Saint Francis is a small Catholic university in Loretto, Pennsylvania, and the oldest Franciscan college in the country. Two things set it apart for scholarship planning. First, it is test-blind for most majors, so merit money comes straight off a GPA grid with no test scores involved. Second, every admitted freshman lands somewhere on that grid, starting at $18,000 a year. For Pennsylvania families with modest incomes, the Zero-Tuition Advantage can take tuition all the way to zero.
🏆 Zero-Tuition Advantage: $0 tuition for qualifying PA families (income $65K or less)
Average Net Price
$27,421/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
$18,000–$28,500/yr
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
23 opportunities
8 automatic · 4 competitive · 11 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
GPA only: 2.9 to 4.25+
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-blind (most majors)
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Mar 1 • FAFSA: Mar 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Zero-Tuition Advantage (PA, need-based)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Saint Francis University (Read This First)
Athletic scholarships are gone for new recruits. SFU moved from NCAA Division I to Division III starting in 2026–27. Division III schools don’t give athletic money, so an athlete’s package is merit plus need-based aid, same as everyone else.
Living off campus can wipe out your SFU aid. To keep institutional aid, including merit, students must live in SFU housing or commute from a parent’s home within 50 miles. Move into a private apartment and you forfeit it.
Your GPA is the whole ballgame. Merit tiers are set by GPA alone. Ask your admissions counselor exactly how SFU calculates GPA from your transcript so you know where you land.
Zero-Tuition has its own deadline. The FAFSA has to reach SFU by May 1, and any PHEAA follow-up or FAFSA verification must be done by then too. Late filers are only considered if money remains.
Want the 3+2 Physician Assistant track? Apply in the fall. Direct entry is capped at 55 students. The Fall 2026 cohort deadline was November 17, 2025, months before regular admission, so check the date for your year early.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Saint Francis University is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: N/A.
Average net price? About $27,421/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 Saint Francis University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Saint Francis 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 $1,200 to $3,100 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$61,250
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$47,200
Housing & meals (typical)
$14,050
Total billed cost
$61,250
Average federal net price: $27,421 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.
Heads Up: SFU Publishes Two Different Numbers
The table above uses SFU’s tuition page and Zero-Tuition page, which both list 2026–27 tuition at $46,000 plus a $1,200 university fee, and housing plus a Premium meal plan at $14,050. SFU’s financial aid office budget shows a higher figure: $47,600 tuition, $62,950 in direct costs, and $67,700 once books and personal expenses are added. For family budgeting, plan around the aid office’s higher number. It is the one your aid package will be built against.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Saint Francis University
Is tuition different for out-of-state students?
No. Saint Francis is private, so everyone pays the same flat rate. Out-of-state students get the same GPA-based merit grid. The one difference is the Zero-Tuition Advantage, which is only for Pennsylvania residents.
What does the average family actually pay?
The federal average net price is about $27,421 a year after grants and scholarships. Because every admitted freshman gets at least $18,000 in merit, very few families pay anything close to sticker price.
Does Zero-Tuition mean college is free?
Not quite. It covers tuition and the university fee only. Housing and meals (about $14,050 on campus), course fees, books and personal costs are still yours. Commuting from home within 50 miles is the biggest way to shrink that remaining bill.
Can my student live off campus to save money?
Be careful here. Students who live anywhere other than SFU housing or a parent’s home within 50 miles lose all SFU institutional aid, including merit. For most families that costs far more than rent would save.
What’s included in the university fee?
The $600-per-semester fee covers technology, health services, software access and printing. Some majors also carry lab or course fees, and nursing courses run $105 to $465 each.
Are there extra costs for PA, PT and OT students?
Yes. Summer and winter credits for Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy students are billed at $1,438 per credit (summer 2026), compared with $485 for other undergraduates. Health science students in years four through six also pay program fees for testing, software and clinical sites. Build those years into your plan, because the undergraduate merit grid is set up around four years.
