presidential rather than adding to it, because Marist allows one merit award per student. Marist's catalog describes the Alumni Children and Marist Brothers awards as coming on top of merit, and outside scholarships and need-based aid can also sit alongside it.
💡
Strategic Detail
For students entering in fall 2026, the Marist Scholarship is worth $10,000 to $20,000 per year and arrives automatically with admission for students the committee selects. Marist keeps the criteria holistic: it recalculates GPA using only core academic subjects and looks at the rigor of the full high school record, including senior year. The amount is set at admission and renews at that same amount for four years with a 2.85 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with strong, consistent grades in English, math, science, history or social studies, and a foreign language. Because Marist recalculates GPA on core classes only, a solid core record matters more than a stack of easy electives.
Data last verified Oct 23, 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 Marist merit scholarship, and it renews at the same amount for four years. It will not grow if your student’s grades go up in college, so the number in the admission letter is the number to plan around.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Marist University)
How much are Marist’s merit scholarships?
For students starting in fall 2026, the Presidential Scholarship runs $22,000 to $30,000 a year and the Marist Scholarship runs $10,000 to $20,000 a year. Both renew for four years.
What GPA does my student need for the Presidential Scholarship?
Marist does not publish one, and it says no GPA, class rank, or test score guarantees an award. What it does share: the committee recalculates GPA using only core subjects and looks hard at the rigor of the schedule, including senior year. Recent admits averaged roughly 89 to 96 on a 100-point scale, and Presidential money tends to go to the top of that range.
Can my student get merit money without sending SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. Marist states that all applicants are eligible for merit consideration whether or not they submit scores. That is different from many schools where “test-optional” stops at the scholarship door.
Can a student get both the Presidential and the Marist Scholarship?
No. Marist awards no more than one merit scholarship per student. Smaller awards like the Alumni Children Scholarship and the Marist Brothers Scholarship can be added on top.
What does it take to keep the scholarship?
Full-time enrollment and a 2.85 cumulative GPA, checked after the first year. The first semester works as a grace period. If a student slips below 2.85, the award can be reinstated once the GPA climbs back up, but the student has to ask for it.
Does financial need affect merit?
No. Merit at Marist is based on academics only. Need-based grants and endowed scholarships are a separate track, which is why you should still file the FAFSA.
Marist’s biggest awards work differently from most schools. There is no big scholarship weekend or essay contest for incoming students. Instead, Marist picks recipients from students it has already admitted, mostly for leadership and history, and some of these awards can reach full tuition or more. The best thing a family can do is apply early, make leadership obvious in the application, file the FAFSA, and ask the school counselor to put in a word with Marist’s Office of Admission.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Marist?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Marist Parent Translation
Presidential vs. Marist Scholarship
No
One merit award per student, period.
Alumni Children / Marist Brothers
Yes
Marist’s catalog says these come on top of merit. That can mean an extra $5,000 a year.
Endowed scholarships
Usually
These are the gap fillers. First-year awards go to FAFSA filers automatically.
Music / Theatre talent awards
Yes
Small ($2,000 to $2,500) but they renew, as long as your student keeps performing.
Big leadership awards (Murray, O’Keefe)
Usually replaces
Marist does not publish how these combine with merit. Expect the bigger package to take the place of the smaller one, and confirm in the award letter.
Need-based grants and NY TAP
Yes
Calculated from the FAFSA after merit. File on time.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Dennis & Marilyn Murray Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Selected from admitted first-year students ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Full tuition
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Very few awards; chosen by Marist, no application.
For incoming first-year students Marist identifies as emerging leaders. Marist does not publish separate criteria or an application.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for Marist's longtime president and his wife, this endowed award covers full tuition and renews for all four undergraduate years. Recipients are chosen from admitted students, and Marist has historically asked school counselors to nominate strong candidates through the Office of Admission.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with standout leadership records, such as student body officers, team captains, editors, and Eagle Scout or Gold Award recipients, alongside strong academics.
⚠ Requires financial need; chosen by Marist, no application.
For incoming first-year students with strong academics and leadership who could not otherwise afford Marist. A FAFSA is required.
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist's Admission Committee selects recipients from admitted students; there is no application. The current catalog describes it as financial support without naming a dollar amount, while Marist's 2023 scholarship brochure described it as covering tuition, room, and board. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Past recipients include valedictorians, salutatorians, National Merit finalists, student body presidents, newspaper editors, Eagle Scouts, Gold Award recipients, and team captains who also have significant financial need.
App Required
Long Reach Scholarship (Gilder Lehrman Institute)
📅 Deadline: Apply as an incoming first-year student; contact Admission for timing ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
For incoming first-year students with a strong interest and record in history. Marist originally built the program around students from the Gilder Lehrman Institute's national network of affiliated schools.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission and contact Marist's Office of Admission about the Long Reach Scholarship application. Ask your history teacher or counselor whether your school is a Gilder Lehrman affiliate.
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist offers four levels of this scholarship. Its current page does not list dollar amounts; the 2023 scholarship brochure listed awards from $10,000 up to full tuition, room, and board. Scholars also get access to the Gilder Lehrman Collection in New York City, trips to the FDR Presidential Library, and dedicated advising.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who can show real depth in history beyond the classroom, such as research projects, history competitions, or archive and museum work.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Jonah and Joan Sherman Scholarship for Volunteer Outreach
📅 Deadline: Spring (application cycle varies) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradOpen to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in good academic standing; first-year students cannot apply. Financial need is not a criterion, though applicants may explain how the award would help them. Recipients are asked to speak at a campus forum on volunteer outreach.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A supplemental award that sits alongside a student's merit scholarship. It can be renewed at least once, but past winners must reapply and compete again.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Marist scholarship application, write an essay answering Marist's five volunteer-work questions, and have two recommenders (one volunteer mentor or organization leader, one Marist faculty member) send forms to the Office of Student Financial Services.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The Sherman Scholarship recognizes students already doing meaningful volunteer work, on campus or anywhere in the world. Marist does not publish a dollar amount. Applicants complete the Marist scholarship application with an essay about their volunteer work and submit two recommendation letters.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Upperclassmen who can document sustained, self-directed volunteer leadership and explain clearly what they do, why they do it, and what they have learned. One-off service days rarely stand out.
Data last verified Oct 23, 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
Does Marist offer any full-tuition scholarships?
Yes, but very few. The Dennis & Marilyn Murray Endowed Scholarship covers full tuition for four years. Marist chooses recipients from admitted students who stand out as leaders, and there is no application to fill out.
What is the O’Keefe Scholarship and who gets it?
The Peter P. O’Keefe, PhD Endowed Scholarship goes to incoming students with strong grades and leadership who could not otherwise afford Marist. It requires a FAFSA. Marist’s 2023 brochure described it as covering tuition, room, and board, while the current catalog lists no dollar amount. Past recipients include valedictorians, student body presidents, Eagle Scouts, and team captains.
My student loves history. Is there money for that?
Yes. The Long Reach Scholarship, built with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, has four levels for incoming students with a real record in history. Marist’s 2023 brochure listed awards from $10,000 up to full tuition, room, and board. Contact Marist’s admission office about the application, and ask your history teacher whether your school is a Gilder Lehrman affiliate.
Can current Marist students win a competitive scholarship later?
Yes. The Jonah and Joan Sherman Scholarship for Volunteer Outreach is open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with serious volunteer work. It takes an essay and two recommendation letters, one of them from a Marist professor.
How can a counselor help?
Marist has historically invited school counselors to nominate students for its leadership and history scholarships through the Office of Admission at (845) 575-3226 or admission@marist.edu. A counselor who knows your student well is worth a conversation in early fall.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The FAFSA Is Marist’s “Secret Application”
Marist has roughly 200 endowed scholarships, and for incoming first-year students nobody applies for them. Marist’s admission and financial aid committee hands them out directly, and many are need-based. If there is no FAFSA on file, your student simply is not in the running.
File the FAFSA by November 15 (ED I or EA) or February 15 (ED II or RD), using school code 002765.
New York families: file TAP right after, using code 0440.
Once enrolled, your student should log into ScholarshipUniverse with their Marist email every spring and apply for next year’s awards.
Save every confirmation screen.
Parent translation: merit gets announced with the admission letter, but the endowed money shows up in the aid package, and only for families who filed.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the smaller awards that quietly change the math. Several are automatic if your student fits, several need an audition or a short application, and most of them sit on top of merit.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Alumni Children Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With admission / enrollment ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Comes on top of the student's academic merit award, so a Presidential or Marist Scholarship recipient with a Marist alum parent receives both.
💡
Strategic Detail
Every child of a Marist graduate who enrolls full time receives $5,000 per year for up to four years. It is automatic once Marist confirms the alumni connection.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time undergraduates who are confirmed children of Marist alumni.
