High Point University is a private school in North Carolina, which means one price for everybody. There is no in-state discount and no out-of-state penalty. What there is instead is a four-step merit ladder, and almost every family who looks at HPU underestimates how far up that ladder their student can climb.
Here is the part worth understanding before anything else. Your student’s first scholarship offer shows up inside the acceptance letter, no separate application required. But the bigger awards are decided later, on campus, in January and February, at an interview weekend you have to be invited to. The November 15 date is what gets you into that room.
Presidential Founders Scholarship & shift_ed & First Generation Scholarships
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at High Point University (Read This First)
The scholarship in the acceptance letter is not the final number. Top candidates get invited back for an on-campus interview weekend where the award can be increased. Miss the November 15 scholarship priority date and you are far less likely to get that invitation.
HPU publishes averages, not cutoffs. There is no guaranteed grid here. HPU tells you what last year’s winners at each level actually looked like, and those numbers are lower than most families expect at the bottom two rungs.
Test-optional for admission is not clearly test-optional for the big money. HPU’s admissions page states that an SAT or ACT score is required for Presidential Scholarship Program and Honors Scholar Program consideration. HPU’s scholarship page says scores are optional. The two pages disagree. If your student has a score that helps, send it. If your student is test-optional and aiming at Presidential or Honors money, call an admissions counselor before you decide. HPU superscores within each test, but never mixes SAT and ACT sections.
The $3,000 Honors and Fellows award is a separate application. It stacks on top of whatever merit you already have, but you have to go into your PantherPage portal and apply. Priority is January 15, final is March 1.
Three different “costs” get quoted for HPU. The billed direct cost, the official federal cost of attendance, and the average net price are all different numbers. We break them down in the next section so you know which one to plan against.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes — High Point University is test-optional.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 25; SAT: 1235.
Average net price? About $40,721/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No — private school; same rate for all.
💰 Cost of Attendance at High Point University 2026-2027
📅 2027–2028 Planning Note: The costs below reflect the most recently published figures (2026–2027). Universities typically finalize the next year’s rates in the spring, and we’ll update this page once official 2027–2028 numbers are released.
Planning tip: At large public universities, tuition, fees, and housing usually increase modestly each year (often in the 2–5% range). For early budgeting, families may want to plan for roughly $1,000–$1,500 more in-state or $2,000–$3,000 more out-of-state in total direct costs once new rates are published.
Category (2026–2027)
In-State
Out-of-State
Tuition & Mandatory Fees (2 semesters)
$50,628
$50,628
Housing & Meals (typical)
$20,801
$20,801
Total (Direct Costs)
$71,429
$71,429
Average Federal Net Price: $40,721 — this is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships (no loans), based on the most recent federal data. Your specific cost could be significantly lower or higher depending on your financial aid eligibility and merit scholarships. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
One Price for Everybody
HPU is private, so the in-state and out-of-state columns above are identical on purpose. There is no residency discount and no residency penalty, and there is no regional reciprocity program to chase. A family in Ohio and a family in Greensboro see the same sticker price. What actually separates one family’s cost from another is merit aid and need-based aid, not geography.
One local exception is worth knowing about. Families in Guilford County who meet income limits have access to a full-tuition partnership scholarship that nobody outside the county can get. We cover it in the Hidden Gems section.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at High Point University
Why do I see three different totals for what HPU costs?
Because they measure three different things. The billed direct cost, which is tuition, fees, standard housing and food, runs about $71,400 for the year. The official federal cost of attendance is higher, around $80,700, because it adds an allowance of roughly $4,400 for books, transportation and personal spending that HPU never bills you for. And the average net price, near $40,700, is what typical families actually paid after grants and scholarships came off. Plan against the billed number, then subtract whatever aid you are offered.
Is the in-state column really the same as out-of-state?
Yes. HPU is private, so state residency has no effect on tuition. The columns above match because they are supposed to.
Does housing cost the same for every student?
No. HPU uses a five-tier housing system, and the published figure reflects Tier 1, which is standard double-occupancy in the traditional residence halls. About 98 percent of freshmen land in Tier 1 or Tier 2. Suites, apartments and single rooms cost more. One thing to watch: HPU’s financial aid office builds its aid offers using Tier 2 as the baseline, so your award letter and your housing bill may not be using the same assumption.
Does HPU require the CSS Profile?
No. FAFSA only. HPU’s federal school code is 002933. Merit scholarships do not require a FAFSA at all, but you will need one for any need-based grant, and the institutional need-based money is real.
When will we actually see a dollar figure?
Merit awards are administered by Admissions and arrive with the acceptance. Need-based packages come from the Office of Student Financial Planning and go out starting in mid-March, because they wait until Presidential scholarship and fellowship decisions are final so the offer letter shows the whole picture at once.
Are there charges beyond tuition, housing and food?
A few. Every student must show proof of health insurance or buy HPU’s plan. Credits past 18 in a semester bill separately. International students on an F-1 visa pay an additional annual fee. Tuition protection insurance is optional. None of these are large, but they belong in your first-year budget.
Does the scholarship grow when tuition goes up?
Generally no. HPU merit awards are fixed dollar amounts renewable for four years as long as GPA requirements are met. Tuition typically rises a few percent a year. That means the gap you cover out of pocket gets slightly wider each year, so budget for four years rather than one.
Is there a net price calculator?
Yes, and it is worth ten minutes of your evening. HPU links it from their Tuition and Fees page. It is hosted by an outside vendor rather than on the .edu domain, which throws some families off, but it is the official tool.
November 15: Scholarship priority date. Apply by this date for full consideration and for a shot at an interview weekend invitation.
January 15: Priority deadline for the separate Honors Scholar and Fellows applications, which carry their own $3,000.
January and February: Three Presidential interview weekends on campus for invited students.
March 1: Final deadline for Honors and Fellows applications.
Early March: Increased scholarship decisions announced. Need-based packages follow mid-March.
Parent rule of thumb: at HPU the November date is not about getting in. It is about how much money you are in the running for.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — High Point University
HPU has exactly one award tier that functions as a guaranteed floor rather than a competition. Your admission application is your scholarship application. There is nothing separate to fill out, and every admitted student is evaluated. Apply by November 15 for full consideration.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
High Point Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000–$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award is designed to stack — it can be combined with the $3,000 Honors Scholar or Academic Fellowship enhancement and outside scholarships, all the way up to your total cost of attendance. Think of it as the foundation other money gets layered on top of.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU's official scholarship page publishes average recipient statistics for this tier: 3.26 unweighted GPA, 1157 SAT, and 23 ACT. The general admissions application serves as the application for all Presidential and High Point Scholar tiers; November 15 is the priority deadline for full consideration.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students whose academic profile lands roughly around a 3.26 unweighted GPA, a 1157 SAT, or a 23 ACT based on last year's recipient averages. If you're admitted and don't land a Presidential-level award, this is your automatic floor — and it's a solid one.
Data last verified May 28, 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.
📊 What Last Year’s Recipients Actually Looked Like
This is the single most useful thing HPU publishes, and most families never find it. Rather than posting cutoffs, HPU posts the average profile of students who received each award level last year:
High Point Scholarship ($5,000 to $10,000): 3.26 unweighted GPA, 1157 SAT, 23 ACT
Presidential Fellowships ($12,000 to $20,000): 3.8 unweighted GPA, 1363 SAT, 29 ACT, top 10 percent
Presidential Founders ($40,000 to full tuition): 4.0 unweighted GPA, 1550 SAT, 34 ACT, top 5 percent
Look at that first line again. A 3.26 and a 23 ACT was the average for students receiving guaranteed money. These are averages, not guarantees, and they shift year to year with the applicant pool. But if you assumed your student was out of the running at HPU, that assumption is probably wrong.
Note on test scores: HPU superscores both the SAT and the ACT, taking the highest sub-scores across multiple sittings of the same test. Sub-scores are never combined across the two tests. Be careful here, though: HPU’s admissions page states that a score is required for Presidential Scholarship Program and Honors Scholar Program consideration, while HPU’s scholarship page says scores are optional for both Presidential and High Point Scholars. Those pages contradict each other. Confirm with your admissions counselor before going test-optional if the Presidential or Honors money is your target. HPU’s SAT code is 5293 and its ACT code is 3108.
Automatic Merit — FAQs (High Point University)
Is there a separate scholarship application?
No. Your High Point University undergraduate admission application serves as your application for the High Point Scholarship and every Presidential tier above it. Apply by November 15 for full consideration.
Does HPU superscore?
Yes, both tests. If your student took the SAT three times, HPU takes the best section scores across all three. Same for the ACT. What it will not do is mix an ACT math score with an SAT reading score.
Do I have to submit test scores at all?
No. HPU is test-optional for both admission and scholarships, and the published recipient averages include students on the test-optional pathway. If a score helps your case, send it. If it does not, leave it off.
Is the High Point Scholarship guaranteed if I hit certain numbers?
HPU does not publish hard cutoffs, so nothing is guaranteed in the way it is at some large public universities. What HPU does publish is what actual recipients looked like. Treat those averages as a realistic target, not a promise.
