🏆 One full-cost Performing Arts award every four years (next cycle opens 2028)
Average Net Price
$35,332/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
$26,000 to $38,000/yr
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
15 opportunities
5 automatic · 10 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
Weighted GPA only; no test needed
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional (merit is GPA-only)
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Dec 1 • FAFSA: Mar 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
East Bay Performing Arts Scholarship (1 student every 4 years)
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Saint Mary’s College of California (Read This First)
Nursing majors are left out of the big merit money. The automatic $26,000 to $38,000 awards do not apply to BSN students, and BSN tuition runs $76,770 a year because it is billed over three terms. Nursing families need to look at a completely different aid picture.
Departmental money starts with Early Action. Your student has to apply Early Action by November 1 to be eligible, turn in the department application by December 1, and then interview or audition in mid-January. A Regular Decision application closes that door.
Merit counts toward need first. Saint Mary’s applies merit against your demonstrated need and caps all non-need awards at $50,000 a year. A big merit award can shrink the need-based money instead of stacking on top of it.
California families: Cal Grant is not optional. Saint Mary’s says it will not replace Cal Grant money a student was eligible for but did not apply for. File the FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application by the March 1 priority date.
Test scores will not move the merit needle. Merit is based on your student’s weighted GPA alone and is decided at acceptance. There is no scholarship form to fill out.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Saint Mary's College of California is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: N/A.
Average net price? About $35,332/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Saint Mary's College of California: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Saint Mary's College of California 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 $1,600 to $4,000 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$80,952
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$62,052
Housing & meals (typical)
$18,900
Total billed cost
$80,952
Average federal net price: $35,332 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
Saint Mary’s College of California is a private institution that charges the same tuition and mandatory fees to all traditional undergraduates regardless of residency.
One Price for Everyone (But Two Price Tags)
Saint Mary’s is private, so a student from Oregon pays the same tuition as a student from Oakland. The real split here is by major. Most students pay $30,708 per semester for fall and spring. Nursing (BSN) students pay $25,590 per term across summer, fall, and spring, which comes to $76,770 a year, and they follow separate scholarship rules.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Saint Mary’s College of California
What does a full year on campus really cost before aid?
Saint Mary’s lists a total cost of attendance of $87,612 for 2026-2027. That includes $61,416 in tuition, $636 in student fees, $18,900 for a standard double room with a meal plan, plus books, personal expenses, and transportation. The part you actually get billed for is tuition, fees, housing, and meals.
Is there an out-of-state rate?
No. Tuition is the same no matter where you live. About 84% of first-year students come from California, so families from other states should know most classmates will be Californians.
What do families actually pay after grants?
The most recent federal average net price is $35,332 (2023-2024). Income makes a big difference. Aided families earning under $30,000 paid about $19,462, families in the $75,001 to $110,000 range paid about $29,049, and families over $110,000 paid about $40,581. Run the school’s Net Price Calculator with your own numbers.
How much does housing vary?
A lot. Food and housing runs from $14,500 for a townhouse double with a smaller meal plan up to $21,300 for a renovated suite single. The $18,900 figure in the table is a traditional double with a full meal plan.
Is health insurance an extra charge?
It can be. Full-time undergrads must have health insurance, and the school plan ($2,406 for 2026-2027) is billed in the fall unless your student waives it with proof of other coverage. Domestic students can waive. Do not skip that step.
Does January Term cost extra?
There is no added tuition for full-time undergrads during January Term. Some courses carry lab, material, or travel fees.
What grant money can help California families?
Saint Mary’s lists the Cal Grant at up to $9,358 a year and the federal Pell Grant at up to $7,395 for families who qualify. Cal Grant B students also get a $1,648 access allowance. Cal Grants take the place of Saint Mary’s own need-based scholarship, which is why filing on time matters so much.
📅 Saint Mary’s Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
With the acceptance letter: Automatic merit is decided. No form, no deadline of its own.
November 1: Early Action application in. This is the gate for departmental scholarships.