Automatic
Marist Brothers Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With admission / enrollment ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Marist's catalog says this $5,000 award comes in addition to any merit scholarship (merit awards run up to $30,000), so it adds to the student's merit award rather than replacing it.
💡
Strategic Detail
Applied to tuition each year for four years as long as the student stays full time (12 or more credits per semester) and in good academic standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students graduating from Marist Brothers high schools in the U.S. or abroad who enroll full-time and remain in good academic standing.
App Required
Fusco Music Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Auditions accepted through mid-April ✓ Renews (2.85 GPA)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
For incoming first-year and transfer students with demonstrated financial need who commit to Marist's music minor. You do not have to major in music.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A talent-plus-need award that sits on top of academic merit. Renewal requires full-time enrollment, a declared music minor, a 2.85 cumulative GPA, and participation in the ensembles the music directors assign.
📄
How to Apply
Email the Director of Bands (instrumental) or Director of Choral Activities (vocal) to schedule an in-person audition, or submit online. Bring a resume, a recommendation letter from a current director or private teacher, and the audition application form.
Selection criteria: Audition-based evaluation of musical ability and fit with ensemble needs.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Frank A. Fusco and Nelly Goletti Fusco Music Scholarship pays $2,500 per year. Auditions can be in person or by online submission. A scholarship offer is not an offer of admission, so students still need to be admitted to Marist separately.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Instrumentalists and singers with solid audition repertoire who have financial need and want to keep performing in college without majoring in music.
App Required
Theatre Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling after admission; apply by late April for best consideration ✓ Renews (2.85 GPA)
$2,000–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
For admitted incoming first-year students who will declare a Theatre minor or an English major with a Theatre concentration.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Sits on top of academic merit. Renewal requires full-time enrollment, a 2.85 cumulative GPA, and staying in the Theatre minor or English Theatre concentration.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, email the short application, a theatre resume, and a 300-word essay to the theatre program. Portfolio links or work samples are optional.
Selection criteria: Audition/portfolio-based evaluation of theatre talent and contribution to productions.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist's theatre department page lists $2,500 renewable awards, while the 2025-26 undergraduate catalog lists $2,000, so expect an amount in that range. Several renewable awards are given each year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with real stage or production experience who can explain in a short essay how theatre fits their plans at Marist.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Marist Endowed Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies (often spring cycle) ✓ Renews
$500–$10,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Endowed awards generally sit on top of academic merit. Each fund has its own donor criteria, such as major, hometown, or high school.
📄
How to Apply
New students: file the FAFSA (school code 002765) and you are considered automatically. Returning students: log into ScholarshipUniverse with a Marist email each spring and apply to the awards you match.
Selection criteria: Varies by donor; often considers financial need, academic performance, major, and personal background.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist has roughly 200 donor-funded endowed scholarships; its 2023 scholarship brochure put individual awards at $500 to $10,000. Incoming first-year students do not apply: endowed awards for new students are direct awards chosen by Marist's admission and financial aid committee, and many are need-based, so a FAFSA must be on file. Returning students apply each spring through Marist's ScholarshipUniverse portal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
First-year students who filed the FAFSA and happen to match a donor's criteria, and returning students who complete their ScholarshipUniverse profile carefully every spring.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
NCAA Athletic Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Recruiting cycle ✓ Renews
Varies
✘ Not stackable
👥 ~Determined by NCAA scholarship limits and team budgets in each sport. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Aid levels differ by sport and roster needs; may interact with other institutional aid per NCAA and institutional policy.
📄
How to Apply
Contact the head coach of the sport and work through the recruiting process; offers come from coaches within NCAA rules.
Selection criteria: Coach evaluation of athletic ability, team fit, and recruiting priorities.
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist funds NCAA scholarships in 21 of its 23 Division I sports and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Under NCAA Division I rules these are one-year awards renewed year to year. Amounts vary by sport and roster need and are set by each head coach, and athletic aid is coordinated with other institutional aid under NCAA rules.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Recruited Division I student-athletes whose abilities match roster and scholarship needs in their sport.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Dollars for Scholars Match
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
$500
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited annual institutional matching pool; awards processed first-come, first-served until funds are exhausted. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Marist matches up to $500 per recipient, subject to an annual institutional cap and first-come, first-served processing.
📄
How to Apply
Secure an eligible Dollars for Scholars award and submit official documentation to Student Financial Services for matching consideration.