Can I get more than the amount in my acceptance letter?
Yes, and this is the whole game at HPU. Strong candidates are invited to one of three on-campus interview weekends in January and February, where the initial award can be raised into the Presidential, Fellowship or Founders range. Decisions go out in early March.
Is the award renewable?
Yes. HPU merit scholarships renew for four years with full-time enrollment and a minimum cumulative GPA. If a GPA falls short, HPU’s financial planning office runs a merit aid appeal process.
Can this stack with anything?
Yes, and deliberately so. The $3,000 Honors Scholar or Fellows award is designed to sit on top of whatever merit tier you land in. Departmental, audition and outside scholarships can layer in as well, up to total cost of attendance.
High Point University runs its competitive money through one door: the Presidential Scholars Program, which dates back to 1976. There is no essay contest, no nomination packet and no separate form. You are evaluated off the application you already submitted, and if HPU likes what it sees, you get invited to campus to interview.
🎯 The Interview Weekend Is the Whole Ballgame
Here is how it actually works, because the mechanics matter more than the dollar figures. When your student is admitted, an initial scholarship comes with that acceptance. For most students, that is the final number. But top candidates receive a formal invitation to one of three Presidential Scholarship Program weekends held on the High Point campus in January and February. At those weekends, students interview with faculty and staff teams. Afterward, the interview teams and the University Scholarship Committee sit down together and decide who moves up a tier. Those decisions land in early March.
So the November 15 scholarship priority date is not really an application deadline. It is the gate that determines whether your student gets that invitation at all. Applying in January may still get you admitted. It will not get you into the room where the money is decided.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at HPU?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
HPU Parent Translation
High Point / Presidential tiers
One tier only
These are rungs on one ladder, not separate awards. Your student holds one of them, and interview weekend is how you move up.
Honors Scholar / Fellows ($3,000)
Yes, by design
HPU says outright that this is awarded in addition to your High Point, Presidential or Fellowship award. This is the cleanest stack on campus.
Presidential Founders (full tuition)
Little room left
Once tuition is covered there is nothing underneath to add. Small outside awards can still apply, but expect financial planning to review them carefully.
Audition and band awards
Usually yes
Marching Panthers and performing arts awards layer on top of academic merit, within total cost limits.
Need-based grants
Yes
Merit is calculated first, then FAFSA-based aid fills what remains. This is why HPU waits until March to send the full offer letter.
ROTC
Often yes
HPU participates in Air Force ROTC Detachment 605 and the Army ROTC Aggie Battalion. Check your award letter for replacement language.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Presidential Founders Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Early March ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
competitive full-tuition presidential scholarship
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Top academic applicants may receive competitive flagship awards that can cover up to full tuition but amounts vary and are not automatically full-ride.
👥 ~Approximately a few dozen students per entering class. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
At full tuition, this award essentially replaces other institutional merit — there's nothing left to stack beneath it from HPU's side. Small program or outside scholarships may still apply within total cost-of-attendance limits, but expect those to be evaluated carefully by the financial aid office.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU publishes this award as a range of $40,000 up to full tuition, so not every Founders recipient receives 100% of tuition. Published recipient averages for the Founders tier: 4.0 unweighted GPA, 1550 SAT, 34 ACT, top 5% class rank. Three interview weekends are held in January and February; award decisions are announced in early March after review by interview teams and the University Scholarship Committee. Test policy conflict: HPU's Freshmen Application Deadlines page states an SAT or ACT score is required for Presidential Scholarship Program consideration, while HPU's Presidential Scholarship page states scores are optional. Verified 2026-09-13. Families should confirm with an admissions counselor.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: HPU publishes the actual averages for this cohort: 4.0 unweighted GPA, 1550 SAT, 34 ACT, and top 5% class rank. This is a genuinely elite group — the strongest of the strong. If your student is in this territory, the November 15 deadline and interview weekend are absolutely worth pursuing.
Automatic
Presidential Fellowships
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Early March ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$12,000–$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited, but larger than the Founders full-tuition cohort. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Functions as an enhanced Presidential merit tier and can stack with the $3,000 Honors Scholar or Academic Fellowship award. Total institutional aid is capped below full tuition at this level, but it is still a meaningful package that a $3,000 honors add-on can push even further.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU's official scholarship page publishes average recipient statistics for the Fellowships tier: 3.8 unweighted GPA, 1363 SAT, 29 ACT, top 10% class rank. Three interview weekends are held in January and February; award decisions are announced in early March. Test policy conflict: HPU's Freshmen Application Deadlines page states an SAT or ACT score is required for Presidential Scholarship Program consideration, while HPU's Presidential Scholarship page states scores are optional. Verified 2026-09-13. Families should confirm with an admissions counselor.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
HPU publishes real averages for this cohort: 3.8 unweighted GPA, 1363 SAT, 29 ACT, and top 10% class rank. These are accomplished, well-rounded students who show up to interview weekend genuinely prepared and ready to articulate their story.
