Santa Clara University Scholarships (2025–2026 Guide)

Santa Clara University Scholarships (2025–2026)

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What This Page Covers:
  • Tuition, housing, and what families actually pay on average
  • Automatic merit ranges and who typically qualifies
  • Competitive and hidden-gem scholarships worth a look
  • Honors perks and how to stack awards the smart way

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit school in California, so families don’t see the “in-state vs. out-of-state” tuition differences that public universities have. But there are still real ways to bring the cost down—through automatic merit awards, competitive scholarships, and some surprising hidden gems. If you’re a California family, be sure to also check out our California State Aid Guide for grants that can stack with SCU aid.

💰 Cost of Attendance at Santa Clara University

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition & Mandatory Fees (12+ units; includes required student fees) $63,513 $63,513
Housing & Meals (on-campus average) $19,446 $19,446
Books, Travel, Personal (standard allowances) $5,625 $5,625
Total (before aid) $88,584 $88,584
Average Federal Net Price: $49,651/year (NCES 2022–23). This is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships — no loans included.

Need-based aid forms: SCU requires both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile Guide to be considered for institutional aid.

Reciprocity / WUE / Regional Programs
Santa Clara University is a private university, so there’s no in-state vs. out-of-state tuition and no WUE/reciprocity discounts. Everyone starts from the same sticker price; savings come from merit and need-based aid.
FAQ
Who qualifies? Not applicable (no residency discounts at private schools).
How much is the discount? Not applicable; look to scholarships and grants instead.
Apply or automatic? Not applicable; submit FAFSA + CSS Profile for need-based aid and meet merit deadlines.

✅ Automatic Merit Scholarships

Scholarship Name Award Amount Eligibility Separate App? Renewable? Who Actually Wins?
Presidential at Entry Scholarship Full tuition Automatic for first-year admits with top academic records; must keep 3.5 GPA and full-time status. No Yes — up to 12 quarters Generally 4.0 unweighted GPA or very close, *1400+ SAT / 32+ ACT*, plus strong AP/IB rigor. *Estimate
Provost Scholarship Half tuition Automatic for first-year admits; must keep 3.0 GPA and full-time status. No Yes — up to 12 quarters Often 3.8–3.95 GPA with *1350–1450 SAT / 30–32 ACT*. Students in top 10–15% of class. *Estimate
Dean’s Scholarship Partial tuition (less than half; amount varies) Automatic for first-year admits to Arts & Sciences, Business, or Engineering; must keep 3.0 GPA. No Yes — up to 12 quarters Usually 3.6–3.8 GPA with *1250–1350 SAT / 27–30 ACT*. Strong grades, solid coursework. *Estimate
Johnson Scholars Award Up to full tuition + room & board + books; summer stipend in later years Automatic consideration tied to Honors Program admission; U.S. citizens/permanent residents only. No (must apply to Honors) Yes — up to 12 quarters Near-perfect academics: 4.0 GPA, *1450+ SAT / 33+ ACT*, plus leadership, service, and national-level awards. *Estimate
*Estimates are based on a mix of SCU descriptions, past awardee profiles, and published student stats. Actual thresholds shift year to year.

FAQ

  • Do I need to submit a separate scholarship application? No — all awards above are automatic with admission review.
  • Are they renewable? Yes — each lasts up to 12 academic quarters if you maintain the required GPA and stay full-time.
  • Does SCU superscore SAT/ACT? Yes — they take your highest section scores across test dates. Test submission is optional.
  • Does test-optional affect my scholarship chances? No — not submitting scores won’t hurt you for merit review.

