It’s free to apply. Use the St. Thomas application or the Common App. No fee either way.
Two non-binding rounds. Early Action is Nov. 1 and Regular Decision is Jan. 15. Nothing is binding, and your student doesn’t have to commit until May 1.
Grades do the heavy lifting. St. Thomas says the high school transcript carries the most weight. The middle 50% GPA for the fall 2024 class was 3.3 to 3.9.
Testing really is optional. More than half of recently admitted students applied without a test score.
🏆 Four competitive full-tuition scholarships: GHR Fellows, Schulze, O'Neill and Dease
Average Net Price
$29,155/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
Up to $34,000/yr
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
21 opportunities
4 automatic · 6 competitive · 11 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
No published GPA or test cutoffs
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional
No superscore.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Jan 8 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
GHR, Schulze, O'Neill & Dease (competitive)
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at St. Thomas (Read This First)
The scholarship number is locked the day your student is admitted. A better ACT in February or a strong senior fall won’t raise it later. If your student plans to send a test score, put the best one on the application.
Test-optional has a catch on the admissions side. A low score (even a low sub score) can hurt the admission decision, and once it’s submitted it can’t be pulled back. On the money side, St. Thomas says a test score will never lower the scholarship.
The big full-tuition deadlines come before Regular Decision. GHR, Schulze and O’Neill applications are due Jan. 8, 2027, a week before the Jan. 15 admission deadline. Applying Early Action keeps every door open.
Full tuition replaces, it doesn’t stack. Win GHR, Schulze, O’Neill or Dease and the original merit scholarship goes away. Housing, food and fees (roughly $17,500 a year) are still on the family.
The good news: outside scholarships usually don’t shrink the St. Thomas award. For most students, every dollar you find elsewhere is extra money, not a swap.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. University of St. Thomas is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 23-29; SAT: 1130-1340.
Average net price? About $29,155/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 University of St. Thomas: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of St. Thomas has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,500 to $3,700 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$74,382
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$58,598
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,784
Total billed cost
$74,382
Average federal net price: $29,155 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
St. Thomas is private, so every undergraduate pays the same tuition whether they live in Minnesota or not. There are no out-of-state waivers or regional tuition exchange discounts. The real discount is the St. Thomas Scholarship, offered to every first-time, first-year student (up to $34,000 a year), plus four competitive full-tuition awards: GHR Fellows, Schulze Innovation, O'Neill Endowed Scholars and Dease.
How Pricing Works at St. Thomas
St. Thomas is private, so the price is the same whether you live in St. Paul or Seattle. The tuition line above includes the $1,742 in required fees (nursing students pay higher fees). Add about $1,000 for books, $868 for transportation and $1,522 for personal costs, and St. Thomas’s official 2026-27 cost of attendance comes to $77,772.
Very few families pay that. St. Thomas reports that Class of 2028 students paid an average of $22,991 in tuition after merit aid, and families earning under $80,000 who used their St. Thomas scholarship toward tuition and fees paid an average of just $623 a year for tuition and fees.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at the University of St. Thomas
Do out-of-state students pay more at St. Thomas?
No. St. Thomas is private, so every undergraduate pays the same tuition no matter where they live. That also means there’s no out-of-state waiver to chase. The discount comes from the St. Thomas Scholarship and the competitive awards.
Does Minnesota-Wisconsin tuition reciprocity work here?
No. That agreement covers public colleges. St. Thomas doesn’t list any regional tuition exchange or out-of-state discount, so plan around merit and need-based aid instead.
What is the average net price at St. Thomas?
Federal College Scorecard data puts the average net price around $29,155 a year after grants and scholarships. Your number depends on your merit offer and your FAFSA, so run the St. Thomas Net Price Calculator before you fall in love or rule it out.
Can the St. Thomas Scholarship be used for housing and food?
Yes. St. Thomas says the scholarship can be used toward any of your costs of attendance, not just tuition.
Will tuition go up after freshman year?
Plan on it. Tuition went from $54,800 in 2025-26 to $56,856 in 2026-27. The merit scholarship stays the same amount for up to eight semesters, so the gap your family covers can grow a little each year.
Are J-Term and summer classes cheaper?
Yes, and it’s a nice trick. St. Thomas offers J-Term and summer courses at a 50% tuition discount, which can help a student catch up, add a minor or graduate on time without paying full freight.
📅 St. Thomas Scholarship Timeline (Fall 2027 Entry)
With the admission letter: the automatic St. Thomas Scholarship offer. Full aid offers start going out in early February to Early Action admits who filed the FAFSA.