Automatic
Presidential Scholarships
📅 Deadline: November 15 · 📢 Results: Early March ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000–$17,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~A substantial portion of Presidential Scholarship Weekend participants receive awards in this range. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awards in this band build on or replace baseline merit for students who attend Scholars Weekend; they can stack with the Honors Scholar or Academic Fellowship $3,000 enhancement and some program scholarships, subject to overall institutional limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU's official scholarship page publishes average recipient statistics for this tier: 3.58 unweighted GPA, 1235 SAT, 25 ACT. Three interview weekends are held in January and February; award decisions are announced in early March after collaborative review by interview teams and the University Scholarship Committee. Test policy conflict: HPU's Freshmen Application Deadlines page states an SAT or ACT score is required for Presidential Scholarship Program consideration, while HPU's Presidential Scholarship page states scores are optional. Verified 2026-09-13. Families should confirm with an admissions counselor.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
HPU publishes the actual averages for this tier: 3.58 unweighted GPA, 1235 SAT, 25 ACT. These are solid, motivated students — not the top 5%, but absolutely serious about their academics — who show up to interview weekend and make a strong impression. A lot of families are genuinely surprised by how achievable this range is.
Data last verified Sep 15, 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
What is the deadline for the competitive awards? November 15. That is the scholarship priority date for full consideration under the Presidential Scholars Program, and it is what makes an interview weekend invitation possible.
Do I apply separately for the Presidential Scholars Program?
No. Your undergraduate admission application is the application. HPU is explicit that no additional essay is required.
How does a student get invited to interview weekend?
HPU sends formal invitations to admitted students who qualify based on the initial review of their application. Only invited students may interview, and all interviews happen on the High Point campus across three weekends in January and February.
How much can the award actually go up?
Meaningfully. A student who arrives holding a High Point Scholarship in the $5,000 to $10,000 range can leave the process in the Presidential band at $10,000 to $17,000, or higher. That is why the weekend is worth the plane ticket.
Does Founders really cover full tuition?
HPU publishes it as a range, from $40,000 up to full tuition, so not every Founders recipient gets 100 percent. The published profile for that group is a 4.0 unweighted GPA, a 1550 SAT, a 34 ACT and top 5 percent class rank.
When are decisions announced?
Early March, after the interview teams and the University Scholarship Committee review each student together.
Is HPU a National Merit or Stamps partner?
No to both. HPU is also not a QuestBridge partner. Its competitive money runs entirely through the Presidential Scholars Program.
How should we prepare for the interview?
Treat it as a conversation, not a quiz. Students who do well can explain what they care about, what they have actually done about it, and what they want out of four years. Our Brag Sheet Builder is a good way to get those specifics organized ahead of time.
Getting admitted to HPU does not mean you applied for everything. The admission application covers your merit tier. It does not cover the awards below, and several of those are worth thousands a year and stack right on top.
Log into PantherPage and complete the Honors Scholar or Fellows application. Priority January 15, final March 1.
If your student sings, plays, acts or dances, contact the department and schedule an audition.
If service is their thing, apply to the Bonner Leader Program, which also unlocks the shift_ed and National Opportunity scholarship pathways.
File the FAFSA. Endowed and institutional need-based awards are matched from it, and you cannot be considered without one.
Eagle Scout or Gold Award? Email your admissions counselor a copy of the certificate. That is the entire process.
Parent translation: an hour of paperwork in December and January is the highest hourly rate your student will ever earn.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards are not automatic, and most of them stack with merit. A few require an audition or a nomination, a few just require knowing they exist.
App Required
Fellows Scholarships (Honors & Fellows Programs)
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies by program; each Fellows cohort enrolls a limited number of students annually. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Fellows scholarships are awarded in addition to High Point, Presidential, or Presidential Fellowship merit awards and can be combined up to cost-of-attendance.
📄
How to Apply
After submitting the HPU admission application, complete the online Fellows or Honors Scholars Program application for the relevant cohort (e.g., Business, Communication, Creative Arts, Education, Health & Human Performance, Natural Sciences, Leadership, Social Sciences, LIFT) by the stated deadlines.