Is student health insurance automatic?
The $3,555 student health plan is billed unless you waive it with proof of qualifying coverage. Out-of-state HMO or Medicaid plans often don’t qualify, so check before the deadline.
October 1: FAFSA opens. Use SFU’s school code, 003366.
March 1: Have a complete application on file for full merit consideration. This is also SFU’s priority FAFSA date.
May 1: FAFSA must reach SFU for the Zero-Tuition Advantage, and it is the PA State Grant filing deadline.
Parent rule of thumb: treat March 1 as your real deadline, even though SFU admits students on a rolling basis well into the summer.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: Saint Francis University
Every admitted freshman is placed on SFU’s merit grid automatically. There is no separate form. Awards are based on GPA only, because SFU doesn’t use test scores for most majors. Have your application complete before March 1 for the fullest 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.
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
Pennsylvania State Grant
📅 Deadline: FAFSA and State Grant Form by May 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Pennsylvania resident with financial need; FAFSA plus the PA State Grant Form by May 1 for four-year schools; no GPA or test score; amount from PHEAA's need formula, 2026-27 maximum $6,000
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pennsylvania's main need grant, up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 for the lowest-income families, less as income rises. Stacks with Pell and with every college award. Part-time enrollment cuts the award. Renew with a FAFSA by May 1 every year.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Saint Francis University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent PA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Need-based students who got both the FAFSA and the separate State Grant Form in by May 1. The second form is the miss: it is a PHEAA document, not a FAFSA step, and first-time applicants who skip it get nothing even with a perfect FAFSA.
State AidApp Requiredstate residencyservice
Grow PA Scholarship Grant
📅 Deadline: PHEAA application; 2026-27 window ran to Jan 7, 2027; next window not announced ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Pennsylvania resident, at least half time in one of 460-plus eligible in-demand programs, no bachelor's degree yet; no income test; separate PHEAA application; signs a promissory note
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $5,000 a year for up to four years in an in-demand major, with a string attached: finish the degree and work in Pennsylvania in an in-demand field for as many years as you received the grant, or it converts to a loan. Stacks with the State Grant and college aid. First-come by application date.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Saint Francis University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent PA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in nursing, education, engineering, trades, and the other listed fields who are sure they will stay in Pennsylvania after graduation. For anyone who might move, this is a loan with a nice name; the conversion is automatic and comes with interest.
State AidApp Requiredstate residencyneed based
Ready to Succeed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate application; FAFSA and State Grant Form early ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 3 yrs)
$500–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPAPennsylvania resident; 2.5 cumulative GPA and 24 completed credits, so it starts sophomore year; family income under the state cap (PHEAA lists $200,000; some college pages still show $175,000); nominated by participating colleges from the FAFSA and State Grant Form, in order of completion date
✚
Stacking & Combining
A merit-plus-need award that kicks in after freshman year: with the PA State Grant it tops out at $2,500 a year full time, $1,250 part time, minimum $500. For middle-income families above the State Grant range this is often the only state money. Stacks with college aid. First-come by FAFSA date.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Saint Francis University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent PA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Sophomores and up with a 2.5 whose families earn too much for the State Grant but under the cap, and who filed early. It is nominated by the college, not applied for, so the families who never hear about it are the ones who assumed state aid was only for low income.
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
Founders' Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$28,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.3+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
SFU's top merit tier: $28,500 a year, or $114,000 over four years, for entering freshmen with a 4.25 GPA or higher. Awarded from your admission application alone.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Freshmen whose GPA reaches 4.25. Because SFU is test-blind for most majors, your transcript is the whole story here.
Automatic
Trustees' Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$27,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$27,000 a year, or $108,000 over four years, for entering freshmen with a 4.00 GPA or higher. Awarded from your admission application alone.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Freshmen with a 4.00 GPA up to just under 4.25.