Jan. 15, 2027: Music scholarship applications and audition videos due.
Feb. 1, 2027: Recommended FAFSA date (needed for Dease and Ciresi Walburn).
Feb. 8: Dease. Feb. 15: Ciresi Walburn. Feb. 25: Engineering Board of Governors and Willis Drake.
Feb. 27, 2027: Scholarship Day for business finalists and the music Scholarship Invitational.
Parent rule of thumb: if your student is even a little interested in business, entrepreneurship or finance, treat Jan. 8 as the real deadline.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: University of St. Thomas
Every first-time, first-year student admitted to St. Thomas is offered a St. Thomas Scholarship of up to $34,000 a year. There’s no separate application and no published GPA or test-score chart. The amount comes from a review of the high school record, with GPA and course rigor doing most of the work. The number is set at admission and won’t be raised later for new scores or grades.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
St. Thomas Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No separate deadline. The offer comes automatically with the admission decision. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$34,000/yr
✔ Stackable
First-time, first-year students pursuing a first bachelor's degree. No published GPA or test-score cutoffs.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarships do not reduce the St. Thomas Scholarship for most students. The amount holds for up to eight semesters as long as the student stays full-time, degree-seeking and making Satisfactory Academic Progress, and total aid stays under the cost of attendance. The big exception: a competitive full-tuition award (GHR, Schulze, O'Neill or Dease) cancels this scholarship instead of stacking on top of it.
💡
Strategic Detail
St. Thomas offers a scholarship to 100% of first-time, first-year students, up to $34,000 a year. There are no published GPA or test-score tiers. The amount comes from a review of the high school record, and high school GPA carries the most weight. The award is set at admission: St. Thomas will not raise it later for a new test score or a higher GPA, and a test score will never lower it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every admitted first-year student gets an offer. Students with strong grades in demanding courses land closer to the $34,000 ceiling. Test scores are optional and only help when they strengthen the application.
Automaticnational merit
National Merit Finalist Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Name St. Thomas as your first-choice college with NMSC by the NMSC deadline in spring of senior year. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Paid on top of the St. Thomas Scholarship, up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
St. Thomas is on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation list of 2027 college sponsors. St. Thomas has described the award as $10,000 per year for Finalists who name St. Thomas as their first choice and qualify for a college-sponsored award or a $2,500 National Merit single-payment award, paid in addition to scholarships already awarded. Another St. Thomas page says Finalists are eligible to compete for a $10,000 award, so confirm the details with admissions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: National Merit Finalists who list St. Thomas first with NMSC.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
St. Thomas Transfer Academic Award
📅 Deadline: Automatic with transfer admission (rolling). ✓ Renews
$32,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other transfer awards such as the PTK Scholarship, up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
St. Thomas's automatic merit award for transfer students. Every admitted transfer student is considered for up to $32,000 a year based on their college record and involvement. No test scores required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted transfer students with strong college grades. The stronger the record, the closer the award gets to $32,000.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Automatic with transfer admission; PTK membership must be verified. ✓ Renews
$3,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Usually stacks with the St. Thomas Transfer Award, up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Automatic award for transfer students who are active Phi Theta Kappa members with a 3.0+ college GPA. The Minnesota Private College Council lists it at $3,500. St. Thomas's own scholarship finder loads dynamically and could not be checked, so confirm the amount in the aid offer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Community college transfers with active PTK membership and a 3.0+ college GPA.
Data last verified Oct 14, 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: The Transfer Award and PTK Scholarship cards are for transfer students only. First-year families should focus on the St. Thomas Scholarship and, for Finalists, National Merit.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (University of St. Thomas)
How much is the St. Thomas Scholarship?
Up to $34,000 a year. St. Thomas doesn’t publish tiers, so your student won’t know the exact number until the admission letter. Stronger grades in harder classes tend to land closer to the top.
Do we have to apply separately for it?
No. Applying for admission is the scholarship application. The offer comes with the decision.
Does the ACT or SAT matter for merit?
Only if it helps. Students who apply without a test are still considered for merit, and St. Thomas says a score will never lower the offer. Just remember the award is locked at admission, so a later retake won’t raise it.
Does St. Thomas superscore?
Not in the usual sense. Admissions looks at your highest single composite score and your highest individual subject scores.
Will an outside scholarship reduce the St. Thomas award?
Not for most students. St. Thomas says outside aid doesn’t reduce the St. Thomas scholarship for most families, as long as total aid stays under the cost of attendance.
Is it renewable?