🏆 Flagship (Competitive) Scholarships

Scholarship Award Amount Eligibility Separate App? Renewable? Who Actually Wins?
Johnson Scholars Full tuition + stipend First-years; must apply to Honors; U.S. citizens only Yes — via Honors finalist process Yes — up to 12 quarters ≈4.0 GPA, *1450+ SAT / 33+ ACT*, plus leadership/service. *Estimate
Robert Warren Up to $40,000/yr Chosen from Johnson Scholar finalists No — automatic from finalist pool Yes — annual ≈3.9+ GPA, *1400+ SAT / 32+ ACT*, strong leadership. *Estimate
Bronco Scholarship Varies (institutional merit) Admitted first-years; based on academics + diversity No — admission review only Yes — up to 12 quarters 3.7–3.9 GPA; *1300+ SAT / 29+ ACT*; adds geographic or background diversity. *Estimate
*Estimates are based on SCU materials, third-party scholarship data, and past profiles. Actual thresholds shift each year.

FAQ

  • How many are awarded? Johnson Scholars selects ~5 students each year.
  • Is there an extra application? Yes — Johnson requires Honors + finalist process; Robert Warren comes from that pool. Bronco is automatic.
  • Are they renewable? Yes — all renew up to 12 quarters with GPA and full-time enrollment.
  • Do test scores matter? Yes — SCU superscores SAT/ACT if submitted; test-optional is also allowed.

💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships

These aren’t the headline “automatic” or “flagship/competitive” awards—but they can quietly shave thousands off costs through research stipends, study abroad funding, first-gen support, and ROTC tuition benefits.

Scholarship Award Amount Eligibility Separate App? Renewable? Who Actually Wins?
LEAD Scholars Micro-Scholarship Fund Small awards (hundreds–low thousands) First-generation students in the LEAD program; used for tuition gaps or urgent needs Yes — internal request No (one-time) Active LEAD participants with documented financial shortfall
Black Excellence Scholarship Fund Varies; usually several thousand dollars Self-identified Black undergraduates with demonstrated financial need; preference to first-gen No — automatic with FAFSA + CSS Profile Yes — if financial need continues Students showing both need and campus engagement; strong fit for first-gen Black students
Jesuit Ignatian Award ~$2,500–$5,000/year First-year admits graduating from a Jesuit high school No — automatic with admission Yes Students from Jesuit high schools in the U.S.
Cristo Rey Promise ~$5,000/year Graduates of Cristo Rey high schools nationwide No — automatic with admission Yes Admitted Cristo Rey graduates in good academic standing
SCU California Promise Grant Bridges full need for Cal Grant-eligible Californians First-year California residents who qualify for Cal Grant + have unmet need No — based on FAFSA + CSS Profile Yes — if Cal Grant & need continue Low- to middle-income CA families qualifying for Cal Grant
Award amounts are based on university descriptions and recent reports; specific dollar values may shift each year.
  • Departmental Scholarships (e.g., Accounting Dept. $86k annual pool; Music auditions; senior prizes)
  • Bronco Bench Foundation athletic scholarships (endowed funds for student-athletes)
  • National Fellowships Office support for external awards like Truman, Fulbright, etc.

FAQ

  • Can these combine with my SCU merit? Often yes, especially stipends (research, service, study abroad). Tuition-targeted awards (e.g., ROTC) follow federal/University stacking caps.
  • Are these need-based or merit-based? Many are selection-based with mission/fit criteria; some consider need (e.g., LEAD microgrants) while others fund defined projects (REAL, Donovan).
  • When do I apply? Fall–winter for summer fellowships; study abroad scholarships follow program terms; Army ROTC runs national HS boards (senior year) plus campus-based options.
  • Do these reduce tuition or living costs? Stipends offset living/research/travel; ROTC can cover tuition/fees directly.

⭐ What Santa Clara University Is Known For

Santa Clara University thrives at the intersection of rigorous academics, Jesuit values, and Silicon Valley opportunity. For students who want both strong technical skills *and* leadership, SCU delivers. You’ll find excellent teaching, hands-on projects, and real access to internships and companies right outside your classroom.