Automatic
Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$25,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$25,000 a year, or $100,000 over four years, for entering freshmen with a 3.75 GPA or higher. Awarded from your admission application alone.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Freshmen with a 3.75 GPA up to just under 4.00. Strong, steady students land here.
Automatic
Bell Tower Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$22,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$22,500 a year, or $90,000 over four years, for entering freshmen with a 3.45 GPA or higher. Awarded from your admission application alone.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Freshmen with a 3.45 GPA up to just under 3.75.
Automatic
Assisi Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$21,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.2+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$21,000 a year, or $84,000 over four years, for entering freshmen with a 3.2 GPA or higher. Awarded from your admission application alone.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Freshmen with a 3.2 GPA up to just under 3.45. Real money for solid B-plus students.
Automatic
Dorothy Day Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$19,250/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.9+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$19,250 a year, or $77,000 over four years, for entering freshmen with a 2.9 GPA or higher. Awarded from your admission application alone.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Freshmen with a 2.9 GPA up to just under 3.2.
Automatic
Captain McGuire Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$18,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is your base SFU merit award. SFU's own sample aid packages show faith and affiliation scholarships (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith and similar) stacking on top of it, along with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. The one exception is SEED, which replaces this award instead of adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$18,000 a year, or $72,000 over four years. This is the first rung of SFU's merit grid. SFU does not publish a GPA minimum for it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted freshmen below the Dorothy Day cutoff. Think of it as the floor of SFU's merit grid.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Scholarships
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA)
$15,000–$25,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with Pell, the PA State Grant and outside scholarships. Pennsylvania transfers who qualify for the Zero-Tuition Advantage can have it layered on top.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merit of $15,000 to $25,000 a year for transfer students seeking their first bachelor's degree, based on prior college GPA. Renews each year with good standing and a 3.0 GPA at SFU.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Full-time, on-campus transfer students working toward a first bachelor's degree. The higher your college GPA, the closer you land to $25,000.
Data last verified Oct 2, 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 merit tier. Faith and affiliation awards (Franciscan, PEACE, Diocesan Faith, Legacy and others) can stack on top. SEED is the exception, because it replaces your merit tier.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (Saint Francis University)
How much merit can my student get?
It ranges from $18,000 a year (Captain McGuire) to $28,500 a year (Founders’ Scholarship, for a 4.25+ GPA). Over four years that is $72,000 to $114,000.
Do test scores matter for merit?
Not for the merit grid. SFU is test-blind for most majors. Scores only matter for a few accelerated programs (PA, PT, OT, Nursing, the accelerated MBA tracks), the Accounting Scholarship and SEED.
Is the GPA weighted or unweighted?
SFU’s grid simply lists a minimum GPA and doesn’t say. Ask your admissions counselor how they read your transcript. A Founders’ cutoff of 4.25 suggests weighted grades come into play.
Can my student move up a tier with senior-year grades?
It’s worth asking. SFU encourages students to send mid-year senior grades. If your GPA crosses a cutoff, ask your counselor whether your award can be recalculated before you deposit.
Is there merit for transfer students?
Yes. Transfers seeking a first bachelor’s degree get $15,000 to $25,000 a year based on college GPA, renewable with a 3.0. Penn Highlands graduates can add the Blackbear Transfer Scholarship.
Does this merit apply if my student lives off campus?
Only if they commute from a parent’s home within 50 miles. Otherwise all SFU institutional aid is forfeited.
Saint Francis doesn’t run a big essay-and-interview full-ride competition. Its headline program is the Zero-Tuition Advantage, a need-based guarantee for Pennsylvania families. Around it sit a few smaller, selective awards: SEED for business majors, Alta Via for Catholic students, and St. Clare’s for student leaders already on campus.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at SFU?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
SFU Parent Translation
Merit Grid
N/A
One tier per student, set by GPA.
Faith & Affiliation Awards
Yes
Franciscan, PEACE, Legacy, HOBY and similar awards add on top. SFU’s own sample packages show up to $5,000 in stackable awards.
SEED Scholarship
No, it replaces
Swaps out your merit tier. Only a win if your tier is under $22,500.
Accounting Scholarship
It’s a floor
Guarantees $25,000 in total SFU aid. It tops you up to that number but doesn’t add on top of it.
Zero-Tuition Advantage
Goes on last
Everything else is applied first, then SFU covers whatever tuition and fee is left.
Band, Alta Via
Yes
SFU says Alta Via is in addition to other SFU scholarships. Band money can go toward housing and meals for Zero-Tuition students.
Athletic Scholarships
Not offered
SFU is now Division III, so new recruits receive no athletic aid.
If your student is chasing a national full-ride competition, SFU isn’t that kind of school. Its value comes from a generous merit floor plus stackable add-ons, and for lower-income Pennsylvania families, a real path to zero tuition.
Full TuitionAutomatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlygeographicneed based
SFU Zero-Tuition Advantage
📅 Deadline: May 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition and university fee
✔ Stackable
⚠ PA residents only; family income of $65,000 or less; must qualify for Pell and the PA State Grant.
👥 ~Funding is limited; awards after March 1 depend on available funds. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Zero-Tuition goes on last. Merit, Pell, SEOG and the PA State Grant are applied first, then SFU fills the remaining tuition and fee gap. Band, esports, cheer and dance awards can be used toward housing and meals. Total SFU funding cannot exceed tuition and fees.
💡
Strategic Detail
A last-dollar program for qualifying Pennsylvania families. After federal, state and SFU aid are applied, SFU covers whatever tuition and university fee is left. Housing, meals, course fees and books are not covered. Renews for up to 8 fall and spring semesters if you stay eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pennsylvania residents with family income of $65,000 or less on the FAFSA who qualify for both Pell and the PA State Grant, entering as first-time freshmen or on-campus transfers. Current SFU students and Professional Studies students are not eligible.
App Required
SEED Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews
$22,500/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Replaces your SFU merit award. Only worth taking if it beats your merit tier.
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~1100 SAT👥 ~2 winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Important: SEED is a replacement award, not a bonus. Per SFU, the SEED Scholarship replaces any Saint Francis University academic (automatic merit) award — so you'll get SEED instead of your Founders'/Trustees'/Presidential tier, not on top of it. It still stacks normally with Federal Pell, PA State Grant, and outside scholarships. Do the math both ways before accepting.
📄
How to Apply
Choose a business major and send SAT scores. Qualifying students are contacted by SFU and must complete the SEED application. If you meet the numbers and have not heard anything, ask your admissions counselor.
💡
Strategic Detail
Two awards of $22,500 a year for business-related majors with at least a 3.0 GPA and an 1100 SAT (Math and Critical Reading). Recipients complete internships at SFU's Small Business Development Center. SFU's page lists the total as $76,000, which does not match $22,500 times four ($90,000), so confirm the four-year value in writing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Business-minded students who have test scores to submit. Only two are named each year.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
St. Clare's Scholarship (SGA)
📅 Deadline: Early April each year (the 2026 deadline was Friday, April 3 at 4:00 pm). · 📢 Results: Recipients announced at the annual Student Involvement Awards in late April. Non-Renewable
$2,000
✔ Stackable
👥 ~3 winners/yr🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
A one-time award that layers on top of your existing package.
📄
How to Apply
Submit SGA's online application with an essay on your leadership experience and two recommendation letters. Finalists may interview with the SGA Executive Board.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The Student Government Association awards three $2,000 scholarships each year, one each to a rising sophomore, junior and senior, for leadership, service and campus involvement. Final selection also considers financial need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Full-time students in good academic and disciplinary standing with a real record of campus leadership and service.