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist has committed a maximum pool (e.g., $10,000) for matching scholarships each year; once exhausted, no further matches are made.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who earn local Dollars for Scholars awards and submit documentation before matching funds are exhausted.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
PTK (Phi Theta Kappa) Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With transfer admission ✓ Renews (2.85 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🎓 Transfer
💡
Strategic Detail
Marist awards $5,000 per year to transfer students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa at their community college. Renewal requires full-time enrollment (12 or more credits) and a 2.85 cumulative GPA, checked each semester. Marist also awards a separate merit-based Transfer Scholarship through its admissions committee but does not publish how the two combine, so ask Student Financial Services.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-achieving community college transfer students who are active PTK members.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Otto Sussman Trust Scholarship
📅 Deadline: As needed Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Intended as last-resort funding for students facing unforeseen financial hardship in their final year; supplements other aid after all forms are exhausted.
📄
How to Apply
Contact the Office of Student Financial Services; application is completed in coordination with a financial aid administrator and submitted to the Trust.
Selection criteria: Evaluates severity of financial hardship, academic record, and proximity to graduation.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Preference given to seniors and graduate students in their final year of study; applications must be submitted by the university financial aid officer, not directly by students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Final-year undergraduates from NY, NJ, PA, or OK with at least a 3.0 GPA who face documented, unusual financial hardship that threatens their ability to graduate.
App Requiredmilitary service
Army ROTC Room & Board Benefit
📅 Deadline: Army ROTC scholarship deadlines (separate from Marist admission) ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires an Army ROTC service commitment.
For newly enrolled Marist students in Army ROTC, which Marist runs as a partner program with Fordham University.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of the Army ROTC scholarship. With full tuition from the Army and room and board from Marist, the direct bill can come close to zero.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for the Army ROTC national scholarship (a separate process from Marist admission), then apply to Marist and enroll in its Army ROTC program.
💡
Strategic Detail
Per Marist's 2025-26 undergraduate catalog, new students who win a full-tuition Army ROTC scholarship also receive a full room and board scholarship from Marist, and active Army ROTC cadets without an Army scholarship receive $2,000 from Marist. The current ROTC web page describes the Army scholarships but does not repeat Marist's add-on, so confirm with the ROTC office.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who want to serve as Army officers after college and win the four-year Army ROTC scholarship during senior year of high school.
Data last verified Oct 23, 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.
Three more worth knowing about
Army ROTC: Per Marist’s 2025-26 catalog, new students who win a full-tuition Army ROTC scholarship also get full room and board from Marist, and other active Army ROTC cadets get $2,000 from Marist. Confirm with Marist’s ROTC office, since the program website does not repeat it.
Learning Support Program help: Several endowed scholarships exist just to help with the $3,085-per-semester Learning Support Program fee for students who need it.
HEOP for New York students: The Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program supports New York residents who meet state income and academic guidelines. It needs a supplemental application with the admission application by November 15 or February 15.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
I went to Marist. Does my kid get anything for that?
Yes. Every child of a Marist alum who enrolls full time gets $5,000 a year for up to four years, on top of academic merit.
What is the Marist Brothers Scholarship?
Graduates of a Marist Brothers high school, in the U.S. or abroad, get $5,000 a year for four years. It adds to the student’s merit award as long as they stay full time and in good standing.
Does my student need to be a music major for the music scholarship?
No. The Fusco Music Scholarship pays $2,500 a year to students with financial need who join Marist’s music minor and play or sing in assigned ensembles. Auditions, in person or online, are accepted through mid-April.
How does the theatre scholarship work?
After admission, students email a short application, a theatre resume, and a 300-word essay. Awards run $2,000 to $2,500 a year (Marist’s own pages list both figures) and require a Theatre minor or an English major with a Theatre concentration.
We got a local Dollars for Scholars award. Will Marist match it?
Possibly. Marist matches up to $500 per student, first come, first served, until its $10,000 pool runs out. Send the paperwork to Student Financial Services as early as you can.
What if money gets tight senior year?
Ask Student Financial Services about emergency funds. Seniors from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Oklahoma with a 3.0 GPA can be put up for the Otto Sussman Trust award, and Marist has several endowed funds meant for upperclassmen facing unexpected hardship.
Marist has an Honors Program (not a separate Honors College) that pulls in strong students from every major. Here is the part most families miss: incoming students do not apply for it. Marist’s admission office sends Honors invitations to admitted students it thinks are a good fit. Students who are not invited can still get in later.