Yes, for up to eight semesters, as long as your student stays full-time, degree-seeking and making Satisfactory Academic Progress. The amount doesn’t drop during that time.
What about National Merit Finalists?
St. Thomas is a 2027 National Merit college sponsor. Finalists who name St. Thomas as their first choice with NMSC have been described as receiving $10,000 a year on top of their St. Thomas Scholarship. One St. Thomas page words it as “eligible to compete,” so confirm the details with admissions.
Do transfer students get automatic money too?
Yes. Every admitted transfer is considered for the St. Thomas Transfer Award of up to $32,000 a year, and active Phi Theta Kappa members can add the PTK Scholarship.
For a school its size, St. Thomas has an unusually deep bench of full-tuition awards. Four of them are open to incoming freshmen, and each one is aimed at a different kind of student: business leaders, startup builders, future finance pros and high-need students. If your student fits one of these lanes, the application is worth the evening it takes.
The Four Full-Tuition Awards at a Glance
Award
Built For
GPA
Deadline
Worth Knowing
GHR Fellows
Business majors
Preference for 3.7+
Jan. 8, 2027
Free J-Term abroad; room and board grants possible with need
Schulze Innovation
Entrepreneurship majors (double majors OK)
3.5+ minimum
Jan. 8, 2027
Up to 10 per year; must show something you built
O’Neill Endowed Scholars
Financial Management majors
3.2+
Jan. 8, 2027
Preference for first-gen and high-need students
Dease Scholarship
Any major, high financial need
Not published
Feb. 8, 2027
Ten per year; FAFSA by Feb. 1; not open to international students
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at St. Thomas?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Parent Translation
St. Thomas Scholarship
N/A
Everyone gets one. It’s the base layer, and it’s locked in at admission.
Winning one cancels the original merit scholarship. You trade up to full tuition, but housing, food and fees are still yours.
Ciresi Walburn Leadership Fellows
Usually combines
Up to $17,500 a year that, with other St. Thomas aid, covers most or all of tuition for many Fellows. Other St. Thomas funds may be adjusted.
Engineering Board of Governors
Not published
Ask the College of Engineering how it combines before you count on both.
National Merit
Adds on
Described as paid on top of scholarships already awarded.
Outside scholarships
Usually yes
For most students they don’t reduce the St. Thomas Scholarship. Report them in Murphy Online.
Federal and state grants
Yes
These fill the gap after merit. Dease Scholars can use them for room and board.
Parent translation: the business awards (GHR, Schulze and O’Neill) share the same Jan. 8 deadline and the same Feb. 27 finalist day. St. Thomas doesn’t say whether one student can be a finalist for more than one, so ask your admissions counselor before your student picks a lane.
Full TuitionApp Requiredmajor specific
GHR Fellows Program
📅 Deadline: Jan 8, 2027 · 📢 Results: March 2027 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition
✘ Not stackable
⚠ A small cohort of incoming business majors are chosen as GHR Fellows and receive four-year, full-tuition scholarships plus a funded study-abroad term
Incoming first-year students pursuing a business degree. Preference for a 3.7+ GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A competitive full-tuition award cancels the merit scholarship in the original offer. Other aid is adjusted if needed, and total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to St. Thomas, then submit the GHR Fellows application in the St. Thomas admissions portal by Jan. 8, 2027. Finalists attend Scholarship Day on Feb. 27, 2027, and winners hear in March.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing academic achievement, leadership, values alignment with GHR Foundation pillars, and potential for impact in business.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Four-year, full-tuition scholarship for incoming business majors, plus a fully funded J-Term study abroad trip, a four-year cohort program, individual career coaching, service-learning projects and access to C-suite business and community leaders. Fellows with demonstrated financial need may also receive grant money toward room and board. Teachers and community leaders can nominate a student, but a nomination is not required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming business majors who show principled leadership, entrepreneurial thinking and real community engagement. Preference goes to students with a 3.7+ GPA. One of the most selective awards on campus.
Full TuitionApp Requiredmajor specific
Schulze Innovation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 8, 2027 · 📢 Results: March 2027 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Up to 10 incoming Entrepreneurship majors each year receive four-year, full-tuition Schulze Innovation Scholarships
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~Up to 10 first-year students per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
A competitive full-tuition award cancels the merit scholarship in the original offer. Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to St. Thomas, then submit the Schulze application in the St. Thomas admissions portal by Jan. 8, 2027. Finalists attend the selection day on Feb. 27, 2027, and recipients hear in March.