App Required
Alta Via Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling for incoming freshmen. Apply early because only ten scholarships are given. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000–$3,500/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~10 winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
SFU states this is in addition to other SFU institutional scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Alta Via application. Strong applicants are invited to a short online meeting with the Director of Campus Ministry.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Ten incoming freshmen accepted into Alta Via, SFU's residential Catholic community, receive $2,000 freshman year, $2,500 sophomore year, $3,000 junior year and $3,500 senior year. The program includes a free one-credit theology course each semester and a covered pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi after junior year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Practicing Catholic students who want a faith-centered community. PEACE school graduates get preference.
Data last verified Oct 2, 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
Who qualifies for the Zero-Tuition Advantage?
Pennsylvania residents with family income of $65,000 or less on the FAFSA who qualify for both Pell and the PA State Grant. They must enter as a first-time freshman or an on-campus transfer. Current SFU students don’t qualify, and neither do students in the Division of Professional Studies.
Is there an application for Zero-Tuition?
No. Apply for admission and get your FAFSA to SFU by May 1. SFU checks eligibility automatically. Loans aren’t required to receive it.
Does Zero-Tuition continue every year?
Yes, for up to 8 fall and spring semesters, as long as you stay eligible and keep up satisfactory academic progress. SFU describes it as a new program, so confirm the current year’s terms with financial aid.
How does SEED work?
It is $22,500 a year for two business majors with a 3.0 GPA and an 1100 SAT, and it includes internships at SFU’s Small Business Development Center. It replaces your merit tier, so it only helps if your tier is below $22,500. SFU’s page lists the total as $76,000, which doesn’t match four years at $22,500, so get the total in writing.
What is Alta Via?
It is a residential community for practicing Catholic students. Ten incoming freshmen each year get a scholarship that grows from $2,000 to $3,500, plus a covered pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi after junior year.
My student is a recruited athlete. What can we expect?
Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships. Expect the same merit grid and need-based aid as any other student, and compare packages with that in mind.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The “Tell Them Everything” Checklist
Most SFU add-ons aren’t separate applications. They are boxes your admissions counselor has to know to check. Before your aid letter is finalized, make sure SFU knows about every item below that applies to you:
A Catholic high school diploma, or a PEACE partner school.
A parent or grandparent who graduated from SFU.
SAGE Tuition Rewards points, HOBY participation or high school band experience.
A nursing or accounting major.
For Catholic public school students in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese, a letter from your priest.
Parent translation: these add-ons can be worth $2,500 to $10,000 a year combined, but only if you speak up.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards families tend to skip. Most stack on top of merit, and a few are worth more than people expect.
App Required
Accounting Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Follows the admission timeline. Apply and file the FAFSA early. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$25,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA✎ ~21 ACT✎ ~1060 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a floor, not an add-on. If your merit tier and other SFU awards already total $25,000 or more, this may add nothing.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission as an Accounting or Accounting-to-MBA major and file the FAFSA. Stay in an accounting program to keep it.
💡
Strategic Detail
Accounting and Accounting-to-MBA students who qualify are guaranteed at least $25,000 a year in total SFU institutional aid, up to $100,000 over four years. Requires a 3.30 GPA plus a 1060 SAT or 21 ACT, or a 3.5 GPA if applying test-optional.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Accounting majors whose GPA puts them in a merit tier below $25,000. For them, the guarantee can lift the package.
Automatic
Diocesan Faith Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With your admission application, including the priest's letter. ✓ Renews
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Listed with SFU's faith scholarships, which SFU's sample packages show stacking on merit. Confirm on your award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
$5,000 a year ($20,000 over four years) for public school graduates who are active parishioners in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese, have been confirmed, and serve in liturgical ministry, youth group or other church service.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Active Catholic public school students from the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. This is worth more than the Franciscan Scholarship for Catholic families who chose public school.
Automatic
Franciscan Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With your admission application. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
SFU's PEACE math and sample aid packages show this stacking on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,500 a year ($10,000 over four years) for graduates of Catholic high schools. Automatic consideration with a complete application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted graduate of a Catholic high school.