December 1: Departmental scholarship application due.
Mid-January: Scholarship Saturday interviews and auditions (invite only).
March 1: FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application priority date for new students.
Parent rule of thumb: if your student is serious about Saint Mary’s, apply Early Action. It costs nothing extra and keeps every scholarship door open.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: Saint Mary’s College of California
Every admitted first-year student is automatically considered. The award is based only on your student’s official weighted GPA and shows up with the acceptance. Test scores are not needed, and there is no extra application. Saint Mary’s does not publish the GPA cutoffs for each tier, so the Net Price Calculator is the best way to get a preview.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Cal Grant A
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or CADAA plus GPA verification by March 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$9,358/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPACalifornia resident or AB 540 student; 3.0 high school GPA (or 2.4 college GPA); 2026-27 income ceiling $144,700 for a family of four, assets under $111,900; FAFSA or CADAA and a verified GPA by March 2; within one year of high school graduation for the entitlement award
✚
Stacking & Combining
$9,358 a year toward tuition at a private nonprofit California college in 2026-27. Stacks with the college's own aid and with Pell. Guaranteed for every senior who meets the GPA, income, and deadline.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Saint Mary's College of California award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent CA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every California senior with a 3.0 whose family is under the ceiling and whose school sent the GPA to CSAC by March 2. The miss is almost always the GPA verification, which the high school must submit separately; a student with a perfect FAFSA and no verified GPA gets nothing.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Cal Grant B
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or CADAA plus GPA verification by March 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.0+ GPACalifornia resident or AB 540 student; 2.0 GPA; 2026-27 income ceiling $76,100 for a family of four, assets under $111,900; FAFSA or CADAA and a verified GPA by March 2
✚
Stacking & Combining
For lower-income families. Year one is a $1,648 access award for books and living costs; from year two it adds the full Cal Grant A tuition amount for your school on top of the access award. Students with dependent children or a foster care history can get up to $6,000 in access money. Stacks with Pell and college aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Saint Mary's College of California award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent CA page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Low-income seniors with at least a 2.0 who filed by March 2. The first-year letter looks small because tuition does not kick in until sophomore year; families sometimes decline a school over that without realizing year two is worth ten times more.
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
Trustee's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$38,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Not available to Nursing (BSN) majors.
Based on the official weighted high school GPA. SAT/ACT scores are not required and are not needed for merit. Not available to students admitted to the Nursing (BSN) program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other Saint Mary's awards such as the Lasallian Leadership Award, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a Departmental Scholarship, but merit plus all other non-need-based Saint Mary's awards are capped at $50,000 per year. Merit is applied toward demonstrated need first, so it can reduce Saint Mary's need-based aid instead of adding on top. Tuition Exchange recipients are capped at $43,000 combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Trustee's Scholarship is the top tier of Saint Mary's automatic merit grid at $38,000 per year ($152,000 over four years). It is set by your student's official weighted GPA and awarded at acceptance, with no essay, interview, or test score required. It renews for four consecutive years of full-time study as long as your student meets Satisfactory Academic Progress. Trustee and Presidential recipients are encouraged to live in the Honors Living-Learning Community in Aquinas Hall.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with the strongest weighted GPAs in the pool. Saint Mary's does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier, so the Net Price Calculator (which asks for expected GPA) is the best way to see where your student is likely to land.
Automatic
Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$36,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Not available to Nursing (BSN) majors.
Based on the official weighted high school GPA. SAT/ACT scores are not required and are not needed for merit. Not available to students admitted to the Nursing (BSN) program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other Saint Mary's awards such as the Lasallian Leadership Award, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a Departmental Scholarship, but merit plus all other non-need-based Saint Mary's awards are capped at $50,000 per year. Merit is applied toward demonstrated need first, so it can reduce Saint Mary's need-based aid instead of adding on top. Tuition Exchange recipients are capped at $43,000 combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Presidential Scholarship is the second tier at $36,000 per year ($144,000 over four years). It is awarded automatically at acceptance based on weighted GPA, with no separate application. It renews for four consecutive years of full-time study with Satisfactory Academic Progress. Presidential and Trustee recipients are encouraged to live in the Honors Living-Learning Community in Aquinas Hall.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with very strong weighted GPAs in a rigorous schedule, just below the Trustee band. Cutoffs are not published, so run the Net Price Calculator with your student's weighted GPA.
Automatic
Provost's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$34,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Not available to Nursing (BSN) majors.
Based on the official weighted high school GPA. SAT/ACT scores are not required and are not needed for merit. Not available to students admitted to the Nursing (BSN) program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other Saint Mary's awards such as the Lasallian Leadership Award, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a Departmental Scholarship, but merit plus all other non-need-based Saint Mary's awards are capped at $50,000 per year. Merit is applied toward demonstrated need first, so it can reduce Saint Mary's need-based aid instead of adding on top. Tuition Exchange recipients are capped at $43,000 combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Provost's Scholarship is the middle tier at $34,000 per year ($136,000 over four years). It is awarded automatically at acceptance based on weighted GPA, with no separate application, and renews for four consecutive years of full-time study with Satisfactory Academic Progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong students with solid grades in college-prep and honors or AP courses. Saint Mary's does not publish the GPA range for this tier.
Automatic
Dean's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$30,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Not available to Nursing (BSN) majors.
Based on the official weighted high school GPA. SAT/ACT scores are not required and are not needed for merit. Not available to students admitted to the Nursing (BSN) program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other Saint Mary's awards such as the Lasallian Leadership Award, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a Departmental Scholarship, but merit plus all other non-need-based Saint Mary's awards are capped at $50,000 per year. Merit is applied toward demonstrated need first, so it can reduce Saint Mary's need-based aid instead of adding on top. Tuition Exchange recipients are capped at $43,000 combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Dean's Scholarship is the fourth tier at $30,000 per year ($120,000 over four years). It is awarded automatically at acceptance based on weighted GPA, with no separate application, and renews for four consecutive years of full-time study with Satisfactory Academic Progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Consistent college-prep students with a respectable weighted GPA. Many solid applicants land in this band.
Automatic
Gael Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$26,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Not available to Nursing (BSN) majors.
Based on the official weighted high school GPA. SAT/ACT scores are not required and are not needed for merit. Not available to students admitted to the Nursing (BSN) program.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other Saint Mary's awards such as the Lasallian Leadership Award, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a Departmental Scholarship, but merit plus all other non-need-based Saint Mary's awards are capped at $50,000 per year. Merit is applied toward demonstrated need first, so it can reduce Saint Mary's need-based aid instead of adding on top. Tuition Exchange recipients are capped at $43,000 combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Gael Scholarship is the entry tier at $26,000 per year ($104,000 over four years). It is awarded automatically at acceptance based on weighted GPA, with no separate application, and renews for four consecutive years of full-time study with Satisfactory Academic Progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
The baseline merit award for admitted first-year students who clear Saint Mary's weighted GPA threshold for merit. Saint Mary's does not publish that threshold.
Data last verified Oct 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Students get one merit tier. It can be combined with the Lasallian Leadership Award, Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a Departmental Scholarship, but all non-need Saint Mary’s awards together top out at $50,000 per year. Merit tiers do not apply to Nursing (BSN) students.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (Saint Mary’s College of California)
What GPA does my student need for each tier?
Saint Mary’s does not publish the cutoffs. Tiers are set by weighted GPA, from the Gael Scholarship at $26,000 a year up to the Trustee’s Scholarship at $38,000 a year. Plug your student’s weighted GPA into the Net Price Calculator for an estimate.
Do ACT or SAT scores help?
No. Saint Mary’s says all applicants, with or without scores, are evaluated equally for admission and merit. The merit decision is weighted GPA only.
Is there a scholarship deadline?
Not for automatic merit. It is awarded at acceptance. The deadlines that matter are November 1 Early Action (for departmental awards) and the March 1 FAFSA priority date.
Can these be stacked with other Saint Mary’s awards?
Partly. Your student gets one merit tier, and it can be paired with the Lasallian Leadership Award, Alumni Legacy Scholarship, or a $5,000 Departmental Scholarship. Everything non-need-based is capped at $50,000 a year, and merit is applied toward demonstrated need first.
Are these renewable?
Yes. Merit renews automatically for four consecutive years of full-time study as long as your student meets Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Why didn’t my nursing student get a merit award?
Saint Mary’s excludes Nursing (BSN) students from standard merit scholarships. Nursing has its own aid: a Saint Mary’s Grant of $2,500 per semester for families with an SAI of 15,000 or less, and a $5,000-per-semester Nursing Scholarship for strong transfer admits.
What do transfer students get?
Transfer merit is based on college GPA: Presidential Transfer ($20,000), Provost Transfer ($18,000), Dean’s Transfer ($16,000), and Gael Transfer ($4,000) per year, for up to three years.
We are a Tuition Exchange family. Does that change anything?
Yes. Saint Mary’s caps the combined Tuition Exchange award and merit at $43,000.
Saint Mary’s does not run a big essay-and-interview competition for full tuition or a full ride that any applicant can enter. Its largest awards are the automatic merit tiers. The competitive money is the $5,000 Departmental Scholarship, and the one full-cost award (the East Bay Performing Arts Scholarship) goes to a single student every four years. Both are covered in Hidden Gems below.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Saint Mary’s?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Saint Mary’s Parent Translation
Automatic Merit Tier
N/A
Your student gets one tier, from $26,000 to $38,000 a year.
Departmental Scholarship
Yes, up to the cap
$5,000 a year on top of merit, as long as the total non-need aid stays at or under $50,000.
Lasallian Leadership Award / Alumni Legacy
Yes
Automatic add-ons for the right families. Legacy combinations cannot exceed tuition.
Saint Mary’s need-based aid
Merit goes first
Merit is applied toward your demonstrated need, so a larger merit award can mean less school need money.
Pell / Cal Grant
Usually
Federal and state grants fill gaps, but Cal Grant replaces Saint Mary’s own need-based scholarship. File on time.
The honest bottom line: Saint Mary’s is generous up front and simple to understand, but it is not a school where a student wins a full ride through an essay contest. Families get the most out of it by pairing a strong merit tier with a departmental award, and by filing the FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application early.
This institution does not offer designated Competitive scholarships at this time.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Saint Mary’s offer any full-ride scholarships?
Only one: the East Bay Performing Arts Scholarship, a full-cost award for one Black or African American performing arts student from Alameda or Contra Costa County. It is offered once every four years, and the next cycle opens in 2028.
Is the Presidential or Trustee’s Scholarship a competition?
No. Both are automatic merit tiers based on weighted GPA. There is no essay or interview.
What is the most competitive money a typical student can go after?
The $5,000-a-year Departmental Scholarship. Your student applies Early Action, submits a department application by December 1, and interviews or auditions at Scholarship Saturday if invited.
What is the most a non-nursing student can get in Saint Mary’s non-need awards?
$50,000 a year. For example, the Trustee’s Scholarship ($38,000), the Lasallian Leadership Award ($5,000), and a Departmental Scholarship ($5,000) add up to $48,000, which fits under the cap.
What about athletic scholarships?
Saint Mary’s competes in NCAA Division I. Athletic scholarships are offered through the coaching staff, separately from the financial aid office’s merit awards.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Scholarship Saturday Playbook
The $5,000 Departmental Scholarship is the one piece of Saint Mary’s money your student can actually go out and earn. Here is how it works:
Pick an intended major early. Accounting/Business Administration and Management and Leadership require declaring the major at entrance.
Apply Early Action through the Common App by November 1.
Log into the SMC Applicant Status Page and submit the department application by December 1.
Email any extra materials or letters to smcadmit@stmarys-ca.edu.
Hold a Saturday in mid-January open for the on-campus interview or audition.
Parent translation: $5,000 a year is $20,000 over four years. That is worth a couple of essays and one Saturday.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards are easy to overlook. Some are automatic for the right family (Lasallian high school graduates, legacies, California community college transfers). Others need a short application, a portfolio, or an audition. There are also awards built specifically for nursing students, since they are left out of the main merit grid.
App Required
Departmental Scholarship (About 30 Majors)
📅 Deadline: December 1 · 📢 Results: Following Scholarship Saturday interviews/auditions in mid-January ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires Early Action admission application by Nov 1. Some majors must be declared at entrance.
👥 ~Approximately 30+ awards annually across all departments winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the automatic merit tier and other Saint Mary's awards, subject to the $50,000 per year cap on non-need-based institutional aid. Accounting/Business Administration and Management and Leadership require declaring that major at entrance.
📄
How to Apply
1) Apply Early Action through the Common App by November 1. 2) Submit the Department Scholarship application on the SMC Applicant Status Page by December 1. 3) Email any required extra materials and recommendation letters to smcadmit@stmarys-ca.edu. 4) If invited, interview or audition on campus at Scholarship Saturday in mid-January.
Selection criteria: Each department conducts its own review. Common factors include the strength of the cover letter/essay, prior coursework and relevant experience in the field, recommendation letters, and performance at the on-campus Scholarship Saturday interview or audition.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Selected incoming first-year students receive $5,000 per year ($20,000 over four years) from the department of their intended major. Awards are listed for Accounting and Business Administration, Anthropology, Art Practice and Art History (Brother Cornelius Visual Art Scholarship), Business Analytics and Data Science, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Creative Writing, Data Science, Economics (3 awards), English, Environmental Science, Ethnic Studies, Finance, Global and Regional Studies, History, the Integral Program, Justice Community and Leadership, Management and Leadership (3 awards), Marketing (3 awards), Mathematics (Brother Dominic Barry Math Competition), Performing Arts (audition required), Philosophy, Physics (virtual lab activity), Politics, Sociology, Teachers for Tomorrow, Theology and Religious Studies, Women and Gender Studies, and World Languages. Students must apply Early Action by November 1 to be eligible. Saint Mary's departmental page still showed the prior cycle's Scholarship Saturday date as of October 2026, so confirm current dates.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who commit to a major early, apply Early Action, submit a polished department application by December 1, and do well at the invite-only Scholarship Saturday interview or audition in mid-January. Fit and effort in the field matter more than having the highest GPA in the pool.
Automatic
Lasallian Leadership Award
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Graduates of De La Salle Christian Brothers high schools only.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Saint Mary's states this award can be combined with one automatic merit tier, subject to the $50,000 per year cap on non-need-based institutional aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $5,000 per year award ($20,000 over four years) applied automatically at acceptance for admitted first-year students graduating from De La Salle Christian Brothers high schools. It renews for four consecutive years of full-time study toward a first bachelor's degree. Separately, Saint Mary's Lasallian Guaranteed Admission Program guarantees admission to graduates of any U.S. Lasallian-affiliated high school with a 3.5 weighted GPA and a full college-prep curriculum.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Every admitted first-year from a De La Salle Christian Brothers high school. No extra paperwork.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at acceptance; no separate application · 📢 Results: Released alongside the admission decision ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Children or grandchildren of Saint Mary's degree holders.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with up to three Saint Mary's awards in total, and the combined total cannot exceed the cost of tuition. If your student later qualifies for Pell or Cal Grant, total gift aid is also capped at tuition.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,000 per year award ($8,000 over four years) for new first-year and transfer students whose parent or grandparent completed a Saint Mary's bachelor's or graduate degree. Applied automatically at acceptance and renewed for four consecutive years of full-time study with Satisfactory Academic Progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted student with a qualifying parent or grandparent alum. It is small but automatic.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Robert W. Summers Scholarship in Communication and Journalism
📅 Deadline: Not published; confirm with the Communication Department Non-Renewable
$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~2 per year winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the automatic merit tier and other Saint Mary's awards, subject to the $50,000 per year cap on non-need-based institutional aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission, then complete the Robert W. Summers application with a 500-word statement of interest, proof of a 3.0+ GPA, a journalism portfolio, and one letter of reference.
Selection criteria: Merit-based review of journalism portfolio strength, personal statement, GPA, and letter of reference. Reserved for one first-year and one upperclass/transfer recipient per cycle.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
A $6,000 per year merit award in Journalism and Communication offered to one entering first-year student and one transferring or continuing junior each year. Intended for Communication majors or students with a demonstrable commitment to journalism. Saint Mary's does not publish renewal terms.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a real portfolio of journalism or media work (broadly defined), a 3.0+ GPA, and a clear 500-word statement on why journalism matters to them.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Macken Collegiate Forensics Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Not published; apply through the Macken application after applying for admission Non-Renewable
$2,500–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the automatic merit tier and other Saint Mary's awards, subject to the $50,000 per year cap on non-need-based institutional aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission, then submit the Macken Collegiate Forensics application.
Selection criteria: Awards judged on level of commitment to the Macken team, competitive potential and contributions, and overall academic standing.
💡
Strategic Detail
A talent award of $2,500 to $5,000 per year for students joining Saint Mary's Macken speech and debate team. Open to incoming first-year students, transfers, and current students. Selection weighs commitment to the team, competitive potential and contributions, and academic standing. Saint Mary's does not publish renewal terms, so confirm with the program.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a high school speech or debate record who will commit to competing for the Macken team.
Full RideApp Required
East Bay Performing Arts Scholarship for African American Students
📅 Deadline: Closed; next application cycle opens in 2028 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Tuition, fees, housing, and meal plan
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Black or African American Performing Arts students from Alameda or Contra Costa County with Pell/Cal Grant-level need. Next cycle 2028.
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~1 every four years winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
As a full-cost award, it replaces the rest of Saint Mary's institutional aid for the recipient.
📄
How to Apply
When the cycle reopens: apply for first-year admission, file the FAFSA by January 1, submit the departmental scholarship application, and audition and interview with Performing Arts faculty.
Selection criteria: Competitive review combining academic standing (3.0+ GPA), demonstrated financial need (Pell/Cal Grant eligibility), residency verification, and performance at the audition and faculty interview.
🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
A full-cost scholarship covering tuition, fees, housing, and meal plan for one incoming first-year student every four years. Open to African American students (Saint Mary's departmental page says of African descent or identifying as Black) with financial need who live in Alameda or Contra Costa County and plan to major or minor in Performance and Theatre Studies, Design and Technical Theatre, Music, or Dance. Requires a 3.0 GPA, Pell and Cal Grant eligibility, a FAFSA by January 1, and an audition and interview. Renewable for four years. Saint Mary's says applications will not reopen until 2028.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One East Bay performing artist with financial need and a strong audition, once every four years.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Community College Pathway Grant
📅 Deadline: Awarded at transfer acceptance; no separate application ✓ Renews (3 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Transfers entering directly from a California community college.
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added on top of transfer merit scholarships (Presidential Transfer $20,000, Provost Transfer $18,000, Dean's Transfer $16,000, or Gael Transfer $4,000 per year), subject to the $50,000 per year cap on non-need-based institutional aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer students entering directly from any of California's 116 community colleges receive a $5,000 grant, added on top of other scholarships. Applied automatically each year for up to three years of consecutive full-time study toward a first bachelor's degree.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Nearly every admitted transfer coming straight from a California community college.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Phi Theta Kappa / Alpha Gamma Sigma Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at transfer acceptance with membership documented Non-Renewable
$5,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ Transfers who are Phi Theta Kappa or Alpha Gamma Sigma members.
