Scholarships are gifts, and in most cases, do not need to be repaid. Scholarships may be offered by schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations.

Scholarships may be merit-based and/or need-based. Merit-based scholarships are earned by meeting or exceeding certain standards set by the scholarship donor, which may include academic achievement, a special talent, trait, or interest. Need-based scholarships are based on financial need. Financial need is determined by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from your cost of attendance (COA)​​.

SCHOLARSHIPS FROM OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY

If you are receiving a scholarship from a donor (source) that is outside the university:

Make scholarship checks payable to The Regents of the University of Colorado. Send checks to our Mailing Address. Please note that scholarships from a donor (source) outside of the university must be included as part of your financial aid package and may reduce your eligibility for other types of financial aid. 

How do I find scholarships?

You can learn about scholarships from many sources, including by mail and on the internet. But be careful and avoid scholarship scams. Make sure any scholarship information and offers you receive are legitimate, and remember you don’t have to pay to find, apply for, or receive scholarships or other financial aid.

Most scholarships at CU Anschutz, including need-based and merit-based, are offered by the schools and colleges. If you have any scholarships questions, please contact your school or program. Below are links to scholarship information for each school or program.

How does a scholarship affect my other student aid?

The total amount of aid from all sources, including scholarships, grants, work-study and loans, cannot exceed your COA. The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office may need to adjust other financial aid awards to resolve any overaward situations.

  • Scholarships designated to cover tuition and fees: Many scholarships allow funds to be applied to the entire COA, including tuition, fees, books and living expenses. However, some scholarships stipulate that funds must only be applied to tuition and fees. If you receive multiple scholarships with this restriction, any funds exceeding tuition and fees may need to be applied to a future term of enrollment or returned to the scholarship donor.

  • National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program (NHSC) and the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP): NHSC or HPSP awards typically provide a scholarship to cover tuition and fees and a monthly stipend for items not covered by the scholarship, including other items in the COA. The full amount of the scholarship and stipend is considered Estimated Financial Assistance (EFA) and must be included as part of your award for the academic year. This will reduce your eligibility for other types of financial aid, including other federal, state, institutional, and private scholarships and grants. Please notify the CU Anschutz Financial Aid and Scholarships Office as soon as possible if you anticipate receiving a NHSC, NURSE Corps, or HPSP award

The Financial Aid & Scholarships Office does award a small number of need-based institutional scholarships as part of the initial financial aid package based on information from the FAFSA. No additional application is required.

Additional Resources

Try these other free resources for additional scholarship opportunities: