Scholarships

Penn State World Campus students may be eligible for scholarships from the University, World Campus, their academic college or degree program, and other sources. You may be required to submit the FAFSA, meet eligibility criteria, and submit applications to be considered for scholarships.

Information about any scholarships you have been awarded is available in LionPATH. You can view tutorials on the LionPATH Support page on how to find financial aid information and other important actions.

Scholarships will be counted toward your total financial aid and will be credited toward tuition and fees first.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Penn State World Campus is proud to offer scholarship opportunities to first-time or returning undergraduate degree students. Some scholarships have specific criteria, such as military service or specific geographical location. Other scholarships seek to award adult students or students in specific majors. All scholarships are for both full-time and part-time students. World Campus scholarships require students to have a FAFSA on file with the Office of Student Aid (for United States citizens and eligible non-citizens; international students may apply without a FAFSA on file) and a GPA of 2.0 or better. (Penn State employees receiving the educational benefit are not eligible to receive these scholarships.)

Penn State Office of Student Aid Grants

All Penn State students who have submitted a FAFSA are reviewed for grants awarded by the Office of Student Aid. Each grant has unique requirements and eligibility criteria. You can find a list of these grants on the Penn State Office of Student Aid website.

World Campus Scholarships

Penn State World Campus scholarships are available to first-time or returning undergraduate students, adult learners, military students, and other World Campus students. Scholarships are available to both full-time and part-time students and are highly competitive. There is a single application for all of these scholarships. Find more details, including eligibility, deadlines, and how to apply, on the World Campus Scholarships page. (Employees receiving the educational benefit are not eligible to receive these scholarships.)

Graduate Scholarships

Graduate students, including Penn State World Campus students, may be eligible for the following scholarships from the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School.

Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship for Penn State Alumni in the Graduate School

This scholarship supports students who have been admitted to the Fox Graduate School at Penn State as graduate degree candidates, and who also received their undergraduate degree from Penn State. Visit the Penn State Alumni Association scholarships webpage for more details.

Professional Master's Excellence Award

The Professional Master's Excellence Award recognizes master's degree students in the Fox Graduate School who are in their final year of graduate work, with the majority of their required course work completed. It is awarded to students based on the quality of their academic record and culminating experiences conducted in a professional setting. Visit the Professional Master's Excellence Award webpage for more details.

Other opportunities

Graduate students can also check the Fox Graduate School website and contact their program office for information about other scholarships and to seek out additional financial resources. At this time, no graduate-level scholarships are available through World Campus.

Penn State Scholarships

These scholarships are available to Penn State World Campus students as well as students at other Penn State campuses. This is not a complete list. You can find more information about Penn State scholarships on the Penn State Office of Student Aid website.

Summer Success Scholarship

The summer success scholarship helps undergraduate, degree-seeking students who have fallen behind in their degree program. Visit the Summer Success Scholarship website for application deadlines and more details.

Alpha Sigma Lambda

Two applicants are selected by our Pi Delta Chi committee as candidates for the Alpha Sigma Lambda Adult Student Foundation Scholarship. You do not have to be a member of Alpha Sigma Lambda to apply for a scholarship. Visit the Alpha Sigma Lambda website for more details.

LGBTQ+ Scholarships

The Penn State Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity offers several scholarships to LGBTQ+ students and those who advocate for and contribute to this community. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria. Visit the Penn State Student Affairs website for more details.

Penn State Libraries Scholarships

The Penn State Libraries offer multiple scholarships to Penn State students. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria.

How to Find Scholarships Outside of Penn State

Check for scholarship opportunities with agencies and organizations in your local area.

Other Scholarship Sources

  • your employer
  • chamber of commerce
  • private organizations
  • professional associations
  • career support services

You can also search for scholarships online. Be mindful when completing applications and submitting your information; the Office of Student Aid does not condone any scholarship site that requires payment for the application. The Office of Student Aid recommends the following free scholarship search engines:

Visit the Penn State Bursar Office website for more information or contact:

Office of the Bursar 
Attn: External Awards 
109 Shields Building 
University Park, PA 16802 
Fax: 814-865-6535