Selection criteria: Focus on entrepreneurial creativity, demonstrated initiative, leadership, and fit with the Schulze School's innovation mission.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Four-year, full-tuition scholarship and cohort program in the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship. Scholars get individual mentoring, hands-on learning, networking and internship help, plus access to advisors and seed capital if they launch a startup after graduation. Students must major in Entrepreneurship but can double major.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming students with a 3.5+ high school GPA who can point to something they actually built, launched or started. The application asks for a real example of an entrepreneurial venture or initiative.
Full TuitionApp Required
O'Neill Endowed Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Jan 8, 2027 · 📢 Results: March 2027 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🏫 3.2+ GPAAdmitted first-year students who intend to major in Financial Management with a 3.2+ GPA. Preference to first-generation students and students with financial need.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Like other competitive full-tuition awards at St. Thomas, it replaces the merit scholarship in the original offer. Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to St. Thomas, then submit the O'Neill application in the St. Thomas admissions portal by Jan. 8, 2027. Finalists attend interview day on Feb. 27, 2027.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Four-year, full-tuition scholarship for future finance leaders, with individual career coaching, one-on-one mentoring from finance professionals, internship and networking access, and hands-on finance projects. Finalists interview on Feb. 27, 2027. St. Thomas does not publish how many scholars are chosen each year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students headed for the Financial Management major with a 3.2+ GPA. First-generation students and students with financial need get preference, which makes this one of the more reachable full-tuition awards on campus.
Full TuitionApp Requiredidentity basedgeographic
Dease Scholarship Program
📅 Deadline: Feb 1, 2027 (FAFSA or MN Alternative State Financial Aid Application) · 📢 Results: March 2027 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Ten first-year students with high financial need receive four-year, full-tuition Dease Scholarships; not open to international students
👥 ~Ten first-year students per year winners/yrFirst-year students with high financial need and a commitment to academic excellence, leadership and community. Not open to international students.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers full tuition. Other aid may be adjusted so total aid stays under the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for fall 2027 admission, complete the Dease application in the admissions portal by Feb. 8, 2027, and file the 2027-28 FAFSA or Minnesota Alternative State Financial Aid Application by the recommended Feb. 1 date (school code 002345). Semi-finalists talk with the Student Diversity and Inclusion Services team the week of Feb. 22, and awards are announced in March.
Selection criteria: Selection emphasizes financial need, academic readiness, leadership, and community involvement.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for Father Dennis Dease, St. Thomas's 14th president. Ten first-year students with high financial need receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship plus leadership development, civic engagement and a built-in community of fellow Dease Scholars. Scholars take part in program activities all four years and live in the Emerging Scholars Living-Learning Community their first year. It does not cover room and board, but federal and state grants can be applied to those charges.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Ten incoming students a year with high financial need, strong academics and a track record of leadership and community involvement.
App Required
Ciresi-Walburn Leadership Fellows
📅 Deadline: Feb 15, 2027 · 📢 Results: March 18, 2027 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$17,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Minnesota high school graduates with high financial need; preference to first-generation college students
👥 ~Approximately 10 Fellows per cohort winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
St. Thomas says CWLF plus other St. Thomas aid covers most or all of tuition for many Fellows, but receiving it may change other St. Thomas funds. Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to St. Thomas, then complete the CWLF application (three questions, including short essays) in the admissions portal by Feb. 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Virtual semi-finalist interviews run the week of March 1, on-campus finalist interviews are March 13, and Fellows are notified by March 18, 2027.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing financial need, leadership history, commitment to social justice and the common good, motivation to succeed, and eagerness to contribute to the cohort community. Preference given to first-generation college students.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Cohort program for Minnesota high school graduates with high financial need who are committed to leadership, service, and racial and social justice. Fellows receive up to $17,500 a year for up to eight semesters (up to $70,000 total), plus mentoring, a J-Term leadership course, retreats, career coaching, business attire and help landing a paid internship or research project after junior year. Fellows live in the Emerging Scholars Living-Learning Community their first year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Minnesota high school graduates with high financial need (based on the FAFSA or MN Alternative application) and a real record of leadership and service. First-generation students get preference, and Fellows must be authorized to work in the U.S.
App Required
Engineering Board of Governors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15, 2027 (apply for admission to stay eligible) · 📢 Results: April 2027 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$12,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~One award per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
St. Thomas does not publish replacement rules for this award. Ask the College of Engineering how it combines with the St. Thomas Scholarship before counting on both.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission by Jan. 15, 2027, then submit the online scholarship application and essay by Feb. 25, 2027. Finalists interview in late March, the recipient and Research Fellows are announced in April, and all scholarships must be accepted by May 1, 2027.