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added to other Saint Mary's transfer awards, including the Community College Pathway Grant, subject to the $50,000 per year cap on non-need-based institutional aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Saint Mary's lists a $5,000 award for eligible Phi Theta Kappa members and a separate $5,000 award for eligible Alpha Gamma Sigma members, each added to other Saint Mary's scholarships. Eligibility requires acceptance, documented membership on the Common App or college transcript, and academic and leadership achievement. Saint Mary's does not state whether the award repeats each year, so confirm in the aid offer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Community college honor society members who list their membership clearly on the application.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Nursing Scholarship (BSN Transfer Admits)
📅 Deadline: Awarded at admission to the BSN program ✓ Renews
$5,000
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Transfer students admitted to the BSN program only.
🎓 TransferTransfer admits to the BSN program only.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Nursing students are generally not eligible for other Saint Mary's institutional scholarships, including standard merit, the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, and non-Nursing departmental awards. It can be combined with federal and state need-based aid and the Saint Mary's Grant for Nursing Students.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer students admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program who have demonstrated strong academic performance automatically receive a $5,000 Nursing Scholarship per semester. It renews each year the student stays enrolled full-time in the BSN program in good academic standing. BSN tuition is billed over three terms (summer, fall, spring) at $25,590 per term for 2026-2027.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Transfer students admitted to the BSN program with strong academic records.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Saint Mary's Grant for Nursing Students
📅 Deadline: Awarded with the aid offer after FAFSA is received; March 1 FAFSA priority date Non-Renewable
$2,500
✔ Stackable
⚠ BSN students with an SAI of 15,000 or less (FAFSA).
🎓 All UndergradBSN students with an SAI of 15,000 or less.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with the Nursing Scholarship and with federal and state need-based grants such as Pell, SEOG, and Cal Grant.
💡
Strategic Detail
Nursing (BSN) students with a Student Aid Index of 15,000 or less, as determined by the FAFSA, receive a $2,500 Saint Mary's Grant per semester. Saint Mary's does not publish renewal terms beyond the annual FAFSA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
BSN students whose FAFSA shows a Student Aid Index of 15,000 or less.
Data last verified Oct 5, 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
Which majors offer Departmental Scholarships?
About 30 programs, including Business and Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Communication, Computer Science, Data Science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English, Creative Writing, History, Politics, Philosophy, the Integral Program, Performing Arts, and Teachers for Tomorrow. Requirements differ by department. Some ask for essays and letters, Math uses a competition, Physics uses a virtual lab activity, and Performing Arts requires an audition.
My student goes to a Lasallian high school. What does that get us?
Graduates of De La Salle Christian Brothers high schools automatically receive the $5,000-a-year Lasallian Leadership Award on top of their merit tier. Saint Mary’s also guarantees admission to graduates of U.S. Lasallian-affiliated high schools with a 3.5 weighted GPA and a full college-prep curriculum.
Is there money for debaters and student journalists?
Yes. The Macken Collegiate Forensics Scholarship pays $2,500 to $5,000 a year for speech and debate team members. The Robert W. Summers Scholarship pays $6,000 a year to one entering first-year and one transfer or continuing junior who show real commitment to journalism.
What scholarships can nursing students get?
BSN students with an SAI of 15,000 or less receive a $2,500 Saint Mary’s Grant each semester, and strong transfer admits to the BSN get a $5,000 Nursing Scholarship each semester. Nursing students are generally not eligible for other institutional scholarships, including Alumni Legacy and non-Nursing departmental awards.
We are transferring from a California community college. What applies?
Students who transfer straight from any of California’s 116 community colleges get the $5,000 Community College Pathway Grant. Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma members can add a $5,000 award. Both go on top of transfer merit.
Honors Program at Saint Mary’s College of California
Saint Mary’s has an Honors Program, not a separate honors college. It is built around research, leadership, and service, and your student opts in rather than being placed automatically. The important thing for parents: there is no Honors scholarship attached. The money comes from the merit tiers and departmental awards covered above.