Selection criteria: Program-specific evaluation of academic preparation, interest in the field, essays, and interview performance.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU states that Honors Scholars and all Fellows receive a $3,000 scholarship renewable annually based on academic performance and continued participation in the program.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-achieving admitted students with strong interest and aptitude in the specific Fellows area who remain active and in good standing within the cohort.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Marching Panthers Band Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling through spring; audition by about March 15 is recommended for best consideration ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Scholarship is awarded in addition to academic merit awards such as High Point or Presidential Scholarships, within cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Submit an interest form and complete an audition with the HPU Marching Panthers; students must also be admitted to the university.
Selection criteria: Musical and performance ability, instrumentation needs, and commitment to the marching program.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU states that students who join the Marching Panthers are eligible for up to a $5,000 per year scholarship, renewable as long as they remain in good standing and continue in the band.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Wind, drum line, color guard, and majorette students who successfully audition and commit to ongoing participation in the Marching Panthers.
App Required
Junior Scholars Program Scholarship
📅 Deadline: April 15 · 📢 Results: Fall 2026 Open House event ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1220 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award layers on top of standard HPU merit (High Point Scholarship or Presidential levels), subject to overall institutional cost-of-attendance limits. It is one of the few ways a junior-year action translates directly into guaranteed freshman-year funding.
📄
How to Apply
Ask your high school counselor or independent educational consultant to request the nomination link from HPU and submit a nomination by April 15 of junior year. Students cannot self-nominate.
Selection criteria: Assessment of GPA and test scores if submitted, with explicit test-optional GPA threshold of 3.6+, plus documented leadership or achievement across qualifying activity areas.
💡
Strategic Detail
Nomination must come from a high school counselor or an independent educational consultant. Students cannot self-nominate. Qualifying profile is a 3.45 to 4.0 unweighted GPA with a 1220+ SAT or 25+ ACT, or a 3.6 to 4.0 unweighted GPA on the test-optional pathway. Accepted students receive a $2,500 per year scholarship activated at full-time enrollment, non-binding early acceptance, and an invitation to a Junior Scholars luncheon at a fall Open House. Check the live HPU page for the current class year, which HPU updates on its own schedule.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High school juniors with demonstrated interest in HPU and either a 3.45 to 4.0 unweighted GPA with a 1220+ SAT or 25+ ACT, or a 3.6 to 4.0 GPA test-optional. Leadership or achievement in academics, community service, the arts, athletics, entrepreneurship, or international experience all count as qualifying pathways.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Performing Arts Scholarships (Music, Theatre, Dance)
📅 Deadline: Audition dates typically October through April; priority consideration by early March ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$500–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awards stack with institutional merit and other scholarships up to cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to HPU and then schedule and complete an on-campus or virtual audition with the appropriate performing arts department.
Selection criteria: Faculty scoring of artistic ability, potential, and fit with departmental ensembles and productions.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU's scholarships page lists performing arts awards at $500 to $2,000, offered by the Theatre, Dance and Music departments to entering majors and requiring an audition. Renewable with continued participation and satisfactory academic progress. Audition scheduling runs through the individual departments.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Music, theatre, or dance majors and minors who present strong auditions and commit to participation in departmental ensembles, productions, or courses.
Automaticnational recognition
Scout Awards
📅 Deadline: No published deadline. Submit the certificate as soon as you have been admitted. Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layers on top of High Point or Presidential merit awards within overall cost-of-attendance limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU's Scholarships and Grants page lists this award at $1,000 and does not state whether it is a one-time award or renews annually. Families should confirm the term with their admissions counselor. There is no application beyond submitting the certificate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted student who earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America or the Gold Award in the Girl Scouts of the USA.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Stout School of Education Scholarships
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews
$500–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies annually with donor contributions and endowment earnings. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Scholarships supplement other institutional and external aid, subject to cost-of-attendance caps.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Stout School of Education or AcademicWorks portal after declaring an education major; some awards may require essays or faculty recommendations.
Selection criteria: Departmental committee review of academic performance, dedication to education, and alignment with donor preferences.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Various named scholarships within the Stout School of Education are funded by donors; typical annual awards fall in the $500–$3,000 range depending on the fund.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Education majors who demonstrate academic promise, commitment to teaching, and—where applicable—financial need or special criteria set by donors.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Endowed Scholarships (Need-Based)
📅 Deadline: February 1 ✓ Renews
$500–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited by each endowment’s annual spend; multiple recipients across the university. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Endowed awards supplement need-based and merit aid and are adjusted annually based on continuing financial need and fund availability.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the FAFSA and any institutional scholarship applications; Financial Planning then matches eligible students to available endowed funds based on criteria.