Selection criteria: Considers academic talent in STEM, engineering interest, and financial need.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
One $12,500 scholarship each year for an incoming first-year engineering student, renewable for three more years ($50,000 total). Requires a 3.50 cumulative high school GPA by the end of junior year and a strong class rank. The recipient must declare civil, computer, electrical or mechanical engineering by the end of sophomore year, stay active in an engineering student organization and keep a 3.0 GPA to renew. Every applicant is also considered for the $7,200 Freshman Research Fellows Grant.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One student a year who has excelled in and out of the classroom and is committed to engineering. Finalists interview with the scholarship committee in late March.
Data last verified Oct 14, 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
When are the competitive scholarship deadlines?
GHR Fellows, Schulze and O’Neill are due Jan. 8, 2027. Dease is due Feb. 8, Ciresi Walburn is due Feb. 15, and the Engineering Board of Governors Scholarship is due Feb. 25. Most finalists are notified in March.
Does “full tuition” mean the whole bill is covered?
No. These awards cover tuition only. Housing, food and required fees (about $17,500 a year) are still the family’s to cover, though GHR Fellows with need may get grant help with room and board, and Dease Scholars can use federal and state grants for it.
What happens at Scholarship Day?
Finalists for GHR, Schulze and O’Neill are invited to campus on Feb. 27, 2027 for interviews and activities. Treat it like a job interview, because in a sense it is.
Can a teacher nominate my student?
Yes, for GHR and Schulze. Educators and community leaders can submit a nomination, but it isn’t required and your student still has to complete every application step.
Who is the Ciresi Walburn program for?
Minnesota high school graduates with high financial need and a record of leadership and service. First-generation students get preference. It pays up to $17,500 a year (up to $70,000 total) and comes with mentoring, a J-Term leadership course and help landing a paid internship.
How many Engineering Board of Governors awards are there?
Just one per year, worth $12,500 annually for four years. Every applicant is also considered for a $7,200 paid summer research grant, so applying still pays off for more students than the one winner.
Can international students apply for these?
GHR and Schulze accept international applicants through the admissions portal. Dease is not open to international students.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Admissions Portal Is Where the Money Lives
Once your student applies, they get a login to the St. Thomas admissions portal. That portal lists the extra scholarships they can apply for, and most families never scroll past the first screen.
Apply Early Action (Nov. 1) so the portal opens early.
Check every scholarship listed: music, Catholic Studies, Guadalupe’s Scholars, Willis Drake, Dease, Ciresi Walburn and the business awards.
File the FAFSA by Feb. 1. Several awards need it.
After enrolling, put the spring applications on the family calendar: Opus Real Estate, engineering returning-student awards and department scholarships.
Parent translation: the automatic scholarship gets you in the door. The portal and the year-two applications are where the gap actually closes.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are narrower or smaller than the headline awards, which is exactly why families walk past them. A few are for incoming freshmen, and some of the biggest ones only open after your student is already a Tommie.
App Required
Music Major Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Jan 15, 2027 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,500–$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Incoming students who will major in music, music performance or music business. An audition is required for the major.
✚
Stacking & Combining
St. Thomas does not publish combination rules for music scholarships. Confirm in the aid offer how it sits alongside the St. Thomas Scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
In the St. Thomas admissions portal, apply for a music scholarship by Jan. 15, 2027. Upload the audition link, list one recommender, and watch for an invitation to the Feb. 27 Scholarship Invitational.
💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Applying for a music scholarship doubles as the application to the music major: goals and experience, contact information for one recommender, and a link to an online audition video (up to 10 minutes, two contrasting pieces). Selected students are invited to the on-campus Scholarship Invitational on Feb. 27. Awards are designated by area: composition, digital music, keyboard, strings, voice, and woodwind, brass and percussion. Students who leave the music major keep the award only for semesters spent as a music major.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students planning to major in music who send a strong audition video by Jan. 15. Composition and digital music students are welcome, not just performers.
App Required
Catholic Studies First-Year Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Not published. Apply through the St. Thomas admissions scholarship portal after admission. Non-Renewable
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Admitted first-year students who were engaged in high school and plan to major or minor in Catholic Studies.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Catholic Studies scholarships are awarded in addition to the regular St. Thomas financial aid package.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, log in to the St. Thomas admissions portal and apply for the Catholic Studies first-year scholarship.