How to join: The application opens twice a year, in January and June.
GPA to stay in: 3.5
What it asks: Two Honors Contracts (a deeper project tied to a course), Honors events and points, and presenting research at least once.
Honors Scholarships & Fellowships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Saint Mary’s does not offer a dedicated Honors scholarship. Honors students keep whatever merit and departmental awards they already have.
Housing Perk: Students who receive the Presidential or Trustee’s Scholarship (or meet other qualifications) are encouraged to live in the Honors Living-Learning Community in Aquinas Hall. It is a suite-style hall near the library with Honors tutors and programs, and students can stay there even if they leave the Honors Program.
Where the Real Money Is for High Achievers
Top merit tiers: $36,000 to $38,000 a year, automatic with a top weighted GPA.
Departmental Scholarship: $5,000 a year that stacks with merit, up to the $50,000 cap.
Integral Program: Students in this Great Books major are eligible for its $5,000 departmental award.
Honors opportunities list: The program shares outside grants, fellowships, and conference funding with members.
Honors Program: FAQs (Saint Mary’s College of California)
Is my student automatically in Honors?
No. Students apply during the January or June window. The program describes membership as lasting two to four years, so students can join after starting at Saint Mary’s.
Does Honors come with a scholarship?
No. Saint Mary’s does not attach money to Honors membership. It brings mentorship, research support, and a list of outside scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
What does it take to stay in?
A 3.5 GPA, two Honors Contracts, participation in Honors events, and presenting research at least once, often at the spring Student Research Conference.
Is the Integral Program an honors program?
No. The Integral Program is a full four-year Great Books major built around seminar discussion. It is demanding, but it is separate from Honors.
Saint Mary’s is a small Catholic college in Moraga, in the hills east of Oakland, with about 2,000 undergraduates and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. It is one of the Colleges That Change Lives, and the only Catholic college and the only California college ever named to that list. The feel is discussion-heavy and personal, but with Division I sports and a Bay Area job market next door.
What Makes It Different: Collegiate Seminar and the Integral Program. Every traditional undergrad takes Collegiate Seminar, which means reading original works and talking through them in small groups instead of sitting through lectures. Students who love that style can go all in with the Integral Program, a four-year Great Books major that runs on seminars, tutorials, and labs.
Business: The School of Economics and Business Administration is the biggest draw, producing roughly a quarter of all bachelor’s degrees. It covers accounting, finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, and business analytics.
Communication: A strong program in communication strategy and media making, with dedicated scholarships for student journalists.
Psychology and Kinesiology: Two of the larger majors, and popular starting points for students heading into health careers.
Nursing (BSN): A nationally accredited nursing program. Keep in mind it has its own pricing and its own aid rules.
Teacher Preparation: The Teachers for Tomorrow pathway lets students start working toward a California teaching credential as undergrads, backed by the graduate Kalmanovitz School of Education.
🔗 Official Saint Mary’s College of California Links
Use Saint Mary’s own pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules, and costs before your student commits. Schools update these every year, so the official page always wins.
Saint Mary’s is refreshingly simple on money. Most admitted students get an automatic award somewhere between $26,000 and $38,000 a year, based on their weighted GPA, with no essays and no test scores. That cuts a $62,000 tuition bill down fast, and the price is the same whether you live in Moraga or Memphis.
The catches are worth knowing up front. Nursing students play by completely different rules. The departmental money only goes to students who apply Early Action and show up for Scholarship Saturday. And because merit counts toward need first, a big merit award can shrink the need-based aid instead of adding to it. California families should treat the Cal Grant filing as a must-do.
If your student wants small discussion-based classes, a Great Books backbone, and a Bay Area launch pad for business, communication, or teaching, Saint Mary’s can come in well under sticker price. Apply Early Action, chase the department award, and run the Net Price Calculator before you compare offers.
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