Selection criteria: Need analysis plus matching of student characteristics to donor criteria.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU’s AcademicWorks and Financial Planning listings show numerous endowed funds; typical scholarship amounts fall between $500 and $3,000 annually.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with demonstrated unmet financial need who also meet specific donor priorities such as major, background, or interests.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Servant Leadership Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 1 ✓ Renews
$1,000–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited; number of recipients depends on endowment income each year. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Award supplements other need-based and merit aid to reduce remaining costs; amounts may change with donor funding and financial-need calculations.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the general HPU scholarship/aid application via AcademicWorks or Financial Planning; Bonner Leaders and first-generation students with demonstrated need are prioritized.
Selection criteria: Combination of financial-need assessment and demonstrated commitment to service and leadership.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The scholarship description specifies first preference for Bonner Leaders and second preference for first-generation scholars; typical institutional endowed scholarships fall in the low-thousands range per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with documented financial need, especially Bonner Leaders and first-generation students engaged in community service and leadership.
App Required
Bonner Leader Program
📅 Deadline: February 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Approximately 50 Bonner Leaders serving multiple community partners each year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Funding often comes through a combination of institutional support and work-study wages; can be layered on top of other scholarships and grants.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the National Opportunity and Bonner Leader application and the general scholarship form; students must qualify for federal work-study and commit to 8–10 hours of community service per week.
Selection criteria: Assessment of financial need, service track record, and leadership potential in community engagement.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Bonner Leaders commit to over 300 hours of community service annually and receive structured leadership development; financial support is coordinated with their aid package and work-study eligibility.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Low-income or federal work-study–eligible students who demonstrate a strong commitment to long-term community service and social impact.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Institutional Need-Based Grants
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Grants are coordinated with federal, state, and institutional scholarships to meet as much need as possible without exceeding cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Institutional grants are highly individualized and adjust from year to year depending on updated FAFSA information and total aid received.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families who demonstrate financial need beyond what is covered by federal and state programs alone.
Full TuitionApp Requiredgeographicneed basedidentity based
shift_ed & First Generation Scholarships
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition, fees and books partnership scholarship for Guilford County students
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Open only to Guilford County Schools graduates with documented family income of $75,000 or less. The First Generation track additionally requires living inside High Point city limits.
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~At least two and up to five full-tuition awards per entering class, plus up to five Choice Scholarships worth up to $3,500 per year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
The award is adjusted so that combined aid does not exceed full tuition, fees and books. Students living off campus have the award reduced accordingly. State and federal need-based aid is layered in after a FAFSA is filed.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission to HPU (Early Action by November 15 is recommended, Regular Decision by February 15), complete the Bonner Leader application, file the FAFSA by February 15, and submit the separate shift_ed application.
Selection criteria: Review of financial need, academic record, community service history, leadership potential and willingness to join the Bonner Leader Program.
💡
Strategic Detail
HPU partners with shift_ed to fund these awards. All recipients automatically become members of the HPU Bonner Leader Program. A secondary Choice Scholarship track awards up to five students up to $3,500 per year for four years. Renewal requires meeting academic requirements and maintaining a clear social record.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Guilford County Schools graduates with family income of $75,000 or less, a 3.0 or better high school GPA, a real record of community service and a readiness to commit four years to the Bonner Leader Program.
Data last verified Sep 15, 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.
📍 If You Live in Guilford County, Read This
HPU partners with shift_ed to fund full tuition, fees and books for at least two and up to five students from Guilford County Schools each year, with preference for High Point residents who are first in their family to attend a four-year college. Family income must be $75,000 or less. There are also up to five Choice Scholarships worth up to $3,500 a year. The catch is real but manageable: you have to apply for admission, complete the Bonner Leader application, file the FAFSA, and submit a separate shift_ed application, all by February 15.
If your family is outside Guilford County this one is closed to you. If you are inside it, this is the largest single opportunity on this page.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Can these stack with my Presidential or High Point award?
Most of them, yes. The Honors and Fellows $3,000 is explicitly designed to add on top. Band and audition awards generally layer as well. Everything is subject to a cap at total cost of attendance, so read the award letter once the offers land.
What is the Fellows program and how is it different from Honors?
Honors is interdisciplinary and open to any major. Fellows are discipline-specific cohorts, nine of them, covering areas like business, communication, health science, natural sciences, engineering, education, creative arts, entrepreneurship and leadership. Both carry the same $3,000 and use the same PantherPage application and the same deadlines. You may apply to multiple programs, but a student is admitted to only one.