Top Program Spotlight:
Leavey School of Business – Entrepreneurship & Finance is nationally ranked: in U.S. News & World Report’ s 2025 Best Colleges, SCU’s Entrepreneurship program is tied for **No. 18**, and its Finance program tied for **No. 19**. *Best Known For*: preparing students for startups, finance careers, and business leadership in Silicon Valley. *(Note: SCU is *not* an R1 university; its Carnegie classification is “Doctoral/Professional Universities.”)*
  • Engineering – SCU engineering is ranked among top schools nationally in “Best Engineering Majors” by College Factual: #7 in the U.S., and #3 in California.
  • Undergraduate Teaching – U.S. News ranks SCU No. 17 (tied) nationally for Undergraduate Teaching.
  • Management Information Systems (MIS) – SCU is tied for No. 20 in the U.S. in U.S. News for MIS.
  • Accounting – SCU’s accounting program ranks tied No. 56 nationally.
  • Computer Science / Undergraduate CS – climbing in rankings; U.S. News places SCU in its national university rankings with notice of Computer Science among popular and growing programs.
  • Public Health & Finance-Accounting – According to Niche, SCU is ranked #24 in the U.S. for both Public Health and for Accounting & Finance.

🎖️ University Honors Program

Santa Clara doesn’t have a separate Honors College, but its University Honors Program (UHP) provides an enriched academic track. It’s designed for students who want smaller classes, faculty mentorship, and research opportunities layered on top of SCU’s Jesuit tradition and Silicon Valley access.

What a Typical SCU Honors Student Looks Like:
High school GPA near 4.0, rigorous AP/IB coursework, strong writing ability, and active leadership/service roles. Test scores, if submitted, often fall in the *1400+ SAT / 32+ ACT* range. *Estimate
Perks That Matter:
  • Priority class registration each quarter
  • Dedicated Honors housing options for first-years
  • Small, discussion-based seminars with top faculty
  • Senior capstone thesis or research project with mentorship
  • Enhanced advising and support for fellowships/grad school
Scholarship Award Amount Eligibility Separate App? Renewable? Who Actually Wins?
Johnson Scholars Program Full tuition + room & board + books + stipend Incoming first-years; must apply to Honors; U.S. citizens only Yes — via Honors application/finalist process Yes — up to 12 quarters ≈4.0 GPA, *1450+ SAT / 33+ ACT*, leadership & service record. *Estimate
Robert Warren Scholarship Up to $40,000/yr Incoming first-years; chosen from Johnson finalist pool No — automatic from finalist pool Yes — annual ≈3.9+ GPA, *1400+ SAT / 32+ ACT*, strong leadership. *Estimate
*Estimates are based on SCU materials, past awardee profiles, and published student stats. Actual thresholds shift each year.
  • Oxford Scholarship – Funds one junior Honors student each year to study abroad at Mansfield College, Oxford.
  • Osberg Fellowship – Up to $3,000 for Honors sophomores/juniors to support summer research wages or domestic travel.
  • Hayes Fellowship – Up to $6,000 for Honors students’ summer research, study, or supply costs; available to sophomores/juniors.

FAQ

  • Is admission automatic? No — students are invited to apply after admission to SCU. Highly selective review.
  • Does it add time to my degree? No — Honors courses fulfill core curriculum requirements.
  • When do I apply? Invitations are sent with admission offers; Early Action/Decision admits get priority.
  • Are there extra scholarships? Yes — flagship scholarships like Johnson and Robert Warren are tied to Honors; additional research fellowships open once enrolled.

Final Thoughts

Paying for Santa Clara University can feel daunting, but there are real ways families make it work. Automatic merit helps reduce the sticker price right away, flagship awards like Johnson Scholars provide transformative opportunities, and hidden gems (from first-gen support to ROTC) add up to meaningful savings. Pair that with SCU’s strong specialties in business, engineering, and teaching, and you get a Jesuit education rooted in Silicon Valley that still rewards planning and persistence.

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✅ Last updated: September 23, 2025

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