💡
Strategic Detail
Competitive awards of up to $2,000 from the Catholic Studies department. A minor counts, so a business, engineering or nursing student can qualify by adding a Catholic Studies minor. St. Thomas's Catholic Studies viewbook says more than 110 Catholic Studies scholarships are awarded every year. St. Thomas does not say whether the first-year award renews.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with a record of high school engagement who plan to major or minor in Catholic Studies.
App Required
Guadalupe's Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Not published for 2027. Incoming students apply through the St. Thomas admissions portal. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPAAdmitted or current students with a 3.0 GPA, demonstrated leadership, and a Catholic Studies major or minor. Two personal references are required, including one from a parish or church pastor.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Listed by St. Thomas as an additional scholarship. Confirm with the program coordinator how it combines with the St. Thomas Scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Incoming first-year students apply through the St. Thomas admissions portal after admission. Transfer and international students use the program's separate application form. Contact the program coordinator for the current deadline.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
A four-year leadership and faith-formation program in Catholic Studies, built around the growing Hispanic Church in America, that comes with need- and merit-based tuition scholarships. Scholars meet monthly for a bilingual Mass and dinner, get a personal academic mentor and spiritual direction, and help mentor high school students. The program has grown from one student in 2000 to 49 scholars. St. Thomas does not publish the scholarship amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Faith-driven student leaders active in their parish who will major or minor in Catholic Studies and commit to the full program, including monthly gatherings.
App Required
Willis Drake Young Entrepreneurship Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 25, 2027 Non-Renewable
$2,000
✔ Stackable
Prospective first-year students who have applied to St. Thomas and intend to major in business.
✚
Stacking & Combining
St. Thomas does not publish combination rules for this award. Confirm in the aid offer.
📄
How to Apply
Log in to the St. Thomas admissions portal and apply by Feb. 25, 2027.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,000 first-year award for incoming students with strong entrepreneurial potential who plan to major in business with an entrepreneurship concentration. A reachable option for business-minded students who are not chosen for Schulze or GHR, with a later deadline.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming business majors who can show entrepreneurial drive, such as a side business, product or club they started.
Automatic
Freshman Research Fellows Grant (Engineering)
📅 Deadline: Feb 25, 2027 (considered automatically through the Engineering Board of Governors application) · 📢 Results: April 2027 Non-Renewable
$7,200
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Paid research stipend that can typically be received in addition to automatic merit and need-based aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $7,200 paid grant to work on a research project with an engineering faculty member the summer after first year. Every Engineering Board of Governors Scholarship applicant is considered automatically, and Research Fellows are announced in April.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming engineering students who apply for the Board of Governors Scholarship and show a strong interest in research.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Opus Foundation Real Estate Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Spring 2027 (current students) ✓ Renews (3 yrs)
$20,000
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 All UndergradCurrent St. Thomas students who intend to major in real estate studies, with at least a 2.5 GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
St. Thomas does not publish combination rules. Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Once enrolled, apply through the Opus College of Business application in spring 2027.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of the biggest awards a current St. Thomas student can still win: $20,000 for students who intend to major in real estate studies, renewable for up to three years of undergraduate study, with only a 2.5 minimum GPA. Easy to miss because incoming freshmen cannot apply; students apply once enrolled.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current students who plan to major in real estate and keep at least a 2.5 GPA.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Engineering Returning Student Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Early February each year (Feb. 6 in 2026; the 2027 date is not posted yet) Non-Renewable
$250–$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Over 50 awards each year winners/yr🎓 All UndergradCurrent St. Thomas engineering students continuing in engineering the next year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Departmental awards that add on top of other aid, up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the College of Engineering online application by the early-February deadline, file the FAFSA for need-based awards, and write the optional essay for a special award.
💡
Strategic Detail
Over 50 scholarships of $250 to $4,000 go to returning engineering students every year, funded by named endowments. Most are based on a mix of GPA, need and year in school, and some donors specifically support non-traditional students, student leaders, students with high financial need and students from under-represented groups. An optional 500-word essay can add a special award of up to $500. Recipients hear in early May.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current engineering students who apply on time. A FAFSA on file opens the need-based awards.
App Required⚠ Junior Only
Good Trouble Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Nominations open each spring for juniors (March 10 to April 7 in 2026) Non-Renewable
$5,000
✔ Stackable
👥 ~One scholarship awarded per year winners/yr🎓 Junior
✚
Stacking & Combining
One-time award that adds to other aid, up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Faculty or staff submit the nomination form with a short statement and the student's resume. Students who self-nominate need a letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member.