How first-year students get in: By invitation from the Office of Admission after acceptance
Second chance: Current students can apply in the spring of first year or the fall of sophomore year with a 3.5 GPA, a short letter of intent, a resume, and a meeting with the Honors director
What it involves: 18 credits of Honors seminars, a faculty-mentored thesis, and a senior exhibit
Perks: Priority registration, smaller seminar classes, and the option of Honors housing all four years
Honors Program Scholarships
Automatic
Lavelle Family Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Direct award to an incoming Honors Program student; FAFSA required ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors Program students with significant need.
For an incoming first-year student selected for the Marist Honors Program who also has significant financial need.
✚
Stacking & Combining
An endowed award that sits on top of the student's academic merit scholarship.
💡
Strategic Detail
Established by Marist trustee Patrick M. Lavelle, this is the one endowed scholarship Marist ties directly to Honors Program selection. Marist does not publish the amount. It renews as long as the student stays in good academic standing and meets the criteria.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors invitees with strong academics and significant financial need.
Data last verified Oct 23, 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.
Being in Honors does not come with its own automatic scholarship at Marist. The money comes from the same merit, endowed, and leadership awards described above.
Why Honors still matters for money
Lavelle Family Endowed Scholarship: The one endowed award Marist ties directly to Honors selection, for an incoming Honors student with significant financial need. FAFSA required.
Scholarship workshops: Honors housing hosts regular workshops on national scholarships and fellowships, which is useful for the Truman, Fulbright, and graduate-school funding later on.
Honors Program FAQs (Marist University)
How does my student get into Marist’s Honors Program?
Most first-year students join by invitation. After admission, Marist’s admission office invites students it sees as a strong fit. Students who are not invited can apply in the second semester of first year or the first semester of sophomore year with at least a 3.5 GPA.
Is there a separate Honors application for high school seniors?
No. The best preparation is a strong regular application: a demanding core schedule, good grades through senior year, and activities that show curiosity beyond your student’s intended major.
Does Honors mean more scholarship money?
Not by itself. Honors students get the same merit awards as everyone else. The Lavelle Family Endowed Scholarship is the one award tied to Honors selection, and it also requires financial need.
Will Honors make the workload too heavy?
The program adds up to 18 credits, and many Honors seminars count toward Marist’s core requirements, so it usually replaces classes your student would take anyway rather than piling on extra ones.
Can transfer students join?
Yes. Transfer students who were in an honors program at their old school can apply with a letter, a faculty recommendation, and a transcript showing their honors courses.
Marist sits on a stretch of the Hudson River about halfway between New York City and Albany, and it has built its reputation on a mix of liberal arts and career-focused programs. The places where Marist really stands out are business, communication, fashion, and computing. It also offers something few schools its size can match: a full branch campus in Florence, Italy.
What Marist Is Known For: Study abroad is part of the Marist identity. Marist calls itself the national leader for academic-year study abroad programs, based on the Open Doors report. Students can even start college overseas through the First-Year Abroad programs in Florence or Dublin, which are billed at the home-campus rate so their aid comes with them.
Business: Business administration is Marist’s most common bachelor’s degree, with accounting, finance, and management feeding internships in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
Communication and Media: One of Marist’s largest areas, including sports communication, journalism, and public relations. Marist is also home to the Marist Poll, a well-known public opinion poll that gives students hands-on research experience.
Fashion: Fashion design and fashion merchandising draw a large share of students, and there are endowed scholarships just for fashion majors.
Computer Science and Data: Marist has a long-running research partnership with IBM, which gives computing students access to enterprise-level technology most undergraduates never see.
Popular Pathways: Psychology and Crime and Justice are also big draws, and Marist’s science programs feed graduate programs in physician assistant studies and physical therapy on the same campus.
🔗 Official Marist University Links
Use Marist’s own pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules, and costs. Marist updates these each year, so treat them as the final word on anything that affects your family’s decision.
Big picture? Marist University is a school where the sticker price looks scary and the real price depends on how well you play the timing. The merit awards are generous, test-optional, and locked in for four years, but your student only gets one, and the committee decides the amount. The quiet money, meaning about 200 endowed scholarships, goes straight to students who filed the FAFSA. The biggest awards for leaders and history lovers are picked by Marist instead of applied for.
So the game plan is simple: apply by November 15, send test scores only if they help, file the FAFSA even if you think you will not qualify, and run the Net Price Calculator before anyone signs an Early Decision agreement. If your student wants business, communication, fashion, or a semester in Florence, Marist can be a great fit at a price that makes sense.
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.
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