Automatic
PEACE Program Award
📅 Deadline: With your admission application. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and the Franciscan Scholarship.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,500 a year ($10,000 over four years) for graduates of PEACE partner high schools, about 50 Catholic schools in PA, MD, NJ and other states. Combined with merit and the Franciscan Scholarship, SFU guarantees PEACE graduates $23,000 to $33,500 a year, plus guaranteed admission with a 3.0 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Graduates of a listed PEACE partner school. Check the list on SFU's PEACE page.
Automatic
Siena Nursing Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With your admission application. ✓ Renews
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,500 a year ($10,000 over four years) for new SFU nursing students. Automatic consideration with a complete application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen admitted to the nursing major.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
SFU Band Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Join before the fall season. Band camp starts in mid-August. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,500–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
SFU's Zero-Tuition FAQ names band awards as aid that can be applied toward housing and meals.
💡
Strategic Detail
Every band member gets a scholarship, and it grows each year. Marching band (fall) pays $2,250 to $3,000 and pep band (spring) pays $1,250 to $2,000. Doing both all four years totals $17,000. No audition, two practices a week, and instruments are provided.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any student who played in high school, plus color guard and majorettes. Even beginners are welcome.
Automatic
SAGE Tuition Rewards Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Within 10 days of applying, per SAGE rules. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
SAGE describes this as in addition to the Tuition Rewards guarantee.
💡
Strategic Detail
SFU adds its own yearly scholarship for SAGE Tuition Rewards members: $1,000 a year for under 10,000 points, $1,500 for 10,000 to 24,999 points, and $2,500 for 25,000 points or more. This is in addition to the Tuition Rewards guarantee itself.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families who have built up SAGE points, often through a financial advisor, employer or credit card program.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Blackbear Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With your transfer application. ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
$5,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Confirm on your award letter how it combines with transfer merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
$5,500 a year for up to two years for Pennsylvania Highlands Community College students who transfer to SFU with an associate degree. Automatic consideration with a complete application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Penn Highlands graduates finishing a bachelor's degree at SFU.
Automatic
Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With your admission application. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 a year for students whose parent or grandparent graduated from Saint Francis. Renews until your first bachelor's degree.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Children and grandchildren of SFU alumni.
Automatic
Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Before your aid package is finalized. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 a year for students who attended a Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program as an ambassador. Proof of participation required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Former HOBY ambassadors who send proof.
App Required
Isaac Award Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Ask your school counselor for the current deadline. Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
A one-time add-on.
📄
How to Apply
Apply separately. Your school counselor has the details.
💡
Strategic Detail
A one-time $1,000 award for high school juniors and seniors in theatre or musical programs who take part in the Altoona Community Theatre's Isaac Awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Central Pennsylvania high school theatre kids involved in the Isaac Awards.
Data last verified Oct 2, 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 a PEACE school graduate get both PEACE and Franciscan?
Yes. SFU’s guaranteed PEACE range of $23,000 to $33,500 a year is exactly merit plus $2,500 Franciscan plus $2,500 PEACE. About 50 Catholic high schools are partners, so check the list.
We’re Catholic, but our student goes to public school. Is there anything for us?
Yes. The Diocesan Faith Scholarship is $5,000 a year for active, confirmed parishioners in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese who attend public school. That is twice the Franciscan Scholarship. You’ll need a letter from your parish priest.
Is the band scholarship really for anyone?
Pretty much. There are no auditions, all instruments are provided, and color guard counts. Doing marching and pep band all four years adds up to $17,000.
Is the Accounting Scholarship extra money?
Not always. It guarantees at least $25,000 a year in total SFU aid. A student with a 3.75+ GPA is already at $25,000 or more from merit, so it mostly helps students in the lower tiers.
How does the SAGE award work?
On top of the Tuition Rewards guarantee, SFU adds $1,000 to $2,500 a year depending on your points. Submit your points through SAGE within 10 days of applying.
Saint Francis has an Honors Program rather than a separate Honors College. It’s built around research, leadership and community service. Students take honors-designated, discussion-based classes and finish with a mentored thesis, which can be a research project, a creative work or a service project.