Selection criteria: Committee review emphasizing academic achievement, leadership and role-model status among peers, and demonstrated impact promoting racial equity and inclusion on campus or in the community.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Created after George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis in 2020 and named for the late Rep. John Lewis's call to get into good trouble. One $5,000 award goes each year to a junior in good academic standing who has made a real mark on racial equity and inclusion at St. Thomas or in the community. Preference may be given to students with financial need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
One junior a year whose work on racial and social justice is already visible. Faculty and staff usually nominate, and students can self-nominate with a faculty or staff letter.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Loftus Family Alternative Music Creativity Award
📅 Deadline: Spring, for current students (details on the Music department OneStThomas site) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
One-time departmental award that can stack with institutional scholarships and other aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of three music scholarships St. Thomas opens to current students who are not music majors, along with the Mary O. Petra and Carrie E. Larson scholarships. Amounts are not published publicly; details are on the Music department's OneStThomas site.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Creatively active non-music majors who demonstrate strong potential in alternative or contemporary music performance, composition, or production.
Privately funded engineering scholarship that typically layers on top of admission-based transfer merit, subject to unmet-need and cost-of-attendance limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by private donors and run by St. Thomas. Gives up to $10,000 a year to academically talented engineering transfer students from U.S. two-year colleges who have unmet financial need. Priority goes to admitted students with a complete FAFSA by June 1.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Academically strong engineering transfer students from two-year colleges (or Pell-eligible transfers from four-year schools) who demonstrate significant unmet financial need.
App Required⚠ Transfer Only
APEX Engineering Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Not accepting applications right now; all 2026-27 awards have been made ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 TransferPell or Minnesota State Grant eligible (or household income at or below 80% of the Twin Cities area median), 3.0+ college GPA, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, U.S. national or admitted refugee, and enough pre-engineering coursework to finish in two years or less.
✚
Stacking & Combining
St. Thomas says APEX can be combined with other St. Thomas scholarships and federal aid.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted, file the FAFSA, then submit the online APEX application (three short questions, written or video). Watch the APEX page for the next opening.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
An NSF-funded program for low-income engineering students on non-traditional paths, especially transfers from two- and four-year colleges. Up to $10,000 a year for the final two years of study, plus a one-time $500 stipend for a two-day kickoff in late August, faculty mentoring, tutoring and career counseling. Recipients major in civil, computer, electrical or mechanical engineering.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Academically strong, lower-income students who are about two years from an engineering degree.
Data last verified Oct 14, 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.
Money the college does not control. Federal programs, city promise funds, foundations, and employers. The college may help you apply, but someone else writes the check, and these almost always stack with the college's own awards.
Outside MoneyApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Opus Group Scholarship (Real Estate / Construction)
📅 Deadline: Applications reopen January 2027 (closed March 1 in 2026) Non-Renewable
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Six scholarships of $2,500 each year (national pool, not St. Thomas-specific). winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Privately funded external scholarship that can usually be stacked with St. Thomas institutional aid.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Opus Scholarship application as a college student majoring in construction management, construction engineering, real estate, engineering, architecture, or related fields by the published deadline.
Selection criteria: Evaluates academic performance, financial need, campus and community involvement, and essay quality.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
National scholarship from The Opus Group, not specific to St. Thomas: six $2,500 awards a year for full-time undergraduates studying construction management, construction engineering, real estate, engineering, architecture, interior design, finance or accounting, IT, human resources, marketing, law or business management.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Upper-division students in real estate, construction, engineering, or architecture fields who show strong academics, involvement, and financial need.
Data last verified Oct 14, 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
What’s the biggest scholarship a current student can still win?
The Opus Foundation Real Estate Scholarship: a $20,000 award for students who intend to major in real estate, renewable for up to three years, with only a 2.5 minimum GPA. Incoming freshmen can’t apply, so it’s easy to forget about.
Does my student need to be a music major for music money?
For incoming music scholarships ($1,500 to $10,000 a year), yes, and the scholarship application doubles as the music major application. Current students who aren’t music majors can look at the Loftus, Petra and Larson awards instead.
Does a Catholic Studies minor count?
Yes. The first-year Catholic Studies scholarship (up to $2,000) and Guadalupe’s Scholars both accept a minor, so a business or engineering student can qualify by adding one.
Is there money for engineering transfer students?
Yes. The Summit Engineering Scholarship (up to $10,000 a year for two-year college transfers with unmet need) and the NSF-funded APEX program (up to $10,000 a year for lower-income students about two years from a degree) are both built for transfers.
Are there scholarships after freshman year in engineering?
More than 50 a year. Returning engineering students can win $250 to $4,000 with one application due in early February, plus an optional essay for an extra award of up to $500.
What’s the Good Trouble Legacy Scholarship?
A $5,000 award for one junior each year who has made a real difference on racial equity and inclusion. Faculty and staff nominate, and students can self-nominate with a faculty or staff letter.
St. Thomas doesn’t have a separate honors college. Its honors option is the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program, which has been around since 1981. It’s a community inside the regular university: smaller honors sections, discussion-heavy seminars and a first-year living-learning community. Admission isn’t automatic. Students apply separately after they’re admitted to St. Thomas.
Size: Aquinas Scholars make up about 8% of St. Thomas undergraduates, across 75 majors.
Commitment: 22 credits of honors coursework over four years and a 3.6 GPA to stay in good standing.
Perks: priority registration, small classes, an honors lounge, free seminar books and a first-year living-learning community in Tommie North.
Honors Scholarships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Straight talk: St. Thomas doesn’t attach a scholarship to the honors program. The value is the experience, not the money. Honors seminars carry no extra tuition, and the program helps students go after national awards like the Rhodes and Fulbright later on.
Where High Achievers Should Look for Money Instead
Business, entrepreneurship and finance: GHR Fellows, Schulze and O’Neill (all full tuition, due Jan. 8).
Engineering: the $12,500-a-year Board of Governors Scholarship plus a $7,200 research grant.
National Merit Finalists: name St. Thomas as your first choice with NMSC.
Everyone: strong grades push the automatic St. Thomas Scholarship toward its $34,000 ceiling.
Aquinas Scholars: FAQs
Is there an honors scholarship at St. Thomas?
No. The Aquinas Scholars program doesn’t come with its own scholarship, but it doesn’t cost extra either.
Can incoming freshmen apply?
Yes. After admission, students complete a separate Aquinas Scholars application. Current students with a 3.6+ GPA can also apply later.
What does it take to stay in?
A 3.6 GPA, honors coursework (22 credits over four years) and taking part in the program’s academic, service and social events.
Is it worth it if there’s no money attached?
For the right student, yes. Smaller classes, priority registration and guidance on national scholarships and fellowships can matter more over four years than a one-time award.
St. Thomas is Minnesota’s largest private university, with campuses in St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis. It’s Catholic, but students of every faith attend. What families usually don’t realize is how strong it is in career-focused programs, especially anything that touches business.
Nationally Known Program: Schulze School of Entrepreneurship: The Princeton Review ranks it in the top 15 undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the country (No. 11) and No. 1 in Minnesota. Students learn by building real ventures, and the Schulze Innovation Scholarship pays full tuition for up to 10 incoming entrepreneurs a year.
Opus College of Business: AACSB-accredited and ranked No. 66 among undergraduate business schools by Poets & Quants. Its downtown Minneapolis campus puts students blocks away from major employers.
Engineering: Ranked No. 26 nationally for undergraduate engineering by U.S. News, with civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering majors and paid research opportunities starting after freshman year.
Health Sciences: The Morrison Family College of Health is home to nursing and other health majors.
Education: St. Thomas’s graduate education programs rank No. 2 in Minnesota, and undergrads can train as future teachers.
Catholic Studies: The oldest and largest program of its kind in the world, with a semester in Rome that more than half of its students take.
Hidden strength: Actuarial science is a designated Center of Excellence, one of only 42 programs worldwide with that label.
🔗 Official University of St. Thomas Links
Use these official St. Thomas pages to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules and costs. When anything on this page and the university’s site disagree, the university’s site wins.
Big picture? St. Thomas has a private-school sticker price ($77,772 all in) and a habit of not charging it. Every freshman gets offered up to $34,000 a year without lifting a finger, outside scholarships usually don’t shrink that number, and for a school this size there’s an unusual number of shots at full tuition: GHR for business leaders, Schulze for builders, O’Neill for future finance pros, Dease for high-need students, and Ciresi Walburn for Minnesota kids who lead.
The catch is timing. The merit number is locked at admission, and the biggest deadlines land in early January, before Regular Decision. So apply Early Action, send your best test score with the application (or none at all), and treat Jan. 8 as the real deadline. Then keep digging once your student is a Tommie. A future real estate major can still win a $20,000 award, and engineering hands out more than 50 scholarships to returning students every year.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
Leo built CollegeReadyParent after working through the college money maze with his own daughter. He writes plain-English guides for middle-income and first-generation families, with no paywall and no lead forms.
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