My student plays an instrument but is not a music major. Is there money there?
Yes. The Marching Panthers scholarship is worth up to $5,000 a year and is open to wind, drum line, color guard and majorette students regardless of major. It requires an audition and a commitment to summer band camp. Performing arts awards in the $500 to $2,000 range are separate and run through the Theatre, Dance and Music departments.
How do endowed and departmental scholarships get awarded?
Mostly by matching. You file the FAFSA, declare a major, and HPU’s financial planning office matches eligible students against donor criteria. HPU publishes a list of endowed funds from its Scholarships and Grants page, which is worth scanning for anything that matches your student’s background or intended field.
What is the Bonner Leader Program actually asking for?
A four-year commitment of 8 to 10 hours of community service a week, which adds up to more than 300 hours a year, plus the Civic Responsibility and Social Innovation minor. HPU runs roughly 50 Bonner Leaders across all four class years working with local nonprofits. Students also qualify for additional work-study wages. It is a real commitment, not a line on a resume.
Can continuing students get these?
Several, yes. Departmental, endowed and need-based awards are open to students already enrolled. The Honors program also has a rising sophomore entry pathway for students who did not apply as freshmen.
What about athletics?
HPU is NCAA Division I and awards talent-based scholarships across its varsity sports. Amounts vary and are handled entirely by the athletics department, not admissions, so start with the coaching staff.
The Honors Scholar Program at High Point University
HPU calls it the Honors Scholar Program, not an honors college, and the distinction is worth understanding. This is not the usual arrangement where honors students take the same general education courses with extra reading piled on. At HPU, the 39-credit Honors Core Curriculum replaces the standard general education requirements. Twelve courses over seven semesters, discussion-based, project-driven and interdisciplinary. Because the core is structured rather than scattered, honors students often find it easier to double major or add minors, not harder.
Admission is separate from admission to the university and it is capped. HPU limits each entering class to 100 honors students, against a program that currently runs 300-plus scholars across all four years.
Scholarship: $3,000 per year, renewable, stacked on top of your High Point or Presidential award
Application: Separate, through your PantherPage portal, after you submit the admission application
Scholarship priority deadline: January 15
Final deadline: March 1
Cohort size: Capped at 100 per entering class
To graduate with All University Honors: complete the Honors Core with a 3.0, hold a 3.2 cumulative GPA, and curate a reflective portfolio
Honors Scholarships & Fellowships
App Required
Honors Scholar Program Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (3.2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Capped at 100 students per entering class. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
This $3,000 annual scholarship is purpose-built to stack — it is explicitly awarded in addition to the High Point Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, or Presidential Fellowship, not instead of them. Renewal each year requires maintaining a 3.2 cumulative GPA and staying in good standing in the Honors Program. It is one of the cleanest stacking opportunities at HPU.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the High Point University undergraduate admission application first. Then complete the Honors Scholar application through your PantherPage portal. Priority consideration is given to applications received by January 15; the final deadline is March 1. Admission to the program is capped at 100 students per entering class.
Selection criteria: Committee review of academic record, course rigor, essays, and overall fit with the Honors mission; test scores when submitted may be considered but are not required. Program is capped at 100 students per class.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Honors Scholar Program page confirms the $3,000 annual scholarship is renewable based on academic performance and continued participation, explicitly stacks on top of any Presidential or High Point merit award, and is capped at 100 incoming students per year. Graduation requirement is a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA. The program is home to 300+ active scholars across all class years. Test policy conflict: HPU's Freshmen Application Deadlines page states an SAT or ACT score is required for Presidential Scholarship Program consideration, while HPU's Presidential Scholarship page states scores are optional. Verified 2026-09-13. Families should confirm with an admissions counselor.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Academically driven admitted students who apply through PantherPage with a compelling essay and a demonstrated love of interdisciplinary learning. The program caps its cohort at 100 students per class, so it is selective — but the application is about fit and intellectual curiosity, not just grades.
Data last verified May 28, 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.
*Cohort sizes and renewal terms reflect what HPU currently publishes. Confirm the year’s specifics with the program before you plan around them.*
Deadline Note: The Honors and Fellows application is a completely separate step from your admission application, and it does not happen automatically. Priority is January 15, final is March 1. With only 100 seats per class, applying in the priority window matters.
What the $3,000 Actually Buys Beyond the Money
A free course overseas. Every honors student takes one of their core courses abroad after sophomore year. Programming is largely covered; room and board are not.
Priority registration every single registration period, which in practice means getting the classes and the professors you want.