How to get in: Admitted seniors fill out a separate Honors application.
Test scores: Not required. SFU says it looks for grit and character over scores.
Perks: Priority registration, honors housing, and the Bach Family Honors House with 24-hour study space.
Honors Program Scholarships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Straight Talk: SFU doesn’t publish any scholarships tied to the Honors Program. Honors students get the same GPA-based merit as everyone else. The payoff is academic: smaller classes, a faculty mentor and a thesis that shows up well on graduate and medical school applications.
Where Top Students Find Extra Money Instead
Founders’ Scholarship: $28,500 a year for a 4.25+ GPA.
Alta Via: A growing scholarship for ten Catholic students a year.
SEED: $22,500 a year for two business majors who submit test scores.
Accounting Scholarship: A guaranteed $25,000 a year in total SFU aid.
Honors Program: FAQs (Saint Francis University)
Is Honors admission automatic for high-GPA students?
No. It takes a separate application after your student is admitted to SFU.
Does Honors come with a scholarship?
Not one that SFU publishes. Merit comes from the GPA grid.
Do Honors classes add extra credits?
The sequence includes Honors core courses plus Directed Readings (2 credits), Thesis Prep (1 credit) and the Thesis Project (3 credits). Some of these credits fall outside the student’s major.
Can PA, PT or nursing students do Honors?
Yes. Recent honors graduates include future physicians, OT students and pre-health majors. Talk with an advisor about fitting the thesis into a packed health science schedule.
Is there honors housing?
Yes. The Bach Family Honors House holds eight honors students a year, and the whole program shares its study and seminar space.
Saint Francis is a small Catholic school on a 600-acre campus in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest Franciscan college in the country. Most families come for one reason: it is a health science school that punches well above its size, with a direct path from freshman year into graduate-level clinical programs.
Nationally Known Program: Physician Assistant Science: SFU’s was one of the first PA programs in the country. Students can enter straight from high school into an accelerated 3+2 track that ends in a master’s degree, and SFU reports first-time certification exam pass rates above the national average. Seats are capped at 55 per class, and the application deadline comes in the fall.
Physical & Occupational Therapy: Accelerated tracks lead to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (3+3) or a Master of Occupational Therapy (3+2), saving a year or more over the usual route.
Nursing: A four-year BSN with its own nursing scholarship for incoming students.
Accounting & Business: SFU reports 100% job placement for accounting graduates and offers accelerated paths to an MBA.
Engineering: Mechanical, environmental, computer, and petroleum and natural gas engineering, which is unusual at a school this size.
Interesting extras: Marine science, fermentation science and aviation courses give curious students options you won’t find at most small Catholic colleges.
🔗 Official Saint Francis University Links
Use SFU’s official pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules and costs. When anything on this page differs from SFU’s site, SFU’s site wins.
Big picture? Saint Francis is one of the more predictable private schools you’ll look at. Your student’s GPA sets the merit, from $18,000 to $28,500 a year, and nobody admitted walks away with nothing. Add the stackable extras for Catholic school graduates, band members, legacies and SAGE families, and the real price drops quickly. For Pennsylvania families earning $65,000 or less, the Zero-Tuition Advantage can take tuition off the table completely.
The catches are worth knowing up front. Athletic scholarships are gone now that SFU is Division III. Living off campus can cost your student every SFU dollar. And the health science programs that make SFU special, especially the 3+2 PA track, fill up early. If your student wants a small, faith-centered campus with a clear road into PA, PT, OT or nursing, Saint Francis deserves a close look. Get the application in before March 1, get the FAFSA to SFU by May 1, and tell your counselor about every connection you have.
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Leo is a parent who went through the college money maze with his own daughter and built CollegeReadyParent so other families wouldn’t have to figure it out alone. Every guide is free, with no paywall and no lead forms, and every number is checked against the school’s own pages. More about Leo →
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