Finch Residence Hall. Honors students live together in the heart of campus for their first two years, with a faculty member in residence. They are the only sophomores housed centrally.
All University Honors on the diploma, which is the highest academic designation HPU awards.
A second door in. Students who miss it as freshmen can apply through the rising sophomore entry pathway.
Honors Scholar Program — FAQs (High Point University)
Is honors admission automatic for high stats?
No. You submit a separate application through PantherPage after you apply for admission. The committee reviews your academic record, course rigor, essays and overall fit with the program’s mission. Test scores are considered when submitted but are not required.
Does the $3,000 replace my other scholarship?
No, and HPU says so plainly. It is awarded in addition to the High Point Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship or Presidential Fellowship. This is the most straightforward stack available at HPU.
What do I have to do to keep it?
Maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA, stay in good standing, and remain an active participant in the program. Renewal is annual.
Can I apply to both Honors and a Fellows program?
Yes, you may apply to multiple programs. But students are admitted to only one, so think about where your student actually fits rather than casting a wide net.
Is honors more work?
It is different work. The core replaces general education rather than adding to it, so the credit load is comparable. The courses are discussion-based and project-driven, which suits some students far better than lecture halls and suits others less.
What if we miss the deadline entirely?
There is a rising sophomore entry path. It is a smaller door and the cohort is already formed, but it exists.
High Point University is a private university of about 5,500 undergraduates in the North Carolina Piedmont, and it is not shy about its brand. What gets less attention than the campus is the academic structure underneath it. HPU has spent the last two decades building named professional schools, and the result is something unusual for a school this size: a student can go from a bachelor’s degree straight into a doctoral health program without ever changing institutions.
Nationally Known Program: Nido R. Qubein School of Communication — Named for HPU’s president, the communication school is the program the university is most identified with nationally, and it is the one where HPU’s emphasis on presentation, storytelling and professional polish shows up most directly in the curriculum. Communication is consistently among the university’s most-awarded undergraduate fields.
Earl N. Phillips School of Business: HPU’s largest undergraduate draw. Business administration and marketing are the two most-awarded majors on campus by a wide margin, with strong pipelines into finance, management and analytics.
The health professions pipeline: This is HPU’s quietest advantage. The Congdon School of Health Sciences feeds into HPU’s own Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, School of Optometry, Workman School of Dental Medicine and physician assistant and physical therapy programs. For a family with a pre-health student, that continuity is worth asking hard questions about during a campus visit.
Teresa Caine School of Nursing: A named nursing school with clinical placements across the Piedmont Triad.
Stout School of Education: Education is one of HPU’s most specialized fields relative to national averages, with its own Fellows cohort and its own pool of departmental scholarships.
David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship and Webb School of Engineering: Both newer, both with dedicated Fellows programs attached.
Access to Innovators: HPU brings in figures like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph as in-residence mentors. Whether that translates into value depends entirely on whether your student is the type to walk up and introduce themselves.
Outcomes: HPU reports 99 percent of graduates employed or enrolled in graduate school within 180 days, and has been ranked first among US News Regional Colleges in the South for eleven consecutive years.
🔗 Official High Point University Links
Every link below was checked against High Point University’s live site. Use these to confirm scholarship deadlines, award terms and cost figures before you make any decision. Note that HPU does not publish a public Common Data Set, so for standardized admissions and aid statistics you will need to use the federal College Scorecard instead.
Here is the honest read on High Point University. The sticker price is high and it is the same whether you live in Charlotte or Chicago, so there is no residency angle to work. What there is instead is a merit ladder that starts lower than most families assume. A student with a 3.26 and a 23 ACT was, on average, receiving guaranteed money last year. That alone puts HPU on the table for a lot of families who wrote it off after one look at the tuition line.
The thing that makes HPU different from almost every school on this site is that your award is not finished when the acceptance letter arrives. The interview weekend in January or February is where students move up a tier, and the November 15 scholarship priority date is the gate to getting invited. If you take one thing from this page, take that. Applying in January might get your student admitted. It will not get them into the room where the money is decided.
Then do the second application. The $3,000 Honors or Fellows award is separate, it stacks on purpose, and it takes an evening in the PantherPage portal. Add an audition if your student plays or performs, add the Bonner application if service is their thing, and file the FAFSA even if you are certain you will not qualify for need-based aid, because the endowed funds are matched from it.
HPU is not the right answer for every family. But the gap between what it appears to cost and what a prepared family actually pays is wider here than at most private schools, and closing that gap is mostly a matter of hitting three dates: November 15, January 15, and showing up when they invite you.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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